Predicting the Phoenix Suns in 2018-19 v the Southeast Division
By Adam Maynes
Southeast Division
Miami Heat
Like the Phoenix Suns, the Miami Heat are a much different team this season than last.
Losing Ryan Anderson, Hassan Whiteside, Josh Richardson, Dwayne Wade, and possibly Udonis Haslem, while adding Jimmy Butler, Meyers Leonard, and Tyler Herro (through the draft).
While still running with fast-aging point guard Goran Dragic at point, the Heat will be better than last season – probably more than good enough to win their very weak Division (even if they finish .500).
However, I do not believe that there will be that much of a gap – if any at all – between the Suns and Heat this coming season, and as last year’s incarnations of both teams split the series, there is really no reason to believe that unless one team is in the midst of a back-to-back situation or dealing with major injuries in both matchups that that same result will not happen again in 2019-20.
It is just hard to not like Phoenix’s core as much as the Heat’s, and while Butler is a huge addition, he is really all they have right now, which gives the Suns a very good chance to be perfectly competitive.