Atlanta Hawks vs. Miami Heat: How the Heat Can Send a Message to the East

The Miami Heat are in dire need of sending a message to the Eastern Conference in tonight's game against the Atlanta Hawks. 

Miami has been scrutinized more than usual as of late, specifically with regards to LeBron James' ability to be a closer and their lack of a true low-post presence, conflicts that cannot be resolved through a simple victory.

As the Heat take the floor against one of East's better teams, they must firm up the notion that they are headed back to the NBA Finals.

How can they do that?

I'm glad you asked. 

Get the Competent Big Men Involved

The Heat can entertain, or rather dream about, the idea of acquiring Chris Kaman from the New Orleans Hornets, but it's most likely not going to happen. That leaves Chris Bosh and Udonis Haslem to tend to the middle.

Bosh and Haslem offer the only two low-post threats Miami has, and when they have solid games, the Heat usually win.

When Haslem, whose importance is often understated, scores 10 or more points, Miami has lost just once, and only not won by a double-digit margin once. Increased touches allow him to get in an offensive flow, and give the Heat yet another scoring threat.

It is even more important that Miami gets Bosh more involved on the offensive end. When he scores 20 or more points, the Heat are 13-1. 

If Miami pushes their big men to big games, it sends a clear message that they have weapons down low, and at this point, that's key to the team's success moving forward.

Contain Josh Smith

The Heat not only need to establish that they have big men who can score, but also must prove their interior defense will not be walked over.

And there's no better way to do that than by containing the power forward that both Serge Ibaka and Kendrick Perkins were unable to.

Josh Smith went for 30 points—including an emphatic slam on Ibaka—and 12 rebounds against the Oklahoma City Thunder, leading the Hawks to an upset.

Smith, an All-Star snub, routinely terrorizes the opposition in the low-post. He averages a near double-double, and has grabbed 10 or more boards in four straight games.

If Chris Bosh, Udonis Haslem, Joel Anthony and LeBron James can limit his production, it will show the Eastern Conference they will not be exploited in the paint.

Not to mention they will accomplish what the Thunder couldn't.

Remind the World of What LeBron James Can Do

It's impossible to assume this game will go down to the wire, but if it does, the ball must be put in LeBron James' hands. And if it doesn't? The ball must still be put in his hands.

James can be ridiculed for not being a closer, but the reality is, if he takes a contested last shot, and misses, he'll be chastised for not passing.

But that's why Miami must put the ball in his hands in every last-second opportunity they are up against.

If the shot clock's winding down, feed James. If it's the end of a quarter, let him take the last shot. And if if the game comes down to the final buzzer, make sure the outcome is on James' shoulders.

There's a reason James is hated so much. It's because he's one of the greatest talents to ever grace the court.

And the Heat must remind not only the Eastern Conference, but the entire NBA of why. 

Protect the Perimeter

The Heat are one of the best defensive teams in the league, but their perimeter protection has fallen apart far too often.

Miami allows its opponents to shoot over 36 percent from long range, eighth worst in the league. Tonight, they face a Hawks team that knocks down nearly 38 percent of its three-point attempts and will test the Heat's perimeter defense every chance they get.

While Miami held the Los Angeles Lakers and Utah Jazz to paltry shooting percentages from beyond the arc, they are two of the worst three-point shooting teams in the league.

Allowing the defense to collapse on the perimeter as a result double-teams and missed assignments is not going to fly against the Thunder or Bulls. Or even the Hawks, for that matter.

This matchup provides players like Mario Chalmers, Mike Miller and Norris Cole the opportunity to prove they can lock down the perimeter when Shane Battier and LeBron James are on the bench or defending the low-post.

If the league's best three-point shooting team can consistently defend the deep ball against a team like Atlanta, it forces the rest of the conference to find other ways to keep pace with Miami.

Cruise to a Double-Digit Victory

The last time the Heat met the Hawks, they steamrolled them on their own turf. But last time Atlanta visited South Beach, Josh Smith and company handed Miami the first of its only two home losses.

Dismantling one of the best teams in the East not only serves as a measuring stick, but is also an opportunity to show the Heat will not be toiled with on their own court.

The Hawks are a team plagued by injuries and Miami must exploit that.

Victories over basement teams like the New Jersey Nets aren't enough to erase losses to the Jazz and Lakers. They need to beat a formidable conference rival, or at least, a team that's supposed to be.

Crippling the Hawks lets the rest of the conference's organizations know that the Heat are a step above normal, run-of-the-mill playoff teams. It puts an end to any speculation that they are liable to fade.

And it illustrates how the Heat are a team who cannot be underestimated. Or even overestimated.

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