It’s time to zoom out, look ahead based on what we’ve seen from the Miami Heat, and make some revised predictions for what the rest of the season holds as we approach the last stretch of the regular season.
The All U Can Heat crew convened to forecast five outcomes for the remainder of the season: new records being established by Bam Adebayo, a streak being continued by Duncan Robinson, and a playoff rivalry being reignited.
1. Bam Adebayo will continue the streak of setting a playoff franchise record.
There have been two franchise records set throughout the last two postseason runs. The first occurred when Duncan Robinson made the most 3-pointers in a playoff game, sinking eight of them in the opening round matchup with the Atlanta Hawks. Jimmy Butler’s legendary 56-point outburst against the Milwaukee Bucks in a playoff game set the second record for points scored in a postseason game.
I believe that Bam Adebayo will set yet another franchise record. Adebayo is going to set a new playoffs milestone for the Heat when he grabs 21 rebounds in a game this postseason, breaking the previous record of 20 set by Ronny Seikaly and Shaquille O’Neal. — Alex Villasis
2. The Miami Heat will secure a top-five playoff seed in the East.
The Heat are hot right now, having won nine of their previous twelve games and recently concluded a five-game winning run. I started to have some reservations after the team’s seven-game losing skid and considered changing up the roster before the trade deadline.
But the Heat have silenced those small doubts, as they so often do. This team has proven to be incredibly resilient since that difficult time. The Heat have a reputation for being unstoppable in any situation, which may not be as spectacular as a No. 8 seed making it to the NBA Finals (like they did last year).
The gap between the Knicks, 76ers, Magic, Pacers, and Heat is one and a half games. I think the Heat will continue their current winning streak and move up the standings, while the Knicks have lost seven of their past ten games and the Sixers are still struggling without Joel Embiid. – Daniel Riccio
3. Duncan Robinson will make 1,000 career 3-pointers by the end of the season.
As everyone knows, Duncan Robinson is among the NBA’s top shooters and is perhaps the best player on the Miami Heat. Once he hit 200, 300, 400, 500, 600, 700, and 800 3-pointers, he became the fastest player to do so. By making 900 threes in 324 games last year, Robinson surpassed the mark held by Luka Doncic and Buddy Hield.
He eclipsed Tim Hardaway to become the Heat’s all-time leader in 3-pointers made for the team this season. In his NBA career, Robinson has made 974 three-pointers as of right now. It appears likely that 26 more 3-pointers will be made in order to hit 1,000 career 3-pointers before the regular season ends. — Stephanie Meadows
4. Adebayo will make an All-NBA team, and then become the highest-paid player in Heat franchise history.
The most lucrative contract in Heat history was signed by Jimmy Butler in 2021 when he agreed to a three-year, $146.4 million contract extension. In the last year of this agreement, Butler will earn up to $52.4 million in a season (2025–26). Bam Adebayo is about to shatter that record and ink the biggest contract in Heat history. The only thing left to ask is: How much?
Adebayo will be able to sign a four-year, $245 million supermax extension this summer if he is selected to an All-NBA team (or wins Defensive Player of the Year, which appears to be going to Rudy Gobert). He has the option to sign a three-year, $152 million deal if he is not eligible for the supermax. Either deal would top all previous records for the Heat.
Adebayo, who was chosen an All-Star this season and averages 20.3 points, 10.5 rebounds, 4.1 assists, 1.1 steals, and 1 block per game, has a chance to make the All-NBA team, though it will be difficult. Only four players this season have averaged at least 20 points, 10 rebounds, 4 assists, and 2 stocks (steals plus blocks). Among them, Joel Embiid, Giannis Antetokounmpo, and Nikola Jokic are or were contenders for MVP. And Adebayo is the other.
Tyrese Haliburton, Embiid, and Jimmy Butler have all been ousted or almost eliminated by the new 65-games-played rule (can only miss three more).
At least ten players—Stephen Curry, Luka Doncic, Kevin Durant, Antetokounmpo, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, LeBron James, Jokic, Kawhi Leonard, Donovan Mitchell, and Jayson Tatum—are guaranteed spots on one of the All-NBA teams, assuming they stay healthy.
There are currently roughly a dozen players in the running for the remaining five spots: Gobert, Karl-Anthony Towns, Tyrese Maxey, Paul George, Lauri Markkanen, Adebayo, Jalen Brunson, Anthony Edwards, Domantas Sabonis, De’Aaron Fox, Anthony Davis, and Gobert.
Voters may feel compelled to select a Heat player for the All-NBA squad if the Heat finish as the top six seed in the East. Adebayo is left in consideration after Butler was disqualified. Adebayo has performed well enough to be regarded as one of the top 15 players in the league this season, even without that qualification. — Wes Goldberg
5. The Heat and Celtics will meet again in the playoffs
The greatest rivalry in the Eastern Conference, if not the whole NBA, is now between the Heat and the Celtics. In three of the previous four seasons, these teams have faced off in the conference finals, with the Heat defeating the Celtics two of those three occasions.
After making major roster changes centered on Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown last summer, the Celtics have dominated the league and defeated the Heat in each of their three regular-season meetings. If they don’t play each other in the postseason, they won’t play again.
With new players getting established, Erik Spoelstra establishing his preferred rotation, and Jimmy Butler performing at an All-NBA caliber, the Heat are finally starting to turn things around. Miami is beginning to look like the club that no one wants to play in a postseason series.
The Heat have a solid chance of facing the top-seeded Celtics in the second round if they finish as the fourth or fifth seed and win their first-round contest. Even though it’s not the conference finals, the drama would still be there. – Wes Goldberg
