Though it’s been awful for the Miami Heat at times, things may be getting better
Just watch how Miami is getting outrebounded on the defensive boards. Instead of really boxing out, it’s like they’re just going through the motions.
Not to pile it on since he’s injured, but Meyers Leonard was probably the most guilty of this. He’s a huge, muscled guy, but somehow Tyler Herro was outrebounding him.
Leonard would usually flail about instead of actually being a wall around the basket. Also, if you watch how the Miami Heat guard someone driving hard to the hoop, they pretend to swipe at the ball but their hands never even go near it.
Watch how they run at a three-point shooters as well. It’s like they’re waving their hands at kids during Halloween.
Guys, it’s clearly not working. Miami has to actually try to block shots, they actually have to box out rebounders, they actually have to make layups instead of just throwing it out to three-point shooters.
In other words, the Miami Heat actually have to be a threat, instead of just pretending to be one in every facet of the game. It’s not the effort.
It’s clearly there. It’s the ineffectiveness of the effort.
You can run as fast as Usain Bolt, but if you’re running around in circles, you won’t get to the finish line. The recent wins against both the Kings and Lakers show what happens when Miami actually does the deed instead of just acting.
When they actually drive to the basket instead of the usual pass out, when they actually battle for the rebound instead of just meekly letting the opponent grab the ball, these are the types of things that happen. Hopefully, this is a sign of things to come.
Hopefully, this is the Miami Heat coming to their senses and realizing, going through the motions may have been okay when no one was expecting anything from the team but after reaching the NBA Finals last year, they have a target on their backs.
They must know that when they block out, they must really block out. When they rebound, they must ferociously go after the ball.
Above all, they must stop play-acting and going through the motions. It all has to be real and with purpose from this point on.