Really starting to doubt our defensive system-Spo Clueless

[RexBoyWonder]

6th open 3

Heat suck at guarding 3s

It is that simple, IDC what anyone says, they just suck at it.

3 point shooting team that chucks a lot of 3s will have a chance against the eat

This Heat team can't defend the 3. They look lost.

How many games does it take to figure this out?

Rebuild this team already

Seriously, I don't understand, either the players are retards or Spoelstra is a (Please Use More Appropriate Word), a combination of both. Scrubs don't go off on us because they're decent, they go off on us because we don't defend. We give them open shots and let them get rhythm.

Ira just said it best

"Why are the Heat running around with their heads cut off on defense against an opponent that can do nothing but shoot threes?"

This is Spo's defense against the 3

Hope they miss shots...just think if the Heat actually guarded the 3...would be up by idk 20.

Just freakin' protect the 3 point line.... they make things harder than it really is.

THIS GAME SHOULD NOT BE A 4 POINT GAME IN HALF TIME WITH MELO OUT AND AMARE 2 POINTS

Regardless of this game, even if we win by 40 - WTF are we doing over-helping all the time? cant they see the reason scrubs KEEPS GOING OFF ON US is we dont defend the 3 AT ALL?

How can a team win some rings if the coach is so damn blind? i dont get it.

[WD]

In all fairness to him, he inherited this style of defense - It is a HEAT staple that was perfected by ZO/PG Brown/Atkins, etc. It would still be a great system IF, the NBA rules and players were the same as back in the day.

It NOW only works in short spurts, not throughout an entire game. I am not in favor of it AT ALL anymore, it's too easy to break down now.

[CrossOver]

You know what team allows a better % from 3 to their opponents? The Bulls. Lets just ignore the fact that the Heat still hold their opponents to one of the lowest FG%(Including 3pt%) in the league.

[DefenseWins]

hey I'm quoted !!

haha anyway, I think Spo got the message in the 2nd half sort of.

He had the team chase the Knicks off the 3 point line to dribble.

I think that's a huge step. Usually he'd be stubborn and not adjust and hope they'd miss... and have it "LEVEL OUT".

The defense would be beastly if it was about chasing people off the 3 point line to dribble and force a shot they don't want to take.

The Knicks did infact shoot 35% from 2 point land... that's very good. But it's also them just being bad lol. I guess they gave up with Melo being out and was like LETS JUST CHUCK and boy oh boy did it work.

18 3's is unacceptable lol.

And the Bulls give up a higher % from 3 to their opponents because they are about the paint as well. I remember Thibs saying "don't give them nothing" when they were talking about layups and dunks and stuff last year. That's how the Heat got their comeback in Game 5... LBJ 3, Wade 4 point play, LBJ 3 again...

[diablerouge]

Teams have attempted 259 3s vs Chicago. Miami? 399. Leads the league.

[RexBoyWonder]

We have some of the best defensive players in their positions in Wade, Bron, Mario, and Joel is also good against most guys.

WE DONT NEED TO GIVE WIDE OPEN 3 POINTERS ALL DAY TO ANY SCRUB THAT"S WILLING TO TAKE THEM. IT WILL COST US AGAINST BETTER TEAMS.

It gives teams confidence, it makes for long rebounds (whice exploit another weakness of ours), it makes teams not have to think and just play carless.
3>2 god dammit. run them off the line, make them take long 2 pointers. enough with this open 3 ****.

The knicks are terrible and this stuff made last night a close game. it should have been a blow-out with the games Wade and Bron had. if you think smarter teams like the Bulls cant take advantage of this debacle strategy you are mistaken.
/rant.

[EscapoTHB]

For the most part it's better to give up 3s, than anything in the paint. So what if some teams get hot from it? That's not a long term strategy against us.

I think for the most part some of our rotations are a little sloppy because of the condensed schedule/lack of practice time/ fatigue.

I'm not worried about our defense come playoffs. We hang our hat on our defense. And it will always be that way.

[mopper8]

Just thought I'd say that, the problem is not the scheme, and the problem is not that the players are stupid, the problem is that playing defense takes a lot of effort, and really the most strenuous part of defense is the "recover" aspect - racing back to the open man after denying the drive/post-up opportunity. In a shortened season, guys are just being lazy is really what's going on.

Problem with 3-pointers is that if you give guys open looks early, they get in a rhythm, and your tight defense later is less effective because they're already feeling it.

[CrossOver]

Teams have attempted 259 3s vs Chicago. Miami? 399. Leads the league.

Other factors go into that such as pace of the game and rebounding. Using percentages are a better barometer when it comes to ultimately predicting the effect it will have in a 7 game series. People will always want something to complain about, that was made clear last season. At the end of the day, the Heat still have a top 5 defense in the NBA and with the level of offensive efficiency they are putting up (106.1 pts per 100 possessions tied for 1st in the league) they will still be considered favorites going into the playoffs.

[mopper8]

BTW, the most efficient shot in basketball is the lauyp/dunk...generally you'd need to convert at a ~60% clip from 3 to equal the efficiency of a shot at-rim. MIami's primary goal is to prevent shots at rim, and to lower the efficiency when teams do get shots at rim. This is the primary goal of every great defense, including Philly, Chicago, etc etc.

The secondary goal is prevent 3-pointers, the second-most efficient shot in basketball. Stopping the drive requires a lot of coordination in terms of knowing when to collapse the lane and where to be and who needs to rotate, etc. Recovering to the 3-point line requires a lot of effort: its a dead sprint to run a guy off the line. You watch, and guys clearly just aren't making the effort.

[Wade2k6]

You know what team allows a better % from 3 to their opponents? The Bulls. Lets just ignore the fact that the Heat still hold their opponents to one of the lowest FG%(Including 3pt%) in the league.

Difference being that Chicago limits the amount of 3pt shots that the other team takes, so even if they do shoot a high percentage it won't kill them. Miami has allowed 23 3PA/G, Chicago is allowing around 13 per game. Another 10 three's per game, at a 37-40% clip, is 10-12 points per game.

Nobody is denying that Miami defends inside the 3pt line very well, but they are very flawed defending the 3pt line, I don't understand how anyone can deny that. I'm not saying Spo needs to overhaul the entire system, but he needs to make some kind of adjustment. It starts with getting rid of the exaggerated hedge on the PnR and not having all 5 players on the court collapse into the paint when a player gets beat off the dribble.

I do agree with some of the other posters though, the schedule probably isn't helping Miami. Especially with the energy that's exerted in their type of system. The good thing is come playoff time our biggest threat (Chicago) isn't a very good 3pt shooting team.

[Hallstar]

We aren't going 100% on closeouts all the time and some people are taking and making contested 3s with time running out because it's the only shot they can get off

[DefenseWins]

LOL the league so far as attempted 399 3's against the Heat? ARE YOU SERIOUS? my god, they really did watch the Finals. Beat the Heat with 3's. I'm sure if ANY other team shot 18 3's last night, they would have won. I've never seen a team hit 18 3's and LOSE.

and sure Chicago isn't a good 3 point shooting team, but this team always gives up 3's at the worse moments, even to the Bulls (ex. regular season last year to Deng and Korver).

If they chase people off the 3 point line more, it's better. I've seen so many people hit 3's infront of LBJ because he isn't close enough and it's making me sick (ex.. Dorrel Wright, Daye.)

I like what they did last night in the 4th though.

[FlashTheKilla]

BTW, the most efficient shot in basketball is the lauyp/dunk...generally you'd need to convert at a ~60% clip from 3 to equal the efficiency of a shot at-rim. MIami's primary goal is to prevent shots at rim, and to lower the efficiency when teams do get shots at rim. This is the primary goal of every great defense, including Philly, Chicago, etc etc.

The secondary goal is prevent 3-pointers, the second-most efficient shot in basketball. Stopping the drive requires a lot of coordination in terms of knowing when to collapse the lane and where to be and who needs to rotate, etc. Recovering to the 3-point line requires a lot of effort: its a dead sprint to run a guy off the line. You watch, and guys clearly just aren't making the effort.

This analysis is slightly off. Yes, the layup/dunk is the most effective shot, but the league average field goal percentage for shots at the rim is 62.9%. Defensively, the Heat have whittled this rate down to 56.8%, second best in the league after Chicago. So basically, if a team took 100 shots at the rim against the Heat, they would score 113.6 points (56.8 x 2 = 113.6).

To match that output, if a team shot 100 shots against us solely from three point territory, they would only have to shoot ~38% (38 x 3 = 114). Not quite your 60%. It's a little different for the league average, which would require a ~41.5% three point percentage.

And what is the three point percentage that the Heat give up? 36.7%, which is the 4th worst in the league. But here is where the major issue is: that rate is prone to huge variation on a given night. And that's how we lose games. A team gets hot from three because we let it up, and they finish the game shooting at a 41ish% clip, and lo and behold, we find ourselves losers. (This did not happen last night because the Knicks were uniquely horrid inside).

Obviously, it never occurs like that where a team takes 100 of either shot. There are 2 point FG mixed in, free throws, etc..But the points per shot remain the same no matter how far you scale down the shots attempted.

But my overall point stands. In our defensive system we are especially vulnerable to teams to get hot from three and beating us because what we are giving up on the outside becomes more efficient than what we are giving up on the inside.

Want more proof? The Dallas Mavericks shot 41.1% against us from three in the Finals.

Short version - Mathematically, I hate our system.

[twix2500]

I have to correct WD, Yes the emphasis on defense and he did inherite from Riley, but Spo has a different philosphy than Riley on Defense. Riley beleived in man position defense, stay in between the man and the rim, dont take chances, protect the rim, force teams into bad shots and rebound, size and muscle. Spo defense is based on stopping the pick and roll or pop, get the ball out of the ball handler hands, force turnovers and take chances, force teams into long shots for long rebounds, quick and athletic. Riley said it in the past he is letting Spo put his own imprint on this team.

[DefenseWins]

I remember Riley would fine his players if they gave up a layup a long time ago. Or was it he'd fine them if they didn't give a hard foul if a player is attempting a layup.. don't remember, it's one of those.

While we do strive to protect the rim, Riley was more tough about it.

[Lord Hades]

The system has its advantages, but we just don't need to be so rigid in adhering to it for all (or near all) 48 minutes. When a team has proven that they're capable of doing damage from distance, we don't need to compound that by essentially daring them to do so. We need to be able to adjust into something less prone to being exploited.

The swarming is great in spurts, but I think there's a point when it needlessly complicates things.

[IG2]

I have never seen a team help more than Miami does. They just completely collapse over the slightest dribble penetration. I don't understand why they feel they have to play like this. Yes, the bigs are mediocre, but look around the league, very few teams have competent bigs, and NONE of them play like Miami. The 3pt shot is the biggest momentum starter/halter/changer in this league. It's also the shot worth the most. So why would a team be so willing to let the opposition shoot 'em? It's the biggest reason why Miami is such a poor close-game team IMO. They have other issues too(LeBron/Wade's closing issues, bad rebounding), obviously, but when you're so completely willing to give the opposition open looks at crucial junctures of the game....you're asking to lose.

The scheme also seems to play a major role in the dead-legs Miami often seems to have late. Constantly collapsing and then running back to the 3pt line has to be exhausting.

[RexBoyWonder]

BTW, the most efficient shot in basketball is the lauyp/dunk...generally you'd need to convert at a ~60% clip from 3 to equal the efficiency of a shot at-rim. MIami's primary goal is to prevent shots at rim, and to lower the efficiency when teams do get shots at rim. This is the primary goal of every great defense, including Philly, Chicago, etc etc.

The secondary goal is prevent 3-pointers, the second-most efficient shot in basketball. Stopping the drive requires a lot of coordination in terms of knowing when to collapse the lane and where to be and who needs to rotate, etc. Recovering to the 3-point line requires a lot of effort: its a dead sprint to run a guy off the line. You watch, and guys clearly just aren't making the effort.

This analysis is slightly off. Yes, the layup/dunk is the most effective shot, but the league average field goal percentage for shots at the rim is 62.9%. Defensively, the Heat have whittled this rate down to 56.8%, second best in the league after Chicago. So basically, if a team took 100 shots at the rim against the Heat, they would score 113.6 points (56.8 x 2 = 113.6).

To match that output, if a team shot 100 shots against us solely from three point territory, they would only have to shoot ~38% (38 x 3 = 114). Not quite your 60%. It's a little different for the league average, which would require a ~41.5% three point percentage.

And what is the three point percentage that the Heat give up? 36.7%, which is the 4th worst in the league. But here is where the major issue is: that rate is prone to huge variation on a given night. And that's how we lose games. A team gets hot from three because we let it up, and they finish the game shooting at a 41ish% clip, and lo and behold, we find ourselves losers. (This did not happen last night because the Knicks were uniquely horrid inside).

Obviously, it never occurs like that where a team takes 100 of either shot. There are 2 point FG mixed in, free throws, etc..

But my overall point stands. In our defensive system we are especially vulnerable to teams to get hot from three and beating us because what we are giving up on the outside becomes more efficient than what we are giving up on the inside.

Want more proof? The Dallas Mavericks shot 41.1% against us from three in the Finals.

Short version - Mathematically, I hate our system.

Great analysis and post man.

I believe Anyone that watches our games could feel that even without the stats.

the positive side of this issue is that it's not that hard of an adjustment to make - we need to chase shooters down from the 3 point line and make them take long 2's. it's a much better option from a defensive point of view.

[RexBoyWonder]

I have never seen a team help more than Miami does. They just completely collapse over the slightest dribble penetration. I don't understand why they feel they have to play like this. Yes, the bigs are mediocre, but look around the league, very few teams have competent bigs, and NONE of them play like Miami. The 3pt shot is the biggest momentum starter/halter/changer in this league. It's also the shot worth the most. So why would a team be so willing to let the opposition shoot 'em? It's the biggest reason why Miami is such a poor close-game team IMO. They have other issues too(LeBron/Wade's closing issues, bad rebounding), obviously, but when you're so completely willing to give the opposition open looks at crucial junctures of the game....you're asking to lose.

The scheme also seems to play a major role in the dead-legs Miami often seems to have late. Constantly collapsing and then running back to the 3pt line has to be exhausting.