Are the Miami Heat shooting too many three point shots?

The Miami Heat are struggling. That’s putting it mildly, to be honest.

In their struggles though, they haven’t changed their philosophy or playing style. They are still a ball and man movement team.

They still run a lot of pick and roll action. They still rely on Bam Adebayo to initiate a ton of their offense.

A huge part of that, they still use the dribble-handoff action a ton as well. With that though as well, they still also shoot a ton of threes.

In light of their struggles, are the Miami Heat shooting too many threes?

With that in mind though, their struggles and the fact that they let if fly, it begs of a question. You probably already know where this is headed.

Do the Miami Heat shoot too many threes? There is a simple answer to that question.

That answer is no. Last season, the Miami Heat shot 35.4 threes per contest.

This season, they are shooting the three 37.1 times per game. That’s less than a two shot increase, attempts wise.

This season, 45 percent of their attempts are from deep. Last season, it was 41.9, so basically, 42 percent of their shots were from deep.

With their success last year, the effectiveness, along with the suspected progression and development of their players, to gradually shoot slightly more seems like a logical perspective and move. If they aren’t shooting too many threes though, what’s the issue?

It might seem complex, but it’s very simple. This tweet and subsequent thread from NBA reporter, Couper Moorhead, explains it but here’s the simple version as well.

The Miami Heat are allowing the same shots that they allowed last year, tough looks from deep. Teams and players are simply hitting more, regardless of the quality of defense the Heat seem to play on them.

Inversely, the Miami Heat made some of the toughest three pointers there are last season and a ton of them. This season, they haven’t begun to shoot with that proficiency… yet.

Some see “yet”, combine that with what they have seen thus far from our Heat, and ask “What do you mean… yet?”. Well, when a team shot it as well as they did last year, for as long as they did, it isn’t a fluke.

It’s the real thing. What’s the fluke is the fact that every team seems to have career nights against the Miami Heat from deep and the Heat aren’t hitting like they should yet.

To be honest, it shouldn’t surprise you as the Miami Heat are still the reigning Eastern Conference Champs. Therefore, they are the hunted and should get every team’s best shot, which they have.

I still believe they’ll get it right, but I am not saying you should still hold out faith if you don’t believe. It’s not for everyone.

Surely though, what we can say is this. The Miami Heat aren’t shooting too many three pointers, they just aren’t making enough of them yet.