Why has Wade been so awful against the Celtics?

[Laimbeer]

Is he choking? Defense too tough? Injuries?

http://basketball.realgm.com/blog/21092 ... mare_Trend

[JordansBulls]

Is he choking? Defense too tough? Injuries?

http://basketball.realgm.com/blog/21092 ... mare_Trend

http://www.nba.com/heat/stats/2009/conf ... stats.html

He wasn't last year. Maybe because now he hardly has the ball in his hands as much.

[llllllllllllll]

I'm still trying to figure it out. It makes no sense. He toyed with em last year. This year he's been terrible. We've lost all 3 games because of him.

[KevinMcreynolds]

Dick Bavetta wasn't reffing

[manou]

He was having a contest with Pierce.

[ManualRam]

because he hates chasing ray allen around

[cody1889]

I think it is partially because he is tired from chasing around ray allen. I think he hasn't been able to find his groove because not getting ball as much. He needs to take over the game in the last minute. He has the clutch gene that Lebron doesn't have.

[toodles23]

Did Wade guard Allen last year? He had the ball in his hands plenty yesterday, even when Lebron was in the game. He just couldn't make any shots, a lot of them easy ones that he should make and he had some really awful passes and turnovers. His jumper has been nonexistent this season so that might a reason for his struggles.

I think it is partially because he is tired from chasing around ray allen. I think he hasn't been able to find his groove because not getting ball as much. He needs to take over the game in the last minute. He has the clutch gene that Lebron doesn't have.

There's nothing to suggest Wade's a better clutch player than Lebron. Every metric puts Lebron ahead; if you're going to use his missed FT against him, you should know that he's 21-22 on FTs this season in the last minute of a 5 point game. Yesterday was his first miss.

[doremi]

Dick Bavetta wasn't reffing

[Soap345]

I wrote a little about this in the why dont they go to bosh more thread. I guess I will copy an paste.

Look at what happened today. Bosh was amazingly efficient, Lebron had a good game, and Wade had a subpar game (but still played better then Peirce and about even with Allen).

Peirce probably had the worst game of any allstar player I have seen this season(There might be one or two that are worse but none that I can really think of). No FGs 1 point 5 rebounds 3 assists in 40 mins.

Allen had 13 points on 14 shots. Now thats Peirce and Allen going 5 of 24 for 14 points.

Heat big three = 28/59 (62points)
Celtics big 4 = 16/46 (44 points)

Point is heat have a very difficult time, if one of either Wade or Bron has a poor game. Going up against the celtics defense.

They make it a priority to shut down Wade, every time the two teams meet.

Just bits and pieces, but the essential idea is, that the Celtics realize that without both Bron and Wade playing very good games against them, the Heat have no real shot at beating the Celtics.

Its basicly A floating Zone, where you have one player focus on cutting off Lebron's lanes (PP and Rondo) and everyone else kind of Floats towards Wade and if Wade does drive you see the defense collaps on him all while attempting to take away the pass.

Also, Wade guarding Ray Allen, chasing him around screens is tiresome.

[#1 pick]

SG's with Joe Johnson being the exception always struggle with Boston.

[kobe808lak]

A combination of the Celtics good defense and him just choking.

[Jeff23]

I always have the feeling with the Celtics that they let the opposing teams best player get his points, but shut-down the other guys. Wade is one of the other guys.

[Big Shamrock]

Probably because he's gotta follow Ray Allen as he circles the arc three or four times

[Don Draper]

Is he choking? Defense too tough? Injuries?

http://basketball.realgm.com/blog/21092 ... mare_Trend

http://www.nba.com/heat/stats/2009/conf ... stats.html

He wasn't last year. Maybe because now he hardly has the ball in his hands as much.

Having the ball in his hands more is more likely to drop his shooting efficiency than increase it. There are exceptions but usually that's what happens. I think that the Celtics are just very good at stopping wing players. Look at some of the horrible playoffs series Bron and Kobe have had against Boston.

[darth_federer]

Dick Bavetta wasn't reffing

It might just be me but Wade just doesnt seem to be himself this year. He seems to have a lot more games where he just looks bad. I think he hasnt quite got it right with Lebron.

[E_Breeezy]

I think it is partially because he is tired from chasing around ray allen. I think he hasn't been able to find his groove because not getting ball as much. He needs to take over the game in the last minute. He has the clutch gene that Lebron doesn't have.

The Clutch gene? You watcg waaaaay too muvh skip bayless my friend smh. because not only does that n sound foolish, its just wrong. Lebron has been the most consistant & "clutchest" player this season. Wade constantly chokes against Boston & last game was judt another example..
If it wasnt for Lebron& Bosh the game wouldnt have even been close....

& im not buying that "Wade doesnt get the ball Crap" cuz he shoots just as many attempts as lebron does

[kingkirk]

Probably because he's gotta follow Ray Allen as he circles the arc three or four times

+1

Doesnt help ones offense when having to play 40 mins of intense defense.

Also doesnt help coming up against a team who has rountinely done damages to opposing back courts

[CommonSensei]

Wade has had great games against Boston in the past, so it has nothing to do with chasing Allen around.

Personally I think it does have to do a lot with the fact he is playing off the ball a lot more, and due to Boston's much better interior defense this year, he has been settling for bad jumpers when his natural game is to drive to the basket. I remember him doing this only a few times yesterday and he even missed an easy lay up he usually makes due to his rhythm being off. Also his spacing has been off with the defense and is one of the reasons he has been throwing bad passes (avgs around 6 TOs against Bos this season iirc). Hopefully he picks it up for the season finale or it could become a huge reason the Heat lose to the C's in the playoffs.

[DWadeno3]

I think it is partially because he is tired from chasing around ray allen. I think he hasn't been able to find his groove because not getting ball as much. He needs to take over the game in the last minute. He has the clutch gene that Lebron doesn't have.

The Clutch gene? You watcg waaaaay too muvh skip bayless my friend smh. because not only does that n sound foolish, its just wrong. Lebron has been the most consistant & "clutchest" player this season. Wade constantly chokes against Boston & last game was judt another example..
If it wasnt for Lebron& Bosh the game wouldnt have even been close....

& im not buying that "Wade doesnt get the ball Crap" cuz he shoots just as many attempts as lebron does

So every shot is the same? It doesn't matter if you take 20 21-footers or 20 12-footers? My point is, this season he's getting the ball in different spots which are out of his comfort zone. He even practiced an hour longer to get more comfortable in the "new" offense. On top of that, this offense is far too predictable, simple and relies too much on the pick and roll, something the Celtics defend extremely well. Add to it that he just had a bad game and you know why he struggled last night.
If you don't believe this theory, don't just focus on our games against Boston but also against Dallas for example. The Mavs are another team that doesn't give Wade and James any breathing room on the pick and rolls and thus has kept them below their averages in both games. The solution to the problem is a) Wade needs to be much more aggressive and b) we need a different gameplan against those teams.