Miami Heat

Miami Heat

While it doesn't look like it on the surface, the Miami Heat's 15-point win over the Atlanta Hawks was a good win. Miami got back to its identity, without two of its players in Bam Adebayo and Tyler Herro, snapping a three-game skid. Though it will have a quick turnaround on Saturday night, the second night of a back-to-back, facing the reeling, beleaguered Indiana Pacers inside Kaseya Center. Tip-off is expected to be at 8:00 p.m. EST.

Magic forward Franz Wagner suffered a high ankle sprain Sunday against the New York Knicks, his MRI revealed. An MRI conducted Monday showed that forward Franz Wagner suffered a left high ankle sprain. He sustained the injury during the first quarter of Sunday afternoon's game at New York.His return will depend on how he responds to treatment.

Before the season, I wanted the Heat to play faster. Well, they have done that, and then some. Through 20 games, the Heat are out-pacing the rest of the NBA, by a lot. They are first in PACE at 106.1, nearly two possessions per 48 minutes above the next-highest team (Bulls - 104.4). They are running and gunning by far the most of any Erik Spoelstra-led team behind their new free-flowing offenses that has all but eliminated ball screens from the equation.

Following two consecutive home wins for the Miami Heat, they are now heading back on the road- starting with a Friday night Emirates NBA Cup matchup versus the Chicago Bulls. Outside of placement in the NBA Cup standings, this is a crucial game for both teams. The Heat are currently the fifth seed in the East at a 9-6 overall record, but Chicago isn't trailing far behind them with an 8-6 record as the seventh seed.

If the Heat want to make a genuine run to the playoffs this season and be anything but an afterthought in the Eastern Conference, they're going to have to add some size to the equation. Unless, of course, the Heat believes Vlad Goldin could work his way to the point where he could factor into the rotation more during the second half of the season. However, considering he hasn't logged a regular-season minute for the Heat so far this season, that may be a stretch.