It's safe to say this is the worst version of the Heatles. 2011- Healthy Big Three 2012- Healthy James and Wade, good bench 2013- Healthy James, Semi-Healthy Wade, good bench 2013- Healthy James...
Last year had Ray Allen, Birdman, and Battier who all came up big for Miami against the Spurs. The year before had Mike Miller and Udonis Haslem. The first year of the Big Three had the worst bench of all the incarnations.
[rquoter]"They just -- they just, they just played great," stammered Heat coach Erik Spoelstra. "I can honestly say I don't think any of us were expecting this type of performance." The "performance" he's talking about was from the Spurs.[/rquoter] The Spurs were too good these past few games. The Heat needs to play better, but they also need the Spurs to play down to their level.
Sorry to call you out like this, Icehouse, but just ouch. You even had some good stats to back yourself up, but it looks like those of us voting "a year older and more tired" were correct, at least so far. Wade was absolutely a pathetic shell of his old self last night. Maybe his health isn't even as solid as we thought.
There is a reason why the Spurs are shooting well...The Spurs are rarely faced with a contested jumper, and they get a tremendous amount of production at the low post from Duncan, Splitter and Diaw. This year's Heat team is totally confused with this Spurs bunch. However the truth is quite evident: Ginobli looks more engaged during the course of the game; Boris Diaw is a one man wrecking ball on offense, completely schooling every one on one matchup; the Kawhi Leonard from last year is now a consistent offensive weapon; the Spurs bench provides tremendous burst of scoring; coaching is exploiting matchups and defensive schemes. The Spurs have been able to live with Lebron's onslaught, but they have won every other matchup. The reliance on Lebron for the Miami Heat has grown exponentially since 2011. Lebron joined a big three, but these 2014 Heat look awfully close to the Lebron carried Cavs... For game 5, I look for a significant change in the starting lineup. The following assembly of players may just help the Heat rekindle their offense: Haslem, Bosh, Lebron, Wade and James Jones. Off the bench, the Heat must have Birdman, Cole, Allen, and Lewis ready to go. Everyone else should just be benched.
It's Lebron flying solo from here on out. He has trusted his teammates too damn much, and they have failed him. If he loses, lose gunning the ball. The guy is shooting like 58% from the field and barely shoots it.
In 3rd quarter last night, he was 7/8 and scored 19 pts, but the Heats still lost that quarter. So no, he can't beat Spurs all by himself.
The Heat have to engage on defense. When they do, the Spurs have trouble. The Spurs have the type of offense that requires the other team to work hard each and every possession. Otherwise they will wipe the floor with you. Unlike against OKC and the Rockets, 3 guys don't get to rest on D each and every possession because the ball moves and all 5 players actively try to get open (Splitter being the exception). From watching on TV, the Heat aren't leaving it all out on the floor. Something unseen is going on. They aren't playing "for each other". Stephen A Smith's floor-level view opinion was the Heat were gassed in the 2nd quarter. He was closer to the action and should know but that is hard for me to believe.
That's a cop out. The Spurs' ball movement is just awesome right now. Spurs just simply beating them right now.
Yeah give the Spur credit instead of bashing the Heat. Do you really play the same way when you're winning versus when the other team is playing demoralizingly good basketball.
