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The Miami Heat were one of the pleasant surprises of the 2019-20 NBA regular season before play was suspended due to the coronavirus pandemic. Despite tempered preseason expectations and a relatively inexperienced roster, they climbed all the way up to the No. 4 seed in the Eastern Conference, and boasted one of the better home records (27-5) in the entire league. They sent two players to the All-Star Game in Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo, and helped turn Duncan Robinson into a lethal sharpshooter. Overall, Miami has the looks of a legitimate postseason threat.   

With eight seeding games to play before the playoffs get underway, the Heat sit fourth in the Eastern Conference with a 41-24 record. They're just 2 1/2 games behind the Boston Celtics for the third seed in the conference, but also just two games ahead of the Indiana Pacers and Philadelphia 76ers in the standings. In other words, Miami's playoff position is far from set in stone and could change dramatically depending on how it performs in those seeding games.  

Here's a look at Miami's roster, schedule and a few key storylines for when the season resumes in Orlando on July 30.     

Heat roster

Players sitting out: None

Heat schedule

All times Eastern

Key storylines 

How much does Iguodala have left in the tank?: At the peak of his powers, Iguodala was one of the best two-way players in the entire NBA. He was a lock-down perimeter defender with extreme athleticism and the ability to get buckets in transition and in the half court. He has also shot a respectable 33 percent from long distance over the course of his career. He was a huge part of the reason that the Golden State Warriors won titles in 2015, 2017 and 2018, and he was named Finals MVP in '15 due to the overall impact that he had on the series. Thus, there was a lot of hype when the Heat traded for Iguodala from the Grizzlies in February and then immediately inked him to a two-year, $30 million extension. 

However, at this point in time it's fair to wonder just how much Iguodala has left in the tank. Iguodala is 36 years old and has been in the NBA since 2004. He has played in over 1,200 total regular season and postseason games, and has dealt with injury issues throughout his career. In the 14 games that he played for the Heat during the regular season, he averaged just 4.4 points, 3.8 rebounds and two assists in 18.5 minutes of action. Although his numbers weren't gaudy in Golden State, he didn't necessarily look like the difference-maker that he was with the Warriors in the games he played this regular season. If his tank is close to empty, his impact in Orlando will likely be limited. However, if he's able to look like his old self, he could be a major factor for the Heat in the postseason.  

Postseason position: The Heat could realistically finish anywhere from third to sixth in the East depending on how they perform during their eight seeding games  While where they finish won't matter in terms of home-court advantage, it will obviously matter a lot in terms of their playoff path. If things stay as they sit currently, the Heat would face the Pacers in the first round, but they could also end up squaring off against the 76ers or Celtics depending on how things shake out. While the seeding games are a formality for some squads that already have their postseason position locked up, that's not the case for Miami.

Star power, or a lack thereof: More so than in any other sport, star players are central for team success in the NBA. Due to the fact that there are only five players on the court at a time for a team in basketball -- compared to higher numbers in other sports -- it is easier for one individual to have an enormous impact on the outcome. This is why you'll often hear people refer to the NBA as a "star's league." It's not necessarily impossible to win a title without a superstar, but the more elite talent you have on a team, the easier it becomes. Just ask the Golden State Warriors.

Considering this, it's fair to wonder if the Heat have enough top-tier talent to make a deep playoff run. With five All-Star appearances and two All-NBA selections to his name, Butler is a bona fide star, but besides him there's a void. Adebayo was named to his first All-Star Game this season, and while he appears to be well on his way to superstardom, he's not quite there yet. Robinson has been lights out from beyond the arc, but is relatively inexperienced. Same goes for talented rookies Tyler Herro and Kendrick Nunn. And while a prime Iguodala could be placed into the "star" category, it's fair to say that he's past his prime at this point in his career. The Heat themselves don't seem to be sold on their own star power being enough, as they continue to pop up in rumors relating to their interest in acquiring an additional star or two.   

A tangential question to whether the Heat have enough star power to make a deep postseason run is if Butler can be the top option on a legitimate contender. Despite all of his abilities and skills, Butler has never been out of the second round and he was unable to lead the Minnesota Timberwolves or Philadelphia 76ers to the conference finals or beyond, despite the hopes of both organizations that he would be able to do just that. Will Miami's young roster come up big in the playoffs? We will find out the answers to all of these questions in Orlando.