Spoelstra

[Pimpwerx]

It's important to note that Spo has addressed the zone twice now. We just haven't had any practices. I can't fault them, it's 4 games in 5 nights. Forcing a tough practice on a 5th straight day would be worse than not practicing at all. We'll tough out the next two games and then Spo will get to work on busting the zone.

Maybe Curry or Pittman get some burn. Maybe Cole gets a ton more minutes. Whatever the case, Spo did a great job retooling what was already a very efficient offense during the lockout. With such a short training camp, I think he wanted to focus on phasing that in. If he can design a zone offense anywhere near as efficient as his super-triangle, then we're gonna be Showtime 2.0. We certainly have the tools. PEACE.

[Heat_team02]

We need 3 Point Guards. One to start, one to come off the bench and one to replace Chalmers when he can't provide solid PG play & ball distribution during his stints on the court.

[fishfuego.]

Spo drew a perfect play to win the game against The Timberwolves..oh wait! it was Wade who mentioned it to Spo whos brain lit up ala christmas tree.

This coach is a robot. He may win a championship, but it will be interesting to see if he can become "creative" enough to win multiple ones.

There is going to be times when another talented team with a creative coach will outcoach him out of the arena, as was the case last night.

Great teams ala dynasties have great adjusting coaches for different situations. They know how to utilize players and counter different systems. Pat Riley is an example of this. He went from Showtime to all out masterful defense with the Nicks and the Heat.

Spo is very lacking.

[shadowx]

Why have JJ if you are not going to use it against the zone or the playoff's? i mean WTF?

[GreenHat]

Spo drew a perfect play to win the game against The Timberwolves..oh wait! it was Wade who mentioned it to Spo whos brain lit up ala christmas tree.

This coach is a robot. He may win a championship, but it will be interesting to see if he can become "creative" enough to win multiple ones.

There is going to be times when another talented team with a creative coach will outcoach him out of the arena, as was the case last night.

Great teams ala dynasties have great adjusting coaches for different situations. They know how to utilize players and counter different systems. Pat Riley is an example of this. He went from Showtime to all out masterful defense with the Nicks and the Heat.

Spo is very lacking.

Yeah Spo had a different play and Wade called the play that worked and Spo went with it. That's supposed to be one of his strengths and (to his credit) he deferred to Wade for the last play.

He's playing the long game. Yeah he could have put James Jones in and probably busted the zone. But Jones isn't going to be in our finals rotation probably. The guys out there tonight need to figure out how to beat the zone without relying on hot 3 point shooting.

I think this is part of the process of how you get better over the course of the season, particularly when you don't have practices.

One loss now is meaningless. We were never going to win all of them. And Atlanta played well and we let them control tempo.

It's not a big deal. I think Spo is a darkhorse COY candidate for the changes he's made in our offense. It is night and day, even tonight, between what were doing last year and what we are doing now.

That makes no sense at all.

If Jones can come in and bust the zone, there is no reason to not play him in the finals if the team goes zone.

That's like saying a boxer should only use his left hand because he isn't going to use his right hand in the big fight because it can knock the guy out.

Jones could easily play in the finals if Miller is hurt or Battier is slumping. I know both of those things are HIGHLY unlikely but it is possible Mike "Ironman" Miller could get hurt or Battier could be ineffective.

I disagree that this is how you get better without practices. Spo said in the last game that we got killed by the zone that they were already ready for the zone because he "expected" it. So they were already prepared for it. How does playing poorly against it help the team get better?

One loss is meaningless, but we have also had some other close calls and we have "blown" some blowouts.

The difference in our offense is just that it plays faster this year. Our offense was actually better last year (111 Ortg vs 108) we are just playing faster so it looks like our offense is doing better. And since we are scoring more in transition this year it means our half-court offense has slipped even more compared to last year.

We're scoring 4.6 more points a game but are using 7 more possessions. That's not an offensive improvement, that's playing worse... just FASTER.

It is night and day between this year and last year, but that's not necessarily a good thing. Our half-court offense has been much worse and overall our offense has been worse.

[Heat_team02]

The reason why I'm harping on Chalmers is cause when your two star players yell at you in 2 consecutive games, you know you're not doing something right. Chalmers will hit some outside shots to redeem himself but it doesn't happen as often as the bonehead plays.

[radikalBaller]

You can't play zone if there is a big post guy inside.

When we had Shaq, nobody could play zone against us because we would post him until they double him and then we'd score on a wide open 3 or a cut to the basket.

We need that decoy back, a post guy that can get deep position, attract double teams and force the zone to get compressed inside. From then anybody can hit a wide open 12 footer.

I think that this is what Riley sees in Curry, he could be your answer to the zone with his wide body and great post skills & touch around the basket.

[EscapoTHB]

I'd like to know why James Jones won't be in the Finals rotation. That was a bad move last year; is the assumption that Battier will take most of the minutes in his stead? A move at the deadline? I'm curious because he's working on his third-straight season shooting 40%+ from downtown and that's the kind of support that you desperately need against a zone.

Because the Heat aren't going to play 10 players in the finals, and Shane Battier is better than him. It will be hard enough to get minutes for Mike Miller, and if Mike's shooting touch is back, he's also better than Jones because he brings a more well rounded game.

JJ is important for the regular season though. There will be times we definitely need him. I just think it's very clear he's behind Battier in the rotation, and likely to stay there. Especially now that Battier's stroke is coming back. Battier is like having a small forward Haslem who can shoot 3s.

[shadowx]

You can't play zone if there is a big post guy inside.

When we had Shaq, nobody could play zone against us because we would post him until they double him and then we'd score on a wide open 3 or a cut to the basket.

We need that decoy back, a post guy that can get deep position, attract double teams and force the zone to get compressed inside. From then anybody can hit a wide open 12 footer.

I think that this is what Riley sees in Curry, he could be your answer to the zone with his wide body and great post skills & touch around the basket.

we have him and he is a great passer BOSH, the problem i they don't post him up. I fact they don't do anything as soon as they see Zone defense...

[Kobeoverrated]

I agree with getting Wade the hell off the floor when teams play zone, He either takes a very bad shot or loses the ball. Lebron plays passive too, but he is able to shoot over most players and of course can pass extremely well.

Sub in Cole for wade, and well be fine.

[ninjabelly]

at this point its getting dumb, no JJ all game? it doesnt seem like the players treat him like a coach either, repeat of riley stepping in time?

[This IsMy House]

at this point its getting dumb, no JJ all game? it doesnt seem like the players treat him like a coach either, repeat of riley stepping in time?

Riley isn't coming back. Maybe a RIley call to Spo? But this isn't on Spo IMO sorry. Ya JJ should've gotten some minutes, but free throws are KILLING them. The last two nights, they've been awful from the line and thus have lost close games, that shouldn't be close in the first place. But who ever does the free-throws with the team for sure needs to be fired.

[DefenseWins]

Chill, the Heat are 8-3.

Yes it's two horrendous losses in a row, but it had a lot to do with the Heat beating themselves.

Spo's play calling was terrible though, once again. Even though once of them was good, but LBJ just wouldn't finish....

They'll figure something out.

The bench actually has been terrible lately. The whole team has. I don't know what is it...

[ninjabelly]

i blame lbj wade and bosh for this, but the lineup wasnt working so you have to shake it up, and pittman needs more PT cause joel is hurting lebron in the post.


either way, they are superstars but they need someone to put them in check.

[GreenHat]

Why did Spo only play 8 guys on the second night of a back to back overtime games? Especially out on the west coast.

Our guys were gassed at the end of the game. Our offense got **** and **** as the game went on. All those early fastbreak points disappeared and our guys could finish at the rim. Plus they were settling for more contested jump shots at the end and slow on their rotations.

[Heat_team02]

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EwK8yDiMgfQ[/youtube]

[dolphinatik]

^ lol

[DefenseWins]

Why did Spo only play 8 guys on the second night of a back to back overtime games? Especially out on the west coast.

Our guys were gassed at the end of the game. Our offense got **** and **** as the game went on. All those early fastbreak points disappeared and our guys could finish at the rim. Plus they were settling for more contested jump shots at the end and slow on their rotations.

Yeah things like this bother me. We finally have a deeper bench than last year and he's acting like it's the same bench as last year.

I know the game was close, but atleast experiment.

I still feel bad for James Jones rotting on the bench and all he does is contribute.