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The Heat, inside the numbers


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Not trying to be a smart ass or anything...isn't it clear as day what their problems are on offense and defense? If you were to take the two biggest problems...

 

1) on offense, they are trying to get themselves open shots way too many times throughout the game. Anyone ever look to see what their shooting percentages are this season? I'll show you...

 

LeBron - .436 (lowest since rookie season, .503 last season)

Wade - .441 (career low, .476 last season)

 

Did you watch the game against Dallas tonight? Pretty evident. Why aren't they accomplishing that feat? Because neither are off-ball players. Both have never had the role of Ray Allen, Rip Hamilton or Reggie Miller. Their games are adjusted to playmaking and slashing to the rim.

 

I mean, come on...who wants to adjust their game? LeBron doesn't, as he stated right before the Sixers game.

 

“No, I can’t change my game dramatically and I don’t think he can either,” LeBron said. “It doesn’t make any sense to do that. I’m not going to.” He paused. “I’d just be a role player at that point.”

http://msn.foxsports.com/nba/story/lebron-james-the-next-jordan%3F-more-like-wilt-chamberlain

 

Miami is in the middle of the league in scoring, which says something about the pace they should not be playing.

 

This is also a team that's shooting over 30 FT a game, second most in the NBA (next to the Thunder, of course). Can't be surprised, because it seems like every time the Heat are down and out, they make an attempt to get back into the game by playing selfish ball with one of their superstars, attacking the rim at will.

 

One of the worst teams in the NBA in offensive boards, but that can't be solely due to their size, because their opponents are out-rebounding them by only 10 total boards so far this season.

 

Turnovers a problem? Not really. The Heat are averaging under 13 a game, which is one of the lower averages in the league. Per 100 possessions, they are second (behind the Lakers).

 

Passing the ball? Miami is, again, in the middle of the pack with almost 20 assists per game, compared to over 26 by the Celtics (a minimum of 12 extra points off of assists).

 

2) Back on defense, you have a bunch of help defenders, but no individually great on-ball defensive players. That means no significant players that step out on the court to defend the guys LeBron and Wade would rather not have to guard. No Bowen, Sefolosha, Ariza, Afflalo, or Artest. No post defenders, either. With Haslem out, there's nothing to show for interior defense. The two best helpers (LeBron and Wade) can't conserve energy and are, ironically, the two best scorers.

 

Miami's oppFG% has increased, sticking them in the middle of the league (around where Houston is). They have been bumped out of the top five in defending the three-point line, now around the middle of the pack in forced turnovers.

 

I'm really not sure if you can stick any coach in Spo's place and show significant improvements in that W-L record. A lot of this rests on James and Wade, and so far, this is a perfect example of two players not being able to play together. Of the 16 games they have played together, they have shot above 45% TOGETHER just four times (ORL, MIN, NJN, and PHX), winning all four games, and by an average of over 24 PPG.

 

Their pace is lower than it should be, LeBron and Wade's consistency is pathetic as teammates, and they are slipping in defensive rankings. Can't blame it all on the sidelines.

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i think wade has a lot to do with the problems, he was meant to be the man in miami the leader, all those things and his doing nothing (on court) what shows it. his always complaining to refs, always the last player to get back on defense, perfect example of this was today against the mavs. wade was going up for the dunk had it slapped away and hung on the rim while chadler? or kidd (i cant remember lol) hustled down the ball and run down the floor and i think Caron scored (my memory is sketchy) all this happened while wade was hanging on the rim.. really wade? there is more evidence on coach nicks youtube page

 

also bosh is invisible as it gets. now if thats spos fault or the players for not getting him the ball or bosh not calling for it, whatever the problem is he needs to get some consistent touches throughout the game UD is more valuable than bosh

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I have noticed this in some of the Heat Break-downs by Coach Nick. Either LeBron or Wade are just walking around while the others are doing their thing, they aren't moving around to help out or really going for any screens to create oppurtunities.

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I think LeBron and Dwyane are being hesitant because they know that once either of them takes over, there's gonna be the talk of "who's team" it is and who's the man and all that. I know it might sound dumb, but it makes sense when you think about it.

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I think LeBron and Dwyane are being hesitant because they know that once either of them takes over, there's gonna be the talk of "who's team" it is and who's the man and all that. I know it might sound dumb, but it makes sense when you think about it.

So, it's intentional? Of course it is.

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I think the only thing that throws a major roadblock is that Riley has been forcing Spoelstra on everyone for now 3 seasons as some sort of savant. If he fires him halfway through the season it's a signed confession that he screwed up. It's the Dumars/Darko corollary.

 

The shot distribution is very poor, although that will improve with better chemistry. When we saw that roster we pictured them running a certain style and winning a lot of games doing it, and they haven't run that style at all and they're not doing nearly as well as everyone expected.

 

I think it's weird that the Heat have decided to run such a slow system. It seems like all their players are better suited for up tempo. Their deficiencies in interior defense would be countered by all their fast break points. Use a mentality like: if you're going to throw the ball into your center every play, we'll swarm, steal, and fast break. Their wing players are so good at stealing the ball, you'd think they would try to do that more. Yet they're 22nd in steals? I don't understand what Spoelstra is trying to do.

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