2011 NBA Playoffs: 5 Ways for the Miami Heat To Reach the NBA Finals
LeBron James came up big when it mattered and the Heat took Game 2. I don't hear many people chanting out "choker" right now.
The Miami Heat are sitting pretty in the Eastern Conference Finals, having stolen an away game in Chicago. Their role players are showing up at just the right time.
Game 2 marked the return of Udonis Haslem and his presence on the court was certainly felt. With 13 points and 5 rebounds in just over 23 minutes, Haslem's hustle and intensity on the boards served his Miami team well and was a vital factor in their win in Game 2.
Now that two games have passed, it seems that Miami have all the tools at their disposal to dispose of Derrick Rose and the Bulls, providing they take these five measures.
1. Mike Miller Must Stay on the Floor for More Than 15 Minutes a Game
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I know Miller has had a rough season and he has not turned into what many people expected him to be—the fourth option able to consistently knock down the outside shot. However, the Bulls dominated the Heat on the boards in Game 1 when James Jones wound up playing 24 minutes.
Enter Mike Miller Game 2. Miller grabbed seven boards in 18 minutes and provided invaluable hustle off the bench, diving on the floor every opportunity trying to grab an extra possession.
Anyone watching closely in Game 2 would have noticed that Miller has very good positional sense and anticipates where rebounds are likely to fall. He is much more effective on the boards compared to James Jones and if he manages to find his shooting rhythm, he could really be a difference-maker in the series.
2. Udonis Haslem Must Show Up Every Night
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Udonis Haslem finally showed up Wednesday night and basketball fans around the world took notice. Haslem's 13 points were a much needed boost off the bench and although he looked incredibly worn out after playing his 20th minute, his effect had already been felt by then.
With 4:45 left in the third quarter and both teams struggling to find buckets, Haslem picked off a Mike Bibby pass in the middle of the lane and rose to the rim whilst destroying Keith Bogans in the process.
It was the athleticism and intensity that the Heat had sorely missed from their backup big men. Jamaal Magloire and Juwan Howard may not see much more playing time, and rightly so at this stage in their careers.
3. Keep Moving the Ball
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Isolation plays involving LeBron James or Dwyane Wade were kept to a minimum in Game 2 and Heat fans must be thankful for that. Although sitting back and letting your best players make something out of nothing will get you a spectacular bucket every so often, eventually defenses will start to figure you out (unless of course you are Dirk Nowitzki).
Although at the end of the game the ball was eventually thrown to James in order for him to make a play, the ball movement earlier in the game ensured that the ball was in LeBron's hands with a lead to protect rather than one to chase.
Having Haslem in the game definitely added another dimension to their game and ensured that their offense was less stagnant and ran with greater fluidity. The extra pass was made much more often in Game 2 and it paid off.
4. Chris Bosh Must Stop Pretending He is a Post-Up Player
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Chris Bosh is a great player in his own right, but his post-up game is about as effective as Joel Anthony's three-point game. Okay, that might be a bit of a stretch, but it does not hide the fact that Chris Bosh is a pick-and-pop power forward as opposed to a post-up one.
Bosh is much more effective picking his spots and knocking down the jumpers.
He seemed prone to turning over the ball or causing bad possessions when he received the ball with his back to the basket. He is more of a finesse forward rather than a post-banger and he should stick to his strengths. Grab the ball, face your man and knock down the open jumper or use your quickness to drive by your defender. Don't pretend you've got a dream shake and sky-hook hidden in you somewhere. Stick to your strengths and the Heat will be fine.
5. It's Crunch-Time, Give It Up to LeBron
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Theres 4:30 left in the game. Udonis Haslem has done his part and has headed to the bench, exhausted. Erik Spoelstra has taken out Mike Miller and put in Mike Bibby to stand around on the perimeter and do nothing else.
Enter LeBron James. He hit a three to put the Heat up 76-73 and they would never look back.
Miami's defense ensured they would only concede another two points over the next four minutes and Lebron James ensured that on the offensive end that time was eaten off the clock and proved that he can make plays in the clutch.
Much has been documented on LeBron and the Heat's failures in hitting clutch shots this season and LeBron's performance in the dying moments Wednesday tonight perhaps proved that he can still close games.
His clock management was superb, making moves at just the right moments to ensure a valued possession. Perhaps Heat fans were lucky that he found renewed confidence in his jump shot tonight. Or perhaps they are just lucky that they have the best player in basketball today on their team.
Would you really want to trust the ball to anyone else when it matters the most?
I know I wouldn't.
