Do the Miami Heat have a successful, late-game formula?
The Miami Heat are still searching for answers to their late-game questions.
The Miami Heat are in a late-game pickle. Their last two contests were decided by six points apiece, while three of the last six games have gone into overtime.
If that’s not tough enough to swallow, the Heat have also played the second-most overtime contests this season (seven) and have only come out victorious in two.
Sunday’s game against the Indiana Pacers tacked on a troublesome fifth overtime loss. Without head coach Erik Spoelstra, Miami’s OT rotation relied on Josh Richardson, Dwyane Wade, Kelly Olynyk, James Johnson and Goran Dragic.
Though this unit couldn’t pull out the win, it wasn’t particularly awful. Offensively, they shot 5-for-7 and refused to cough up any turnovers.
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The loss came down to Pacer’s guard Darren Collison catching fire, shooting 3-for-3 in overtime, fueling a 17-11 differential against Miami.
The question still stands, however. For a squad so familiar with clutch situations and extra innings, shouldn’t Miami have a better game plan?
These answers are always complicated, but in most senses, yes, they should be better prepared. In overtime situations alone, Miami has run 22 different five-man sets. Only one of these has seen action in more than one contest.
The combination of Wayne Ellington, Johnson, Dragic, Olynyk, and Richardson has had results. This gang was present for two overtime victories: January 5 against the New York Knicks and March 19 against the Denver Nuggets.
As far as Sunday is concerned, swapping Wade for Ellington likely came down to a coaching choice and late game familiarity. At least on paper, few would choose Ellington over Wade, given the disparity between their career game history.
That’s not to say the loss was Wade’s fault. Miami simply failed to keep up in scoring at the Bankers Life Fieldhouse, one of the NBA’s most passionate arenas.
Moving forward however, Miami needs to prioritize Ellington’s late game appearances. He is indisputably the Heat’s best shooter, posting 39.4 percent on 526 attempts. That’s over 200 more than any of his colleagues.
Thus, Ellington is a gravitational force in close games, garnering tougher coverage from opponents and potentially crafting openings for easy Heat baskets. Ellington also has the second most fourth quarter appearances among Heat players. He shoots 41 percent in the period and has brought home a 36-29 record in such situations.
Pointing fingers for falling short is the last thing Miami needs. On any given night the Heat are one of the league’s most feared teams due to their depth and versatility.
Instead, the third quarter tends to hit Miami like a sack of bricks, and Sunday wasn’t an exception. Indiana outscored Miami 30-21, leaving the Heat playing from behind once again.
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Ultimately, late game bailouts from Ellington, Wade, or anyone else aren’t the right recipe. Miami has to prioritize sustaining a lead all game long, to ensure a magic, game-saving lineup isn’t necessary.