Miami Heat center Bam Adebayo (13), guard Davion Mitchell (45), guard Tyler Herro (14), and guard Norman Powell (24) walk together on the court during their NBA basketball game against the Milwaukee Bucks at Kaseya Center in Miami on November 26, 2025. PHOTO BY AL DIAZ adiaz@miamiherald.com
While there has been a recent uptick in screens, the Miami Heat continues to run one of the most unique offenses in the NBA.
Heat coach Erik Spoelstra wants to keep it that way.
“Our game has to remain the same regardless of whether we’re posting, whether we’re not using pick-and-rolls, whether we’re playing in pace, whether we’re using pick-and-rolls. It doesn’t matter,” Spoelstra emphasized before the Heat continued its homestand on Thursday night against the Boston Celtics. “It’s the same principles.
“We have to get much more consistent with that. There are times where we are and it’s beautiful and it’s hard to guard, and then there are other times it slows down and we fall into a little bit more conventional play.”
Head coach Erik Spoelstra of the Miami Heat looks on during the first half against the Brooklyn Nets at Barclays Center on December 18, 2025 in the Brooklyn borough of New York City. Sarah Stier Getty Images
The Heat’s offense has been far from conventional this season, as it continues to run a free-flowing, motion-based offense that doesn’t involve as many screens or handoffs as other offensive schemes.
After using 68.9 screens per 100 possessions (ninth most in the NBA) last season, the Heat has used an NBA-low 18 screens per 100 possessions in the NBA through the first 40 games this season, according to Genius Sports.
But since Heat guard Tyler Herro returned last week from a toe injury, a few more screens have been incorporated. The Heat used more than 30 screens per 100 possessions in Tuesday’s home win over the Phoenix Suns.
When asked about the Heat using more screens in recent games, Herro quipped: “Should I say why we run pick-and-rolls, or pick-and-rolls are a bad thing? I’m going to leave it.”
But then Herro, who used the most pick-and-rolls among Heat players last season, offered his thoughts.
“Pick-and-rolls are great,” Herro said. “It’s a part of the game. We came into the season with a motion pattern offense that we all kind of read and react off each other, and the pick and roll is implemented into it. We still can get to those movements and the spacings on the floor with the pick and rolls.
“Now, I don’t think it’s all pick and rolls, and I don’t think it’s all no pick-and-rolls. I think it’s a happy medium, and that’s on us players and the coaching staff to kind of figure out where that is throughout a game. And I also think it changes game to game. Some games we don’t need any and some games we do, depending on who we play.”
This scheme has completely changed how the Heat looks on offense.
After finishing as the 24th-ranked scoring team (110.6 points per game) and 27th-ranked pace team (97.1 possessions per 48 minutes) last season, the Heat enters Thursday’s matchup against the Celtics ranked fifth in scoring (119.6 points per game) and first in pace (105 possessions per 48 minutes) this season.
“It’s trying to get more consistent to our principles,” Spoelstra said of the goal on offense moving forward this season. “It’s not just about we’re going to run more pick-and-rolls. That’s a different language to me. I don’t want our players having that kind of discussion. It’s low-level thinking. It’s the principles. We’re really good at times and there are times when we need to be a little bit more consistent.”
The Heat has already scored 140 or more points in seven games this season, which is a franchise record for a single season. It’s also the most games that a team has hit the 140-point mark in the NBA so far this season, with no other team in the league reaching that scoring threshold in more than three games this season.
But the Heat has also been held under 100 points in two of its last four games ahead of Thursday’s contest against the Celtics. Miami also enters Thursday with the league’s 21st-ranked offensive rating (scoring 113.5 points per 100 possessions) this season.
Whether the Heat uses more screens or not, Spoelstra just wants to see more consistent offensive production.
“There’s got to be a balance because when we get to too much of that, it just slows everything way down,” Spoelstra said of running more pick and rolls. “... There has to be a balance, but we still have to play to our principles. If we want to just go 1,000% conventional, we know how that’s going to be.”
LEAVING A MARK
Center Bam Adebayo continues to leave his mark in Heat history.
During Adebayo’s 29-point performance in Tuesday’s win against the Suns, he passed Alonzo Mourning for sole possession of second place on the Heat’s all-time scoring list.
“That’s really incredible, it’s stunning,” Spoelstra said after Wednesday’s practice. “It was awesome to have Zo here today so Bam could talk some smack to him. It felt like, I mentioned before, it felt like Zo was here for 20 years. It just shows you the consistency, the availability, the reliability, and Bam’s improvement every single year to be able to have that kind of accomplishment in our organization. It’s an awesome credit to him.”
Adebayo (9,461 points) is now two points ahead of third-place Mourning (9,459) and 12,095 points behind No. 1 Dwyane Wade (21,556 points).
While Adebayo is far from catching Wade on the Heat’s all-time scoring list, Adebayo enters Thursday just 458 rebounds from passing Udonis Haslem to become the Heat’s all-time leading rebounder.
“I’m really chasing UD right now,” Adebayo said with a smile.
CAN’T MAKE IT?
With the Heat’s Jan. 30 home game against the Chicago Bulls moved to Jan 31 to accommodate for the Heat’s rescheduled matchup against the Bulls in Chicago on Jan. 29, fans who already had tickets to the Jan. 30 contest in Miami but can’t make the Jan. 31 game at Kaseya Center have a few options.
Heat season ticket holders who can’t attend the Jan. 31 home game against the Bulls will have their account credited.
Those who purchased tickets for the Jan. 30 game through Ticketmaster and can’t make the Jan. 31 contest will have a refund option on Ticketmaster’s website.
Those who purchased tickets for the Jan. 30 game through resale platforms and can’t attend the Jan. 31 contest will have to go by the refund policy of that specific resale marketplace.
INJURY REPORT
Heat starting guard Davion Mitchell (left shoulder contusion) is listed as doubtful for Thursday’s matchup against the Celtics.
Jaime Jaquez Jr. (left knee soreness) is questionable to play on Thursday. Also, Nikola Jovic (right knee soreness) and Herro (right big toe contusion and rib contusion) are probable to play against the Celtics.
The Heat already ruled out Myron Gardner (G League), Vlad Goldin (G League), Terry Rozier (not with team) and Jahmir Young (G League).
The Celtics only ruled out Josh Minott (left ankle sprain) and Jayson Tatum (right Achilles repair) for Thursday’s game in Miami.