Constructive Criticism Thread - What needs to change?

[jjgp111292]

At this point last season, while the Heat did drop 3 in a row, they also had several impressive wins and were certainly playing better defense than they are now. This season, if Ray Allen 3's didn't fall, they'd be floating around .500. Your only defense is how things have panned out down the road, but nothing is ever a sure thing - expecting things to get better just because they did before is nothing more than complacency.

Look, this is a smart team, and I'm sure they'll figure things out at some point, but at the moment, they look incredibly uneven and were just dealt back-to-back embarrassing losses. We, as fans, have every right to voice our problems as a litany of warning signs are being flashed by this team with each game.

[LeChosen1]

You're not gonna get anywhere when your only argument is past results. Even during rough losses for the past few years, the Heat were still near the top in all of the defensive rankings. Right now they're near the bottom. If a couple of Ray Allen 3's don't drop, they're looking at a ho-hum 10-7 record.

So they don't know how to play defense?

What's your explanation for the poor defense, that has you so concerned for this team's viability?

That's what I'm getting at. No one is saying we're playing well. We're not. What we're saying is that there is nothing to indicate this team has forgotten or lost the ability to play defense. Maybe you can provide that evidence. Without it, there's no logical reason to worry, because there's more than enough continuity in the roster that they should be able to find that magic easily.

I keep mentioning the upgrades to our roster, but something else to remember is that the entire Finals rotation is intact. The players we added were in addition to that championship rotation that played stellar defense in addition to offense. So unless they've collectively lost their mojo, just chill and wait for the fireworks to start. PEACE.

Miami is 21th is Defense after being 4th and 6th. Now they 21th and like somebody pointed out they gave up 15th 100 point games in 66 games, they have given up 11 in 17 games this season.
Miami is also 29th in rebounds after being 10th and 21th. Now they are 29th only in front of Bostons old asses

[Tien]

Normal ups and downs boys and girls.

Championship teams go through this.

Lose, re-adjust, win, lose, re-adjust.

These losses need to happen in order for Miami to improve. This was a good loss.

[Ikcelaks]

The guards need to start demonstrating championship level defense right now. To accommodate for the extra fatigue that Wade and Chalmers will accumulate by actually playing on both ends of the court, reduce their minutes and spend more time in "big" mode.

Normal ups and downs boys and girls.

It's not really the normal ups and downs. The guards aren't even showing flashes of the defensive mind-set that this team was built around. They've got to at least remind themselves how to do it every once in a while. The only "ups" that this team has shown can pretty much be summed up as "we have LeBron and you don't". (Bosh has also been pretty solid)

[Slot Machine]

This should be required reading for every Heat fan.
http://www.grantland.com/blog/the-trian ... on-defense

• They are not forcing turnovers. Miami has forced opponents to cough it up on 14.9 percent of possessions, the eighth-lowest mark in the league, though one that is less than a single percentage point from the league average. Last season, Miami ranked third overall in this category, with an opponent turnover rate of 17.6 percent. The difference amounts to only one or two turnovers per game, but against the very best teams, changes on the margins matter; turnovers fuel Miami’s devastating transition game, and a lack of turnovers is a sign that Miami is not pressuring ball handlers with the same fervor of last season.

•Opponents are getting a better selection of shots, and making them more often.

The Heat this season are allowing more shots at the rim and more corner 3s, while inducing fewer low-value mid-range shots, according to NBA.com. About 32.5 percent of opponent field goal attempts came in the restricted area last season, and only 55.5 percent went in — the second-lowest mark in the league, a crowning achievement for a team without a true center.

This season, 34 percent of enemy shots are coming in the restricted area, and 59 percent have gone in — a hair above the league-average percentage so far.

These aren’t massive changes on their own, but they add up to a couple of points per game, and those small changes matter against top competition.

That’s especially so when combined with this: Miami is allowing 7.7 corner-3 attempts per game, the second-highest mark in the league, and a massive jump from the 5.0 they allowed last season, per NBA.com. They’ve also allowed more non-corner 3s, though those are less damaging, and opponents are generally finding a way out of the mid-range shots Miami wants to force. About 42.2 percent of opponent shot attempts last season came from the dead zone between the restricted area and the 3-point arc; that share is down to 35.5 percent this season.

[Insanity91]

Maybe this team has had enough?

Ethan J. Skolnick ‏@EthanJSkolnick
Spoelstra very serious and direct in his post-practice comments. Has clearly had enough.

Ethan J. Skolnick ‏@EthanJSkolnick
And this is the quietest post-practice shooting session that I can remember all season. No kidding around.

Ethan J. Skolnick ‏@EthanJSkolnick
James Jones could be a coach. He's talking, with Allen, LeBron, Bosh, Haslem listening.

[TripleC]

Maybe this team has had enough?

Ethan J. Skolnick ‏@EthanJSkolnick
Spoelstra very serious and direct in his post-practice comments. Has clearly had enough.

Ethan J. Skolnick ‏@EthanJSkolnick
And this is the quietest post-practice shooting session that I can remember all season. No kidding around.

Ethan J. Skolnick ‏@EthanJSkolnick
James Jones could be a coach. He's talking, with Allen, LeBron, Bosh, Haslem listening.

Heat will rise.



Side note: Would be so awesome if someone good at Photoshop can make the batman symbol into the heat
symbol.

[TRG]

Maybe this team has had enough?

Ethan J. Skolnick ‏@EthanJSkolnick
Spoelstra very serious and direct in his post-practice comments. Has clearly had enough.

Ethan J. Skolnick ‏@EthanJSkolnick
And this is the quietest post-practice shooting session that I can remember all season. No kidding around.

Ethan J. Skolnick ‏@EthanJSkolnick
James Jones could be a coach. He's talking, with Allen, LeBron, Bosh, Haslem listening.

Like I said in the game thread; talk is cheap.

Not changing my attitude until I start seeing consistent results on the court.