#1 on Zach Lowe's list of things he likes this week:
1. The Miami Speed Machine
These Heat contain multitudes, but my favorite version might be the frantic, physical, pace-pushing crew of Goran Dragic, Josh Richardson, Justise Winslow, Luol Deng and Hassan Whiteside -- a new-ish group that has plastered opponents by 17 points per 100 possessions in just more than 100 minutes together.
They play faster than Miami's normal pace, and when Dragic can't find running mates, they settle in around Whiteside's thundering rolls. Richardson, Deng and Winslow form a switchy, ferocious defensive trio across the middle three positions; Richardson and Winslow defend inside your jerseys, and Richardson has been unconscious from 3-point range lately.
Remember how we all went gaga when Kawhi Leonard trailed Kevin Durant around a pick, jumped around Durant's body as Durant wound up for a jumper, and appeared beside him to block the shot in mid-air? Winslow pulled that same trick against Nicolas Batum last week.
It's not a coincidence this lineup features neither Dwyane Wade nor Joe Johnson to slow it down, but Wade's veteran guile provides a different sort of watchability when he's on the floor.