Miami Heat: Seven People Who Should Be Credited for Team's Early Season 180
We knew at the beginning of the season just how good the Miami Heat could be. They were capable of eclipsing the 1995-'96 Chicago Bulls single season record for wins with 72 and the 1971-'72 Los Angeles Lakers record of 33 consecutive wins.
After a rough 9-8 start, we might have to wait another season for a few of these records to be broken, but one thing is for sure and that is the Heat are back on track.
The Heat are in the midst of their first 10 game win streak in five years, and have rocketed from 9-8 to 19-8 in the span of a few weeks. They took advantage of a weak schedule with seven of their wins being against sub-.500 teams, and then handled themselves very well against the better teams of the league in Atlanta, New Orleans, and their biggest win of the season coming against the Utah Jazz on the road.
All but one of the wins was by double-digits.
The schedule gets a little more strenuous for Miami as they face the streaking New York Knicks at the Garden on Friday, the Dallas Mavericks for the second time this season back home, and then a possible future NBA finals matchup against the Los Angeles Lakers at the Staples Center on Christmas.
After starting at 1-7 against teams over .500, the Heat have since gone 3-0. They'll be able to prove this winning streak was no fluke either if they can pull out a win against the Knicks, Mavs, and Lakers.
Since their player's only meeting immediately following their last loss, it appears that the team has a completely new philosophy and mentality going into every game. Rather than being stuck on the perimeter and forcing up difficult jump shots, each player on the Heat has made it a point to drive and draw fouls as often as possible.
Spectators at Heat games now find reasons to shell out the $100 to watch from the cheap seats as the Heat's big three make the highlight reel plays that we all expected to see.
Every player who has something to do with the team has changed their ways in a positive light for the benefit of the franchise. However, these seven people have created the 180 turn around for the Heat early in the season and they also happen to be some of the largest contributors in Miami's 10-game win streak.
LeBron James
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No longer does this team look like a fancier Cleveland Cavaliers. No longer does LeBron James turn into a jump shooter. Most of all, no longer are we forced to cringe at the sight of seeing James take 25 footer after 25 footer on nearly every possession.
It all began with one fateful Thursday night in Cleveland with the heralded return of LeBron back to the team that he spent seven years with, the team he had spurned only a few months prior. In one of the most raucous NBA crowds in league history, James put on the show of a lifetime as he had the crowd silenced by the end of the first half. James dropped 38 points and sat out the entire fourth quarter en route to a 118-90 Heat victory.
Since then, LeBron has had an initiative to drive the ball as much as possible. Even then, we have seen his jump shot improve greatly as he has become less reliant on it as the season has progressed. James has been using his athleticism to his advantage and has been using his teammates to theirs as well with his ability to get players involved on the offense and defense.
His ability to lead the fast-break is bordering on remarkable as even though he is still feeling out the team and their tendencies, he has still been able to convert nearly every fast break into two points. In fact, most of the fast breaks that he and Wade start are never able to be finished because opponents would rather blatantly foul before giving up another highlight to add to the Heat's already extensive play list.
James has scored 20 or more in all but two of the Heat's past 10 wins and has had a bigger turn around than any other Heat player. The fast paced offense that he is beginning to lead is mostly due in part to James forming a chemistry with his new teammates while adjusting to a system that doesn't focus the offensive and defensive attention solely on himself. LeBron is beginning to play more like a team player, rather than an individual and it has been key during the Heat's win streak.
He will only improve as the season progresses. We know he has the talent and potential, but for now he only has to learn to develop a chemistry with the team and continue adjusting to the new system.
Dwyane Wade
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For a brief moment in time, Dwyane Wade was one of the last players a Heat fan wanted to see on the court alongside LeBron James and Chris Bosh.
It might be hard to believe, but after putting up back to back games of 1 for 13 and 6 for 21 shooting, Wade became more of a liability than a beneficial part of the team. Both those games were very winnable, if not for Wade's poor decision making on offense and defense. To give Wade the benefit of the doubt, he had to sit out a game prior to the first bad shooting night, but it still came as a surprise to everyone that Dwyane was struggling this terribly.
Then we all came back down to reality, Dwyane Wade now has seven straight games of scoring more than 25 points and has also scored over 20 in 11 of the past 12 contests. He is coming off of a four game road trip where he led the Heat to a sweep, while earning Eastern Conference Player of the Week honors for the 13th time in his career.
Dwyane and LeBron have fluctuated the role of team leader in various games this season as it has either been one or the other leading the team to victories.
Lately, it has been Wade's team as he becomes the Dwyane Wade that Heat fans have come to know and love over the past eight seasons. He has taken his usual place on the throne as one of the most clutch players in the league and has bailed out the Heat a few times this season already with his streaky shooting and his ability to drive while taking contact. Not to mention, he and LeBron are showing a great deal of cohesion in the open and half court.
LeBron and Dwyane co-existing was one of the main issues coming into the season due to their similar styles of play. However, only 27 games into the season and the two are beginning to play like teammates rather than individuals. Each player came from a similar situation where they commanded the ball to score, but since joining up in Miami they have begun to adjust to sharing the ball and allowing and trusting their teammates to sometimes take over.
It's all part of the growing up process and Dwyane giving up the reins of the Heat to LeBron is a huge step in the right direction for the team.
Chris Bosh
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When it comes to criticism, no one has got it worse on the Miami Heat than Chris Bosh. Not even coach Erik Spoelstra could match just how much Bosh was trashed by the media. He also might hold the NBA record for quickest arrival to ever be at the center of trade rumors. Considering the Heat invested nearly $115 million over the next five years for Bosh, this was already being considered to be one of the worst moves over the off season.
Now levelling out at 18 points and eight rebounds per game, Chris is quietly becoming one of the most efficient producers of this newly formed Heat team. Bosh is averaging 18 points and nine rebounds during the win streak topped off with a 27 point game against the Atlanta Hawks and 17 rebounds against the Sacramento Kings. Like Wade and James, he has also begun to make more of an initiative of driving the ball.
He has still restricted himself on many occassions by just settling for the patented 15-20 foot jumper, but his driving is beginning to improve more and more each game. Aside from his scoring output greatly increasing as of late, his improved rebounding has been one of the brighter spots of the organization. After registering only one double-digit rebounding game in the first eleven contests of the season, Bosh has four in the past seven games against quality rebounding teams such as the Milwaukee Bucks and New Orleans Hornets.
Chris also had to fight through plenty of adversity coming into and during the season, as well.
Adjusting to the role as third option was also a large issue considering Bosh was used to being the first option for the first seven years of his career with Toronto. Even though he is regarded as a third scoring option, he is by and large the first option when it comes to a mid-range jump shooter or a post threat.
During the season, the Heat suffered one of their worst injuries when swingman Udonis Haslem went down. Haslem was the leading rebounder, but that role has now been appointed to Bosh, who has taken the role quite well. Not only that, but it has given coach Spoelstra a reason to no longer play Haslem and Bosh on the court at the same time. Chris greatly struggles when pushed to center and is a power forward before any other position.
Bosh still has some growing up to do, but his overall improvement in rebounding, scoring, and defensive output over the win streak has been key to the teams success.
Erik Spoelstra
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It was only a few weeks ago that coach Erik Spoelstra's tenure with the Miami Heat was thought to be as good as done. With losses to average teams such as Indiana and Memphis or elite teams such as Dallas and Boston, the blame was being centered towards Spo for his inconsistencies on the offensive and defensive side of the ball. It was also being said that he didn't have the assertiveness to control the ego's of LeBron, Dwyane, and Chris. The bump he took from James looked like a kiss of death as his team dropped to a disappointing 9-8.
10 wins later and coach Spoelstra is hearing Coach of the Year talk all of a sudden. As the Heat continue to win, Spoelstra's reputation corresponds with it and improves as he proves that he is assertive enough to control the likes of these three superstar's. It has been said that Erik has proved already he is no slouch when it comes to proving to his players that he is the true leader of this team. During one team meeting, it is rumored that Spoelstra told James to get serious about the team.
Spoelstra might be smarter than what critics originally envisioned him to be. Prior to the start of the season, he asked former Cavaliers head coach Mike Brown for advice on how he coached LeBron James for seven years. Spo must have done the opposite of whatever he said because he, not LeBron or Dwyane, has showed up as the clear-cut leader for the team. He has become the one to make the plays, make the rotations, and decides who gets the ball when it matters most.
One of Erik's brightest ideas was his defensive reward system that he just recently implemented. It's a system where if LeBron or Dwyane make a positive defensive play, then they can control the ball on the offensive end. Knowing each of these players, there's no doubt that they each want the ball in their hands to control the offense for a change. It appears that it is working as well as LeBron and Dwyane have come out and praised the reward system while also showing more commitment on the defensive end.
While coach Spo has greatly improved with his coaching style, a more fast-paced offense and better defensive rotations, he still needs to prove that he can out coach elite teams and that he is capable of winning in the post season as well. So far, Spoelstra is 0-2 as far as series goes with one loss being seven games against Atlanta and the other being five games against Boston. With a new team however, Spoelstra might have to add a few more wins to the left column.
Erick Dampier
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For a player who's averaging one point and three rebounds in only 14 minutes per game, Erick Dampier certainly knows how to make his impression felt early.
Following the injury to Udonis Haslem, free agent Erick Dampier was finally signed to the team after trying out for a number of teams. It came as a surprise the first time around when Dampier wasn't signed prior to the start of the season because of the Heat's lack of depth at the center position. They had already switched starters, from Joel Anthony to Zydrunas Ilgauskas, and still couldn't find a suitable presence in the middle as they continued to allow plenty of points in the paints to the opposition.
Even though he has only been seldom seen so far, Dampier has made his 6'11" and 265 pound presence felt already. His offense might be abysmal, but he brings more defensive pressure than any other center the Heat have had since Alonzo Mourning retired. His big, wide body makes it a pain for smaller players to drive into the lane, as well as the centers he is matched up with to get off a good shot close enough to the basket.
Joel, Zydrunas, or Jamaal Magloire are not even close to boasting the defense that Erick brings to the team. Anthony is a capable shot blocker, but at only 6'9" it's easy for center's to just go over the top of him. Ilgauskas's height is always a great presence, but it also greatly limits him as he can't jump, can't keep up with centers, and avoids physical contact. Jamaal Magloire is a completely different case as the Heat just refuse to play him.
Erick might not be receiving the significant minutes that Heat fans are hoping for, but he does need time to condition himself to run for at least 20 minutes per game. In fact, it will only be so much longer before Erick becomes the third starting center of the season for the Miami Heat. Ilgauskas's starting spot can only be for so much longer as he continues to blow defensive assignments and misses the open jumpers that got him the job in the first place.
Mario Chalmers
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This is not another Rajon Rondo, Chalmers doesn't contain the play making ability, but for the Heat it is just as good that Mario Chalmers is going to be their soon to be starter after his great play during the teams win streak.
Since returning to the team following an injury that kept him out of all the preseason, Chalmers has been given significant minutes as the Heat sacrificed Eddie House's time so that Mario can begin to get adjusted to the team. They certainly miss House's three-point shooting, but since Chalmers is hitting nearly 40% from beyond the arc over the past ten games, it seems that the Heat can afford to miss out on House for Chalmers.
Not only that, but Chalmers brings defense that no other point guard on this team can contribute.
Carlos Arroyo is average at best, and Eddie House still might not know what the word defense means, so it can only be Mario who comes out on top as the best defender on the team. He has already proved it with quality defensive performances against Chris Paul and Mo Williams. His on-the-ball defense might suffer at times, but it's his ability to see passes before they happen that catches the eye of the organization.
Mario is able to read a point guard's pass before they can get into the lane as he uses his quick reflexes to either knock the ball out of bounds or to his teammate. It causes turnovers and frustrates the player he is guarding as he closes off the passing lane and limits the amount of entry passes that can be thrown into the paint. Chalmers is the first line of defense of limiting points in the paint and has performed admirably so far with his quick hands.
And yet, Mario still baffles us with some of the plays he does. He might just be adjusting to the new fast-paced system or adjusting to his new teammates, but Mario occasionally leads plays that are just terrible in every way shape or form. A number of passes could be wayward and limit a fast break or he could take an ill-advised jump shot early in the shot clock that limits momentum and causes distress on offense. At 24 though, Chalmers still has plenty to learn about his new team.
As long as he continues to hit from deep and interrupt passing lanes, Chalmers will get the starting job that he lost only a season prior.
The Schedule Makers
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This late November and early December stretch was just what the Heat needed after a tumultuous start to the season. After facing the likes of Boston twice, the Orlando Magic twice, and the Dallas Mavericks just to name a few in the first 17 games of the season, a few games against some cellar dwellers with a road trip mixed in was just what the doctor asked for.
Coming into the season, we wanted to believe that the Heat were ready to be an elite team and the team to beat in the Eastern Conference, but the fact is that they didn't have the right chemistry, mentality, or game plan that early in the season. Even LeBron said himself that the team would need a few months before they finally get the ball rolling. Individuals and athleticism can beat the worst teams of the league, but it will usually never beat an already formed team with history together.
Following the loss to Dallas, the Heat got Washington and Detroit at home before going to Cleveland for the match-up every body was waiting for. It was in these three games that the team began to find their identity as they began to implement their fast paced offense against Washington, use it to the Pistons ragged, and we then saw how the team reacts to pressure in their game against Cleveland. With the 28 point win, it was clear the Heat were ready for just about any type of environment.
It got no easier as the Heat played the Atlanta Hawks and the always tough Milwaukee Bucks on the road to start their road trip. They allowed both teams to make late pushes, but the Heat proved that they could play through adversity to win both games. Their win over the Utah Jazz was the peace de resistance as they proved that not only can they beat an elite team, but they can do it on the road as well. The schedule then proceeded with easy win's against Sacramento, Golden State, New Orleans, and Cleveland.
The watered-down schedule gave the Heat the confidence and motivation they needed to face the better teams of the league as they get prepared to face the Knicks, Mavericks, Suns, and Lakers in the span of nine days. These games will be a good way to gauge just how far the Heat have come and just how ready they are to face the elite teams of the league.
