The Microscope: Heat in Need of the Most Obvious Adjustments

The Microscope is your recurring look at the NBA's small-scale developments—the rotational curiosities, skill showcases, coaching decisions, notable performances and changes in approach that make the league go 'round.

This installment of The Microscope will roll off the keys a bit differently than usual; rather than focus on independent items of note from last night's game, we'll center in on what is currently holding back the Miami Heat, and how they could potentially rally to make it to the NBA Finals.

Get healthier

It seems simple enough, and it's not an excuse. Chris Bosh is a huge part of all that the Miami Heat do, and when he's not able to play regular minutes, the Heat are put at an unspeakable disadvantage. Miami was able to overcome that handicap against the Indiana Pacers in the second round by way of gravitas alone, but the Celtics are a different beast and have a much better defense. It's swell that the Heat were able to win the first two games of this series and claim the upper hand without Bosh, but that doesn't make him any less essential, or their prospects without him any more cheery.

Without Bosh being fully reintegrated into Miami's rotation, the Heat appear sunk. That makes the day-and-a-half between this morning and Game 6 quite possibly the most important stretch of the Heat's season. They'll scheme, walk through sets and watch tape, but most importantly, Bosh will have the slightest bit of rest, and in that rest manufacture the slightest bit of hope.

Get more consistent effort from the entire roster, starting from the top

There's no need to sugarcoat things: LeBron James and Dwyane Wade have taken plays off, complained breathlessly to the officials and settled into a uncomfortable lulls. The Heat's failings don't fall squarely on their shoulders, but both superstars have played an active part in Miami's three straight losses, and they can look to themselves first and foremost when formulating a plan of attack for Game 6.

It's only natural that James and Wade will have stretches of ineffectiveness, but that doesn't mean they have to submit to them so willingly.

Fatigue is likely coming into play in both cases, but even that doesn't explain both players' fleeting commitment to transition defense, problematic tendency to float on the perimeter when they should be attacking and general self-righteousness about every call that doesn't go their way. To some, officiating has been a legitimate story in both conference finals, but the reaction to the officiating in this particular series has taken on a narrative life of its own.

That has to change, and, more importantly, the effort level of James and Wade has to change.

Possessions can't afford to be sacrificed, and transition opportunities can't just be ceded. The Heat have squandered their advantage and allowed the Celtics to take hold of the series, and in the process, eliminated the entirety of their margin for error. Both were largely brilliant on Tuesday night, and the box score reads as such. But "largely" doesn't seem to be enough in this series, and even James' and Wade's gaudy totals won't amount to much if they aren't able to win out the rest of the series. Perhaps that burden isn't entirely fair, but it's what they welcomed in their team's top-heavy construction.

Appropriate shots, create shots, convert shots

Not so much an adjustment, but a necessity. The Heat as a team made just seven of their 26 three-point attempts in Game 5, in part because of the sheer number of desperation attempts that Boston forced Miami into with the shot clock winding down. The Heat generally did a good job of moving the ball, but when the rotation is in place to defend every single time, even the extra pass and the extra extra pass don't result in open looks. That's the reality of playing against the best defense in the league, and the Heat desperately need to find a way to cope.

Part of that process is simply doing a better job of converting the few open opportunities that the Heat do get from beyond the arc, but within that particular note are two more fundamental bits:

1. James and Wade need to attempt far fewer three-pointers than they did in Game 5 (nine attempts total; six for James and three for Wade).
2. The Heat need to find ways to force the Celtic defense to collapse or overload, and get the ball in the hands of the right shooter on the weak side.

Mario Chalmers, Shane Battier, Mike Miller and James Jones need to be allowed to really demonstrate their value, and they're prevented from doing so as long as the Celtics can help off of and rotate back to them with ample time to spare.

The drive-and-kick structure that the Heat rely on needs to be either more intricate or more streamlined, but at present it allows Boston to play the middle ground far too easily.