Miami Heat: Lessons to learn from the past 5 NBA Champions
By Jack Simone
Things the Miami Heat can learn from the past 5 NBA Champions: Los Angeles Lakers & Toronto Raptors
Los Angeles Lakers – Defense wins championships
It should be clear to everyone that the Miami Heat will be a defensive-minded team this year. Well, the Lakers proved that you don’t need an elite offense to win a title.
While they didn’t have a bad offense, they also weren’t top-ten in either offensive rating or points per game. However, they did get things done on the defensive side of the ball.
The Lakers had some great defensive weapons, but this year’s Heat squad might have even more defensive firepower than LA did that season.
Offense is certainly important, but so is great defense. If there’s one thing the Miami Heat should learn from the 2020 Lakers, it’s that having great defense can still earn you a championship.
Toronto Raptors – Having a star helps
As much as depth is important in the NBA, it always helps to have a superstar leading the way. Kawhi Leonard was nothing short of phenomenal for the Raptors in the 2019 playoffs.
He had one of the most impressive playoff runs of all time. Toronto’s supporting cast played well, but that year was definitely the Kawhi Leonard show.
Luckily for the Heat, they have Jimmy Butler. While he may not be on the same level Leonard was that year, having a superstar is crucial to winning a title, and Butler is definitely a superstar.
Also, the Miami Heat now have Kyle Lowry, who was on that 2019 Raptors team. This is more of a fun coincidence, but hey, maybe putting Lowry alongside a superstar is the recipe for a championship.