Is it time to go back to traditional HEAT BASKETBALL?

[RexBoyWonder]

This isn't really about the super strange Wizards game.

It's about our defense being bad for most of this season.

We're #11 at DRtg which is the most important and comprehensive defensive stat. conventional wisdom says you need to be at least top 10 on both defense and offense in order to win a championship.

We're also #30 at rebounding, worst in the NBA. Which makes life even harder.

Not to overreact to Oden's nice debut, but hopefully he can keep providing a few good minutes per game.

Birdman should come back soon.

Bynum can probably be added if we decide we really want him.

With those 3 on board, we can fill the Center position for 48 minutes each night and be done with smallball for the most part. Move Bosh back to PF full time, and NEVER play Haslem or Battier as Centers or as Power forwards.

Is it time to make the change, go back to traditional schemes on defense and stick to bigger lineups FULL TIME, and live with less spacing on offense?

[CablexDeadpool]

Defense would be worse with a big lineup, we seen it with Big Z...it sucked and the team was slow.

Heat sucks on defense because the Heat is old and slow at the wing spot.

Only athletes on the wings is Lebron and Wade.

Bynum sucks. He's big and slow, it would be horrible.

Birdman isn't an elite defensive player but at least he can move around enough on PnRs. Oden isn't gonna be playing a lot of minutes.

Wade can't shoot and he needs players around him that can shoot.

Heat gotta play Bosh at the 5 to win games because he's the best offensive/defensive option there.

Lebron should actually play the 4 instead of putting Shane Battier there.

Cole or Chalmers
Wade
Whoever
Lebron
Bosh

Would be the best lineup.

So instead of looking for Big Man, get a wing player so Lebron can move to the 4 with Beasley as his back up.

Lebron just has to play the 4 for significant amount of time for everything to work on offense and defense.

[shanedude]

Yes, smallball has outlived its usefulness.

[xMADEinDADEx]

id say mix it up.
with the option to go big or small to keep the teams we play against honest.

small ball has its advantages as does big ball.

[HeatNation88]

Ditch our small ball game yes and no. Yes because were getting killed by big's when we play small every time and cant grab rebounds and no because it can be still used but not for 48 minutes of the game

[Js2k0516]

Yep, teams have caught on to our lil gameplan. We never even blow anyone out anymore.

[RexBoyWonder]

One thing I do notice like Deadpool is that we seem to lack athleticism. Seems odd but it's true. Call me crazy but I wish we had Ennis playing in the wing, a long quick athletic guy that can hit 3's seems to a perfect fit here.

When Ray isn't hitting shots, he can really kill us with his defense and slowness. The guy is 38 YO, it seems we're force feeding him minutes even when he's ice cold and it hurts us.

Battier and Haslem are almost always a net negative when you consider both side of the court.

Birdman is crucial for us, he's irreplaceable.

I just feel like something is missing for us to become the defensive team we need to be. It's not just effort, it's personal and scheme. Iv'e read Toney Douglas is a good defender, im not really sure if it's true but if it is maybe he can take some of Ray's minutes when Ray is slumping. Oden would help in his limited minutes IMO. If he stays healthy.

Feels like we're missing a piece for the defensive puzzle to click. Maybe Okafor if not Bynum?

I don't think Lebron wants to play PF full time. Or even limited time. And Battier just can't anymore. And Haslem just can't play at all.

If it was up to me, I would add Ennis today, and pray Okafor gets healthy and bought out. If not him, would gamble on Bynum just because our other options are probably worse overall. Also give Douglas a chance, pray he starts hitting shots and proves to be a good defender. Would also love a trade for someone like Taj Gibson, but that's not likely at all.

Im rambling, but the bottom line is this - we don't look like a well balanced team. We've got too many offensive oriented players and not enough defenders. We're too cute. Not physical enough.

[DefenseWins]

Yep, teams have caught on to our lil gameplan. We never even blow anyone out anymore.

It's true... I don't remember our last blowout. Maybe it was against Detroit, but this goes more deeper than just a game plan. Their heads just aren't into it and they play down to competition. They need to start routing teams again. People say it's no fun watching blow outs... but it's not fun climbing out of a hole either. Leave the close games to the playoffs. Right now I'd rather they blow every one out so they can get rest every once and awhile.

[Amorphous Blob]

The defense is just awful right now.

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[WD]

If we keep making the excuse about this being the regular season, that's all we may have.

[WD]

We do the same thing over and over again whether it works or not.

[RexBoyWonder]

Also I really don't like the headless chicken defensive scheme. It ran it's course. I think part of the reason shooters keeps going off on us is :

1) We're running around too much, a few good passes and you get a wide open shot (mostly 3's) against us.
2) Wer'e giving shooters too much air, too much space to go up shoot over us. That's happening because we're afraid to be beaten off the dribble, and we're afraid of that because we don't have a big man protecting the paint behind us. Which leads to guys lighting us up from outside. We're not staying close enough to shooters.

[RexBoyWonder]

Also I really don't like the headless chicken defensive scheme. It ran it's course. I think part of the reason shooters keeps going off on us is :

1) We're running around too much, a few good passes and you get a wide open shot (mostly 3's) against us.
2) Wer'e giving shooters too much air, too much space to go up shoot over us. That's happening because we're afraid to be beaten off the dribble, and we're afraid of that because we don't have a big man protecting the paint behind us. Which leads to guys lighting us up from outside. We're not staying close enough to shooters.

Im hoping if we start playing guys like Bird Bynum and Oden in the paint full time, Our guards will start sticking much closer to their man and we won't allow all those good looks from outside.

[Tjjrex]

The trapping system doesn't work unless you 100% commit to it, also doesn't hurt to have athleticism to compliment that. We don't have neither, so why are we still running it 100% of the game? Not a damn clue over here, I always thought it should've been used in spurts to preserve stamina and change the momentum of the game. Shouldn't be a problem with all the players bragging about the IQ of this team.

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[aboogie]

The trapping system doesn't work unless you 100% commit to it, also doesn't hurt to have athleticism to compliment that. We don't have neither, so why are we still running it 100% of the game? Not a damn clue over here, I always thought it should've been used in spurts to preserve stamina and change the momentum of the game. Shouldn't be a problem with all the players bragging about the IQ of this team.

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this!!!!!! I feel like trapping every possession is extremely taxing should do it in spurts we preserve more energy on d and o we also wouldent be out of position to get a rebound everytime they shoot or drive to the basket.. With that being said this play style of our defense is our bread and butter .. But when the team is half assing it it gets burned easily

[cb1]

The trapping system doesn't work unless you 100% commit to it, also doesn't hurt to have athleticism to compliment that. We don't have neither, so why are we still running it 100% of the game? Not a damn clue over here, I always thought it should've been used in spurts to preserve stamina and change the momentum of the game. Shouldn't be a problem with all the players bragging about the IQ of this team.

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I agree with this 100%. I always said this defense will look worse with each passing year the more the athleticism of the team declines. Its a hard nosed defense but it's not a smart defense. For all the talk about us coasting, the defense is wearing out the players to the point they don't even care to run it anymore unless their backs are to the wall in the playoffs. With perimeter defenders as good as Lebron and Wade it makes no sense why we trap pick and rolls when they can easily reject the pick or fight over it like most teams do with their defensive wings. The success of this defense is very debatable because as much as it has helped us, it was the sole reason the spurs and Celtics had us on the brink of elimination until heroism and luck bailed us out. Going forward I support abandoning this defense completely

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[GameTime_3]

Small ball works as long as Lebron is going super human mode. It works when shooter hit at large rate. Doesn't work when those don't happen and Spo never notices anything. I fear the day Spo is coaching a good team and not a great team. He will be here for a while so get used to this and enjoy this run.

[CablexDeadpool]

Also I really don't like the headless chicken defensive scheme. It ran it's course. I think part of the reason shooters keeps going off on us is :

1) We're running around too much, a few good passes and you get a wide open shot (mostly 3's) against us.

The swarming and trapping scheme is crucial for the fastbreak and it hides the fact that the Heat doesn't have very good man on man defenders and a shotblocker in the post.

The problem is, the Heat is too slow and don't have disciplined.

A lot of teams with good defense plays plays a swarming, shading type of defense, only thing with the Heat is...Heat doesn't have good disciplined defenders.

Wade is lazy and gets lost out there. Ray is slow and gets lost. Shane is slow. Beasley gets lost.


Lebron, Cole and Bosh carries this team defensively.

The good thing about the scheme it starts the fast break and makes the offense makes mistakes and they shouldn't give the scheme up, they just need to stop catering to Wade's weakness as a shooter and get the athletes that can play the scheme.

Wade no longer needs to be a damn focal point of the franchise, it should be Lebron and Bosh.

Feels like we're missing a piece for the defensive puzzle to click. Maybe Okafor if not Bynum?

I don't think Lebron wants to play PF full time.

Bynum is immobile and he never was a defensive stopper, he wouldn't be good for defense for the Heat.

Lebron needs to play the four because nobody else on the team can. Team isn't very good without Lebron on the court, he holds everything together.

Our guards will start sticking much closer to their man and we won't allow all those good looks from outside.

I don't think anybody on this team outside of Lebron and Cole can stick in front of anybody, which is why they need to trap and swarm to stop penetration.

If there was a Tony Allen, Marvin Williams, Thabo or a Paul George on this team, the Heat could get away with playing tight man to man defense.

All in All...

With guys like

Ray Allen 38 yr old
Michael Beasley
Rashard Lewis 34 year old
Roger Mason 33 year old
Shane Battier 35 year old

Getting minutes

It's pretty amazing getting 8th in points allowed and 11th in DTR because the team is old and unathletic gives up 3s like no other.

[WD]

U guys have some good comments here, this is why I don't ignore anyone

[MisterHibachi]

Small ball and the trapping defense should only be used for short stretches. Use it in the right match ups. Playing OKC? Small ball them the **** out. But regular teams, just keep it simple. Traditional system is better if you're trying to coast and preserve players.