The Miami Heat finished the 2022-2023 NBA Season better than many thought they would.
After making it to the NBA Finals, the Heat continue to establish themselves as one of the best teams in the Eastern Conference.
While it can’t make up for losing in the finals, veteran center Bam Adebayo recently illustrated to ESPN the major reason they fell short.
“We had [among the most] injuries in the 2022-2023 season,” Adebayo said via Vice City Alerts.
Bam Adebayo on the Finals:
"I feel like we just came up short because we had [among the most] injuries in the 2022-23 season. [Through] all those ups and downs throughout the season… I feel like fatigue had a toll.”
(@espn) pic.twitter.com/Vl3a43lho7
— Vice City Alerts (@ViceCityAlerts) July 31, 2023
Adebayo believes that “fatigue had a toll.”
One of the Heat’s most valuable contributors, Tyler Herro, was unavailable for the majority of their playoff run.
Herro was the team’s top three-point shooter, and without him for the rest of the playoffs, they were at a marked disadvantage.
Jimmy Butler also suffered from his fair share of injuries, along with Caleb Martin and Kyle Lowry.
For the Heat team last season, it felt, for many fans, that the team simply could not catch a break.
As they look forward to next year, the Heat can look ahead with confidence, especially if the team is fully healthy.
They have plenty of elite options at their disposal, as they look to return many players from last year’s roster.
Plus, adding a player like Damian Lillard into the fold couldn’t hurt, a rumor that seems to gain more traction each day.
The NBA Season is undoubtedly filled with injuries, which seem inevitable to a degree.
If the Heat can keep the injury bug away from their roster, can they make it back to the NBA Finals again this year?
NEXT: Insider Reveals Potential Miami Heat Trade Package For Damian Lillard