Miami Heat vs. L.A. Lakers: The Myth of the Defensive Disparity
In the ongoing debate between Lakers and Heat fans regarding which team is likely to win it all in 2011, Lakers fans frequently cite to a factor they view as their “ace in the hole”:
Defense.
Typically, the argument is based upon the assertion that the Lakers have superior individual defenders, lead by Kobe Bryant and Ron Artest.
The Heat, by comparison, is characterized by Lakers fans as a team made up of offensive players who are not very good defenders (notwithstanding the fact that LeBron James and Dwyane Wade were named to the first and second teams, respectively, of the All-Defensive Team).
It is somewhat difficult to assess this by looking at past statistics, as Miami has so many new players.
Nonetheless, if the hypothesis of the Lakers fans – that superior individual defenders will produce a better defensive team – were accurate, it would follow that the Lakers’ defensive statistics would have been superior to the Heat’s in 2009-2010.
Interestingly, the statistics paint a different picture.
Opponents’ Field Goal Percentage (League Ranking), 2009-2010
Heat .439 (2)
Lakers .446 (5)
Opponents’ Three Point Field Goal Percentage (League Ranking), 2009-2010
Lakers .328 (1)
Heat .342 (5)
Field Goals Allowed Per Game (League Ranking), 2009-2010
Heat 34.3 (1)
Lakers 37.2 (14)
Points Per Game Allowed (League Ranking), 2009-2010
Heat 94.2 (2)
Lakers 97.0 (9)
Blocked Shots Per Game (League Ranking), 2009-2010
Heat 5.6 (4)
Lakers 4.9 (15)
Steals Per Game (League Ranking), 2009-2010
Lakers 7.5 (11)
Heat 7.4 (12)
How can this be?
How could a team with an old, somewhat broken-down center (Jermaine O’Neill), an offensive-minded power forward (Michael Beasley), a rotating door at small forward (Quentin Richardson, Dorell Wright) and point guard (Mario Chalmers, Carlos Arroyo), and one superstar (Dwyane Wade) produce superior defensive stats when compared with the great defenders of the Lakers?
As is the case with most things in Miami, it all goes back to Pat Riley.
Riley, despite the acclaim of the Showtime years, is a defensive minded coach at his heart. His prodigy, Stan Van Gundy, and now Erik Spoelstra, have adopted the same approach.
The goal in Miami is TEAM DEFENSE. As the statistics cited above demonstrates, when a team plays defense as a unit, the result can often exceed the sum of the individual parts.
The question going forward is whether the new members of the Heat (LeBron James, Chris Bosh, Mike Miller, Zydrunas Ilgaskas, Eddie House, etc.) will “buy into” this defensive philosophy.
Only time will tell. However, if the 2010-2011 Heat can put up defensive numbers that are comparable to the 2000-2010 team’s, they will be nearly unstoppable. Unlike last year’s team, which had difficulty scoring (apart from Wade), the 2010-2011 has more scoring options than any team in the NBA.
With Riley’s hand, and Spoelstra’s finger, on the pulse of the defense, the package will be complete and the rest of the NBA will be in trouble.
