MIAMI – Yes, they like to run more than they did a year ago.
But when you watch the Miami Heat closely it becomes apparent that one of their biggest improvements from a year ago has been in halfcourt offense. There’s much less confusion and malaise, and much more of a crisply-run, definitive, attacking game.
“We’ve put a great emphasis on getting out running and being a fast-break team and getting easy points,” forward LeBron James said. “But we know there are going to be games, especially in the playoffs, where you can’t get out and get 15, 20, 25 points on the fast break, so you’ve got to be able to execute offense in the halfcourt. We know we can do that as well.”
Miami (105.4 points per game) is second in the NBA in scoring behind Denver (105.5) by a tenth of a point partially because of its transition game affording layup opportunities. But Miami shoots a NBA-best .488 from the field, and it’s second in 3-point percentage (.400). That’s an indication the halfcourt game is pretty sharp, too.
“We’ve been making great progress this year — our end-of-game execution, precision, trust,” coach Erik Spoelstra said said. “We’ve had a lot of plays that have either won us the game, or had the opportunity we wanted, an attack opportunity. There’s been a lot of improvement from last year on that.”
Problems still exist. Miami leads the league in turnovers at 17.0 per game. But all in all, the halfcourt offense is much better than a year ago when it was stonewalled by Dallas in the NBA Finals.
Credit point guard Mario Chalmers’ improvement, and rookie point guard Norris Cole’s development. But also credit the re-designed halfcourt offense. It’s ironed out the tentativeness from a year ago, and it’s been much to the players’ liking.
You already know the Heat runs fewer pick-and-roll plays with James and guard Dwyane Wade on the floor together. It’s done by design to take advantage of their superior one-on-one talent.
Forward Chris Bosh said the Heat’s halfcourt offense hardly resembles last year’s.
“It’s a lot different,” he said. “We try to stay away from pick-and-rolls because that’s when guys want to trap and go under and just really confuse things, and seconds run off the shot clock.
“We really work to Dwyane and LeBron’s advantage like coming off singles. We run a lot more postups where they can be aggressive and not see as many double-teams.”
During the Heat’s recent three-game winning streak the halfcourt offense was the star of the show. Wade missed all three games with a sprained right ankle so the fast-break/transition game got put on ice. Enter the halfcourt offense.
In victories against San Antonio, the Los Angeles Lakers and Philadelphia 76ers, the Heat, employing a more traditional number of pick-and-roll plays, was able to attack the rim, use its post-up game both in the high and low post, and execute drive-and-kick plays that resulted in 3-point shots.
Basically, the Heat played playoff-style basketball with James and Bosh leading the way, aided greatly by guys including Chalmers, Norris, and forwards Udonis Haslem, James Jones, Shane Battier and Mike Miller. Chalmers (.443 on 3-pointers), Jones (.425), Battier (.341) and Miller (.750) have been good at hitting 3s. It offers James many options when he’s barreling down the lane: He could finish, hit Haslem for a mid-range jumper, or kick it outside for an open 3-pointer.
“Teams are doing their diligence to try to keep us out of the paint,” Spoelstra said. “They understand that that’s our game. We still have to work our triggers, work our pace, work our space, to open up those opportunities.
“But if teams are committed, and those (3-pointers) are the shots that are opening up, we do have to make them pay and strike a balance.”
Miami still has somewhat of a deficiency at the center position, where under-sized and offensively-challenged Joel Anthony is the starter. He’s on the court for his athleticism and shot-blocking ability. Ideally, the Heat could use Eddy Curry in the halfcourt offense, but after what amounts to a two-year layoff he’s still far from being a regular contributor, even for 10 or 12 minutes a night. But Miami still likes his potential.
“He has an opportunity to help us in our style of play regardless of who we’re playing because of his skill set,” Spoelstra said. “And the unique thing about Eddy, when he is physically right and healthy in great condition, he’s fast for somebody that size. He’s got quick feet, great hands.”
Miami’s halfcourt offense hit the skids in Sunday’s 91-82 loss to Milwaukee. It was ragged and disorganized. But that happens during the course of the season, and it especially happens when coach Scott Skiles’ Bucks turn the game into their kind of battle, which is basically an ugly, scrappy style.
Wade won’t play tonight against Cleveland – he’ll miss his fifth consecutive game with that sprained right ankle — so look for Miami to use the pick-and-roll play more in halfcourt offense than it would if he was playing.
But when Wade returns, keep an eye out for a more diverse, more wide-open halfcourt game from Miami. The players like it that way.
“I’m kind of a fan of pick and rolls,” Bosh said, “but I think when we run less of it we’re lot more aggressive, we’re trying to get to the paint a lot more and the defense can’t always be set against you. Because if they know the pick-and-roll is coming everybody just shifts over to the ball and then you start to pound it and hold it, and that’s not good for us.”
Chris Perkins is a regular contributor to SheridanHoops.com, covering the NBA and the Miami Heat. His columns appear every Tuesday. Follow him on Twitter.