Ok Miami has a blatant issue with giving up leads.

[StepBack3]

It's no secret if you have watched every single Miami game in the past year and a quarter you just know Miami has a thing for impressively gaining a big lead on a team, sitting back and eventually losing that to a close win / loss.

Honest question. What do you think their problem is? What can they do to fix this?

Personal opinion is .. stop running sets. Open up immediately after 4 point+ runs by the other team with zone defense. Let Bosh hold the ball at the top of the post and have the 1 and 2 run around screens confusing the defense and let CB hit the open man. Then switch up with wade controling from the point with Bosh camping corner and James scrambling. Things like that. It's like spolestra goes blind when the comeback starts happening.

[ninjabelly]

cant count yesterday; but last year that problem was fixed in the playoffs up until the finals at least.

[Heat_team02]

Problem is, when you give up 6-8 points in a row, a timeout needs to be called, fresh player(s) need to be inserted and a change of pace in the offense needs to take effect. As for the defense, Joel Anthony is on the spotlight (rebounds/blocks/efficiency).

[StepBack3]

Problem is, when you give up 6-8 points in a row, a timeout needs to be called, fresh player(s) need to be inserted and a change of pace in the offense needs to take effect. As for the defense, Joel Anthony is on the spotlight (rebounds/blocks/efficiency).

See I dont think adding new players will help. Bottom line is you need bron, wade and bosh on the floor if you are going to stop / make a comeback . Its about using them properly.

If you just have lebron running up with the ball, looking for a shot and passing out of it at the last second it will never end good.

I do agree that spolestra should rest them at the right times in case of a comeback but you can't always predict that so the "big 3" have to be ready to play tired or not.

[IG2]

This is an issue Cleveland never had under LeBron. They NEVER choked. Hard to when you have the league's best late-game player on your team.

So it's a testament to LeBron's current INABILITY to create high % possessions that Miami so consistently blows big leads. Before, on BIG possessions, LeBron could just put his head down and get to the basket or create someone an open look through penetration. You know, basic, high % basketball - you attack the defense and get something going to stop momentum. He's not really capable of that anymore, so he's relegated to merely shooting jumpers - and as much as LeBron's jumper has improved, he's not a good(or willing) shooter under pressure. A consistent jumper is such a recent development in his game after all, so his first instinct is to always revert back to his bread n butter when the pressure builds(high pick n roll or putting head down and driving to the hole). Problem is, he's really not that player anymore. This is why LeBron was often so passive late in games last season. And I don't see that changing this year.

[Tim_Hardawayy]

This is an issue Cleveland never had under LeBron. They NEVER choked. Hard to when you have the league's best late-game player on your team.

So it's a testament to LeBron's current INABILITY to create high % possessions that Miami so consistently blows big leads. Before, on BIG possessions, LeBron could just put his head down and get to the basket or create someone an open look through penetration. You know, basic, high % basketball - you attack the defense and get something going to stop momentum. He's not really capable of that anymore, so he's relegated to merely shooting jumpers - and as much as LeBron's jumper has improved, he's not a good shooter under pressure. A consistent jumper is such a recent development in his game after all, so his first instinct is to always revert back to his bread n butter when the pressure builds(high pick n roll or putting head down and driving to the hole). Problem is, he's really not that player anymore. This is why LeBron was often so passive late in games last season. And I don't see that changing this year.

Which means he has to go to Wade in those situations, or stick to his post game and mean it, not pass at the slightest hint of a double-team.

That's what's annoyed me the most in the first 2 preseason games, he looks more comfortable posting up but he STILL passes out too much. He's got to break that habit and realize that sometimes what the team needs is a tough (but higher %) bucket down low, not a 3, even if the 3 is somewhat open (by 3 I mean the kickout pass he likes to make from the post).

[Dezmondballins3]

You say it was solved but then you say it wasn't. I think that it wasn't solved and isn't solved and won't be solved until Spo starts to call more and better plays late in the 4th quarter.

[GreenHat]

I think part of it is we get so many leads.

Its just when we give it up you remember that more than you remember the 7 times we blow out the team.

A loss is more memorable than a win when you win a large percentage of your games.

[kyphi]

How can you connect 1 preseason loss with a blatant issue for this coming season? Last year was last year, and the organization and players know what went wrong. How about letting this regular season start first and then predict

[StepBack3]

How can you connect 1 preseason loss with a blatant issue for this coming season? Last year was last year, and the organization and players know what went wrong. How about letting this regular season start first and then predict

Common man lol.

Why you in denial?

I can off the head remember 5+ games this happened last year.

When in reality a team should NEVER give up the leads heat do. You think phil jackson would just sit back after his team gives up these leads? That **** is unacceptable especially for a championship team. Spolestra is way to passive at times.

Just my opinion but you can't sit there and deny that Heat have a problem with this.

[EscapoTHB]

I think part of it is we get so many leads.

Its just when we give it up you remember that more than you remember the 7 times we blow out the team.

A loss is more memorable than a win when you win a large percentage of your games.

ding ding ding. This.

We lead the league last year in margin of victory(or were second to Dallas) I think.

And don't forget we may have blown some leads, but we also had some insane comebacks. Game 5 against Chicago was completely bonkers. This team is basically never out of any game, because at any moment both Wade and Lebron can go off on both ends of the floor.

[DefenseWins]

Actually I recall the Lakers giving up a huge lead to the Celtics in 2008, Game 4. They lost obviously. But came back to win the next 2 lol. At the time it was called an epic collapse, but the Heat's was worse since the was the last few minutes of the FOURTH quarter. Celtics were coming back in the 3rd.

I think people are more traumatized from the memories of last year. People just want these memories to erase and it won't erase until they win a title lol.

If they give up another lead in a real game, I'll question the Heat but right now I am guessing they thought they fought those demons when they didn't. The starters didn't even end that game. It came back to their attention, now let's see if it happens again. Notable in 2 days <.<

[Woolyy]

Battier and Haslem will help, but not completely fix the problem. When they start to blow a big lead, I think Shane and UD will show their leadership and talk some sense into them. The closing lineup of LBJ, Wade, Battier, Haslem, and Bosh should be pretty good, though.

[StepBack3]

Thats what im hoping ^

Bosh said it again here

http://espn.go.com/video/clip?id=7385002

Stop with the sets. Dont let the other team be able to prepare for situations.

Excited to see UD and battiers ability to effect late game.

[Woolyy]

Wade and LeBron need to limit the jumpers because they can score a lot more when they attack the rim, but something tells me Bosh's scoring will drop, but he'll rebound at least 10 a night. Plus we have Haslem who also gets decent boards.

Is our Center problem as bad as it looks even though we'll have Bosh down there a decent chunk of the game? He's 6'10", and he added some bulk, so he can't be worse than Joel hahaha.

[DefenseWins]

Rebounding at Center is the issue, and Anthony can't rebound. If the ball gets to him that doesn't count. It's about boxing out and beating others out and Joel doesn't do that. He boxes out but he is too short for a Center.

Pittman can rebound, but because he's a rookie no one wants to give him a chance. Then there is Curry who wasn't even a top rebounder in his best years. Then possibly another rookie coming aboard in Gladness, or waiting for get Fesenko or whatever that guy's name is.

Bosh's rebounding dropped which shouldn't have been since he would be the only big man on the floor. Sure he had Wade and LBJ, but their primary job wasn't rebounding at all. One of Bosh's main jobs was the rebound and there are flashbacks in the Finals where he wouldn't do his job. Last season he said his job was rebounding, and we'll see if he gets 10 a game. Especially up against a good rebounding team.

And yes LBJ and Wade have to stop the jumpers. Even creating contact is better. Forcing a 3 pointer is worse. They did a LOT of that last season....

[Woolyy]

The 3's should go down if they're running the spread because they're gonna be in attack mode... or at least I would think lol.

LeBron knows he NEEDS to post, and so far so good, but Spo has to be on his ass about going down there. If he gets the fadeaway down, oh man haha.

I could care less if Bosh scores 15 a game but gets AT LEAST 10 boards because Wade/Bron can handle most of the load. Our bench is miles ahead of the bums we had on it last year (besides Howard lmao). Norris will probably get minutes with the starters eventually, but wouldn't he have a great role running the bench offense?

And lastly, I won't give up on Curry because I know he still has something left in the tank. He's getting in shape and I hope he's 100% by the end of the season.

[IG2]

This is an issue Cleveland never had under LeBron. They NEVER choked. Hard to when you have the league's best late-game player on your team.

So it's a testament to LeBron's current INABILITY to create high % possessions that Miami so consistently blows big leads. Before, on BIG possessions, LeBron could just put his head down and get to the basket or create someone an open look through penetration. You know, basic, high % basketball - you attack the defense and get something going to stop momentum. He's not really capable of that anymore, so he's relegated to merely shooting jumpers - and as much as LeBron's jumper has improved, he's not a good(or willing) shooter under pressure. A consistent jumper is such a recent development in his game after all, so his first instinct is to always revert back to his bread n butter when the pressure builds(high pick n roll or putting head down and driving to the hole). Problem is, he's really not that player anymore. This is why LeBron was often so passive late in games last season. And I don't see that changing this year.

Bump!

This is what I said on Dec. 22, perfectly capturing why Heat-LeBron is so miserable in the 4th qtr. Now, I always hope I'll be proven wrong when talking about LeBron negatively, but LeBron's almost gone out of his way to prove me right this season. Has shriveled up in every close game so far.

[EscapoTHB]

I thought we were doing the right things to win last night. Just the execution was off. People are overreacting.

[EscapoTHB]

This is an issue Cleveland never had under LeBron. They NEVER choked. Hard to when you have the league's best late-game player on your team.

So it's a testament to LeBron's current INABILITY to create high % possessions that Miami so consistently blows big leads. Before, on BIG possessions, LeBron could just put his head down and get to the basket or create someone an open look through penetration. You know, basic, high % basketball - you attack the defense and get something going to stop momentum. He's not really capable of that anymore, so he's relegated to merely shooting jumpers - and as much as LeBron's jumper has improved, he's not a good(or willing) shooter under pressure. A consistent jumper is such a recent development in his game after all, so his first instinct is to always revert back to his bread n butter when the pressure builds(high pick n roll or putting head down and driving to the hole). Problem is, he's really not that player anymore. This is why LeBron was often so passive late in games last season. And I don't see that changing this year.

Bump!

This is what I said on Dec. 22, perfectly capturing why Heat-LeBron is so miserable in the 4th qtr. Now, I always hope I'll be proven wrong when talking about LeBron negatively, but LeBron's almost gone out of his way to prove me right this season. Has shriveled up in every close game so far.

How can you say he shriveled up last night? He was our leading scorer in the fourth quarter. If he shriveled up what did Wade and Bosh do? He was very assertive down the stretch, and even though he missed some free throws that would have won it in regulation, he also made the ones that sent it to overtime, and was in attack mode the whole quarter.

If he plays like that in every fourth quarter, and we run those same plays, we'll win most fourth quarters, because he's not going to miss half his free throws every night. He left what...8 points on the line? Also some nights that lefty layup he missed goes in for an and1.

People are too quick to jump all over Lebron. How about supporting him a little more? It is bad enough he has to hear the BS from everyone else--why do so many Heat fans feel they have to join the chorus? He plays for the Heat now. We should support him and get his back when the going gets rough. Not look to throw daggers into it.