NBA Playoffs 2011: 5 Flaws Philadelphia 76ers Exposed Against the Miami Heat
Any team would take a 4-1 series win in the first round of the postseason. Even for a team like the Miami Heat who were predicted to run through every team according to preseason hype, their five-game series victory over the Philadelphia 76ers was impressive for the most part.
They pulled through late in the fourth quarter in three of the four wins and won a game by 21 points in the largest victory of the series. Their lone loss came in Philadelphia when they allowed the Sixers to go on a 10-0 run in the final 1:30.
The 4-1 series win was efficient, but there were still flaws that were exposed that frustrated and infuriated the Heat faithful. Considering this was supposed to be the time that we expected the Big Three and the rest of this Heat team to "turn it on," there were still many moments that reminded us too much of the regular season and the habits that Miami got into way too frequently.
In a time like the postseason, adjustments needed to be made either prior to the start of the playoffs or very early on. Miami has already been forced to make adjustments after not getting the production from the players that they thought they could rely on at a time like this.
While it is fortunate that these problems have arisen early on in the playoffs, it still could be a problem in the long run if the Heat don't have a lineup and a rotation that they can consistently rely on.
Philadelphia might have lost in only five games, but they showed off some glaring weaknesses in the Heat's offensive and defensive systems. From regression to constant problems, the Heat need to patch up these five flaws.
The Point Guard and Center Positions Still Aren't Set
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It was a nice sight to see the Miami Heat finally get some quality production from their bench when Mario Chalmers and Joel Anthony hit the court, but it was just as discouraging to see just how badly the Heat struggled when Mike Bibby and Zydrunas Ilgauskas were on the floor and in the starting lineup.
By Game 5, coach Erik Spoelstra had had enough and replaced them both 4:27 into the game. Chalmers and Anthony started the second half as well.
That would be the only game time Bibby or Ilgauskas would see.
While Ilgauskas wasn't expected to do much other than tip shots in, Mike Bibby was a huge disappointment for the Heat.
When Bibby was brought in, he was expected to be the veteran leader that Miami needed at the point guard position. He was supposed to knock down open shots and create easier opportunities on the offensive end.
Instead, he averaged three points per game on 21 percent shooting and saw Mario Chalmers possibly take his starting spot at the point.
It's encouraging to see Mario Chalmers perform well, especially after a 20-point Game 5, but it only leaves the point guard and center position just as open as ever.
Having Joel Anthony be a defensive stopper is also encouraging, but the Heat won't be able to have a lineup with a front court of LeBron James, Chris Bosh and Anthony against bigger teams like the Chicago Bulls or Boston Celtics if they have Shaquille O'Neal.
Where Is Mike Miller?
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Remember that Mike Miller guy? You know, the one that the Miami Heat are currently paying $30 million over the next six years?
I'd find it difficult to remember him too since he only played a grand total of five minutes in the Heat's first-round series and only appeared in two games. Miller injured a finger early in the series and rode the pine the rest of the way in an attempt by the Heat to possibly have him rested up for the series against Boston.
The preseason expectations for Miller have been a complete wash this season as he has yet to have one breakout game aside from a 31-point effort against Toronto in January.
Since then, Miller has found no consistency or rhythm in his shot and has yet to make a positive impact from the field. He has been a quality rebounder, defender and all-around hustler, but Miami signed him to make open three-pointers, and he isn't serving his purpose.
With Miller's inconsistencies and absence in the postseason, the Heat find themselves limited and searching for a reliable source of energy. Without him and Udonis Haslem, the Heat have been forced to use Joel Anthony for a significant amount of time thanks to the hustle and effort he brings to every game.
It still doesn't bring the three-point shot that the Heat need from Miller, and it could be a glaring flaw in their offense if they continue to get no production from the $30 million man.
There Still Is No Rhyme or Reason to the Offense.
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Give credit where credit is due. The Philadelphia 76ers performed beyond expectations. They didn't always have the most consistent offense, but they were able to stay in four out of the five games thanks to their hard-nosed defense.
As high powered an offense as the Heat can be, the Sixers managed to limit Miami to only one game where they scored 100 points. The Big Three were kept in check for the most part as well as the Sixers loaded up the paint and double-teamed each member.
The Sixers defense deserves most of the credit, but the Heat's offense still has a long way to go. There were still too many times during the series where the offense was inconsistent, and they couldn't get into any sort of rhythm.
During Game 5, the Heat couldn't score a field goal in the final minutes and saw most of their points come from the foul line. The lack of ball and player movement was infuriating as the Heat were reduced to simple isolation's and kick outs.
The offense was the reason for the Heat's game four loss as they saw the majority of their last second shots come solely on isolations. The team needs to develop some sort of offensive plays or sets to keep opposing defenses on their toes.
Eventually, a defensive minded team like the Celtics will be able to figure out the offense of Miami. One of the biggest problems this year has been the lapses that the offense has gone through, and it shouldn't be a problem when you have three of the best scorers in the league.
Chris Bosh Still Isn't Getting Looks.
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Following his performances in March where he shot 1-of-18 against the Chicago Bulls and then was torched by LaMarcus Aldridge and the Portland Trail Blazers, Chris Bosh openly came out and demanded more looks in the post.
After that seven-point game against Portland, Bosh scored 24 points and grabbed nine rebounds and would score 30 or more points twice. Chris was playing aggressive, and he wasn't relying on jump shots for the majority of his points.
For Chris to struggle against Elton Brand on offense and defense is the definition of regressing. Bosh did have a few quality games where he was able to drive, but he was kept out of the paint the last three games and suffered because of it.
It wasn't until Game 5, when he found his jump shot, that he was able to have a quality outing against Brand and Thaddeus Young, but he was still restricted within 10 feet of the rim.
With Kevin Garnett as his next matchup, the Heat need to find a way to get Chris Bosh going and going early. Bosh is going to play the biggest role on this team the rest of the way, and the Heat need him to perform well from here on out if they want a less difficult route to the NBA Finals.
If the Heat can get Bosh established in the low post, they'll be able to add another dimension to an otherwise simple offense. An aggressive Chris Bosh can be one of the most dangerous players in the postseason when he is having his way and scoring around the rim.
No Sense of Urgency
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With all this talk of the Miami Heat "turning it on" for the postseason, you would have expected them to come out and run the Philadelphia 76ers ragged by the end of the first quarter.
Instead, they fell behind 31-18 by the end of the first quarter of the first game and played catch up the rest of the way. It was only in Game 2 where Miami didn't fall behind by double-digits in the first 12 minutes of the game, and it raised an obvious concern of just where this team's mindset is at when these games begin.
There is absolutely no excuse for the Heat to struggle this mightily against a team like the Philadelphia 76ers early in a game, especially in the opening round of the playoffs.
This was the time where LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh were supposed to begin to prove themselves that they are completely worthy of being dubbed as legitimate title contenders. Instead, Miami played catch up against a seventh seed for four of the five games and looked to be the underdog most of the way.
It's in the playoffs where you can separate the contenders from the pretenders and the Heat have yet to prove that they are a contender even though they won their first series 4-1. There always seemed to be a lack of effort and urgency in each playoff game, and it was too reminiscent of what we saw in the regular season.
With Boston ahead, the Heat need to set the tone early and come out swinging before the Celtics make the knock out punch first.
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