Miami Heat: 10 Reasons Dwyane Wade Struggles So Much Against the Boston Celtics
The Miami Heat lost to the Boston Celtics again on Sunday, and Dwyane Wade struggled once again.
Wade has failed to find success against the Celtics this year, and it's hard to figure out why.
With that in mind, we've broken it down and given you 10 reasons why this is the case. If you have any thoughts or comments, make sure to leave them below.
Why do you think Wade has struggled as much as he has against Boston?
No. 10: Supporting Cast
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Let's not pretend this is a deep team.
You have LeBron James, Chris Bosh and Dwyane Wade, but that's about it.
Often on offense, the rest of the team watches these three go to work, and, if they have possession late in the shot clock, they'll throw it to one of those three to take a shot with a bad look.
It's happened all season long, and it hasn't gotten much better.
No. 9: Poor Play Selection
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At times, the Miami offense is hideous.
During the course of a game, the offense stagnates while four guys stand around watching the ball as someone works on an a play.
That's not Dwyane Wade's game. Wade plays off the pick and roll, but this season, he's been caught in isolation plays too much.
If they can call more pick and rolls for Wade to get him to the basket, he'll put up better numbers.
No. 8: Dinged Up
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There needs to be some context to Dwyane Wade's stat lines.
Having missed preseason, Wade entered the first game of the season noticeably rusty.
Wade sprained his ankle on Sunday, and it's still not a 100 percent. It's not easy to play when you're dinged up and can't perform like your usual Dwayne Wade self.
Throw in the fact that you're playing one of the best teams in basketball and it's even worse.
No. 7: Boston's Improved Interior Defense
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Kevin Garnett isn't the same guy he was last year.
However, he does looks healthier on the court, and Boston is just a solid team up front. The Celtics clog the middle and contest every basket.
With Dwyane Wade being a slasher, those facts makes it a tough matchup for him.
The Celtics make life tough when he cuts to the basket, and that hurts his numbers.
No. 6: Chris Bosh's Effectiveness
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Let's be honest, for all the hate Chris Bosh receives, he's played incredibly well this season.
Bosh has been hitting that elbow jumper with great consistency and was playing great on Sunday.
Miami has been using him primarily in pick and roll situations, and, with slashers like LeBron James and Dwyane Wade running off of those screens, it opens him up for great looks.
The big man has been playing a bigger role in the offense, and Wade isn't going to pass up a wide open look for a teammate.
No. 5: Forcing Up Outside Shots
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Often, Dwyane Wade isn't getting to the basket.
He gets caught in situations where he has to put up shots that he's not comfortable taking, and he is shooting a low percentage.
Not only that, he's going up against great defenders on those plays—further hurting his chances of making the shot.
Wade needs to get to the basket, because he's not exactly a lights out shooter from the outside.
No. 4: He's Better Off of the Ball Against Team Defenses
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It's pretty noticeable that Dwyane Wade hasn't done a lot of one-on-one play this year.
He is not LeBron James. He doesn't have the same skill set as LeBron, and he can't break his man down off the dribble with a high level of success.
Wade is better when he's not dominating the ball on the dribble.
Miami needs to get him open and running around screens instead of getting him to create his own shot.
No. 3: Lack of an Offensive Flow
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Not only is the play selection bad, but sometimes there appears to be no play at all.
Miami's offense can be brutal at times, and the Heat can't seem to get anything going.
The motion stops, the passing stops, and there aren't any opportunities for good looks. No player can put up great numbers while playing in that system.
When Miami moves the ball, the team runs like a well-oiled machine.
No. 2: The LeBron Effect
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We're almost to the All-Star break, and one thing is evident: LeBron James is the alpha dog on this team.
Dwyane Wade has taken almost a secondary role to LeBron, and that role takes time to get used to.
Wade has had his moments this year, but sometimes it can hurt his flow since he was so used to being the guy in Miami.
Wade will continue to improve as the season progresses and once the Heat get more games together.
No. 1: Team Defense
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While Dwyane Wade has struggled this year, let's not steal credit from the Boston Celtics.
Especially on the defensive side of the ball, the Celtics are a great team, and Wade isn't the first star they've frustrated with this group of guys.
Ray Allen, Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce are all great defenders and are the stars of the team—with or without the ball.
Doc Rivers has this team playing great defense on every possession, and it has hurt Wade's stat line.
