NBA Miami Heat

Miami Heat Still Very Much Under Construction

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By @blackirishpr

Miami Heat

Robert Mayer-USA TODAY Sports

It would be easy to set the scene of the Miami Heat’s 11-2 run against the Orlando Magic, with the crowd roaring while the backups tried to secure jobs by getting steal after steal to take a two-point fourth quarter lead. But it is impossible to paint the picture without pointing out that the team followed up their barrage by allowing a wide-open jump shot — with 2.2 seconds left — to send the game into an overtime loss. Rough offense was rampant, but the replay of last season’s poor defense made the flaws stick out.

And it wasn’t just the nonexistent pick-and-roll stoppers who gave up 14 three-pointers to the New Orleans Pelicans in the first game of the preseason. They actually looked like the team from the NBA Finals that could not stop the San Antonio Spurs from eating in the paint and getting to the rim.

Coach Erik Spoelstra chalked up the lazy rotations to the new faces having to get acclimated to the team’s schemes. It was as if he did not realize that the Heat’s fresh roster did little not to resemble the guys who turned Tennessee Titans-bad with the best player in the world on the court.

Everything wasn’t as negative as the defensive effort, though — or the disaster known as Dwyane Wade, Mario Chalmers and Norris Cole masquerading as a three guard lineup.

At times, the offense actually clicked fairly well in an up-tempo, early attack format. Cutting without the ball was crisp, the screens were hard and tight and they were being pros at taking what the Magic defenders gave them. Luol Deng, Chris Bosh and Danny Granger even had their moments with 18, 18 and 10 points, respectively.

You can label them bright spots, but it would be hard to realistically call Miami’s brand of basketball beautiful when they were often as atrocious as an under construction sign.

Richard Nurse is a writer for www.RantSports.com. Follow him on Twitter @blackirishpr or add him to your network on Google.

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