MIAMI — Mavericks coach Rick Carlisle was onto something when he called the Heat “one of the best ball movement drive and kicking teams that I’ve seen in 33 years in this league” earlier this week.
The Heat’s starting backcourt of Goran Dragic and Dion Waiters is statistically the NBA’s most aggressive combo, in terms of drives to the basket.
Among players who have played in at least 20 games this season, Dragic ranks second in the NBA with 12.5 drives per game and Waiters ranks sixth with 11 drives per game entering Saturday’s matchup with the Cavaliers. The only other teammates both in the top 10 in this category are Toronto’s DeMar DeRozan (ranked ninth) and Kyle Lowry (ranked 10th).
Although Dragic (shooting 52.1 percent on drives) and Waiters (42.9 percent) aren’t the most efficient finishers on drives, they do pass the ball more than most when getting into the paint.
Sorry for the random thread. You guys know I don't make them...like ever. LOL. Thought I'd make this because those who remember my days of regular posts know I've been the biggest Spo supporter. In this internet life, and prior iterations I've stated that he's an excellent coach. Yes, I said this in countless Fire Spo threads, so I'm not just being opportunistic.
I'm in Bangkok, so anyone who's been here knows it's super-difficult to catch games live. I don't want to wake in the morning for work, so **** sports. I had to cancel my league pass too because I just can't keep up.
That said, I've been surprisingly good about following our results and box scores on Bleacher Report's app. I thought posting during the win streak would appear too opportunistic, but now I think the time is right. Things have settled in a bit, and I'm not just vulturing. Thought I'd make a thread for the odd Heat fan to express their appreciation for Spo. I linked an article where Carlisle (super popular on this board since 2011) gives our team credit for being exceptional in the drive and kick. I feel this is credit to Spo because a player like Waiters was never known for his playmaking, but here in Miami, he's experiencing a career renaissance as just that. If that's not coaching, I don't know what is.
Anyway, I've stuck to my guns on this since day 1. Anyone else want to share a bit of a toast with me? This guy isn't just Riley disciple. He's not just our head coach. He's also being groomed to take the reigns, along with Battier and other holdovers from our golden era. Let's give the man some long-overdue props and show some love. This organization is in great hands. We're positioned for some Spurs-type longevity. Once we land our next franchise player, the golden years will return. Beliedat!