Miami Heat: Off to a 1-3 start, ‘symmetry’ on both sides at the core of issues

Miami Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra has a discussion with official Jacyn Goble in the second half of a game against the Toronto Raptors(Jim Rassol-USA TODAY Sports)
Miami Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra has a discussion with official Jacyn Goble in the second half of a game against the Toronto Raptors(Jim Rassol-USA TODAY Sports)
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Miami Heat
DeMar DeRozan #11 of the Chicago Bulls drives against Max Strus #31 of the Miami Heat(Photo by Eric Espada/Getty Images)

Miami Heat: Being On One Accord As A Unit Is Key To Every Aspect Of Game

It also goes beyond that too, as they could always get aligned to do the basics. “Boxing out” has to occur as a unit, as one hole could allow for a rebound and worse, an easy bucket because everyone else is occupied “boxing” their assignment.

Take former Miami Heat first-rounder, Precious Achiuwa pulling down 22 boards in Monday’s defeat for example.

Stuff like this and the defensive lapses that allowed for crucial buckets down the stretch from the likes of Jayson Tatum or DeMar DeRozan were also results of congruency-based issues.

With the help being a step too late, a teammate being a hair off on a reaction or read, or with the whole unit being so disorganized that something pops wide open—it can all be traced back to symmetry and being in sync.

You aren’t giving this team a pass. They have to be better.

Heck, they’ve shown that they are, as they haven’t been dominated in any game and have had just as good a chance to win as the opposition has. Now, when you are the Miami Heat and win as you do, you have to be aligned in order to get it done whereas some other teams that rely on other things can do it differently.

But the way the Miami Heat do it is the most fail-safe and that’s why they are consistently a good program and team, rarely not meeting but exceeding expectations. As far as this group goes, it’s only four games in and don’t be shocked when they do the same.

And notice, not one time was “chemistry” said here, as they should have that with this core of players being the same or so very similar for so long now. But chemistry, liking each other and knowing one another’s habits, isn’t the same as symmetry, being actively aligned with and able to execute upon that knowledge.

Well, at least, in this particular case.

You have to give it 20 games if you’re being fair. And hopefully, by then, they’ll all be on one accord.