A bad team is transformed! The Clippers abandoned their son and became a dark horse! Is the Eastern Conference going to be reshuffled?

So far in the new season, the results and rankings of the Eastern Conference have really surprised many people.

Several powerful teams last season, the Knicks, Pacers, Celtics, and Magic all fell into the bottom half. However, at the top of the list was the Bulls, who had won five consecutive games. Subsequently, the 76ers, Bucks, and Heat occupied the top half.

The 76ers in the new season are really interesting. Embiid is in a slump and George has not yet returned to the team. However, relying on the strong performance of their young players has made the team play more like a whole. The Bulls are even better. Under Gidi's control, six members of the team have scored in double figures so far in the new season. The team averages 30.6 assists per game, ranking first in the league.

When everyone began to stare at these two dark polo teams, the Heat, who were in the corner of the Eastern Conference, seemed to be quietly rebounding.

Back in the offseason, many fans were mocking the Heat for their inaction. However, as the lineup gradually aged and core players suffered injuries one after another, the team delivered unexpected surprises in the new season. As a team based on tough defense last season and full of offensive holes, it averaged 125.4 points per game this season, ranking third in the league.

The offseason has been weak in recruiting and players are short of major generals. Where does this team get its offensive firepower?

Looking at this season's schedule, the Heat lost to the Magic by 4 points at the beginning. And just after everyone thought that this was the end of the season for the Heat, starting from the second game of the season, the Heat's plot began to reverse strongly:

In the second game, they scored 146 points and beat the Grizzlies; they faced the Knicks, the strong team in the same region, and won 115-107; they met the Hornets and had another 144-point offensive scoring battle. After three consecutive victories, they only lost by 6 points against the Spurs, who were strong this season.

In this three-game winning streak, the Heat averaged 131.5 points per game, ranking first in the league in firepower output; the team shot 50.8% from the field, 40.8% from three-point range, and averaged 16 three-pointers per game. Even fast break points ranked first in the league with an average of 23.3 points per game.

This is really unexpected. Is this the same Heat that struggled to score more than 100 points in a game last season?

Even looking at the current lineup, Hiero is still recovering from injury, Adebayor's performance is not outstanding, and Rozier was forced to leave the team due to the match-fixing incident. It is reasonable to say that they are already the bottom-level lineup in the league, but in the end they have the league's top firepower. This is really unreasonable. The key reason behind

comes from the new person added in the offseason: Norman Powell.

Behind this, the Heat should really thank the Clippers. During the offseason, the Clippers and Jazz originally wanted to finalize a trade, but the Jazz didn't want Powell. When the Heat saw the opportunity, they immediately stepped in, packing up the combination of Kyle Lee and Love, and picked up Powell from the Clippers for nothing.

Who could have imagined at the time that this seemingly unremarkable transaction would become a turning point for the Heat.

Looking back at last season, Powell averaged 21.8 points per game with the Clippers and hit a career peak of 41% from three-point range. But the problem is that it is difficult for him to find a stable position in the Clippers. If he starts, Leonard will need to play the unaccustomed fourth position; and if he is delegated to the bench, his shooting rights will be greatly reduced.

In desperation, the Clippers chose to let him leave, while the chaotic Heat took over without hesitation. Facts have proved that the Heat have indeed made money from this wave of mistakes.

In the first game with the Heat, Powell made a strong announcement. He scored 28 points, 9 rebounds and 4 assists against the Magic. He easily defeated the opponent with 15 points and 6 rebounds against the Grizzlies. Then he contributed 29 points, 7 rebounds, 3 assists and 3 steals against the Knicks.

Unfortunately, he suffered a minor groin injury and missed the game. But looking at the current data sheet, he averaged 24 points, 7.3 rebounds, 3 assists and 2 steals per game, and his three field goal percentages were 47.7%+50%+91.3%, which is still a standard All-Star level.

With outstanding personal performance, what is more valuable is that Powell's joining has also influenced many teammates in a subtle way. Adebayor began to execute pick-and-rolls around him, and Harks also regained his touch. Wiggins, Fontechio, Jovic, Mitchell, and Weir are all awakening. The Heat gradually regained its previous state of having all the players.

In comparison, the Clippers in the Western Division are a bit embarrassed.

For the Heat this season, the current record has indeed exceeded expectations. Maybe it will return to its original level in the future, but in the face of this chaotic Eastern Conference, if there is any team that can become a dark horse that disrupts the situation, the Heat must be on the list.