OKC Thunder: TI editor power ranking week 9: The shuffle is on

I find myself watching more Heat games than typical – I mean next to Pascal Siakam is there any third year player more intriguing than Josh Richardson? And, while I watch them battle a thought keeps emerging.

In 2016-17 the Heat began 11-30 and battled to get back in the race via a 23-5 stretch. In the end, they tied for eighth but lost the tiebreaker. With that memory clear in 10 returning players’ minds could they wage that battle just a little sooner?

Miami Heat:

Offensive Rating: 25th
Defensive Rating: 9th
Net Differential: 22nd

Points per game: 106.8 (23rd)
Offensive field goal efficiency: 43.2 percent (30th)
Opponent points per game: 107.7 (9th)
Opponent field goal efficiency: 44.4 percent (tied 4th)

3-Point percent: 35.9% (8th)
Opponent 3-point percent: 36.4% (25th)

Home: 5-9
Road: 8-7
Back to back sets: 4

Versus the East: 5-12, 9th in EC
Versus the West: 8-4
Week nine 2-2:  Wins @Grizzlies, @Pelicans lost to @Lakers, @Jazz
On tap for week 10: Rockets, (B2B Bucks. @Magic)