The key to stopping the Heat in the playoffs next year

NYNYK

Benchwarmer
WIth all the Lin/Melo etc. threads going on I thought I'd change it up and ask you guys what you think we could have done and should do next year if we encounter the Heat in the playoffs especially on defense. Assume a healthy squad on both sides and put your coaching hat on.

My take:
Defense
They like to do a lot of penetrate and dish out so I was thinking we could play a hybrid man to man and 2-3 zone against them. I think the zone would more effective when both LBJ and Wade are on the floor because they really aren't true outside shooters and with Tyson and Camby both known for their great interior defense would be great at stopping the drive. The man to man or even 3-2 zone might work when only one is on the court. Also, I noticed that Lebron loves that left side of the court and is a bit more uncomfortable on the right side so it would be good if we can flush him towards that side. And most importantly close in on the 3 point shooters when LBJ or D wade dish out especially now that they have Ray Allen. Doesn't matter if the shooter pump fake if you can at least get them to go inside the 3 point line and make them turn that 3 into a 2 point jump shot you've done your job.

Offense
Felton and Stat have to resume that Pick and Roll tandem they had pre Melo. You can also use Melo as an outside shooter at times and have Felton slash in and dish out similar to Lebron or have Melo drive in and kick out. Have to move around off the ball and have to set screens for each other. With JR and Novak back, both need screens from Stat and Chandler to get open in 3 point land; that way when either Melo or Felton are driving in to the basket they always have an open man at the three to pass to. The Heat like to run a small lineup a lot so I think it's imperative that you have 2 bigs there whenever possible and use the post. Hopefully Hakeem's work pays off and both Chandler and Stat run effective post games. Also, I noticed at time a lot of stagnant play on offense (Melo partially to blame but I think he'll improve on) against them. Kidd should improve that along with Felton.

Rebounding:
Offensive rebounding is key and we should try to get as many boards on offense as possible especially because we are bigger than them. The heat like to score and score quick so we need to deny them possession and get as many second chances as possible. Defensively is a given so I won't mention that.

Turnovers:
In the regular season, Chalmers dominated Lin and in the playoffs we struggled too. The Heat are the absolute worst team to have turnovers on because their fast break offense is almost flawless when the Big Three are on the floor. We have to play smart and again, Kidd can hopefully help out with that.

Fouls:
This will depend on the refs calling the game but with Chandler and Camby can share the fouls they commit so that both stay in the game. Earn the fouls too. Have to foul hard if D wade or Lebron drive in and it looks like they have the step on them. I don't mean maul them and cause a flagrant but enough to make them reconsider going in. It's all about intimidation. Camby should play a role in that as well.

Any other thoughts? Suggestions? Criticisms? I talked about the Heat on here and used them as a title on this thread but feel free to debate about how to stop other teams.
 

21 Shump Street

Benchwarmer
Way to hard to assess how well we would have done against Miami if healthy last post season, probably win another game. However what impresses me greatly is that we have improved in all of these categories. Kidd & Felton have much better ball security than Lin and JR stated he would be working on his ball handling & defense over the summer.

A big aspect will be our tenacity on defense & toughness. I really like the signing of Camby, not just for the fact that he is a great back up C and still an elite rebounder & defender, but that it forces STAT to learn post moves. Woodson & Grunwald ensure that STAT will be forced to learn these moves as he won't be getting any minutes at C. I'll go out on a limb here but STAT should be a beast next season. I know he is dying to prove the haters wrong & have a come back year, but look at the support he has. Chandler, Camby & Kurt Thomas are as tough as they come and neither of them will mind calling STAT out if he doesn't give his all on D. Likewise, they will have his back through anything and should all provide a great base for him to lift his game defensively.

Tyson can be more agressive knowing that Camby is there to back him up, as far as fouls is concerned, just check this video.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y0KhpMF4T10
Not only does Camby still show aggression even though they are completely out of the game, but he still blocks the shot cleanly before he fouls. This is exactly the kind of player we need against Lebron who is a great finisher after being fouled. Kurt Thomas is a great addition and is, attitude wise, as close as anyone in the league today as Charles Oakley. If we add Kenyon Martin to the mix I will be very happy as we have 2 potent offensive front court weapons surrounded by a bunch of tough, gritty defenders with a chip on their shoulder. Good luck attacking the paint anyone!
 

WeReady

Benchwarmer
You make a lot of good points but 3-2 zone was ineffective because spoelestra figured out that if you put lebron or wade on the move they can quickly break down that defense and scores easily. What i notice in the ECF finals that was effective was the man-man float zone that Boston used it seemed to slow them down considerably
 

jafet6

Benchwarmer
You make a lot of good points but 3-2 zone was ineffective because spoelestra figured out that if you put lebron or wade on the move they can quickly break down that defense and scores easily. What i notice in the ECF finals that was effective was the man-man float zone that Boston used it seemed to slow them down considerably

Boston did that because bosh was injured!
 

Kidd Karma

Benchwarmer
Stopping the players outside of the Big 3 is key. When Battier, Miller, Chalmers put up big number to supplement the Big 3, guarantees a loss.

Funneling drivers into Chandler and now Camby is a huge start. Dallas geared their defense to allow penetration into Tyson. One of the key adds was an actual post up game from James, he's pick up so much weapons working on the block,credit that to working with Hakeem.
 

orangeblobman

Rotation player
****, man. The key to stopping the Heat next playoffs is praying a lot and maybe using stimulants before the games.

They haven't even peaked. Now they're going into next season as defenders, now they know they can do it and what they have to do to do it again.

Prediction: next 5 chips go to Heat.

Durant will be this era's Ewing, he will go against the Jordan of our times and never win a chip. Poor bastard.

I mean, can it happen? Anything can happen, but any team that faces them has to play out of their minds.
 

platnumn

Benchwarmer
The number one thing is:

STOPPING DWADE.

The dude gets sooo many putback garbage buckets that it's ridiculous not to always put a guy on him to box him out!!:barf:
 

jimkcchief88

All Star
The KNICKS did exactly what you have to do to stop the HEAT during the offseason: beef up the frontline. Now between Chandler/STAT/CAMBY we have 18 fouls to give in the paint. TEAM DEFENSE is key, and Woody knows how to coach it. You aren't going to stop the Heat on the perimeter because they are too quick and the refs have a quick whistle. But you can stop them when they get into the paint with defensive rotations. Contrary to what most think, the Heat are not a good shooting team. Lebron and D-Wade are streak shooters and if you don't let them blow by you, they will sit outside and build there customary house of bricks. Those two hurt you when they breakdown your defense getting into the paint....That leads to easy buckets, trips to the line. and wide open kick-out jumpers for thier shooters. Which is why they were hot after Ray Ray....That's ok...KNICKS defense is going to have something for them this season.....
 

orangeblobman

Rotation player
The KNICKS did exactly what you have to do to stop the HEAT during the offseason: beef up the frontline. Now between Chandler/STAT/CAMBY we have 18 fouls to give in the paint. TEAM DEFENSE is key, and Woody knows how to coach it. You aren't going to stop the Heat on the perimeter because they are too quick and the refs have a quick whistle. But you can stop them when they get into the paint with defensive rotations. Contrary to what most think, the Heat are not a good shooting team. Lebron and D-Wade are streak shooters and if you don't let them blow by you, they will sit outside and build there customary house of bricks. Those two hurt you when they breakdown your defense getting into the paint....That leads to easy buckets, trips to the line. and wide open kick-out jumpers for thier shooters. Which is why they were hot after Ray Ray....That's ok...KNICKS defense is going to have something for them this season.....

Oh, wow. Until today, I didn't realize you were a basketball fan.

That's a great point, we have a lot of extra bodies that we can throw out there, Kurt Thomas will probably serve that purpose exclusively. Clog the lane and put them on the floor.

I didn't realize how bad D-Wade is from outside, under 30% career and shooting 2 a game? Inexcusable for him, I think he should work on that ASAP, I mean, if he's going to shoot them at that clip.

LeBron can bang them though and now they have Ray Allen, so I think they went a long way to address their three-ball weakness.
 

jimkcchief88

All Star
****, man. The key to stopping the Heat next playoffs is praying a lot and maybe using stimulants before the games.

They haven't even peaked. Now they're going into next season as defenders, now they know they can do it and what they have to do to do it again.

Prediction: next 5 chips go to Heat.

Durant will be this era's Ewing, he will go against the Jordan of our times and never win a chip. Poor bastard.

I mean, can it happen? Anything can happen, but any team that faces them has to play out of their minds.

I thought you were taking this drivel to the Rockets site with your boy??? What are you still doing here???:(
 

jimkcchief88

All Star
Oh, wow. Until today, I didn't realize you were a basketball fan.

That's a great point, we have a lot of extra bodies that we can throw out there, Kurt Thomas will probably serve that purpose exclusively. Clog the lane and put them on the floor.

I didn't realize how poor of a shooter D-Wade is, under 30% career and shooting 2 a game? Inexcusable for him, I think he should work on that ASAP, I mean, if he's going to shoot them at that clip.

LeBron can bang them thought and now they have Ray Allen, so I think they went a long way to address their three-ball weakness.

Wow didn't realize you were a basketball fan either:) Uhhh yeah outside the hype and tight shirts, D-Wade and Lebron can't shoot a lick. They do most thier damage getting into the paint and breaking down defenses. I forgot about Kurt Thomas:) I love seeing the old tough KNICKS back:) Make that 24 fouls to give in the paint. I am telling you guys its going to be like the good old days bodies flying....No easy shots in the paint...Woody coaching them up defensive specialist....Watch "The Train" get derailed as we send him crashing to the ground....And the crybaby stuff and tears...Can't wait
 

elcol

Rotation player
Wow didn't realize you were a basketball fan either:) Uhhh yeah outside the hype and tight shirts, D-Wade and Lebron can't shoot a lick. They do most thier damage getting into the paint and breaking down defenses. I forgot about Kurt Thomas:) I love seeing the old tough KNICKS back:) Make that 24 fouls to give in the paint. I am telling you guys its going to be like the good old days bodies flying....No easy shots in the paint...Woody coaching them up defensive specialist....Watch "The Train" get derailed as we send him crashing to the ground....And the crybaby stuff and tears...Can't wait

And when iman comes back,...msg will become a hellhole, so hyped for our tenacious defense
 

CLYDE

Benchwarmer
And when iman comes back,...msg will become a hellhole, so hyped for our tenacious defense

Shump will be the key to having a chance to beat the Heat. If he is healthy he is I think the only player around that can defend Wade. And Shump wants this bad!

If Wade is held down, and if Melo can off-set LeBron while Chandler contains Bosh, then Heat can be beat. Won't be easy though.
 

petescud

Starter
as we saw last year injuries are key. The Heat lost an element with Bosh down and he's the one you'd care to lose out of the big 4. Then Bosh comes back with a monster series. If we can play anyone with only a few minor injuries then we have a shot. Maybe we'll luck out and Boston will finish off the heat next year. We match up against them a lot better. I wouldn't just surrender chips to the heat though.
 

NYk_Reloaded718

★KNICKS-TAPE★
The key is to simply...hire somebody to break Lebrons leg

but in all seriousness we really need to stay healthy to even have a chance.
 

p0nder

Starter
Key to beating the heat is literally "beating" the heat. Hence KT, Camby, and Tyson. Also, JKidd is known for his physical defense, added in ronnie brewer to do it to wade, Shump when he gets right will be on beast mode. Frustrate them and make them work. Put them on their asses every single time they step into the paint and make them think twice. Encourage them to play a perimeter game.

Their pick up of Ray Allen only further plays into this. They believe that he will be a good valve for them but instead I expect he will become a crutch. One that stunts their potential a little bit. Instead of looking for bosh for that easy 2 from 10-14, they'll be looking for ray for the trey. With Shump back for playoffs, I have every expectation that he'll make ray miss more often then not.

This team is built to beat the heat. We got a good look at them in the playoffs last year. This year we're gonna go hard on them. Knicks for top seed in the east baby!
 

21 Shump Street

Benchwarmer
Key to beating the heat is literally "beating" the heat. Hence KT, Camby, and Tyson. Also, JKidd is known for his physical defense, added in ronnie brewer to do it to wade, Shump when he gets right will be on beast mode. Frustrate them and make them work. Put them on their asses every single time they step into the paint and make them think twice. Encourage them to play a perimeter game.

Their pick up of Ray Allen only further plays into this. They believe that he will be a good valve for them but instead I expect he will become a crutch. One that stunts their potential a little bit. Instead of looking for bosh for that easy 2 from 10-14, they'll be looking for ray for the trey. With Shump back for playoffs, I have every expectation that he'll make ray miss more often then not.

This team is built to beat the heat. We got a good look at them in the playoffs last year. This year we're gonna go hard on them. Knicks for top seed in the east baby!

I just hope we seed well so we don't have to play to Heat till the ECF if we get there. Would love to knock out Boston in the 2nd round though.
 
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