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Miami Heat: Could Coach Spoelstra stand to help his guys out more?

Kenneth Wilson
Kenneth Wilson

All U Can Heat

Miami Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra (L) talks with NBA referee Rodney Mott (R)(Jasen Vinlove-USA TODAY Sports)

Miami Heat
Miami Heat center Bam Adebayo (13) and Cleveland Cavaliers forward Larry Nance Jr. (22) meet on the court after the game(Jasen Vinlove-USA TODAY Sports)

The Miami Heat are running into the same types of issues now that they’ve encountered over the past few seasons. While the defense has caught up to become Miami Heat quality, the offense still endures traumatic lows sometimes.

These stretches of ineptitude always happen at the most ironic of times or perhaps the lack of offensive prowess make said times ironic, but either way, they happen. While the sentiment around those that follow and support the Miami Heat seems to be that a particular player or type of player is the answer to the problems that the Heat encounter, the answer may be a bit simpler than that.

The answer already may be in the building and it isn’t that hard. Perhaps it’s simply this.

Perhaps certain guys need to be told exactly what to do, all to help the offense, of course. With that, could Coach Spoelstra stand to help the team out more by being a bit more specific and direct with them?

Miami Heat
Miami Heat guard Tyler Herro (14) shoots the ball against Sacramento Kings forward Marvin Bagley III (35)(Sergio Estrada-USA TODAY Sports)

Could The Miami Heat Benefit From More Specific Coaching?

While the case can be made using most players on the team, there are three that are shining examples of the phenomenon in question. They are Tyler Herro, Bam Adebayo, and Goran Dragic.

For Tyler Herro, he often finds himself in trouble in the open floor and when tasked to make a decision as the lead ball-handler. When thinking about it, that’s all the same related issue.

At the top of the key and with so many options before him, along with the fact that he has the talent to be able to take advantage of any of the following options once he sets his self to it, he overthinks things. Because he can pull up for the shot, drive by the guy, or create for someone else in someway, you can almost say he has too many options, thus overcomplicating things for himself.

Perhaps coach Spoelstra could tell him that if he doesn’t have anything by the three point line on the break and in the half-court, “you try to create for someone once and then go”, making things simpler for him. It could work or it may not, but you never know unless you go there.

Tyler Herro is still a very good young player, he just has a bit more to learn. More direct direction could be the key.

Miami Heat
Miami Heat guard Goran Dragic (7) dribbles the ball as center Bam Adebayo (13) screens Brooklyn Nets guard Kyrie Irving (11)(Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports)

Could More Detailed Direction Be The Key For Miami Heat?

With Bam Adebayo, it’s fairly simple. Tell him, as his coach and as the guy that’s been there with him since the beginning, “hey, need 12 attempts nightly, at least seven in the paint and five jumpers”.

That should be the expectation, flat out. If he never takes the shots, he can’t make the shots, nor even get used to taking them.

For the last example and in Goran’s case, it’s simple as well. The Miami Heat could take advantage of early rim runs, post looks, and dives, if they actually looked.

Goran Dragic and a lot of the other ball handlers for the Miami Heat, to be fair, are scorers more than playmakers. That means that instead of looking to the paint for an easy basket first, they look to the rim for their own shot and do other things off of that.

If Coach Spoelstra literally told Goran to look more, then maybe he would. It doesn’t have to be every time, but sometimes and especially more than he has.

They are pros and this stuff seems simple, however, they aren’t doing it. Perhaps it’s as simple as needing to be told, because if it can be seen on the television then surely Coach Spo can see these things from the sideline.

They would all go a long way towards helping the Heat solve their offensive droughts at times.

Kenneth Wilson

Kenneth Wilson

Kenneth is a longtime writer who has covered the NBA, NFL, and most other trending sports topics generally for going on a decade. He has covered the Miami Heat, Dallas Cowboys, Culture, and Television for Fansided for nearly four years now. But most importantly... he's a lifelong fan of the Dallas Cowboys, Miami Heat, and Brain-Melt TV.