The Miami Heat are heading to the NBA Playoffs yet again. But can they reach the level of the NBA finals of only a year ago ? This question is going to be answered by looking to the future, yet without looking too far beyond the basketball yet to be played this season. Let’s commit to a close-up examination of the factors involved.
Can the Miami Heat Replicate Last Season’s Recipe for Success?
After an extended stretch of uninspired, middling level basketball played mostly at the .500 level, the Heat went 12-4 in their last 16 games. Now there’s a promising way to close out the season. What’s behind this turnaround?
Bam Adebayo pinpoints the reason Miami is finally getting healthy near the end of the season. All the key pieces that guaranteed the Heat a primetime seat at the final showdown with the Lakers are back. Not to mention that we can expect a healthy Dragic out there this time around. The winner of multiple NBA championships, Head Coach Erik Spoelstra, is back as well. He has mental toughness of his own that he looks to see mirrored in his players.
Currently, he has the right mix of players on his roster to fit the mold of a highly competitive team with high basketball i.q. individuals. You can count on him having his team prepared. Spoelstra oversees a team that is made up of players that compete and fight hard.
One of these players sounded off about his teams’s late-season turnaround. In an exclusive interview with the Associated Press, Kendrick Nunn pointed to the fight in his team’s DNA. He also feels that the adversity they’ve been through helps prepare them for what lies ahead.
Miami’s New Challenge
Can the Heat replicate last season’s winning recipe? The answer is yes. The next question is: will this be enough?
We’re looking at the same Bucks/Heat playoff match-up from last season. It took the Heat only five games to dispense with the Milwaukee Bucks last year. The Heat have the same formula this time around. Now, one year later, their integral pieces are more seasoned and experienced. Bam matches up well with former MVP Giannis, a powerhouse performer that presents himself as a match-up nightmare to most NBA teams.
Bam had a very successful season following last year’s breakout performance in the playoffs en route to the NBA Finals. He is now looked at as a perennial All Star and a strong and upcoming Defensive Player of the Year candidate. Goran Dragic is healthier than he has been in years, making Miami even more dangerous.
So let’s say the Heat can repeat their successful showing against the Bucks. Let’s analyze the competition ahead.
How Would Miami Fare Against the Cream of the Crop In the East?
Most people are picking the Nets because of the star power they have in the halfcourt game. Harden and Irving can look to break down the defense on any possession. Durant can score in so many capacities and from different places on the court. The game slows down in the playoffs, so this puts more of the onus on executing in the halfcourt.
The Nets have the pieces to help them do just that. However, the big three have only played together in eight games this season. Three players can’t run an offense by themselves. It takes five. This is where Blake Griffin comes in, though he is no longer in the prime of his career and no longer the most athletic guy on the floor. He is the seventh different center the Nets have used this season. That speaks to a club’s chemistry. Blake may still be a piece the Nets need but there isn’t much time to get him acclimated.
Are the Right Players Available at the Right Time for Miami?
The Heat may eventually have the same problem with Victor Oladipo, but he is not going to be healthy for this particular playoff run. Having a dynamic player that can create his own shot is not a bad problem to have in the long run, but it can affect a team’s ability to win in the short term. After all, when we watch a playoff game, it’s not the future version of a team we see compete. It’s the guys on the floor at present that decide the game – and then the series.
In the playoffs there are long stretches of a game where players have to score in the halfcourt, meaning shooting becomes a factor. When it comes to outside shooting, the Heat do have an advantage over most teams in the league thanks to Goran Dragic, Duncan Robinson and Tyler Herro.
In 2021, Miami’s shooting became even more accurate and prolific than during the last go-around. These are still young guys who really have no accolades and, on a national level, are still flying under the radar. They are eager to prove themselves; they’re hungry and they are emotionally invested in fighting every single night.
Will Miami Prove that Defense Wins Championships?
As many know, there’s not much post play in today’s NBA. So, it’s the team with the most fluid movement that will prevail. It’s the team that cuts and drives that has the advantage. Combating this type of onslaught takes a high level of commitment on defense. The Heat have a high energy culture at the heart of what they do.
The totally indispensable ingredient to winning a championship is a commitment to defense. This doesn’t reference just getting your name on the stat sheet; it means taking charges and getting back on defense. Few players can do what Bam does on defense. He can switch out. He’s great around the rim. He sets the example for his teammates. As a team, the Heat make people miss shots. They compete. They run back after a missed shot; the team is committed to transition defense.