The Miami Heat are nowhere near where they want to be, and even though some patience is required considering that they're integrating Giannis Antetokounmpo into the team, their start to the 2026-27 season remains quite disappointing. On Monday, the Los Angeles Lakers laughed them off the floor, as the Heat suffered a 138-117 defeat that didn't feel as close as the score line would suggest even though they already lost by 21 points.

This Heat team has well-documented issues on offense; Bam Adebayo is having to find his way on offense as the Heat build their offensive system around Antetokounmpo's rampaging attacks at the rim, and they are yet to find their rhythm on that end of the floor.

But it's their defense that should be good right off the bat. However, the Lakers, particularly Luka Doncic, just made mincemeat of them — with the Slovenian star putting up 42 points, seven rebounds, and 13 assists. And now, Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra believes that while the whole team is responsible, he has to do a better job of maximizing the talent he has at disposal, at least starting on the defensive end.

“I need to do a better job of getting this group to defend to our potential. We're all accountable to this,” Spoelstra said after the game, per Anthony Chiang of the Miami Herald.

The Heat are now 2-5 on the season, and at the very least, they have 75 more games to figure this new roster out. At the very least, they need to find an identity.

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Their defense has been flat-out horrible through the first seven games; they currently rank 27th in defensive rating, allowing 119.8 points per 100 possessions. Only the Phoenix Suns, Chicago Bulls, and Sacramento Kings have been worse on that end of the floor.

Last year's Heat team wasn't very good, but they allowed just 113.6 points per 100 possessions, ranking 14th in the NBA. With Antetokounmpo, a former Defensive Player of the Year, now on the roster, that number should be even better. Alas, the Heat are still ironing out the kinks, and the results haven't been pretty at all.