2011 NBA Playoffs: 5 Ways the Miami Heat Can Win the NBA Championship
Last July LeBron James, in front of millions of people, uttered the now most mocked line in professional sports, “I’m taking my talents to South Beach.”
Since then The Miami Heat have started the season 9-8, endured a young coach trying to get his message across to super star players, and had almost every media member criticize the decision made by LeBron James, Dwayne Wade, and Chris Bosh to all go play in Miami.
LeBron and Wade have identical games and therefore could not exist together. Chris Bosh has diminished as the third wheel in this “Big Three” that many when the season started called the “Big Two and a Half” or even just “Big Two.”
Prior to the playoffs, even though they attained a number two seed, people were projecting that an Eastern Conference Finals appearance would have been considered a successful season.
All season long, whether out of hatred toward LeBron James or how King James and Dwayne Wade’s games mix as well as Kardashians at a redneck bar.
Even with two of the top five players in the league on their team no one expected The Miami Heat to make it to the NBA Finals this year. But The Miami Heat made it and here are five ways that they can win it.
5. Udonis Haslem
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Once Udonis Haslem came back to a prominent role for the Miami Heat, after sitting out most of the season due to injury, the Heat have looked fantastic.
Title contenders need role players to help dominate the game. The Chicago Bulls of the 90’s had Steve Kerr, Toni Kukoc, and Horace Grant.
Udonis Haslem has to become the Horace Grant for this Miami Heat team if they are to beat the Dallas Mavericks. Good news here is that he has already played and succeeded at this role in 2006 against, no less, the Dallas Mavericks.
4. Chris Bosh Has to Continue to Be a Factor
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Chris Bosh openly admitted that he was overwhelmed by the moment when playing against the Boston Celtics. He had never made it past the first round before in his career at Toronto.
Now he is in the NBA Finals. This is now the biggest stage he’s ever been on. How will he handle this new place in his career?
He handled the Easter Conference Finals just fine averaging 23 points a game. With Dirk Nowitzki being a potential defender on Chris Bosh in this series it may allow him to score even more points because Dirk is not a great defender.
Also it may be a game plan that Eric Spoelstra may try to implement by having Chris Bosh attack Dirk Nowitzki in hopes of getting him into foul trouble.
Speaking of Eric Spoelstra…
3. Erica Spoelstra Needs to out Coach Rick Carlisle.
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This is the first time both of these coaches have ever been to the Finals as a head coach. Rick Carlisle was an assistant to Larry Bird when they lost to the Lakers in 2000.
But, like Chris Bosh handling the situation appropriately, the coaches also have to be able to keep their emotions in check. Spoelstra has extra pressure because the last time the Heat were supposed to win a championship and didn't, the next year Pat Riley was coaching the team.
It’s been a question all season; will Pat Riley take over the team as coach to help them win a championship?
He did it in 2006, who’s to say that he won’t do it again in 2012 if the Mavericks end up winning the championship this year?
The way to keep that scenario from happening would be to make the appropriate adjustments from one game to the next. The Mavericks have had a week to prepare for the Heat. Phil Jackson was the master at making adjustments throughout the season, which is part of the reason why he is the greatest coach in basketball history.
Eric Spoelstra needs to constantly be aware of potential adjustments that he is making and even the possibilities of adjustments that Rick Carlisle could make as well.
If Eric Spoelstra does this successfully, the Heat has a good chance of winning.
2. The Defensive Strategy Needs to Stop the Mavericks Not Necessarily Dirk
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In 2004 Larry Brown implemented a game plan that was executed perfectly against the Los Angeles Lakers. His strategy, Kobe and Shaq can’t beat us by themselves.
Tayshuan Prince did an excellent job in frustrating Kobe Bryant, but it was team defense that stop everyone else of the floor from scoring that won them the title.
If the Heat follows this strategy, not double teaming Dirk Nowitzki, they will have a great opportunity to win their second title in five years. Put Chris Bosh on Nowitzki, knowing that there is no way any player can stop him from scoring, and try to stop everyone else on the team.
LeBron on Jason Kidd to slow him down and the Mavericks will have to rely on Jason Terry and Shawn Marion to win the championship.
If LeBron can win on the defensive end would that not be Michael Jordan-esque?
#1 LeBron James Needs to Take over Like MJ Would
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I believe that for the Miami Heat to win the championship this year LeBron needs to do what Michael Jordan did for six years, that is, prove without question that he is the best player on the court.
He has already been playing like Michael Jordan in these playoffs; the end of game five against the Chicago Bulls was especially enjoyable to witness. But can he continue to do this on the biggest stage?
He has already been there by himself and got swept; now he has his Scottie Pippen in Dwayne Wade. Can this be enough for him to win it all?
Michael Jordan dominated his opponent on the defensive end and in the fourth quarter took over games so that everyone watching knew there was no way the Bulls were losing that particular night.
Game five against the Chicago Bull last week had that same feeling, like we were watching the greatest player ever, again, except in HD and for another team.
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