The Miami Heat have a lot of work to do as the regular season comes to a close. Not being able to sink many shots in their games since the All-Star break, the Miami Heat have regressed to a new low when it comes to the ability to drain the long ball.
And when it comes to a team like the Heat, one that features Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo, all the space that they can use on the floor is essential, as both of those guys get most of their work done in the paint and near the rim.
Again though, for a team that has been among the best range shooting teams in previous seasons, this iteration of the Miami Heat’s shooting has totally failed them. And to that notion, some out there are actually questioning if the Miami Heat’s head coach has also failed them.
And for as silly of a question as that may seem, it’s one that is seriously being asked.
The Miami Heat are having a rough go at it right now when it comes to shooting the ball. And though some want to blame Coach Spo, he’s doing his part.
One of the best coaches of all time, as rated by the NBA 75th Anniversary panel, and a coach that has consistently won at the highest level when he was supposed to, you should be able to see that coach Spoelstra is still elite at what he does.
However, in case you needed a reminder, here are a few thoughts from one of Spo’s contemporaries, a guy that has faced off against Spo numerous times, and a fellow longtime Southeast Divisioner in the NBA.
Always a pleasure talking to Hornets head coach Steve Clifford, one of the most candid guys we have in the league.
— Nekias (Nuh-KY-us) Duncan (@NekiasNBA) March 2, 2023
Asked him where he sees defense going in the midst of the offensive explosion league-wide, and got a really detailed response. pic.twitter.com/dQkKx38t2P
The Hornets’ head coach, Steve Clifford, told the tale with his comments surrounding where defense is headed in the NBA but to be plain, here’s what it all means in relation to Coach Spo.
Coach Spoelstra stands out and even in a league where everyone, or mostly everyone according to Coach Clifford’s comments, is doing the same thing. At some point, it goes beyond what a coach can do or instruct you to do as players, where the onus then belongs on the players to, simply, make the shots or the plays needed to be made.
And that’s what’s going on with the Miami Heat right now. They just can’t make enough shots.
The looks are there, meaning the coach is putting them in position—but they have to then convert. So, for all of the vitriol being thrown Coach Spo’s way, he’s doing all he can but the players have to do their parts too.