NBA Finals 2011: 5 Defensive Adjustments the Dallas Mavericks Need to Make
The Miami Heat defeated the Dallas Mavericks last night in a hard-fought contest that was wire-to-wire for the first 30 minutes or so.
However, the Mavericks let loose on defense at the end of the third quarter, and although they played solid throughout, there are still some adjustments to be made.
What exactly are they?
Read on as I will tell you the three biggest changes that have to be made.
Thanks for reading!
Limit the Threes
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How open does LeBron James look on this three-pointer?
There's an 80 percent chance he drained it, too.
LeBron went four-for-five from beyond the arc, and the Heat collectively shot 11-for-24 from deep.
Take Mike Bibby out of the equation and the team's percentage on treys was an astounding 55 percent last night. Even Dwyane Wade, who is not particularly known for his three-point skills, drained a pair on four attempts.
Shawn Marion did fine for the most part defending LeBron, but he can't leave uncontested threes like the pictured one. The King will make those every single time.
And it's not like the Heat were shooting spectacular from the field either, as they equalled Dallas' 39 percent mark overall. It was the threes that were killing them.
Put Tyson Chandler Full-Time on Chris Bosh
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Dirk Nowitzki, although not a total defensive liability anymore, is still the worst defender on the Dallas Mavericks not named Peja Stojakovic.
That being said, he did fine against Chris Bosh defensively last night but too many times he looked lost, and gave him looks out top without even contesting them (not that Bosh made many, but still).
Why not put Dirk on the Heat center full-time? That way he wouldn't have to be as productive than if he faced Bosh.
Since Joel Anthony and Juwan Howard clearly aren't offensive assets, the full-time move makes sense.
Besides, Tyson Chandler is one of the league's best post defenders, and he would do fine full-time on Bosh. He certainly wouldn't allow open shots from 18 feet away.
Limit Fouls in the Post
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One of the reasons the Miami Heat won Game 1 was because of the Dallas Mavericks' inability to contain in the post. Anytime a Heat player drove and went up, a collision was made.
The Mavs need to play better in the post if they hope to win this series. The game was winnable, even when these mistakes were made. If they are limited, it will add to their chances.
Brendan Haywood, Tyson Chandler and Dirk Nowitzki contributed 12 of the team's 22 fouls, and in turn, Chris Bosh had 12 free-throw attempts.
12 fouls between three players is an unacceptable number, and it must be limited.
Play 3-on-2 Against LeBron and Wade
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If the first slide is to work, and Dirk Nowitzki is pitted against the likes of Joel Anthony and Juwan Howard, then it will be an easier assignment for the seven-foot German.
So who does that leave to guard Dwyane Wade and LeBron James?
Shawn Marion and DeShawn Stevenson are terrific help defenders, guys who can switch with ease. Marion, who defended James last night, would bring his one-on-one defensive skills to the table if he ever needed to switch to take Wade straight up.
Jason Kidd is a fabulous on-ball defender, and he should be put on Wade from the get-go.
That way you can have Marion on James, and Stevenson, being the solid help defense, on whatever point guard Miami throws at them. When the ball is in one of the duo's hands, that is.
It might be a crazy suggestion, but there's no chance the Mavericks come back into this series without limiting the opportunities offensively for LeBron James and Dwyane Wade.
Create More Havoc
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It's not like the Mavericks did a terrible job defensively, but they were ultimately outdone by the Heat.
They forced 14 turnovers on average this season, and last night produced just 10.
Sure, they blocked eight shots, but only a few of those turned into converted opportunities.
They also produced 10 less rebounds than the Heat, and allowed them to grab an astounding 16 offensive rebounds. The Mavs need to become more of a nuisance in the post.
After all, this is the Miami Heat. You're going to need to wreak more havoc than you did last night.
