Huge 4Q for Miami, Big Time win. The "Heat" outscored Utah 31-21 in the 4th. Jimmy iced it with two free throws (Why do teams foul Jimmy?) with five seconds left. Utah is seemingly always good (18-11 coming in); they always have been good. They are a quality organization with an elite history. Since East and West only meet twice a year there are only those opportunities to measure yourself against such an opponent.
Jimmy was the difference tonight, 20 points, 7/15, and 8 rebounds but of course this is Miami, it's always a team thing. Meyers Leonard had perhaps his best game with the "Heat" with 11 points and 10 rebounds. Bam had a complete game. Look at this stat line: 18 points, 12 rebounds, 6 assists, 3 steals, 3 blocks. My of my. That is the positionless basketball Eric Spoelstra envisioned.
The "Heat" killed Utah on the glass, 55-46, despite, and this is typical of the discouragement the "Heat" cause other teams, Rudy Gobert's monster game of 18 points, 20 rebounds, and five blocks: They still got their glass cleaned by Miami. Tyler Herro had a very good game, also positionless, 17 points on 7/13 and six rebounds.
If you get outrebounded with your Big getting 20, what can you do?
The "Heat" killed Utah on the glass, 55-46, despite, and this is typical of the discouragement the "Heat" cause other teams, Rudy Gobert's monster game of 18 points, 20 rebounds, and five blocks: They still got their glass cleaned by Miami. Tyler Herro had a very good game, also positionless, 17 points on 7/13 and six rebounds.
If you get outrebounded with your Big getting 20, what can you do?
What are you supposed to do when your Big gets 20 boards and you still get outrebounded? When your opponent's most lethal outside shooters go 6/18 (1/7) and you still get outscored? If it's not Nunn, it's Robinson and if it's not Robinson it's Tyler and there's always Jimmy and Bam. Bam, has he had one off game? I don't think so. The overriding point however, is that Miami can now get points--and rebounds and assists--from so many different players and positions on the floor. They seem to be everywhere and nowhere--because they have no fixed position. Playing the "Heat" is like fighting a war symmetrically against an asymmetric opponent."Okay, SHUT DOWN NUNN!" Barrang, it's Duncan Robinson from behind a tree over the next ridge. "Okay, GUARD THE THREE!" and then Jimmy and Bam play close up and you spend the rest of the game grabbing your shorts while they hit a dozen or so free throws."Okay, don't give them second chances!" "Duh, I did coach": Rudy. But Jimmy and Meyers and Bam and Tyler gang outrebound you. Team outrebound. Team outscore.
This Miami team presents an opponent with, I won't say a unique but such a difficult, constellation of challenges. They can beat you from so many different angles and in so many different ways. What are you going to do when your opponent's playmaker gets 8 boards? When their long-range sniper gets 6? How do you defend a Big who plays so close to the basket most of the time that he sweeps up 12 boards and blocks three shots who can also bring the ball up the floor and dish six times and pick your pocket three times? The NBA is trying to answer those questions.
