Miami Heat: Why the 2011-12 Version of the Heatles Is Better Than Last Year

At this point last season, through the first 21 games of the season, the Miami Heat were 13-8 overall, and many were questioning the viability of the new -look Heat.

While the Heat's 2010-11 record of 13-8 isn't a far cry from the Heat's 16-5 record, there's no doubt that the Miami Heat are a completely different team, which brings about the question of why they are a different team this year than last.

First of all, the Miami Heat are playing at a much more efficient rate. They are currently ranked second in the league this year when it comes to field goal percentage, with a stellar team percentage of 48.6 percent. That kind of efficiency has led the Heat the second highest points per game average with  a ppg of 104.0.

Throughout the Heat's first 21 games last season they were averaging a field goal percentage of under 46.5 percent, which might not seem like a big drop off, but when you're talking about a 2.0 percent (+) increase over the span of 80(+) shots per game it makes a legitimate difference.

That difference in offensive efficiency between this year and last exists not because the individual players have gotten better, but instead because the chemistry between not only the big three, but also the members of the Heat coming off the bench, has seriously increased.

Last year at this time, the Heat were still trying to figure out how to play together and how to combine their individual talents for the betterment of the team as a whole. In all honesty, it wasn't until the 2011 NBA Playoffs that the Heat truly figured out how to play consistently and efficiently as one cohesive unit, never losing more than one game in each playoff series until the NBA Finals.

While the 2010-11 season didn't necessarily end the way that the Miami Heatles wanted it to, they've undoubtedly learned from what they did wrong. More importantly, the Heat didn't become complacent with their "success" of last year. Instead, they've built on the foundation of chemistry they developed throughout last season and are better this year because of it.

The increase offensive efficiency is also rooted in the fact that they are able to score out of their transition offense more this year than last. At this point last year, the Heat averaged only 14.1 ppg in transition, as compared to this year's average points in transition per game of 17.8.

The most telling statistic about the way that the Heat have improved this year is the incredible amount of scoring they are doing in the paint. Miami ranked dead last in points in the paint per game through the first 21 games of last season, with an abysmal average of only 32.8 ppg.

Fast forward to today, and the Heat have increase that average by 12.2 ppg, with a points in the paint average of 44.0 ppg.

The fact that the Heat are getting out into transition and into the paint more often this year shows the improvements that they have made as a team on the offensive side of the ball, which has propelled them to the second best record in the Easter Conference thus far. 

In addition to their increased efficiency on offense, the Heat are also playing tougher on the defensive side of the ball, averaging more blocks and steals per game (5.0) through 21 games this year, than they did through their first 21 games last year (4.6).

While the Heat are giving up more points per game this season than last, with a 96.2 ppg average as compared to last year's average of 93.2 ppg, the Heat are holding their opponents to a lower field goal percentage.

The Heat are holding opponents to an average field goal percentage of 43.3 percent, as compared to last year's average at this time of the season of 44.5 percent.

Again, that difference isn't enormous, but it pays off when you consider the amount of average shots take per game, which is close to 80 shots.

No matter how you look at it, the Miami Heat are a much more efficient and overall better team this year than last, and when you consider that the regular season is often times a precursor for the way teams play in the playoffs, that's good news for the Heat.

It all boils down to the fact that the Heat have used the failure of last year to teach them how to be a more cohesive and consistent overall basketball team.

As the year progresses, we will continue to see just how dominant the Miami Heat can truly be, continuing to find chemistry within their starting rotation and their bench substitutions.

The success of the Heat's 2011-12 season doesn't come down to whether LeBron will win the MVP, or who's the "real" front man on the Heat's star-studded roster. The Heat's success this season relies on just how cohesive they can become as one complete unit.

So far, the Heat are proving that they are one ridiculously well-oiled machine, and if they continue to improve at the rate they are this year, there's a high possibility that the Heatles will still be playing basketball come the month of June.