NBA Playoffs 2011: 10 Reasons Why the Miami Heat Will Dominate
Prior to the start of the season, the Miami Heat were projected as runaway favorites in the Eastern Conference and they were expected to make a NBA Finals appearance with the Los Angeles Lakers. Now that we have actually seen the team play for 80 games, we can determine that preseason hype led us on as far as just how good the Heat would be in their first season. Miami has competed with the best teams in the league, but has also had its letdowns many more times than anyone could have expected.
At 56-24, the Heat have their most wins since 2006, when they won 59 games and finished with the title. They were only a second seed then, too, before beating the reigning Eastern Conference champs Detroit Pistons and then the Dallas Mavericks in the NBA Finals. Compared to then, when the Heat only had to beat the Chicago Bulls and Washington Wizards, this season's postseason run could prove more difficult. Miami faces the possibility of playing the Boston Celtics before taking on the No. 1-seeded Chicago Bulls.
Yet, this Heat team could and should be one of the most feared teams this postseason.
This team was built for postseason runs. Of course, the Heat were expected to have regular-season success as well, but this team's core, composed of youth and athleticism, should be able to withstand seven-game series' that go the distance. They hold that advantage over any other team and it could pay off as one of the most useful accolades to help the team achieve its preseason goal.
Even if the Heat have had their regular-season struggles, we have seen just how good these guys can be in the postseason. Dwyane Wade has proven himself time and time again, with a Finals MVP to show for it. Udonis Haslem and Eddie House have played on championship teams, and LeBron James and Zydrunas Ilgauskas were also members of a team that went to the NBA Finals as well.
With a statement win to hold the second seed against Boston yesterday afternoon, the Heat may have just gotten what they needed to make a swift run heading into the playoffs.
Turning It on
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For months, we have been hearing about how the Miami Heat will turn it on in time for the postseason. It's been used as an excuse for the team's lack of effort in wins or losses over the past month, when we witnessed the team struggle against any caliber team it faced. The team can play nearly three quarters worth of inadequate basketball, yet always seems to be able to play some of its best basketball for a few moments. Those few moments of superior basketball usually allow the Heat to pull away.
There's no better example than the Heat's most recent win against the Philadelphia 76ers. Miami was playing a tough defensive team in the 76ers and was suffering with turnovers, most of them unforced. The Sixers took advantage by taking a 16-point lead early in the second quarter, only to see the Heat use a 23-2 second-quarter run to take back the lead. Miami faced a deficit late in the game as well and used a 24-5 run to give itself a 111-99 victory.
So it seems that this team does have another level of basketball that it has yet to break out. It seems that we were witness to that yesterday afternoon in the Heat's 100-77 victory over the Boston Celtics, when they absolutely dominated the second half and held one of their biggest foes, Rajon Rondo, to only seven points and five rebounds.
If those are the type of games that the team has been withholding all season long, then the Eastern Conference might not be ready for this hurricane that is set to come out of South Beach.
Chris Bosh on the Block
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There is no doubt that one of the key reasons behind the Heat's success as of late has been because of Chris Bosh. After suffering through a tumultuous first few months of the regular season, Bosh has reverted back to his Toronto self by establishing himself on the glass as a quality rebounder and playing aggressively on the offensive side of the ball. He had his best month of the season in March, when he hit double-digit rebounds and scored over 20 points in eight of the team's 15 games.
The Heat hold obvious advantages as far as their starting shooting guards and small forwards go, but the power forward position has been a toss up. The three teams that the Heat are most likely set to face all contain quality power forwards who are completely capable of leading their teams, with Amar'e Stoudemire playing the part on the New York Knicks, Kevin Garnett with the Celtics and Carlos Boozer with the Chicago Bulls. Bosh has been playing the best out of these three as of late, but he will need to transition that into the postseason to give the Heat a definitive advantage.
Bosh is set to be the x-factor for this team because it will be his play that will most likely determine how far this team advances. Most of the playoff teams in the East have advantages over the Heat as far as a bench and a starting point guard and center go, so it will be up to Bosh to provide as much support as possible. James and Wade will pour in their usual numbers, and Bosh will be expected to do the same and then some to help out Miami's cause.
Built for a 7-Game Series
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Look at teams like the Boston Celtics or the San Antonio Spurs. They have played terrific basketball for most of the season, with the Spurs currently holding the league's best record at 61-19 and the Celtics still playing quality ball at 55-25. Their premise comes off of a solid balance amongst their core group of players while also finding plenty of contributions from their bench and other supporting players.
However, with each team carrying a core group of three players, with each one being at least 30 years old, you have to wonder just how much basketball they can play before deteriorating.
That is a problem the Heat will not have to worry about for at least another five years. With the oldest member of the Big Three at 29 years old, Miami has the athleticism and youth to withstand a few series that could go on a bit longer than expected. With both Chris Bosh and LeBron James at 26 and Dwyane Wade at 29, the Heat are set to receive the best playing years of all their individual careers.
This year we will be able to first witness just how well youth and athleticism can play against veterans and experience. The core on a team like Boston will hold an obvious advantage over a team like the Heat with playoff experience, but if this were to go six or seven games, could the Celtics' core keep up with the core of Miami's? Miami holds the athleticism and youth advantage over every team currently with a postseason spot.
A Set Rotation and Lineup
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One of Miami's biggest issues this season has been its inability to find the correct starting lineup and rotation to implement in certain games. The Heat have had issues regarding which point guard they should put in to defend against some of the better point guards in the league, but their biggest troubles revolve around which center to use.
Miami has played seven centers this year with Zydrunas Ilgauskas, Joel Anthony and Erick Dampier all starting at least one game and Chris Bosh, Udonis Haslem, Jamaal Magloire and Dexter Pittman all giving it a try at that spot as well.
The time to make adjustments is coming to a close for every NBA season. No team that is poised to make a championship run will be making significant lineup or rotation changes in the middle of the postseason. For the Heat, it appears that the team has finally come to a conclusion as far as a starting lineup and proper rotation goes. It seems for now that Mike Bibby will be the starting point guard, Mike Miller will be the first off the bench and Erick Dampier will be the starting center.
For those wondering why Zydrunas Ilgauskas has been starting, word is that coach Erik Spoelstra is just resting up Dampier for the postseason. Also, for those questioning just how much time Anthony will actually play, the plan will probably be for him to play in games in which he matches up well with the Heats' opponents. He'll be used against Amar'e Stoudemire if Miami does play New York, and he'll be utilized against Kevin Garnett and Glen Davis if the Heat play the Celtics.
Veteran Leadership at the Point
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Aside from all playing horrid defense most of the time, the Heat's three point guards do all share one similar trait: they have ice cold veins in crunch time. Yes, that even includes Mario Chalmers, who is most remembered for knocking off Derrick Rose's Memphis Tigers in the 2008 NCAA championship. Even in three years at the NBA level, Chalmers has knocked down a few clutch shots to help the Heat win a few games.
As good as Chalmers can be late in games, the obvious answer to who the starting point guard should be in the postseason is Mike Bibby. He's averaging career lows with the Heat at only seven points and three assists per game, but he is hitting 48 percent of his three-pointers and he is becoming the player that Mike Miller was supposed to be.
In the Heat's recent win against Boston, Miami saw a 22-point fourth quarter lead cut down to 10 with five minutes remaining. Following a Celtics miss, it was Bibby who hit a three-pointer that gave the Heat a 13-point lead that Boston would never recover from.
Coming off the bench behind Mario Chalmers will be Eddie House, who could see himself getting some playing time when the Heat are in desperate need of a three-pointer. House has among the most championship experience out of anyone on the team, considering that he won a title with the Celtics in the 2007-08 season. House saw his biggest moment of the season with the Heat come against the Oklahoma City Thunder when he hit a clutch three-pointer in the final seconds.
Mike Miller and Udonis Haslem
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What most critics of the Miami Heat don't realize is that they have yet to play at full strength this season. Their two most significant injuries came to the top producers off the bench in Mike Miller and Udonis Haslem, who were slated to be the sixth and seventh men of this Heat team. They were greatly needed to be the balance between the Big Three and the rest of the team, which has proved to be a great dropoff.
Unfortunately, Mike Miller never truly recovered from an injury he suffered during a practice prior to the start of the season, and Udonis Haslem hasn't played since mid-November. Miller's injury happened to a finger on his shooting hand and, despite returning in December, he still hasn't been able to live up to the $30 million that the Heat gave him over the offseason. Miami has taken hits because it can't find a reliable shooter on the floor at any time.
Luckily, the Heat are set to get back Haslem and can only hope that Miller gets the right mentality heading into the postseason. Miller is completely capable of making the shots, considering that reports say he is making all of his shots during practices, so the Heat organization needs to somehow work Miller into the rotation and allow him to find a rhythm so he can work himself into the offense.
If the Heat can get Miller shooting at a 40-percent clip and have Haslem give a few good minutes of work, then that Heat bench that has been scrutinized all year for its inconsistency can avoid criticism for the time being.
Something To Prove
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The Miami Heat have heard just about every criticism that any team could possibly hear. From trade rumors a week into the season to people claiming that there is no way these three could possibly co-exist, the Heat have done well with their 56-24 record and a second seed nearly in hand. Every member of this team has taken heat at one time or another from the critics that have held them under a microscope all season long.
Now is the time for this Heat team to show the NBA world what it is made of. The Heat have had their fair share of regular-season success and struggles, but they can put all that in the past now that the postseason is set to begin within the week. With a core of some of the greatest athletes to play the game, as well as two of the best players in the league today, this team was built for the postseason and created to withstand four seven-game series.
With the constant criticism that they have taken all year long from the moment they came together, the Big Three and the rest of this Miami Heat team are set to prove the world wrong. They are ready to prove that there is no need for a trade and that this experiment of bringing in some of the best players in the league can actually work.
If the Heat want to make their statement to the world, they'll need to do everything in their power to win a title this season.
Dwyane Wade in the Playoffs
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"But John, Dwyane Wade hasn't even gotten out of the first round since 2006!"
To the countless people that were ready to say this when they saw the title of this slide, you are absolutely right. But you trying dragging Michael Beasley, Jermaine O'Neal and Udonis Haslem up and down the court for 48 minutes for seven games against the Atlanta Hawks and a Boston Celtics squad that made it all the way to the championship. Wade still averaged 29 points against the Hawks and 33 against the Celtics.
Wade hasn't made his impact felt in the postseason since his team's championship run in 2006. Wade averaged 28 points, six rebounds and six assists in 23 games during that year's postseason and then averaged 35 points in the NBA Finals in one of the greatest final-round performances in league history. Wade was able to create shot opportunities at any given moment in that series and took over when the game was on the line.
For the entirety of his career, Wade has proven time and time again that he is one the league's most clutch players. He has done it this year when he has saved his team on numerous occasions when the ball is in his hands, and he has proven in the postseason that he is completely capable of putting the team on his back and leading the Heat to improbable victories.
Motivated LeBron James
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LeBron James knew he was being thrown into the fire when he left Cleveland. As soon as he announced that he was joining Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh in Miami, he was met with criticism and deemed as a player who decided to take the easy way out since he couldn't win with the Cavaliers. It was also immediately expected that James wouldn't be able to thrive with two other superstars on his team, since he had played for seven years with the spotlight solely on him.
Through the ups and downs of the season, one thing has remained consistent: People really don't like LeBron James. The good people of Cleveland have their reasons to dislike their former idol, but it still strikes me as surprising to hear crowds at Washington Wizards or Minnesota Timberwolves games boo and jeer at James whenever he touches the ball. LeBron has heard it all in every stadium outside of the America Airlines Arena, even going as far to personally address a fan, and he has turned boos to oohs and aahs once he works his magic.
If anyone is ready to silence a nation, it is going to be LeBron. He has been called every name in the book and has heard the criticism from every analyst. With the postseason right around the corner, James needs to be more than ready for the gauntlet of criticism ahead of him. If he has his mind right and stays the course with his motivation, then he and this Heat team are going to be difficult to stop over the next month.
Momentum Heading in
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It's tough to beat a team when you're not even sure you can beat them. In the case of the Miami Heat, most of the players on the team had to deal with the torment that the Boston Celtics gave them over the course of this season and years prior. Dwyane Wade's and Chris Bosh's teams have struggled against the Celtics over the past few years, while LeBron James team was knocked out of the postseason last year by the same Boston squad.
These three, as well as everyone else on the Heat, have to confront these personal demons and put an end to them once and for all if they want to make it out of the East. Boston beat up on the Heat in the team's first three meetings, with the Celtics taking all three with ease aside from a few fourth quarter letdowns. It wasn't until yesterday afternoon's 100-77 victory over Boston that the Heat finally beat the team that boasted the road to the Finals still runs through the Celtics.
In its win, Miami was the one boasting the toughness and the defense. When Boston pushed, the Heat pushed back. Compare that to the first three meetings when the Celtics were playing the part as the schoolyard bully. Whether it was on offense or defense, the Heat were clearly playing the role as the better team for once. They needed the win for a better chance to secure the second seed, but most importantly to know that they can beat this Celtics team.
Now all the Heat have to do is beat the Chicago Bulls, but we'll wait until the postseason to witness that.
