The Heat have played one of the friendliest schedules so far this NBA season. It's not about strength of schedule or quality of the opponent for Miami. This is purely about...well, Miami. Not the team, but the city, and the fact that the Heat have played 22 of their first 34 games of the season there.
No other NBA team has played a higher ratio of its games at home thus far. But that's obviously not a trend that keeps up. At some point, the Heat will have a rough road stretch.
That point starts Friday.
Miami welcomes the Knicks into American Airlines Arena on Wednesday before flying off to Phoenix on Friday. Opponents on the West Coast swing include the Suns, Jazz, Warriors, Clippers, Nuggets and Thunder. That's not an easy one, but at least the Heat come home for the Bucks following that Oklahoma City game...for one game. That's it. Then it's off on the road again for what is, this time, a five-game roadie.
Wizards, Raptors, Bulls, Nets, Bucks until they come home for the Hawks...for one game again. Then, there's another road trip, this one three games long.
All in all, the Heat play 14 of their ensuing 16 games after the one against the Knicks on the road. That's a rough slate. If Miami is still top-three in the East after that, then we'll know the team is legit.
