**MVP LeBron James & World Champion Miami HEAT 2012-2013 Thread**

Originally posted by Joecool:
Funny how much attention this team is getting but the Spurs have only ho-hum 3 more losses for the best record.

correction. 2 less losses.

Originally posted by Joecool:

Originally posted by Joecool:

Funny how much attention this team is getting but the Spurs have only ho-hum 3 more losses for the best record.

correction. 2 less losses.

Correction, nobody gives a f**k about the spurs because they'll just fade away in the playoffs, like usual.

Originally posted by Joecool:

Originally posted by Joecool:
Funny how much attention this team is getting but the Spurs have only ho-hum 3 more losses for the best record.

correction. 2 less losses.

Not sure if you're being serious

Originally posted by StOnEy333:

Originally posted by Joecool:

Originally posted by Joecool:
Funny how much attention this team is getting but the Spurs have only ho-hum 3 more losses for the best record.

correction. 2 less losses.

Correction, nobody gives a f**k about the spurs because they'll just fade away in the playoffs, like usual.

This!

But, even if they win it all - no one gives a f**k about the Spurs.

Originally posted by StOnEy333:

Originally posted by Joecool:

Originally posted by Joecool:

Funny how much attention this team is getting but the Spurs have only ho-hum 3 more losses for the best record.

correction. 2 less losses.

Correction, nobody gives a f**k about the spurs because they'll just fade away in the playoffs, like usual.

Unfortunately, the quietest 4 championship team in history.

Great article and breakdown of Lebron's shot location last 4 years:

Miami's at the forefront of basketball analytics. Lost in LeBron's amazing season is how well they've constructed this team. They really, really understand what is and isn't a good shot (for example...LeBron's comments about catch & shoot 3's vs. off the dribble 3's is an important distinction that's been made in the last couple of years in the world of analytics. There's a BIG difference in percentage between the two) They've de-emphasized post play and emphasized the drive & kick game, which fits their best players perfectly. Nobody is in LeBron or Wade's way when they go to the hoop, and if the defense collapses, you have great spot up shooters at every other position.

I think the right way to defend Miami is a Strong Side Zone with pressure on the ball, forcing baseline. The Lakers and a few other teams were using this more a couple of years ago, but I haven't seen as much of it lately. This picture kind of shows what I mean.



Miami likes to start a lot of their sets on the wing, similar to where Roy is right here. (except Miami smartly starts behind the 3 point line instead) In Miami's offense, they have a 3 point shooter on the weakside wing (like Portland does here) AND a guy in the weakside corner. So this picture is basically what Miami likes to do, except instead of having that guy cutting down the lane, he'd be standing in the opposite corner. 4 guys beyond the 3 point line, with Bosh being where the big man is in this picture.

What Miami does to combat this is they have Bosh set a back screen on that white dude (Udrih?), and LeBron uses his size to get the skip pass over to the opposite corner. This screen shot from a couple of days ago against Orlando kind of illustrates what I mean. Orlando was running SSZ against them, LeBron (I think that's him) had started to penetrate, Bosh set the back screen, and Allen had a wide open 3.



Going back to the first picture...because Orlando's SSZ is all jumbled up here and the Phoenix picture is what it's SUPPOSED to look like...Bosh would be screening the big, who's the one with the closeout responsibility on that weakside, corner 3. I think that the way to run SSZ against Miami is to cross the weakside responsibility. So in the Phoenix picture, it would be Nash that closes out on the corner 3, and the big closes out on the weakside wing. Much, much harder for Bosh to backscreen that. I'm curious to see if anyone does this in the playoffs. Miami will pick you apart with weakside corner 3's if you don't change up your weakside help responsibilities.

Great read...thanks Pete.

In your scenario...if I understand it correctly, I think it may be difficult for the big to get to the wing, no? Though that's a lot better than giving up wide open 3s. The opposing team will have to play small-ball in order to have a quick player guarding Bosh so he can get out to the wing.

End of the game lineup of...Lebron, Wade, Bosh, Battier, and Allen has been extremely tough to stop. IMO, Allen has been a tremendous addition because, unlike other 3 point shooters on the team...Ray Allen doesn't need to be completely wide open to knock down high % of 3s. Just half a step and he quickly pulls the trigger.

Originally posted by 49ersMyLife:
Great read...thanks Pete.

In your scenario...if I understand it correctly, I think it may be difficult for the big to get to the wing, no? Though that's a lot better than giving up wide open 3s. The opposing team will have to play small-ball in order to have a quick player guarding Bosh so he can get out to the wing.

End of the game lineup of...Lebron, Wade, Bosh, Battier, and Allen has been extremely tough to stop. IMO, Allen has been a tremendous addition because, unlike other 3 point shooters on the team...Ray Allen doesn't need to be completely wide open to knock down high % of 3s. Just half a step and he quickly pulls the trigger.

Defensively, you're always going to be giving something up. You're right that the close out is difficult for the big. That's the difficulty with skip passes, and LeBron is the best skip passer in the business, because he's accurate and puts a lot of steam on them. I think that giving up weakside wing is better than the weakside corner because there's an additional defender in the passing lane. When LeBron racks baseline, the guy who's defending the top of the key should be dropped down to around the FT line and in the passing lane between him and the weakside wing. LeBron can get that pass over the top, but IMO it's a tougher pass to make, and the increased arc that he'd have to put on the pass (because he'd have to get it over that FT line defender) gives the big a bit more time to close out. And he's still close enough to close out decently on the guy at the top of the key if LeBron goes there with the pass.

It's very much a "pick your poison" scenario, but I'd try to get Miami out of their comfort zone by switching things up a bit. They know exactly what to do against standard SSZ. SSZ is less effective when the offense starts at the top of the key, but Miami's offense is less effective from the top of the key as well. Again, try to take them out of their comfort zone. Much easier said than done though, and I don't think you could do that in the regular season...you'd need time to prep specifically for them.

Ideally you can closeout hard to the 3 point line and make Battier/Allen/Chalmers put the ball on the floor. You need speed on the perimeter to close out hard, and a good shot blocker down low to do that. OKC & the Knicks are the only teams that come to mind that have both. While Chandler's not a great shot blocker, but he's great at rotating and getting to the right position, so I'm including him. He was a big reason why Dallas beat Miami in '11.

Originally posted by LA9erFan:

Originally posted by 49ersMyLife:
Great read...thanks Pete.

In your scenario...if I understand it correctly, I think it may be difficult for the big to get to the wing, no? Though that's a lot better than giving up wide open 3s. The opposing team will have to play small-ball in order to have a quick player guarding Bosh so he can get out to the wing.

End of the game lineup of...Lebron, Wade, Bosh, Battier, and Allen has been extremely tough to stop. IMO, Allen has been a tremendous addition because, unlike other 3 point shooters on the team...Ray Allen doesn't need to be completely wide open to knock down high % of 3s. Just half a step and he quickly pulls the trigger.

Defensively, you're always going to be giving something up. You're right that the close out is difficult for the big. That's the difficulty with skip passes, and LeBron is the best skip passer in the business, because he's accurate and puts a lot of steam on them. I think that giving up weakside wing is better than the weakside corner because there's an additional defender in the passing lane. When LeBron racks baseline, the guy who's defending the top of the key should be dropped down to around the FT line and in the passing lane between him and the weakside wing. LeBron can get that pass over the top, but IMO it's a tougher pass to make, and the increased arc that he'd have to put on the pass (because he'd have to get it over that FT line defender) gives the big a bit more time to close out. And he's still close enough to close out decently on the guy at the top of the key if LeBron goes there with the pass.

It's very much a "pick your poison" scenario, but I'd try to get Miami out of their comfort zone by switching things up a bit. They know exactly what to do against standard SSZ. SSZ is less effective when the offense starts at the top of the key, but Miami's offense is less effective from the top of the key as well. Again, try to take them out of their comfort zone. Much easier said than done though, and I don't think you could do that in the regular season...you'd need time to prep specifically for them.

Ideally you can closeout hard to the 3 point line and make Battier/Allen/Chalmers put the ball on the floor. You need speed on the perimeter to close out hard, and a good shot blocker down low to do that. OKC & the Knicks are the only teams that come to mind that have both. While Chandler's not a great shot blocker, but he's great at rotating and getting to the right position, so I'm including him. He was a big reason why Dallas beat Miami in '11.

Definitely, over the top pass will give a split second more for the defender and it's a tougher to have the same accuracy as the skip pass. I'm sure teams will employ something like this during the playoffs when they can study the Heat and plan accordingly. I agree, you can't let Allen, Chalmers and Battier shoot open 3s all day. They will hit high % of those shots.

I think something that doesn't get enough attention is improved movement by both Lebron and Wade when they don't have the ball. That has been so refreshing to watch this year and it makes it so difficult to defend this team. This is something now several players have started doing and is a nightmare for defenses. I've a feeling Ray Allen is the reason for much better movement off the ball.

I can't wait for the playoffs to begin. Knicks are definitely a team that can give Miami a tough match-up. Pacers and Chicago are other two teams that can give Miami some problems because of their rebounding prowess. .

No. 1 seed throughout playoffs locked up. Next time I want to see Lebron play is in game 1 of the 1st round series against the Bucks.

Congratulations to the 2013 NBA Champions.

Destruction begins today

Originally posted by H41L5ATAN:
Congratulations to the 2013 NBA Champions.

Way way too early! OKC looks real good. The Finals last year were very close and couple of them could have gone either way.