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Dear Miami; Really is Now or Never

June 10, 2011 By Leave a Comment

A lot of hulabaloo over losing Games 4 and 5 in Dallas, huh?

Well, the stats say 73% of teams that win Game 5 win the series. So, it is the Mavs series to win. Then again, wasn’t Dallas up 2-0 heading to Miami back in 2006? That team just needed one win in Miami to take control of the series, too.

Something to ease our minds:

“Dear Miami, you’re the first to go

Disappearing under melted snow

Each and everyone turn your critical eye

On the burning sun and try not to cry…”

Seems applicable to the way things are going these days for the Heat. The time is now or never truly, Lebron. But this isn’t all about Lebron, despite the media’s outcry. This is a game in which they have to defend better and get back to spreading the floor and generating free throws. Erik Spoelstra has been able to avoid strong criticism, but he is definitely failing his team at this point in making seemingly winning adjustments. Everything Rick Carlisle has done to this point has worked and the Heat, under Spo’s guidance, have been avoiding making any changes maybe out of a lack of confidence.

Then again, everything can change back in Miami. We’ll see Sunday.

Oh, and if you think it can’t be done, just look at the Lakers/Celtics finals in 2010. Boston had a 3-2 edge then went back to LA…

Filed Under: Postseason Tagged With: , , , , ,

Heat Coaching Staff Quietly Arrives at Expectation

May 15, 2011 By Leave a Comment

There has been much hulabaloo about who signed with the Heat this offseason but very little ink (or pixels) have been spilled on the subject of who was going to be coaching them.

Well, sort of. There was an early season media frenzy over Erik Spoelstra’s pedigree and questioning whether or not he was the right man for the job. In fact, we did a little squawking about it ourselves early on – but only because it was a fundamental question to ask. Spoelstra was entering his second season at the helm and had acquired an embarrassment of riches to work with. Yet, as the saying goes. great players make great coaches. Right Phil Jackson? (Phil even called the coaching staff of the Heat into question suggesting that Riley was going to do to Spo what he “did” to Stan Van Gundy. Of course, Jackson grossly overstated the situation and was not properly informed about the SVG situation here in Miami.)

Yet, here is this Heat team – despite all the scrutiny from the media and the poisonous invective from the fans on the outside. As they should be – when you have two all-time greats like Wade and James on the same roster, and a pretty nice star in Bosh, too – how can this team not make the playoffs? It wasn’t by their talents alone – they had to be steered along a path, united with a vision. That vision was forged in training camp from Day 1.

The vision? Defense. This team was going to win by first building on its defense as its strength and generating its offense from there. What resulted was a season of gradual improvements – with some steps back from time to time. This Heat team is nothing like it appeared to be during the regular season and is playing its best basketball right now. Credit the Heat coaching staff – which is practically the same as the staff that was in place when the Heat won its first franchise title back in 2006.

Erik Spoelstra wasn’t the main coach on the bench, but one of several. Along with him were Hall of Famer Bob McAdoo, original franchise head coach Ron Rothstein, and long time assistant and ex-Heatian Keith Askins. All three of these coaches, along with Spoelstra, were a part of Riley’s staff when the Heat franchise rose to prominence during the mid-2000s, ultimately winning the title over the Mavs in 2006.

It isn’t by coincidence. This is Riley’s team still, his system, his culture. Watching Spoelstra at press conferences you can see a mix of Stan Van Gundy and Riley in him, in his cadence, inflection, and explanations to the media. SVG was a Riley guy, make no mistake, but the situation was very tough for him when he took over for Riley and was ultimately forced out when Shaq refused to be a good teammate along with some other then Heat veterans. This is why this year was different – Riley was adamant to support Spoelstra but he also didn’t provide any lip service through the media to support Spoelstra as it would only give fuel for the media to speculate about Riley’s return. There would be nothing more damaging to a young coach faced with a roster of superstars to hear whispers about a Riley return.

So tonight the Heat will take on the Bulls for the Eastern Conference title. For the Bulls, the accolades flowed. It is the first time they have appeared in the conference finals since Michael Jordan was donning the red uniform in 1998. They have climbed back with the league MVP going to Rose and coach of the year going to first year coach, Tom Thibodeau. For the Heat, they were able to put together a dream offseason, masterminded by architect Pat Riley, who also had in place his system led by his hand-picked coaching staff. The expectation is to win titles and right now, this coaching staff has delivered this team right to the doorstep of another one. It was all by design.

Filed Under: Featured, Heat Index Tagged With: , , , ,

Vindication: Whose Crying Now? Heat Blowout Spurs 110-80

March 15, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Looks like the Heat are fixing things after all. In the wake of a 5 loss streak and heaps of heavy criticism from the media, the Heat have started to bounce back. No longer is anyone citing Erik Spoelstra as the problem and gone are the comments about the Heat, in tears, losing their confidence. How did the Heat make this seemingly miraculous turnaround?

By playing defense and getting back to basis.

We have said on this site several times that the Heat, when they lose, play lazy basketball. They get away from defending with tenacity and energy, chasing shooters off of three point lines and generating turnovers. This team is never going to have a size advantage over other teams – what it gets on the glass will come with a premium of sweat.

Against the Lakers, things changed. Dwyane Wade was seen defending Kobe Bryant and strangely, he seemed to be doing a tremendous job keeping all-world Kobe off his game. This is the thing about Dwyane Wade – he will drive you crazy with his inconsistency on the defensive side of the ball. Yet, there are few who can change a game as quickly from that side of the floor with Wade’s ability to generate fast breaks out of turnovers and sneak up and block shots on big men. Just ask Tim Duncan – whose shot Wade blocked while hanging in the air like he was made of helium.

And Wade continued to be the microcosm of change for the Heat. He was defending and finishing at the offensive end. He was making his shots, attacking the paint, getting others involved. The Heat, over these last three games, have made it a point to defend and get after it on the offensive end – not settling for three point shots, but attacking the paint.

One play stands out – Lebron James was dribbling the ball into the painted area when he was doubled by the Spurs. Instead of simply laying back for a spot up jumper, Chris Bosh slashed to the basket and got a threaded pass from a doubled Lebron for an easy layup. This is the difference this team is playing with right now – in the past, Bosh stays outside and calls for the pass and shoots a low percentage jumper. Now, Bosh is more aggressive, cuts to the basket and gets a higher percentage shot.

The Heat are learning. Having their faces mashed into the ground almost repeatedly by some other NBA contender helped them break down a bit. This is a necessary part of the Process for the Heat and Spoelstra. You can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make him defend and attack the basket. He has to make that realization on his own. In the NBA, players win games, coaches lose them. That is how it is. So, Spoelstra will finally get the pass he deserves and everything goes nicely with winning. The Heat will continue to win so long as they defend and attack the basket and not get stagnant on offense. Change anyone of those components, and the Heat are right back in the doghouse again.

Filed Under: Featured, Hottest, Regular Season Tagged With: , , ,

Charles Barkley Isn’t Turrible: He’s Right About Heat and Wade

March 13, 2011 By Leave a Comment

The Heat did bring this on themselves. They did have the parade, the packed house with the stage for this spectacle. In fact, the Heat were asking for this. It took the organization over 2 years to get to this point.

And it isn’t going to apologize.

Pat Riley knows what all of this means. He knows what it means to get Lebron James in a Heat uniform. He knew what it would take to achieve this vision: sacrificing a couple of seasons of competitiveness for the chance at a big pay day. He knew it would take giving Wade a chance to win and get to the playoffs while also keeping him focused on the target – the 2010 free agent season. Riley had to both show he was committed to winning and doing so with Wade while also trying to line things up just perfectly to get Lebron James in Miami. He did it with precision while also grabbing the key lynch pin of Chris Bosh along the way.

So when Charles Barkley criticizes the Heat for their melodramatic press conferences – he’s right. Stop crying. Start winning.

What is interesting is not just the way Barkley blasts the Heat for their perception of the world – as if the world is against them, because it is and that shouldn’t be a surprise – but what he recommends for the Heat to right the ship. Barkley suggests that the Heat focus on getting Wade the ball at the end of games because he is the more proven closer. It’s his town. The Heat’s lone championship rafter – mind you the limited amount of franchises who have been able to win a title in this league – is largely due to Wade’s efforts in the 2006 Finals. Lebron may have been to a Finals, even bringing his team there, but he hasn’t been able to win one.

This is astounding. The Heat got there and won while the Cavaliers, backed by Lebron, were unable to win it. So, no one should have a problem with Wade having the ball in his hands at the end of games because Lebron and Bosh are the new guys in town and need to defer to the man who brought them both here and who has the more impressive resume in regards to winning. They both have to learn how to win; Wade already knows. This is part of the problem with this team. Sure, you could cite this lack of depth, their thin bench, whatever. But at the end of the day, this game is played by five guys on the court for each team and three of the Heat’s are among the best – if not the best – at their given positions.

The Heat did bring this upon themselves. And they shouldn’t have it any other way. Do they have the right to view the rest of the world as against them? Yes. Besides, it makes for a stronger identity in that locker room and helps steel their purpose. The 5 losses up to this point have also helped humiliate them and humble them to the point that they realize they can’t get away with playing lazy, bad basketball all the time. They might get away with it against the weaker teams, but against the contenders they lose.

This is reflected in the 118-85 win over the Grizzlies yesterday. Erik Spoelstra cited the fact that the Heat didn’t settle for jumpers and a perimeter game but continued to attack the basket and get more ball movement in the offense. This is something the Heat may have realized but didn’t work on in games because they were arrogant and just felt they would win by showing up. Now, faced with five straight slaps in the face, they are listening to their coach a bit more and, after two straight wins, may have turned the corner.

“Crygate” may have had its unintended effect on this team – to help break them down and listen to their coaches. The rant by Charles Barkley is also spot on – this team asked for this. No one put them into this position but themselves. Guess what? No one will get them out of it but themselves and it is at those critical moments in life when we are most willing to listen and learn. The Heat are listening, but will they continue to learn? Only they will be able to show us if they are indeed a championship team in the making.

Filed Under: Featured, Heat Index, Regular Season Tagged With: , , , , , ,

Blame It On Lebron

March 10, 2011 By Leave a Comment

You can’t make this stuff up. The noise, the confusion, it is all a perfect blend of just bad. As the Heat ship sinks, so does any shred of credibility this team had at winning in the postseason.

Why?

The critics have been saying that these pieces don’t fit. Then again, were these the same critics that said as much when these players were helping USA win gold in China back in ’08? Of course, they also say the Heat have no post presence, no bench, and not a good enough coach. But could the problem lie with Lebron James himself?

When looking at the Heat performances over these last 5 games, you can sense the Heat is not playing with the same confidence it did earlier in the season – with good reason. They aren’t winning the battles they were earlier. Most will point to the fact that this team is just not a good mix of talent and coaching and that is the reason why they are coming up short. We have reviewed here several times that this is not the case, but rather it is a lack of execution that is plaguing the Heat as well as lazy basketball.

Chris Broussard on ESPN revealed his reasons for why the Heat are struggling now. His number one reason was coaching. He doesn’t say Erik Spoelstra is a bad coach, but that he doesn’t have the credibility to manage these players. This is something that we questioned here on MiamiHeatwave many months ago, too. Yet, although this might be true in part, it is not the problem. Perhaps the problem lies with #6 himself.

We have been warned. After all, Cleveland burned uniforms in effigy to make the point that Lebron will steal your soul and won’t apologize for it. He is self-serving and much worse, if you ask Dan Gilbert. Could there be some truth to this now?

One of the big problems for the Heat has been James taking the final shot? This is a problem? Well, yeah, when you consider that there are other options on the floor to end games that might be better. Mike Brown lived off of that simple play – get Lebron the ball and clear out to end games. Look where it got him? Right now, the Cleveland Play is killing the Heat, as we too have mentioned, because it is taking the ball out of everyone else’s hands. The set is too simple and easy to defend. In fact, it plays right into the defense’s plan – squaring up from the top of the key down.

Spoelstra knows this. He can see the phantoms of Mike Brown’s playbook lingering and possibly pointing to where his future will go if they continue down this path. That is why there is a constant referral to the Process. If these three players are truly committed to winning, they will have to sacrifice in order to get there. Wade will have to learn to move without the ball, Bosh will have to learn to be more physical and play in the paint. Lebron James will have to learn to get into the post, too, and share the ball more.

You can sense that Dwyane Wade is frustrated and may even be regretting this decision a little bit. Not to the point that he wants out, don’t be ridiculous. But if there is anyone who can convince James that he needs to make this step to evolve his game, it is Wade. He has to become the de facto leader of this team – it is his town, and his championship banner that hangs from the rafters. If James is going to win in this league, he also has to concede to Wade – and Spoelstra.

The Heat know what the problem is. They’ve seen it before it has materialized. Riley is not a dumb man, and obviously knows how to build a winner. His template has always been built around a dominant low post presence. Kareem Abdul Jabaar, Patrick Ewing, Alonzo Mourning, Shaquille O’neal. They’ve always been in his plan. Now, the Heat have a couple of guys who can fill that void in Bosh and James. Sure, they are not your typical big man dominating the paint, but they are versatile enough to create matchup problems – and that is what the NBA is all about.

Let’s not think that this team was built for the regular season. It wasn’t. It was built for the post season. The regular season will be, and always will be for this team, a pre-season in which they work out the kinks. So, although the media likes to sensationalize the problems of the Heat and cite this current streak as a reason why they won’t win anything in the playoffs, don’t believe it. This is a process. The Heat will win once their big three decide that winning is more important than being comfortable. The Process is already taking shape. In Tuesday’s game against the Blazers, there were several plays where James was in the post. Look for that more.

And now, Bosh has said he wants to be in the post more. Well, this is something that he was crying about when he was in Toronto – that he didn’t want to play center and his affections for playing in the post were just not there.

Losing changes things. This is why the perfect thing for the Heat right now is to lose. If they win and beat these teams, it masks bad basketball. By losing, they can truly see their shortcomings, and begin to buy into what Spoelstra is trying to sell them on. Yes, Spoelstra is not the name brand “top-tier” coach that could get this done in the sense of managing these brand names, but he has the chops to be one of those coaches some day. Riley knows this, probably even sees a bit of himself in Spo. Stan Van Gundy was run out of town for a similar reason, so Riley is probably going to be extremely sensitive to this this time around.

So, media, before you go ripping this Heat team for its personnel, or even its lack of bench scoring or mismatched pieces or the lack of a name brand coach, realize that this story is far from over. Right now, the whole thing rests on Lebron James shoulders. And in order for it to get better, it has to stop resting there. He has to learn to share the load. All of those bad habits playing in Cleveland all of those years have to be worked out of his system. That is the process. Wade may prove to be the most patient of all in waiting this out. He knows how to win. Spoelstra was a part of that championship team, too as was Udonis Haslem.

Blame Lebron. It’s all his fault. But if it is going to get fixed, he will be the one that has to fix it – by playing a team sport with his brothers in that locker room.

Filed Under: Featured, Heat Index Tagged With: , , ,
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