This Miami Heat Team Owes A Ton Of Their Success To Grit
The Miami Heat made postseason history Saturday night, becoming the first team in NBA history to take a series lead through three games despite outscoring the Boston Celtics in just two quarters, per Elias Sports Bureau.
The stat is a testament to the grit of the team from Miami. Like some recreation of the Hydra out of Greek Mythology, cutting off the head of the snake only produces more problems.
The Miami Heat appear to be able to conjure more lives than a cat and if the opening stanza of this Eastern Conference Finals series is any lesson, it would appear the Celtics are in for the long haul. Injuries throughout the 2021-2022 season put Miami in a microwave, electroshocking the team forward, forcing growth across the roster, and demanding the next man step up.
Bam Adebayo missed 26 games, Jimmy Butler lost 25, Kyle Lowry missed 19, and Victor Oladipo barely saw the season at all. Other roster changes and turnover added another layer of turbulence to a team working to find its footing during the season.
Losses like Goran Dragic or the sudden disappearance of Duncan Robinson’s shooting ability changed last year’s offense.
The Miami Heat are always among the toughest teams in the NBA. This year though, the league is getting a look at just how gritty they can be at their peak.
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Despite it all, the Heat have molded, adapted, and succeeded. You can call it Heat Culture or simply, the right veterans coming alongside young talent at the right time.
Whatever the label, Miami will continually provide a thorn in the side of every opponent. If you just take a look at the Heat’s regular season stats, the idea of this squad trailing in all but two quarters of the opening three games becomes unsurprising.
The Heat ranked in the league’s bottom half in points per game. This is not shocking considering the amount of flux the roster endured.
So, Miami hung its hat on defense, specifically wiht tons of effort, and by attacking opponents on the ball. The Heat ranked fourth in defensive rating.
A closer look shows the effort the collective talent is making each outing. Miami ranked fifth in opponent turnovers and second in opponent rebounds allowed.
The Heat also ranked sixth in the opponent’s second-chance points allowed throughout the season. As a team, Miami excels at getting the ball back, keeping the glass clean, and not giving the other guys extra chances at points.
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Much like an Anaconda, the defense will encircle the prey, and slowly squeeze. This team will not be overly flashy on offense or go nuclear quite like a Golden State Warriors or Memphis Grizzlies, but the combination of depth, grit, and determination on the other side of the ball—can certainly even the scales.