"Miami Heat is the most disrespected franchise... Shame on media, shame on me" - Former Chicago Bulls star believes Eastern Conference heavyweights are overlooked when it comes to media attention
Former Chicago Bulls player Jay Williams reckons the Miami Heat are one of the most disrespected teams in the NBA right now.
Despite injuries and COVID-19 protocols plaguing their campaign, the Heat finished atop the Eastern Conference. They have continued their brilliance in the postseason, beating the Atlanta Hawks and the Philadelphia 76ers.
With all eyes on them for their conference finals against the Boston Celtics, Williams believes the Heat have done enough to prove their naysayers wrong. On KJM (Keshawn, JWill & Max show) he said:
"So the Miami Heat is the most disrespected franchise there is right now, and shame on media, shame on me."
Williams noted how the Heat have quietly made their way to the Eastern Conference finals:
"All we been talking about the last several weeks, we've been talking about the 76ers, I can't tell you how many people came up to me like, 'You've been talking about James Harden again.'"
He continued:
"Yesterday it was about Luka Doncic and how he was similar to Magic Johnson and the fact that when you leave the room, you're missing out on something he will provide for the game, or if it is Patrick Beverley talking about CP3, or if Jayson Tatum has a seat at the table of the greats. If he is on Level 2 as opposed to Level 1 of the VIP room. Nobody is talking about the Miami Heat."
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The Heat are looking to win their first Championship in nine years. They face a tough test against the Boston Celtics, but with the experience and depth they have, the Heat could go all the way.
Can Miami Heat win NBA championship this season?
The Miami Heat have had their eyes on the championship since their early postseason exit last season. They were thrashed 4-0 by the Milwaukee Bucks in the first round.
It was certain Pat Riley would make some big moves in the offseason. He brought in Kyle Lowry from the Toronto Raptors. To add more strength, the Heat also signed PJ Tucker and Markieff Morris.
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All three Championship-winning players made the Heat a force to be reckoned with. Kyle Lowry had an instant impact, while Tucker brought in the defensive intensity the team wanted. Thanks to their performances, the Heat finished atop the East and reach the Conference finals for the second time in three years.
It would be interesting to see how they fare in the Eastern Conference finals. Their matchup against the Boston Celtics is a repeat of their ECF contest in 2020. Both teams are defensively resolute, which makes things interesting. Kyle Lowry's injury could be a worrying sign for the Heat, but they should have enough to beat the young Celtics team.
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Among the four teams left in the competition, the Heat are the only one to have appeared in an NBA Finals in the last two seasons.
They fell short in 2020 against the LA Lakers but will look to make amends this time around. They certainly have the pieces to win their fourth NBA championship this season.