Two Observations From Last Night's Heat Game

[Fafnir]

My observations...

1.  The Cs played pretty well.  The only real thing I noticed was that when Miami went with Bosh and Haslem in the 4th quarter, I would have liked to have seen a real effort by Boston to get Shaq or JO in the game and get them the ball in the post.  I think that would have helped the team get some buckets or foul shots when the Heat were scrambling back.

I thought the same thing and would have liked to see Shaq back in the game but I think it's obvious Doc didn't want to put him on the court to avoid Hack a Shaq.

Like Fafnir I had the impression we did a much better job on the boards than last year but the numbers were the same. Weird, although I'm pretty sure Pierce and KG got way more rebounds than their average last year in that area.

Ray only got one, so that skews things, plus BBD only got 5 in his court time. Still your eyes were right per Hollinger's rebound rate, we did do a bit better.

[CeltsAcumen]

I give it a month before Pat Riley takes over...

[moiso]

I thought Bosh looked bored. Which was awesome. If the Heat are going to play alternating one-on-one isos with Wade and Lebron, Bosh is useless; he's not a defender/dirty man like KG and not the same passer either. KG's personality is one reason Pierce/Allen/KG worked so well. Bosh is used to (and most effective as) being a go-to guy on offense; with Wade and Lebron, at least playing the way they did last night (we'll see if that continues or it was due to Celtics' defense), Bosh's best talents are rendered ineffective. Love it. If this is the way they are going to play, it looks like they would have been better off paying 14.5 million spread around 2-3 solid players to surround Wade/Lebron than adding Bosh, whose talents (High scoring via very good ball-dominating one-on-one play) overlap Wade's and Lebron's too much.

I think they should have gone after Boozer instead of Bosh.  He's had more injuries and he's older, but he's a legit low-post player (a department they are very much lacking in), he's a hard-nosed rebounder, he's a better defender.  

Plus, THEN how much would Cleveland hate those guys!

I'm not sure Boozer is the better defender.  I love Boozer's physical toughness but I think they made the right choice in Bosh for the long term.  I'm glad KG neutralized Bosh last night, but lets not jump to the conclusion that he is some kind of weak link after one game.

[the_Bird]

I give it a month before Pat Riley takes over...

Unless LeBron and Wade are really ready to start sharing the ball.....  does it matter?

Near the end of the game, after LeBron had done his Cavaliers impression for the better part of a quarter, didn't it look like Wade started to force up some shots? 

This game did nothing to convince me those two players are ready to put aside their egos and do what Pierce, Ray, and KG have done.

[Fafnir]

I thought Bosh looked bored. Which was awesome. If the Heat are going to play alternating one-on-one isos with Wade and Lebron, Bosh is useless; he's not a defender/dirty man like KG and not the same passer either. KG's personality is one reason Pierce/Allen/KG worked so well. Bosh is used to (and most effective as) being a go-to guy on offense; with Wade and Lebron, at least playing the way they did last night (we'll see if that continues or it was due to Celtics' defense), Bosh's best talents are rendered ineffective. Love it. If this is the way they are going to play, it looks like they would have been better off paying 14.5 million spread around 2-3 solid players to surround Wade/Lebron than adding Bosh, whose talents (High scoring via very good ball-dominating one-on-one play) overlap Wade's and Lebron's too much.

I think they should have gone after Boozer instead of Bosh.  He's had more injuries and he's older, but he's a legit low-post player (a department they are very much lacking in), he's a hard-nosed rebounder, he's a better defender.  

Plus, THEN how much would Cleveland hate those guys!

I'm not sure Boozer is the better defender.  I love Boozer's physical toughness but I think they made the right choice in Bosh for the long term.  I'm glad KG neutralized Bosh last night, but lets not jump to the conclusion that he is some kind of weak link after one game.

Yeah we're a tough match up for the Heat at the 4/5 spots. We can slide KG to the 5 if they go small with Bosh at C without missing a beat. Meanwhile if they stay big we have the advantage at the 5.

[wdleehi]

I give it a month before Pat Riley takes over...

Unless LeBron and Wade are really ready to start sharing the ball.....  does it matter?

Near the end of the game, after LeBron had done his Cavaliers impression for the better part of a quarter, didn't it look like Wade started to force up some shots? 

This game did nothing to convince me those two players are ready to put aside their egos and do what Pierce, Ray, and KG have done.

That's what we want to see.


They were sharing fine up till the point the Lebron took over because the other two were so off.  



It like when one of the Boston 3 would go off as the other two were struggling.  We don't call the selfishness, we called it riding the hot hand.  


We need to see this happen when more then one of them are hot or if the guy who is hot is not being feed the ball.  

[jdub1660]

I get heckled for saying this, but there were a few things I noticed in defense to Miami.

Yes, our Big 3 meshed from the get go, but these guys not so much as neither Wade or Bosh have been the type of guys to make the players around them better. More importantly Bosh

Bosh's numbers in Toronto were definitely spruced up by his shot attempts. Put him as the 3rd offensive option, and he's lost. He can't defend, and KG single handedly shut him down.

But in their defense, Lebron tried facilitating. I saw him yelling at Dwade and Bosh a more than one possession for them to get into position. Most of his turnovers were failed passes on the catching end.

And front court is straight up sorry on that team. From Bosh - Big Z.



In my opinion, Miami should have went after Amare. He his strong, CAN DEFEND, and just needs a guy to slash and pass. He can hit the jumper just as much as Bosh should, but he's also got the cahones to bang in the paint some.

Is it too late or even possible that Miami would consider trading Mike Miller and Bosh for Stoudemire and Chandler?

[moiso]

I've never seen Amare guard anybody.

[wdleehi]

I've never seen Amare guard anybody.

Very true.

[Evantime34]

I get heckled for saying this, but there were a few things I noticed in defense to Miami.

Yes, our Big 3 meshed from the get go, but these guys not so much as neither Wade or Bosh have been the type of guys to make the players around them better. More importantly Bosh

Bosh's numbers in Toronto were definitely spruced up by his shot attempts. Put him as the 3rd offensive option, and he's lost. He can't defend, and KG single handedly shut him down.

But in their defense, Lebron tried facilitating. I saw him yelling at Dwade and Bosh a more than one possession for them to get into position. Most of his turnovers were failed passes on the catching end.

And front court is straight up sorry on that team. From Bosh - Big Z.



In my opinion, Miami should have went after Amare. He his strong, CAN DEFEND, and just needs a guy to slash and pass. He can hit the jumper just as much as Bosh should, but he's also got the cahones to bang in the paint some.

Is it too late or even possible that Miami would consider trading Mike Miller and Bosh for Stoudemire and Chandler?

Amare can defend? Since when?

No way either team would do that deal after just signing both to large contracts.

[MBunge]

They were sharing fine up till the point the Lebron took over because the other two were so off.  

That's true to a point, except...

how many shots did Bosh even get in the 2nd half?  It couldn't have been more than a handful and I sure don't remember LeBron or Wade trying to get Bosh the ball in the post in the 2nd half.  Wade was clearly off, but I don't think Bosh got much a chance to prove whether he could turn it around because LeBron decided to take over.

Mike

[wdleehi]

They were sharing fine up till the point the Lebron took over because the other two were so off.  

That's true to a point, except...

how many shots did Bosh even get in the 2nd half?  It couldn't have been more than a handful and I sure don't remember LeBron or Wade trying to get Bosh the ball in the post in the 2nd half.  Wade was clearly off, but I don't think Bosh got much a chance to prove whether he could turn it around because LeBron decided to take over.

Mike

3 for 11 with the best Celtics defender on him. 


Not a big shock they went with Lebron

[guava_wrench]

There were down by 3 in the 4th quarter against a team that is much more experienced. That isn't bad.

They can also expect Wade to improve dramatically. He still needs training camp.

It was interesting to see Lebron catch and shoot early on. They really need to figure out their half-court offense.

Their problem defending bigs won't go away until they get different personnel. They seemed pretty much like what most expected last night, excluding the first quarter.

[MBunge]

They were sharing fine up till the point the Lebron took over because the other two were so off.  

That's true to a point, except...

how many shots did Bosh even get in the 2nd half?  It couldn't have been more than a handful and I sure don't remember LeBron or Wade trying to get Bosh the ball in the post in the 2nd half.  Wade was clearly off, but I don't think Bosh got much a chance to prove whether he could turn it around because LeBron decided to take over.

Mike

3 for 11 with the best Celtics defender on him. 


Not a big shock they went with Lebron

But again, how many shots in the 2nd half?  I think he may have only gotten 3 or 4, which isn't enough to prove anything.  If every time Bosh has a bad first half it means he's never getting the ball in the second half, I can't think that'll do too much for team chemistry.

Mike

[Greenbean]

I think the Heat will figure it all out at some point, but last night I thought Lebron and Wade's similarity at slashers hurt them.  In this same way I think Ray, Paul, and all of our starters' differences as players make them a stronger team.  I think Lebron and Wade's lack of outside shooting hurt them, as neither seemed effective without the ball in their hands.  They're gonna have to learn how to work off the ball better.

Something neither have ever had to do. It wont happen overnight and I am not sure either of these guys would buy into it. It took Doc years to conviinve Pierce to play a more efficient offensive game where he doesnt dominate the ball as much. these guys might also be in their 30's when they decide to play differently.