Miami Heat are gearing up for another shot at the NBA championship. However, they need to clean up some issues to improve their chances of bringing a fourth title to South Beach…..
As the 2024 NBA Playoffs draw near, the Miami Heat are gearing up for another shot at the NBA championship. However, they need to clean up some issues to improve their chances of bringing a fourth title to South Beach.
The 2023-24 season for the Heat has certainly been a rollercoaster, as they’ve dealt with injuries, stretches of poor play, and fighting against an uber-competitive eastern conference, yet they’re putting themselves in a position to avoid the play-in and get to the playoffs.
Making the playoffs is one thing, but winning an NBA championship is a whole other beast. So, to truly go all the way and win the title, here are key aspects they can focus on to position themselves for championship success.
1. Improve offensive efficiency
The biggest question for the Heat to answer is whether or not they can improve their offensive efficiency. Despite what others may think, their offensive process isn’t a complete lost cause!
Currently, their offensive rating stands at 113.2, placing them 21st in the league. The only other playoff team that sits worse is the Orlando Magic at 23rd with a rating of 112.9. One thing these two teams have in common is that both are top five in defensive rating.
Looking at the Heat’s runs in the Jimmy Butler era, the defense has always been good-to-great, while the offense can be hard to watch at times. This year with the addition of Terry Rozier and the offensive growth of Bam Adebayo and Tyler Herro, the offense shouldn’t be running this poorly. So, why is that?
Well, one issue can bleed into another creating one big mess. One of these underlying issues is that the Heat don’t generate enough three-point looks. They attempt an average of 37 three-point shots per game, with a shooting percentage of 37%. This may seem like a fair amount on paper, but how many are due to late clock heaves when the ball is stopping?
Part of why the Heat were so dangerous last year in the playoffs is due to the three-point shooting volume. Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo were getting to their spots and in the process, generating open looks for their guys. The offense wasn’t perfect, but Butler and Adebayo were hitting guys in rhythm and shot-making can be contagious.
This season we’ve seen Butler take it a bit slower, but when the playoffs roll around, he should be back playing his game, driving and kicking along with his usual high-level scoring. Along with Butler being Butler, there are several ways to get guys open besides a drive and kick. Back-door screens, baseline cutting, and a healthy effective pick-and-roll diet. All the things we’re accustomed to seeing in the postseason.
2. The Heat still don’t get to the rim enough
There’s another issue when it comes to creating more efficient three-point looks. Getting to the paint is one thing, but if you can’t finish around the rim, there’s no point in sending help-side defenders. The Heat have the fewest attempts at the rim, by a wide margin with 1,590 shots (63.5%), the next closest being the Golden State Warriors with 1,590 (70%).
This means not only are you not getting to the rim, but you’re not finishing that well either. As far as percentages rank, they rank seventh worst. The mid-range attempts have been killer this year, and the shot should serve as a counter to a defense, but when you shoot 37 percent from mid-range taking the 15th most attempts (760), it’s a counter where you end up shooting yourself into the foot.
The Heat’s two best players do live in the mid-range, but they don’t have to if they have the right personnel. If you have Jimmy Butler leading a certain group, you want shooters on offense that move, and guys who can rotate quickly defensively and cause havoc. If you have Bam Adebayo, you want guards who can run the pick-and-roll along with guys who can cut to the basket.
3. Land on a playoff rotation
This rolls into the lineups which are the last issue, and while it is a big proponent in winning basketball, this issue tends to sort itself out come playoff time. As we saw all season, guys were in and out all year. Head coach Erik Spoelstra tried to cook with the ingredients he was given, and at times, a lot of the lineups weren’t good. Regular season games are trial and error for Spoelstra, and as we get closer to restricted lineups and higher player usage, a lot of these prior issues can be fixed.
One game Jimmy Butler is playing with Tyler Herro and Kevin Love, and in the next, it’s with Patty Mills and Thomas Bryant. There’s just been no consistency and when you don’t have that, you tend to go through the motions. Let’s get this one over with. It’s hard to play clean basketball when you don’t know who you’re sharing the floor with, which is why these lineups need to be figured out.
Putting the right guys around “Playoff Jimmy” leads to successful minutes and offensive production. If your best player is playing free and getting to where he wants, the floor opens up. You start seeing cleaner attempts and quicker ball movement, and when the offense is flowing, it leads to their gritty defense. When the gritty defense comes out, you get more attempts and easier baskets.
The Heat are one big puzzle, and if one piece isn’t working or is missing, you can’t see the final product. They can’t control health, but if everyone is on the same page and can play meaningful basketball on the offensive end by generating open looks, this team is good enough to win the 2024 NBA championship.
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