2025-26 Miami Heat Regular Season Thread 2.0

[Tim_Hardawayy]

Seems like Giannis is gonna have to straight up tell the org he wants to get traded or they won’t entertain any offers. They’d prob have to lose every game while he’s off for that to happen.

I'm sure all of that stuff is already happening through back channels. Similar to the Jimmy situation here. Players in today's game understand the media and are self conscious about protecting their reputations, so all of that stuff gets leaked to various sources instead of being done in public through the media like in years past.

As Riley said, "smiling faces with hidden agendas"

[Crazy-Canuck]

3 guard line up were in the blacks during practice. I dont think we'll be seeing the ware/bam/wiggins fronticourt.

[MartyConlonJr]

This team better pull its ish together and start winning games again. This may be Bams year for DPOY. Chet is the favourite, Wemby is second, Bam is third when I look at betting sites. Wemby has already missed 12 games, so he can only miss 5 more. Chet has only missed 4, but hes only been available for 50% of his games (136 of 272) so far in his career. He's a risky proposition to meet minimum games. In fairness he did play 82 in his second season however

[greg4012]

3 guard line up were in the blacks during practice. I dont think we'll be seeing the ware/bam/wiggins fronticourt.

Legitimately asking anyone on the board: has a team ever found real success in the modern NBA relying on a 3-guard starting lineup?

I feel like it's only really been in small spurts as a change up where it has been fruitful.

[DayofMourning]

3 guard line up were in the blacks during practice. I dont think we'll be seeing the ware/bam/wiggins fronticourt.

Legitimately asking anyone on the board: has a team ever found real success in the modern NBA relying on a 3-guard starting lineup?

I feel like it's only really been in small spurts as a change up where it has been fruitful.

Well, if the 3 guard lineup doesnt work, and has never been a valid option, then its time for the four guard lineup.

[Crazy-Canuck]

3 guard line up were in the blacks during practice. I dont think we'll be seeing the ware/bam/wiggins fronticourt.

Legitimately asking anyone on the board: has a team ever found real success in the modern NBA relying on a 3-guard starting lineup?

I feel like it's only really been in small spurts as a change up where it has been fruitful.

Successfully?. Gsw did it a few times in the past for spot starts with a steph, klay or poole, amd gp2. Okc has probably done it a few times as well. Maybe the pacers too last year.

It doessnt work long term though. Guys get injured. And the guards you use, need to be able to defend. So, spo going with 3 guards leaves me with 3 guesses:

1. He has incredible faith in bam and wiggins to cover for 3 guys.

2. Hes afraid to have that talk. (Ego, contracts, etc..)

3. Its the roster construction.

Gsw is having the same problem right now. Kerr is trotting out unathletic small guards in 3 man groups (hes done 4 guards as well already).. They don't have any good wings, so they masquerade their guards as wings. Small guards and the rest are forwards...kinda like the heat.

[3ammy3uck3ts]

This team better pull its ish together and start winning games again. This may be Bams year for DPOY. Chet is the favourite, Wemby is second, Bam is third when I look at betting sites. Wemby has already missed 12 games, so he can only miss 5 more. Chet has only missed 4, but hes only been available for 50% of his games (136 of 272) so far in his career. He's a risky proposition to meet minimum games. In fairness he did play 82 in his second season however

Spo could snag his first COY too but we need to lock in and look like the early season team again and win some games. The 3rd seed is right there

[greg4012]

3 guard line up were in the blacks during practice. I dont think we'll be seeing the ware/bam/wiggins fronticourt.

Legitimately asking anyone on the board: has a team ever found real success in the modern NBA relying on a 3-guard starting lineup?

I feel like it's only really been in small spurts as a change up where it has been fruitful.

Successfully?. Gsw did it a few times in the past for spot starts with a steph, klay or poole, amd gp2. Okc has probably done it a few times as well. Maybe the pacers too last year.

It doessnt work long term though. Guys get injured. And the guards you use, need to be able to defend. So, spo going with 3 guards leaves me with 3 guesses:

1. He has incredible faith in bam and wiggins to cover for 3 guys.

2. Hes afraid to have that talk. (Ego, contracts, etc..)

3. Its the roster construction.

Gsw is having the same problem right now. Kerr is trotting out unathletic small guards in 3 man groups (hes done 4 guards as well already).. They don't have any good wings, so they masquerade their guards as wings. Small guards and the rest are forwards...kinda like the heat.

That's consistent with my recollection as well. The closest thing is the spurts of Steph, Klay, Poole, GP2. But it was just spurts to change up (like Miami using zone defense). Never the base. And exactly as you stated, that was when Klay was defending as one of the best overall wing defenders in the NBA and GP2 is a defender/hustle player with a wing's game.

I think the Knicks had some good stretches using Brunson, Divincenzo/Deuce, and Josh Hart. But, Josh Hart literally plays a SF/PF game and is a pure defender. That doesn't really count unless we call running Jaime with 2 guards a 3-guard lineup.

It just leads to so many second order consequences that need to be plugged up as a result.

With all that said, I do believe the bigger issue with Miami currently is lineup/rotation consistency. But again, I think shifting away from 3-guard lineups helps clean that up. Availability is obviously the main thing needed tho.

[greg4012]

This team better pull its ish together and start winning games again. This may be Bams year for DPOY. Chet is the favourite, Wemby is second, Bam is third when I look at betting sites. Wemby has already missed 12 games, so he can only miss 5 more. Chet has only missed 4, but hes only been available for 50% of his games (136 of 272) so far in his career. He's a risky proposition to meet minimum games. In fairness he did play 82 in his second season however

Spo could snag his first COY too but we need to lock in and look like the early season team again and win some games. The 3rd seed is right there

Spo and Bam both at risk of fumbling golden opportunities for awards.

[twix2500]

Legitimately asking anyone on the board: has a team ever found real success in the modern NBA relying on a 3-guard starting lineup?

I feel like it's only really been in small spurts as a change up where it has been fruitful.

Successfully?. Gsw did it a few times in the past for spot starts with a steph, klay or poole, amd gp2. Okc has probably done it a few times as well. Maybe the pacers too last year.

It doessnt work long term though. Guys get injured. And the guards you use, need to be able to defend. So, spo going with 3 guards leaves me with 3 guesses:

1. He has incredible faith in bam and wiggins to cover for 3 guys.

2. Hes afraid to have that talk. (Ego, contracts, etc..)

3. Its the roster construction.

Gsw is having the same problem right now. Kerr is trotting out unathletic small guards in 3 man groups (hes done 4 guards as well already).. They don't have any good wings, so they masquerade their guards as wings. Small guards and the rest are forwards...kinda like the heat.

That's consistent with my recollection as well. The closest thing is the spurts of Steph, Klay, Poole, GP2. But it was just spurts to change up (like Miami using zone defense). Never the base. And exactly as you stated, that was when Klay was defending as one of the best overall wing defenders in the NBA and GP2 is a defender/hustle player with a wing's game.

I think the Knicks had some good stretches using Brunson, Divincenzo/Deuce, and Josh Hart. But, Josh Hart literally plays a SF/PF game and is a pure defender. That doesn't really count unless we call running Jaime with 2 guards a 3-guard lineup.

It just leads to so many second order consequences that need to be plugged up as a result.

With all that said, I do believe the bigger issue with Miami currently is lineup/rotation consistency. But again, I think shifting away from 3-guard lineups helps clean that up. Availability is obviously the main thing needed tho.

GSW scheme is based and built around Steph and Klay. Bogut and Green are complementary role players who were not going to take many fga and we're elite passers and screen setters. This is why David Lee was replaced by Green. Opponents had to adjust to stop Curry and Klay. Are we working building around Bam and Ware or Herro and Powell?

[Crazy-Canuck]

Successfully?. Gsw did it a few times in the past for spot starts with a steph, klay or poole, amd gp2. Okc has probably done it a few times as well. Maybe the pacers too last year.

It doessnt work long term though. Guys get injured. And the guards you use, need to be able to defend. So, spo going with 3 guards leaves me with 3 guesses:

1. He has incredible faith in bam and wiggins to cover for 3 guys.

2. Hes afraid to have that talk. (Ego, contracts, etc..)

3. Its the roster construction.

Gsw is having the same problem right now. Kerr is trotting out unathletic small guards in 3 man groups (hes done 4 guards as well already).. They don't have any good wings, so they masquerade their guards as wings. Small guards and the rest are forwards...kinda like the heat.

That's consistent with my recollection as well. The closest thing is the spurts of Steph, Klay, Poole, GP2. But it was just spurts to change up (like Miami using zone defense). Never the base. And exactly as you stated, that was when Klay was defending as one of the best overall wing defenders in the NBA and GP2 is a defender/hustle player with a wing's game.

I think the Knicks had some good stretches using Brunson, Divincenzo/Deuce, and Josh Hart. But, Josh Hart literally plays a SF/PF game and is a pure defender. That doesn't really count unless we call running Jaime with 2 guards a 3-guard lineup.

It just leads to so many second order consequences that need to be plugged up as a result.

With all that said, I do believe the bigger issue with Miami currently is lineup/rotation consistency. But again, I think shifting away from 3-guard lineups helps clean that up. Availability is obviously the main thing needed tho.

GSW scheme is based and built around Steph and Klay. Bogut and Green are complementary role players who were not going to take many fga and we're elite passers and screen setters. This is why David Lee was replaced by Green. Opponents had to adjust to stop Curry and Klay. Are we working building around Bam and Ware or Herro and Powell?

If I had to guess, spo is building the offense around Davion, powell, and herro. He's going give that trio every opportunity to succeed.

[greg4012]

Successfully?. Gsw did it a few times in the past for spot starts with a steph, klay or poole, amd gp2. Okc has probably done it a few times as well. Maybe the pacers too last year.

It doessnt work long term though. Guys get injured. And the guards you use, need to be able to defend. So, spo going with 3 guards leaves me with 3 guesses:

1. He has incredible faith in bam and wiggins to cover for 3 guys.

2. Hes afraid to have that talk. (Ego, contracts, etc..)

3. Its the roster construction.

Gsw is having the same problem right now. Kerr is trotting out unathletic small guards in 3 man groups (hes done 4 guards as well already).. They don't have any good wings, so they masquerade their guards as wings. Small guards and the rest are forwards...kinda like the heat.

That's consistent with my recollection as well. The closest thing is the spurts of Steph, Klay, Poole, GP2. But it was just spurts to change up (like Miami using zone defense). Never the base. And exactly as you stated, that was when Klay was defending as one of the best overall wing defenders in the NBA and GP2 is a defender/hustle player with a wing's game.

I think the Knicks had some good stretches using Brunson, Divincenzo/Deuce, and Josh Hart. But, Josh Hart literally plays a SF/PF game and is a pure defender. That doesn't really count unless we call running Jaime with 2 guards a 3-guard lineup.

It just leads to so many second order consequences that need to be plugged up as a result.

With all that said, I do believe the bigger issue with Miami currently is lineup/rotation consistency. But again, I think shifting away from 3-guard lineups helps clean that up. Availability is obviously the main thing needed tho.

GSW scheme is based and built around Steph and Klay. Bogut and Green are complementary role players who were not going to take many fga and we're elite passers and screen setters. This is why David Lee was replaced by Green. Opponents had to adjust to stop Curry and Klay. Are we working building around Bam and Ware or Herro and Powell?

Herro and Powell are NOT prime Curry and Klay. So obviously the current roster needs to get more out of the group as a whole. I don't know why everything has to be so binary. Can you elaborate on that impulse?

You build a defense based on Bam's range as a foundation and layer on all team components (something Spo has been doing for years). Ware's length and mobility can serve as an amplifier, but of course results in playing some more drop coverage and off ball switching--something Miami has committed a lot more to over the past 2-3 seasons. The offense being developed is all about maintaining spacing and egalitarian opportunity for any player to take their matchup 1-on-1 off a quick decision while the rest of the players maintaining spacing integrity. Obviously Ware is not taking anyone off the dribble so he's either pulling the trigger on open 3s, passing the ball along, or very often occupying the dunker's spot that is a layer of this offense.

[SA37]

3 guard line up were in the blacks during practice. I dont think we'll be seeing the ware/bam/wiggins fronticourt.

Legitimately asking anyone on the board: has a team ever found real success in the modern NBA relying on a 3-guard starting lineup?

I feel like it's only really been in small spurts as a change up where it has been fruitful.

The problem you'll run into is defining "guard".

OKC is killing everyone with SGA, Dort and Wallace. In general, OKC's lineup is basically 4 guards since no one is taller than 6'6 except Hartenstein, Jaylin Williams, or Chet.

Boston is having a heck of a season right now. They literally have THE WORST frontcourt on paper that I can remember and they're starting Pritchard, White (who is having a brutal season shooting the ball), and Jaylen Brown and playing them big minutes.

Cleveland had a monster season last year and were playing Garland, Mitchell, and Strus.

[3ammy3uck3ts]

Read on Twitter

[3ammy3uck3ts]

3 guard line up were in the blacks during practice. I dont think we'll be seeing the ware/bam/wiggins fronticourt.

Legitimately asking anyone on the board: has a team ever found real success in the modern NBA relying on a 3-guard starting lineup?

I feel like it's only really been in small spurts as a change up where it has been fruitful.

The problem you'll run into is defining "guard".

OKC is killing everyone with SGA, Dort and Wallace. In general, OKC's lineup is basically 4 guards since no one is taller than 6'6 except Hartenstein, Jaylin Williams, or Chet.

Boston is having a heck of a season right now. They literally have THE WORST frontcourt on paper that I can remember and they're starting Pritchard, White (who is having a brutal season shooting the ball), and Jaylen Brown and playing them big minutes.

Cleveland had a monster season last year and were playing Garland, Mitchell, and Strus.

A lot of those are situational though, OKC at full strength runs SGA, Dort, and Williams on the perimeter next to Chet/Hartenstein. That’s good size and athleticism on the perimeter and everyone on their team plays good defense, the never have a weak link out there. Plus it helps they are allowed to play by a different set of rules. Dort also plays bigger than he is.

Strus and White play bigger than they are too, Brown to me is a SF. He’s only a guard when they want to tinker around the end of season rewards and find a way to gift more to the Celtics players. White might be the 2nd best shot blocking guard ever behind our goat, or at least up there.

Our 3 guard lineup is heavily lacking in defense and size compared to those units (to a lesser extent with Cleveland).

[HeatFanLifer]

Read on Twitter

Can you imagine AI with Shaq? On paper, it would have been amazing, but those are some big egos and Shaq was well past his prime with only 40 games played in 2006-07 season. No UD there to keep things centered either? Woof.

[eddieheatfan]

3 guard line up were in the blacks during practice. I dont think we'll be seeing the ware/bam/wiggins fronticourt.

Legitimately asking anyone on the board: has a team ever found real success in the modern NBA relying on a 3-guard starting lineup?

I feel like it's only really been in small spurts as a change up where it has been fruitful.

Well, if the 3 guard lineup doesnt work, and has never been a valid option, then its time for the four guard lineup.

[greg4012]

3 guard line up were in the blacks during practice. I dont think we'll be seeing the ware/bam/wiggins fronticourt.

Legitimately asking anyone on the board: has a team ever found real success in the modern NBA relying on a 3-guard starting lineup?

I feel like it's only really been in small spurts as a change up where it has been fruitful.

The problem you'll run into is defining "guard".

OKC is killing everyone with SGA, Dort and Wallace. In general, OKC's lineup is basically 4 guards since no one is taller than 6'6 except Hartenstein, Jaylin Williams, or Chet.

Boston is having a heck of a season right now. They literally have THE WORST frontcourt on paper that I can remember and they're starting Pritchard, White (who is having a brutal season shooting the ball), and Jaylen Brown and playing them big minutes.

Cleveland had a monster season last year and were playing Garland, Mitchell, and Strus.

That's the trap, right? The more skills any player has (pass, shoot, dribble, create space, screen, board, etc) the better it always is independent of position. Question #1 for me is "what position(s) can the player defend?" Then it becomes a further analysis of skills and advantages does the player bring to the table. The trap is wanting to put out as many players with a pass-dribble-shoot skillset as possible on the floor at all times without accounting for what they lack.

The more guards you put out there, the more they better be able to (1) legitimately defend up to Small Forward at a minimum; (2) rebound above their position level; and (3) physically be able to move people (boxing out, screening, etc) above their positional level. If not, then your lineup is simply subpar in that regard relative to the demands of an average NBA team.

That's why Miami got the 1 seed while trotting out lineups of Lowry (6'), Duncan/Herro, Jimmy (6'7), PJ (6'5) and Bam (6'9). The 2 "small" positional starters in Lowry and PJ were thicc boy units that could defend multiple positions, box out, create space by moving people on the floor.

SGA is nearly the same size as Andrew Wiggins and can clearly defend small forwards. Dort is a unit that can defend 1-4 (no one confused PJ Tucker for a guard just bc he's 6'5). And Cason Wallace and Caruso are in the NBA because of their defense, physicality and hustle.

If you just look at height then its a cheap surface level assessment that has little value.

[greg4012]

Does anyone actually think we would take an issue running out 3 Michael Jordans just because he's labeled a guard?

The issue is having 1 (or none) positional defenders with league worst length/size across the board.

[3ammy3uck3ts]

Read on Twitter

Can you imagine AI with Shaq? On paper, it would have been amazing, but those are some big egos and Shaq was well past his prime with only 40 games played in 2006-07 season. No UD there to keep things centered either? Woof.

Yeah I’m not too fond of taking the ball out of Wades hands at that point. I’m wondering when exactly this was. They say 2006 but is this after the championship?