Where Do the Heat Rank in the Eastern Conference After a Lackluster Preseason?
Heading into the 2025-26 campaign, the Miami Heat find themselves broadly ranked around seventh in the Eastern Conference. This reflects a lineup and some momentum that suggest solid depth but also clear limitations compared to the league’s elite. According to ESPN’s early simulation of final standings, the Heat are projected to finish with roughly a 39-42 win season, placing them in the seventh or eighth seed zone. The franchise has low expectations from media outlets and fans, suggesting they won't make the same push to the finals like they did against the Denver Nuggets.
That ranking makes sense given how the Heat performed in the preseason—they went 0-6 and finished dead last in the Eastern Conference preseason standings, posting a negative point differential of about -9.4 points per game. Such a rough warm-up doesn’t doom a season, especially for a veteran team known for resilience under head coach Erik Spoelstra, but it certainly tempers expectations. It signals that Miami may not be primed for a top-tier run this year—more indication they’ll be competing for one of the final playoff berths rather than contending for the East crown. On the positive side, the team still possesses key core players and organizational stability, which gives the Heat a better chance than many to punch into the play-in or even directly to the sixth or seventh seed. Their recent postseason appearance, advancing via the Play-In Tournament in 2024-25, underscores their staying power. However, given the stronger rosters at the top of the East — including the Cleveland Cavaliers, New York Knicks, Orlando Magic, and others — it’s fair to say Miami is seen as solidly in the mid-tier of the conference, not the elite.
Simply put, the Heat are currently projected as a seventh-seed type team in the East. They’re not likely to be viewed as genuine championship contenders this season, but also not expected to be lottery fodder. Their preseason slump pulls them downward, but organizational strength and prior postseason experience keep them competitive, especially with the X-Factors they have on the team. Ultimately, Miami’s projected seventh-place standing shouldn’t be viewed as a disappointment, but rather as a testament to its stability in an increasingly crowded conference. The team’s ability to maintain competitiveness despite injuries, roster turnover, and evolving league trends highlights the resilience that defines “Heat Culture.” While they might not open the season as favorites to reach the Eastern Conference Finals, they are a battle-tested group capable of overperforming when it matters most.
