Miami Heat platinum unit has a higher Net Rating than Golden State Warriors starters!

Comparing the Miami Heat platinum unit to the elite Golden State Warriors starters is a stretch, but nba stats reveal unexpected results.

Filters include a minimum of 90 minutes on the court together and an assist ratio of greater than 75%.

Warriors 5-man lineup: Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, Kevin Durant, Draymond Green, Zaza Pachulia

Heat 5-man lineup: Justise Winslow, Wayne Ellington, Josh Richardson, Kelly Olynyk, Bam Adebayo

Keyed on Net Rating, i.e. Offensive Rating minus Defensive Rating

The Warriors score more points, but Heat’s 5 superior defense produces a higher Net Rating. Miami plays at a much slower pace and its Player Impact Estimate (PIE) excels due to the numbers used to calculate the PIE.

Unexpected results to be sure, because numbers alone don’t account for real-world scenarios. GSW line-up faces the best players other teams have to offer on a nightly basis. The Heat’s line-up competes mostly against bench units, who aren’t well prepared or organized.

Players may do well in college or G-League, but when they graduate to the role of NBA starters, the numbers often don’t translate. The table’s results impress, but they may not compare apples-to-apples.

Whatever the stats really mean, the table shows the Heat’s Platinum unit shines. Whether they can survive under intense pressure on a nightly basis is another matter.