It’s time for the Miami Heat to go back to the basics.
Miami Heat Basketball.
A term recognized league-wide, and yet, this 2017-18 team seems to have forgotten what it means.
Falling short 131-113 to the 27-34 Los Angeles Lakers on Thursday night, it became obvious that if the Heat want to make the playoffs, some changes need to take place. At 32-30, they sit eighth in the Eastern Conference, and are in danger of falling out of postseason contention entirely.
The problem though, is identifying exactly what’s bringing Miami down.
Some may point to the lack of a so-called superstar, but that narrative is played out. While having LeBron James or Russell Westbrook on their side would obviously change things in South Florida, they’ve been without a headliner for quite some time now. Something that didn’t stop the Heat from going on a 30-11 run, at the end of last year.
Others will call out a never-ending cycle of injuries, plaguing Miami before regular season play even begun, with Rodney McGruder fracturing his leg. And although it’s true that this team hasn’t been able to catch a break (Wayne Ellington and Tyler Johnson being the latest victims), it’s a lost cause to keep blaming health concerns. Unfortunately they’re a part of the game, an obstacle all squads have to deal with.
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The real issue seems to be a lack of identity.
Sure, the Heat are still a no excuses, grind-it-out group, who live and die by the organization’s culture. They pride themselves on playing team basketball, checking their egos at the door.
But when it comes to the current team dynamic on the court? They seem to have lost themselves.
At times, Miami can be a fast-paced, high-energy unit. Between a lightning fast Goran Dragic, a bouncy Josh Richardson and a smooth Justise Winslow, speed is one of the team’s greatest attributes. Until it’s not.
Because guys like Kelly Olynyk, Dwyane Wade and Hassan Whiteside don’t play the game at that rhythm.
The Heat also have 3-point shooting as a threat. Take Ellington and Johnson, who love to consistently shoot it lights out from downtown. Even specialist Luke Babbitt is back, to drill those 3’s.
But then James Johnson tries his hand at it, and suddenly the momentum shifts.
And although it’s safe to say just about everyone priorities defense, various rotations are more comfortable with locking it down together, while others like Bam Adebayo and Whiteside are still figuring out how to share the floor.
It’s almost as if this team is too versatile, unable to find common ground.
The good news is, Miami has overcome worse. Having just barely missed the playoffs last year after starting out 11-30, this team has proven nothing is impossible. So it’s not time for fans to panic quite yet.
Next: Miami Heat: Should Dwyane Wade stick around after this year?
With the ninth spot Detroit Pistons coming to town on Saturday, it’s time for the unit to regroup and go back to playing Miami Heat Basketball.