Boston at Miami

[Nitro]

Haven't seen the box score, but I did catch the entire game. Just a few quick notes...

 

-Wade was god-awful, one of the worst games I've ever seen from him. He was literally invisible on offense, and it seemed like every time the Heat were making some kind of run, he either made a bad turnover or missed the shot. Defensively, I have NO idea why they kept matching him up with Pierce. Pierce is too big and strong for Wade to defend, and he burned Wade 3-4x on simple pump fakes. Also, it seemed like everytime Wade made a bad play on the offense end, he would look at the refs, not get back on defense, and 3 seconds later Ray Allen would bury a wide-open 3 pointer. Just a horrific game from him.

 

-Speaking of Ray Allen, he was amazing tonight. When he is hot, the Celtics are almost unbeatable.

 

-LeBron and Bosh both played pretty well. Bosh's defense was bad, but he didn't look like a broken man playing against KG tonight, and he gave them something on offense. LeBron was great, but he took too long to take over the game. When he is aggressive, good things happen.

 

-Heat's defense was attrocious most of the game. Offensively they were fine, they scored efficiently with their leading scorer having a nightmare game. On defense they were just awful. Little energy, missing rotations, and not using their athleticism to disrupt the offense like they had the first few games.

 

-I think it was very, very clear who the better team was this game. The Celtics came with far more intensity, better balance, and played great basketball.

[Lemon]

Man, from looking at this game I wonder how Boston was never an efficient offensive team. They showed some real chemistry in this game, and as a Laker fan, I enjoyed it. The right passes were made almost every time when the starting line up was there.

 

Heat looked like they were playing under too much pressure. FIrst half, Bosh wasn't there. I don't know if he thinks he's in the same level as Wade and Lebron, but he's not. He shouldn't be complaining about not getting touches. Wade wasn't there, but I guess if the coach hasn't shown the team actual play sets yet, I guess it'd be hard to play off the ball. As usual, Lebron needed to be more selfish and aggressive.

[Warren2ThaG]

 

 

-I think it was very, very clear who the better team was this game. The Celtics came with far more intensity, better balance, and played great basketball.

 

Boston is 2-0 vs. Miami this year

[Nitro]

Boston is 2-0 vs. Miami this year

 

I know, which is why I said it was very clear this game who the better team is. Of course since Boston won the game they were the better team this game, I wouldn't make a statement so obvious. Boston is a better team.

 

BTW, forgot to add in my last post, Dampier needs to be signed ASAP.

[Erick Blasco]

Haven't seen the box score, but I did catch the entire game. Just a few quick notes...

 

-Wade was god-awful, one of the worst games I've ever seen from him. He was literally invisible on offense, and it seemed like every time the Heat were making some kind of run, he either made a bad turnover or missed the shot. Defensively, I have NO idea why they kept matching him up with Pierce. Pierce is too big and strong for Wade to defend, and he burned Wade 3-4x on simple pump fakes. Also, it seemed like everytime Wade made a bad play on the offense end, he would look at the refs, not get back on defense, and 3 seconds later Ray Allen would bury a wide-open 3 pointer. Just a horrific game from him.

 

-Speaking of Ray Allen, he was amazing tonight. When he is hot, the Celtics are almost unbeatable.

 

-LeBron and Bosh both played pretty well. Bosh's defense was bad, but he didn't look like a broken man playing against KG tonight, and he gave them something on offense. LeBron was great, but he took too long to take over the game. When he is aggressive, good things happen.

 

-Heat's defense was attrocious most of the game. Offensively they were fine, they scored efficiently with their leading scorer having a nightmare game. On defense they were just awful. Little energy, missing rotations, and not using their athleticism to disrupt the offense like they had the first few games.

 

-I think it was very, very clear who the better team was this game. The Celtics came with far more intensity, better balance, and played great basketball.

 

I don't even think Bosh played that badly defensively.

 

My goodness, I don't think I've ever seen Wade play worse though. As bad as his offense was, he was abysmal chasing Allen through screens. He didn't fight through off-ball screens until the fourth.

 

Each of your other points are spot on with what I saw over the three quarters I watched.

[Erick Blasco]

Heat could be so good though. Erik Spoelstra is the worst offensive coach in the NBA. They have that much speed, size, and talent and all they do is run a half-court offense. If they'd just put LeBron at PG, Wade at SG, Jones at SF, Bosh at PF, and Haslem at C they could outrun every team in the NBA and still play excellent defense. Instead, they get rid of the strengths they have...Pat Riley NEEDS to be coaching this team.

 

And when that team's frontcourt has two fouls very quickly from defending Shaq; and when they have no off-ball movement because LeBron wants to make the trigger pass for the score (meaning the Heat offense will get what, one pass per possession?), and three other players don't do anything without the ball in their hands but stand around, then what's going to happen?

 

Also, you know what Boston's offense, and Utah's offense do to opponents? With all the passing, cutting, screening, the physicality, the smart decision making, and the patience to let things unravel, opponents have to play defense for 24 seconds, and usually the opposing offense is getting a shot at the rim, and is getting good floor balance. Good offense discourages running games.

 

And about the Eric Spoelstra hyperbole, have you seen any Pistons games over the past season plus?

 

There are more teams in the NBA than just Boston, San Antonio, Miami, the Lakers, Oklahoma City, and Orlando.

[fish7718]

I don't even think Bosh played that badly defensively.

 

My goodness, I don't think I've ever seen Wade play worse though. As bad as his offense was, he was abysmal chasing Allen through screens. He didn't fight through off-ball screens until the fourth.

 

Each of your other points are spot on with what I saw over the three quarters I watched.

Spo mentioned something about checking their ego's do you think Wade is letting the fact that LeBron is dominating the ball and carrying them, get to him?

[Erick Blasco]

Spo mentioned something about checking their ego's do you think Wade is letting the fact that LeBron is dominating the ball and carrying them, get to him?

 

I don't know. I don't know yet. I know he's frustrated. Like the first game with Boston, there are plays where he's getting nailed by screens, quitting on the play, and looking up...as Ray Allen's shot hasn't dropped through the net yet.

[Real Deal]

Haha, still blaming Spo after this game? It has very little to do with the coaching. The Celtics are a better team. They maximize screens and dominate mismatches, and it kills the Heat.

 

I said it before, and I'll say it again: the Heat signed three guys that are basically the same player once you remove their physical attributes. All three are scorers that get to the rim facing their opponents up, they don't have any on-ball defense, and they don't have a post game.

 

This is a perfect example of an offense not having enough basketballs to get the job done. Wade and LeBron cannot be spot-up shooters. They can't post their man up on every play and make an exceptional post move to get to the rim.

 

Defensively, I don't have to say much if you watched the game. There's no way to defend penetration, nobody there to defend the post, and this stuff has been obvious since they brought this team together for their first preseason game.

[Nitro]

This is a perfect example of an offense not having enough basketballs to get the job done. Wade and LeBron cannot be spot-up shooters. They can't post their man up on every play and make an exceptional post move to get to the rim.

 

The offense is fine. Before tonight they were 9th in the league in offense, and that's with the Big 3's chemistry still being shaky, and without their 4th best player. Tonight they dropped over 100pts on 50%+ shooting against arguably the best defensive team in the league.

 

Defensively, they need to make some adjustments, and they badly need Dampier. The Haslem/Bosh frontcourt getting over 20 minutes each night is killing them inside. They desperately need depth, size, rebounding (especially on the offensive glass), and a little offense around the rim from the C position. Dampier, as a 1-year rental, could provide some of that.

[Real Deal]

The offense isn't fine when you can't score consistently. The only time the new Cavaliers are in the game is when LeBron is going off, and when Haslem is hitting open 15-footers.

[Nitro]

The offense isn't fine when you can't score consistently. The only time the new Cavaliers are in the game is when LeBron is going off, and when Haslem is hitting open 15-footers.

 

Not true, it's just that tonight Wade was horrific so the offense was more Bron-centric than usual. Wade has been averaging 26PPG on the best efficiency of his career, the team was shooting over 40% from 3 before tonight's game WITHOUT Mike Miller, and Bosh is only just starting to hit an offensive groove. So to say the team is only in the game when LeBron is going off or if Haslem is hitting 15 footers is ridiculous.

[Real Deal]

Not true, it's just that tonight Wade was horrific so the offense was more Bron-centric than usual. Wade has been averaging 26PPG on the best efficiency of his career, the team was shooting over 40% from 3 before tonight's game WITHOUT Mike Miller, and Bosh is only just starting to hit an offensive groove. So to say the team is only in the game when LeBron is going off or if Haslem is hitting 15 footers is ridiculous.

Or Wade, one of them going off...that was the point.

 

Wade defers to LeBron, they lose. LeBron defers, they lose. Bosh shows up, they lose. Out of the nine they've played, how many times did all three of those guys shoot 45% or better, together? I can only think of one off the top of my head...against the Nets. I'm pretty sure Bosh struggled in that Wolves game.

 

And asking those three to shoot 45% or better together is pretty generous.

 

Just on raw talent alone, this team shouldn't have to rely on a LeBron or Wade dominating the ball for a full fourth quarter, trying to win the game.

[Nitro]

Or Wade, one of them going off...that was the point.

 

Wade defers to LeBron, they lose. LeBron defers, they lose. Bosh shows up, they lose. Out of the nine they've played, how many times did all three of those guys shoot 45% or better, together? I can only think of one off the top of my head...against the Nets. I'm pretty sure Bosh struggled in that Wolves game.

 

And asking those three to shoot 45% or better together is pretty generous.

 

Just on raw talent alone, this team shouldn't have to rely on a LeBron or Wade dominating the ball for a full fourth quarter, trying to win the game.

 

I'm not really sure what you're getting at. After last night's game the team is 6th in the league in Ortg, scoring over 102PPG on 47% shooting from the field, 39% from 3. They have scored over 100pts in 5 of the last 6 games, and shot over 50% from the field in 3 of those. They are taking nearly 10 more free throws per game than their opponents as well.

 

Keep in mind, that's with a totally new, still-developing team without their 4th best offensive player. Offensively the have been fine. They have not things in a particularly pretty manner, but they have been effective and things are only going to get better. Spoelstra still hasn't implented many set plays, and with chemistry still an issue, I don't expect them to be the Boston Celtics or Los Angeles Lakers in terms of offensive fluidity yet. But, they don't have to be yet, and every game it is getting better.

 

Getting killed on the defense glass and overall talent at the PG and C positions are the only issues that won't sort themselves out. IMO I think the PG play will be good enough with Arroyo/House, but Riley needs to call Dampier ASAP.

[AboveLegit]

Imagine how much better this offense would be if Bosh demanded the ball and played facing up causing the defender to actually play up on him. When he gets it going, it causes other wing defenders or post players to collapse, and this changes a lot. If opposing teams do not respect him on offense, Bosh will drop 20.

 

This would open up the court for Wade and Bron because at the bare minimum, Bosh's man is pulled out of the paint and forced to cover him whereas now his man is just playing off, clogging the lanes and making life a living hell for the slashers. They are forced to pass it out to an out of rhythm and uninvolved Bosh.. easy situation for the D.

 

If there is a legit threat downlow, Bron and Wade can be cutting or kicking out to guys like House and Jones. Defenses will be out of position, it's common sense really.

[Real Deal]

I'm not really sure what you're getting at.

That it's not all about their offensive totals, it's about them scoring when they need to. The only way Miami gets back into a game is by handing the ball to LeBron or Wade and watching them get to the line. They are not offensively talented for 48 minutes, and it should be a more basic strategy than they are making it out to be. LeBron, Wade, Bosh, and open shooters. If you notice, Haslem can get 500 15-foot wide-open jumpers in a season if he really wanted them. The same goes for Jones, Arroyo, Chalmers, even Ilgauskas, and maybe even Bosh.

 

You said it yourself...they aren't where they need to be yet. Spo hasn't dropped many set plays? I know they said that, but I don't believe it. They have been running plays. Turnovers are down from their first couple of games (meaning anyone handling the ball, not necessarily the entire team, although that may ring true as well).

 

One problem is that they don't know how to play Chris Bosh. He wants to go low post, then high post. He's not Pau Gasol. He doesn't have the basketball IQ to cover 23 feet of court when there are other ball-demanding players on the floor.

 

Another is that LeBron and Wade are deferring at the wrong times. In fact, they may be deferring to each other too much, and not enough to the other players around them.

 

There are many problems with the offense, definitely not as much as they are having defensively, but it's not like I didn't expect their defensive struggles to show so early. Many were talking about how good they would be on the defensive end of the court from the start, and how LeBron and Wade were too good of help defenders to let the point and center struggle too much, but there's really nothing to be surprised about right now other than the uncertainty on offense.