NBA insider makes bold Heat prediction ahead of 2025-26 season
The Miami Heat enter the 2025-26 campaign looking to surprise following back-to-back first-round playoff exits. 
While the team traded for Norman Powell to complement its core of Tyler Herro and Bam Adebayo this offseason, the Heat aren't expected to contend for a conference title, with the
The Heat have been a Play-In Tournament team each of the past three seasons, though they shocked the NBA in 2023 by advancing to the NBA Finals, where they fell to the
Heat predicted to make significant noise in 2025-26
Despite Herro's foot injury, which is expected to sideline him until at least mid-November, the Heat have the pieces to stay competitive until the All-Star returns. On a recent episode of The Hoop Collective, ESPN's Tim Bontemps offered a bold assessment of Miami's standing in the East.
“I think the Heat are better this year than they were last year,” he said. “Tyler Herro is going to be out for a little while with the foot injury, but I would bet on them to be better. And if they are right, I think they've got a chance to be in the mix to finish in the top four in the East — just like I think Detroit does.”
With Achilles injuries sidelining Jayson Tatum and Tyrese Haliburton for the foreseeable future, the Boston Celtics and Indiana Pacers could face down seasons. That alone opens a slightly easier path for Miami to climb the standings.
Alongside Herro, Adebayo, Powell and Andrew Wiggins, the Heat have multiple young players who could take another leap. In particular, Kel’el Ware, who earned an NBA All-Rookie Second Team nod last season, and Nikola Jovic, aiming to return to full strength after another injury-plagued season, could provide a spark.
The Heat have surprised the league before, and the Eastern Conference appears to have a bit more wiggle room this season. While a top-four finish would be ambitious given the rising
Broncos Star Gets Honest About Jets QB Justin Fields After Historic Day
The Denver Broncos, and specifically their defense, had a historic day in Week 6 against the New York Jets. However, Broncos outside linebacker Jonathon Cooper is asserting that there was no personal motivation against Jets quarterback
The Broncos sacked Fields 9 times during the contest.
It was a strong effort from Cooper and the Broncos’ defense when the offense did not have its best at different points.
Jonathan Cooper Gets Real About Justin Fields After Broncos Beat Jets
GettyDenver Broncos defensive ends Jonathon Cooper and John Franklin-Myers.
One fan asked Cooper on X what Fields had done to him, since the
Naturally, Cooper expressed his affinity for Fields, citing their last campaign in Columbus.
“Lead me to a national championship,” Cooper posted on X on October 13. “I love him fr forever my brother.”
The 9th and most important sack of the day.
In addition to the Broncos snapping droughts of various lengths through different combinations of metrics, they held Fields to 45 yards passing on 52.9% completion. The passing yards are his
Moreover, the Jets lost 55 yards on those sacks, giving them a net loss of 10 yards in the game.
That is the fewest passing yards allowed in Broncos history, the first time a team has been held to negative passing yardage since 2023, and the fewest in the NFL
Notably, the Broncos also own the NFL record for fewest passing yards in a game, finishing with a loss of 53 yards against the then-
Jonathon Cooper Helps Tide Star Take Down Former Buckeyes Teammates
GettyJustin Fields #1 and Jonathon Cooper #0 of the Ohio State Buckeyes celebrate after defeating the Clemson
Cooper and Fields’ Buckeyes lost that National Championship Game 52-24 against the Alabama Crimson Tide
Eight Broncos players recorded at least one half-sack in the game.
Cooper, who signed a four-year, $54 million contract extension last November, led the Broncos with 2.0 sacks on Fields in the win over the Jets. In a twist of fate, Cooper is now teammates with
Surtain drew attention in this game for helping limit Jets star wideout
Up next, Cooper and the Broncos return home to face the New York Giants in Week 7.
Former Broncos QB Russell Wilson, who was also Fields’ teammate on the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2024, is now with the Giants, and would have been a good matchup for the Denver defense to pad its sack totals.
However, he ceded QB duties to rookie first-round pick Jaxson Dart in Week 4. Wilson is now a backup who has been mentioned in trade speculation.
Justin Fields Accepts Blame for Jets Passing Game Woes vs Broncos
GettyJustin Fields of New York Jets is tackled by Eyioma Uwazurike of Denver Broncos.
Fields came under intense scrutiny during and after the game. However, Jets head coach Aaron Glenn
“Come on, man. What kind of question is that?”
Fields, who has a 799-4-0 line on 65% completion this season, accepted blame for the Jets’ passing game woes against the Broncos, saying, it “starts with me.”
“It wasn’t good enough and that starts with me”
Justin Fields talks about the passing game struggles in today’s loss:
again on Monday after the loss to Cooper and the Broncos.
