Lebron's defense

[truthiness]

The only thing that passes me off in game threads is when guys start **** on LeBron, like it's no chance we are even in games without him.

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I hope you realize I am NOT doing that.

That Lebron is coasting hard on D, that's a fact. Ask Haberstroh, ask Voulgaris, the guy who bets hundreds of thousands on games (and makes a ton of money off it). They both said Lebron has been NEGATIVE defensively - that means he hurts the D more than he helps.

But I am ok with all this.
This is what I thought (since early summer) the season should look like if the Heat were to get that 3peat.
So maybe I had time to get used to it, unlike some fans who might have expected another 27 win streak.

Sooo, GET USED TO IT !!!
Embrace it, and hope that these means to an end actually help the Heat reach that end - the 3peat.

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Oh, and there is NO doubt that without Lebron, with this level of coasting the Heat might be out of the playoff picture. Only because his coasting is better than almost everyone else's normal the Heat still have a pretty good record.

[narmerguy]

At this pace, will the heat literally be the 8th seed next year if they make it to the finals again?

Look, why are people still getting worked up about the regular season. No one knows what all this means, we just have to watch and see. If we suck because our habits are bad, then we learned a lesson. If the Heat can just turn it on when they need it, then they used a system that works. Either way, nothing is left to learn from the RS other than that the Heat don't give a crap about it.

[truthiness]

At this pace, will the heat literally be the 8th seed next year if they make it to the finals again?

Look, why are people still getting worked up about the regular season. No one knows what all this means, we just have to watch and see. If we suck because our habits are bad, then we learned a lesson. If the Heat can just turn it on when they need it, then they used a system that works. Either way, nothing is left to learn from the RS other than that the Heat don't give a crap about it.

Actually, I would argue that the RS is best used to develop your bench, your role players. Spoelstra seems to be doing this (unlike in 2011), and Lebron seems to be doing the same.

He's very reluctant to shoot, which some say it's because he wants to keep his percentages up. But he's turning down wide open shots, too, which contradicts this, as well as the idea of him being jealous on Durants FGA numbers.

I think this might help a lot. It (hopefully) builds the role players' confidence, while also pushing them into situations they'd rarely find themselves in otherwise. Sometimes it's up to Cole or Lewis or Beasley to make something happen with a few seconds left on the shotclock. He's not bailing them out each time. He's forcing them to react and basically to grow as players.

This is potentially HUGE. Last playoffs the Heat were prone to dry spells, where if the big 3 were not able to carry the offense, the offense would bog down for a few minutes. If the role players are used with bigger roles on offense rather than relying on Lebron, Wade and Bosh all the time, the Heat's offense might be much better in the playoffs compared to last season.

If this is the plan (which I think it is) and it works (which I hope it will) despite coasting hard on D, this might be Lebron's best season yet.

[heatlespeatles]

I don't believe we don't care about the RS, but I do believe we don't worry about it too much. What I think is, we have a defensive system and rebounding problem that makes our coasting look worse than it is

We don't get enough stops, we can't defend the 3 or the paint. We don't get rebounds. Those things frustrate players and kill their enthusiasm because it's all a waste of energy when you get out rebounded every single game and guys just score in the paint at will. Look at their body language during games, the system sucks unless you play hard most of the time

Guys are old and the energy required to sustain this system is unrealistic

[xMADEinDADEx]

All I can say is.. I hope the whole coastin thing is correct.