The Miami Heat have championship aspirations heading into the 2020-21 season, but not many around the NBA seem to share their confidence.
In fact, ESPN recently spoke to eight scouts and executives to ask them about which teams they think will advance to the NBA Finals this season.
None of the scouts picked the defending Eastern Conference champs to make it back to the finals.
Amongst the eight individuals polled, five chose the Milwaukee Bucks to represent the East. Two chose the Philadelphia 76ers. The remaining individual picked the Brooklyn Nets.
There’s no doubt that all three teams are talented, but it is still highly disrespectful to completely ignore the defending conference champs.
That’s especially true when fans consider the fact that the 76ers lost in the first round of the playoffs last season. Moreover, they lost to the Boston Celtics, who ultimately fell to the Heat in the conference finals.
On top of that, the Heat easily defeated the Bucks in the playoffs.
As for the Nets, there’s no doubt that they are serious contenders thanks to the return of Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving.
Still, to give them the nod over a Heat team that has incredible chemistry and depth seems misguided.
These experts’ opinions mean very little in the grand scheme of things. After all, no one really expected the Heat to advance to the finals last season.
They proved the doubters wrong then, and they’ll surely look to do the same thing this season as well.
