Still: If Miami maintains a top-eight-ish offense, the Heat are likely a title contender. 4 in offense, and portended issues they might have against versatile defenses. The real story is the offense - or it was, until the Boston Celtics' switchy defense ground it to dust in an emphatic win Thursday that encapsulated why some preseason observers (including this one) pegged Boston as a top-six lock in the East.

Things get dicier when two of Duncan Robinson, Tyler Herro, Max Strus, or Caleb Martin are on the floor, but such lineups have defended well so far.

Offenses target the fifth guy, but the Heat are confident those four can help without yielding profitable shots. Tucker - can switch pretty much anything. Miami's four best defenders - Kyle Lowry, Bam Adebayo, Jimmy Butler, and P.J. They rank second in points allowed per possession, behind only the Golden State Warriors. That is most obvious on defense, where the Heat are even more ferocious than they appeared on paper - a snarling, bumping, switching machine that cackles while smothering you into submission.

This may be the most Heat team ever - straight out of Pat Riley central casting. We'll have more on the Robert Sarver situation in Phoenix on the Lowe Post podcast today, but in the meantime, here's this season's second 10 Things - starring the 6-2 Miami Heat, some superstar big men, bad fouls, and more. Lowe's 10 Things: Point-center Joel Embiid, Miami's ridiculous start and a long-forgotten big man

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