Never in a million years would have thought I would read that about a Miami "Heat" team.
"We got to trust each other. When things don't go our way, we got to dig in. We didn't do that tonight" "Our effort has to be better. It starts with me. My effort has to be better. I set the tone."
-Giannis Antetokounmpo
The lack of trust and waning effort was on display Wednesday night after the Timberwolves' new duo of Anthony Edwards and LaMelo Ball got hot shooting from 3-point range.
The word "trust" was mentioned at least five times by Antetokounmpo in his postgame locker room session with reporters.
"They have two players that can make shots that make your spirit get defeated. You got to keep playing through that. When [Edwards] made shots, we got discouraged and the game got easier for them. When guys get going, we have to be more physical with them."
-Giannis
I am shocked, not an exaggeration, actually, truly shocked. I would have bet $100 that the new Sixers would have "trust" problems; would have bet $1000 against the "Heat" having "trust" problems and Phila. not.
And, another thing...
Multiple players said the Heat weren't vocal enough, not talking or communicating much. It has been a focus point all training camp as they added several new veterans...
"MULTIPLE PLAYERS"! Oh my goodness.
And two others...
One worrisome theme to watch going forward is the Heat's lack of shotmaking from supporting teammates. They shot just 24% from 3-point range. The smaller, athletic Timberwolves outrebounded the Heat 52-34, including a humbling 17-4 deficit on the offensive boards.
-Wolfe
"...When we get fatigued, we cannot get bored with our offense. We're a bigger team now. We got to take care of big muscle areas. We got to swarm on defense."
-Bam Adebayo
"...It's just one game. But this is completely different offense and defense than we showed in preseason."
-Giannis
I'm not full 100 on what Giannis means. I think he means that they didn't play in the offensive and defensive scheme as they did in the preseason. I don't think he means that Spo suddenly changed the scheme for opening night.
Lack of outside shooting and rebounding is what I "saw" reading the play-by-play and stats. "Fatigue" and "bored with our offense", I did not. I should have. A run, run, run motion offense can run you down--to no purpose--especially when you're not young anymore. You spend so much energy running on offense that you can't run back on defense, the harder of the two to play. I can see how the constant, meaningless motion of a "wheel" O can be boring.
This was an illuminating article. I gathered the big picture in the posts I wrote last night (early this morning): Eric Spoelstra has to adapt his scheme to the players he has, not force those players into his preferred scheme. "We're a bigger team now", they were bigger than the T-wolves, stronger. Spoelstra should go to a Two Big scheme on offense and defense, post those Bigs up, use the pick-and-roll that he so disdains.
This was an ominous article for the state of this team.
