6 Creative Ways Erik Spoelstra Can Utilize LeBron James and Dwyane Wade

Miami Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra has to find a way to utilize Dwyane Wade and LeBron James more creatively.

After the team fizzled out in the NBA Finals against Dallas, many were left wondering why Spoelstra didn't attempt to shake up his lineup and utilize his two biggest stars in unorthodox ways in an effort to win.

Both Wade and James have superior athleticism, and both are capable of doing more than the opposition on the court.

There are a plethora of ways for the Heat to present a unique challenge for the club's adversaries by designing specialized schemes for the team's top dogs.

Here are some to consider.

LeBron James at Power Forward

This is an experiment that I thought we'd see a lot more of last season with the team lacking a presence at center, but James didn't play a ton at the four spot last season.

Moving forward, should Miami decide to go with a small lineup, James' explosive athleticism and defensive prowess would allow him to contend with some of the larger opponents that he would face down low.

Shifting James to the other forward spot, the Heat could get another shooter (Mike Miller) on the floor, and that would allow the team to stretch the floor—something that was somewhat of a problem at times last season.

James is too fast for most defenders that he would line up against, and his impressive strength would aid him in the ability to blow by most for a direct path to the basket.

Dwyane Wade at Point Guard

Although both LeBron James and Dwyane Wade brought the ball up court for the Heat at times last season, I didn't see enough of Wade playing the point last season.

At 6'4" and 220 lbs, Wade would have an emphatic advantage in the size department over potential counterparts. Even Deron Williams, who is viewed as one of the bigger point guards in the league, is just 6'3" and 207 lbs.

Wade has a natural ability to facilitate the offense, and after some were quick to peg him as a 'tweener when he first came into the league, he has shown the ability to play either guard position with dominance.

The idea here is that Miami would be less reliant on an inferior option at the point, as almost everyone had enough of the Mike Bibby failed experiment up top last season.

Give-and-Go Plays

Not every give-and-go play is going to result in an alley-oop, but I am frankly shocked at how little Miami attempted to play a two-man game last season.

Both Wade and James can run circles around the opposition, and as illustrated by the included video clip, both clearly understand the potential benefits of an increased give-and-go attack.

The play can even be executed in the half-court set. All it takes is for one player to anticipate the next move of the other, and that type of familiarity between Wade and James should be on full display in their second season together.

Pick-and-Roll

The video attached shows how much player movement Miami uses to make a simple pick-and-roll look overly complicated.

James got to the rim with ease after coming off of the Bosh screen, and that's only the team's second-best option when executing the play.

With Wade's ability to hit the jumper and an increased display of balance on the perimeter, it's absolutely tantalizing to see what James and Wade are able to accomplish when the two run the play together.

The opposition can't adequately defend the pick-and-roll when it's executed by the two superstars, and after having so much success earlier in the season with it, it seemed to disappear down the stretch.

That shouldn't happen ever again.

Off-Ball Screens

This is a beautiful off-ball screen on the baseline by Joel Anthony.

Anthony sets the screen down on the baseline on his defender, and that allows James to be freed up and receive a gorgeous lob pass courtesy of Dwyane Wade at the point.

The Heat have to find ways to get James move involved in the offense so he doesn't revert to his stagnant style of play that we saw in the finals, and off-ball screens are a great way to free him up for some easy points.

Rather than relying on Wade and James' talent to create the offense on their own, some fundamental basketball might help the team dominate in a more emphatic fashion.

Both Wade and James in the Backcourt

I just don't understand why the Heat refuse to try this on a consistent basis.

The unbridled athleticism of both James and Wade would make the backcourt the most explosive in all of basketball, and it's an experiment that needs to occur on a far more regular basis.

While the inclusion of James at the shooting guard spot might make for a less than intimidating front line, it doesn't much matter if both can successfully contribute at the offensive end.

Both could play either guard spot, and it would really make for several intriguing mismatches against the opposition at both ends of the floor.