The Good, Bad and Miami Heat Culture: Defensive struggles
In week three, The Good, Bad and Miami Heat Culture looks at what is going on with the team, after dropping three straight games.
The Good
Last week in this column, I discussed how the Miami Heat had found momentum. I spoke too soon, because the Heat lost three games this week, to teams that they had the opportunity to beat.
However, we are here to talk about The Good, and while a 3-5 start was not quite what the team or fans had hoped for, there is a light in the offensive efforts.
Against the Atlanta Hawks, Josh Richardson scored a career-high 32 points, shooting 10-for-18 from the field.
Richardson was also the only player to have a positive +/- in each of the games this week.
He is someone that the Heat need to continue utilizing in close games, because while he still has improvements to make himself, he is individually showing the consistency that the Heat need right now, to stay in games.
Besides Richardson, there was a great effort by Justise Winslow late in the game against Atlanta, but a few players cannot do it all.
Regardless, Winslow recorded a double-double with 15 points and 10 rebounds. Not to mention his much-needed defensive effort.
"“Whatever he’s doing right now, he earned it,” said Erik Spoelstra after the game. “Icing or wrapping, or anything, that’s emptying your tank out there. And you know, that’s what we need from a full roster. Whatever your minutes are that you’re playing as hard as you can. You felt his presence out there, you know. For even through some of the mistakes, he just made so many plays and did everything to try and not to be denied.”"
That is just it: the Heat can live with some mistakes.
It’s when players are not giving the effort in the first place, that has caused them to be where they ended up at the end of this week.
Richardson and Winslow were a light for the offense, especially against the Hawks, and the Heat are going to depend on them until they can get things more consistent in lineups and on defense.