LeBron James and Miami Heat Beef Up Defense To Win Three in a Row
"That's what it's about. We know if we want to win we have defend every night."
Those were the words of LeBron James following the Miami Heat's 110-80 win against the league-best San Antonio Spurs. The game marks the third consecutive victory for the Heat, a run that comes after a five-game skid that had analysts and viewers questioning Miami's postseason chances.
Here are the keys to the team's sudden turnaround.
Head coach Eric Spoelstra allowing Dwyane Wade to go to work
Wade let James into his house, and James has now tried to take over in the fourth quarter as Wade has done all his career for his Heat team.
In the words of James: "I let my team down."
Unlike in games in the losing streak against the New York Knicks, Chicago Bulls or Orlando Magic, Wade has been getting more opportunities with the basketball inside the last five minutes.
In the three consecutive wins, Wade has posted eight points during each fourth quarter.
Since the five-game losing streak, Wade and company have been averaging just over 107 points a contest. In the five losses prior, the Heat did not reach 100 points once.
LeBron James will get his share of points, but involving Dwyane Wade in the offense could prove key to the chemistry and overall development of this Miami Heat team.
Wade has let James have the spotlight for most of the season, but he is now beginning to step up in the final minutes of basketball games.
Defense, defense and more defense has teams "playing with fire"
Second, but more important, is the step-up play on the defensive end that has taken down two of the league's top teams.
After maintaining a top-two statistical defense most of the season, the Heat have gradually dropped to No. 6.
Allowing at least 95 points in 10 games since the start of February would explain that drop.
Defensively, the Heat have been heating up quickly. Since the five-game losing streak, they have yet to give up 90 points, allowing 88 to the Los Angeles Lakers, 85 to the Memphis Grizzlies and 80 to the Spurs.
The secret to Miami's success has been their ability to finish the job defensively. In two of the three wins, the Spurs and Lakers were held to 17 and 18 fourth-quarter points.
Wade and James have each contributed on the glass as of late, averaging 12.7 rebounds between them. Mike Miller has also played tough minutes on the defensive end for the Heat, making plays in the passing lanes and forcing tougher half-court possessions for opponents.
It should also be noted that Chris Bosh has shown improved effort on both ends of the floor, averaging 24 points and 10.3 rebounds per game on 61.3 percent shooting in the three wins.
To put the numbers in perspective, Bosh's per-game season averages include 18.2 points, 8.1 rebounds and 48.9 percent from the field.
The "crying" from Miami players may have sparked a fuse in South Beach, as the Heat have played championship-caliber defense as of late. Making plays on the defensive end has allowed for more opportunities for James and Wade in the open floor, where the two superstars are arguably at their best.
The Heat's next three opponents, all playoff-bound teams, should continue to test their validity: the Oklahoma City Thunder, Atlanta Hawks and Denver Nuggets.
