Heat rise to playoff contention
Two months ago, the Miami Heat were 11-30 and on a four-game losing streak. They had the second-worst record in the league and were looking at no worse than a top-five pick in a deep draft.
Then, the Heat started winning, beginning with a 13-game streak. They kept winning – 16 of 18 and now 21 of 26.
Since Jan. 14, Miami’s .808 winning percentage is an NBA-best, as they move from 14th place in the Eastern Conference to tied for ninth, just a half game behind the Milwaukee Bucks for the final playoff spot in the conference.
What in the name of Pat Riley happened?
“Everybody is looking for a defining moment. What turned the season around?” said Heat coach Erik Spoelstra, who is a deserving Coach of the Year candidate. “There isn’t one moment, but the thing that is most gratifying about this group is that even when we were losing, everybody was still committed to coming in with a consistent approach every day to try and get better. We were building habits while losing, and you could see progress. You could see our team getting better.”
Maybe you didn’t see it. But Spoelstra did.
“We didn’t talk about the (11-30) record,” he said. “We didn’t talk about anything other than improving.” In the past two months, the Heat are: » No. 1 in three-point shooting percentage (40.3%).
» No. 8 in field-goal percentage (47.5%).
» No. 3 in defensive efficiency, allowing 102.2 points per 100 possessions.
» No. 6 in offensive efficiency, scoring 110.6 points per 100 possessions.
“The biggest thing was trying to figure out who your team was and is,” Spoelstra said. “We were trying to figure out how this team can play at its best. What are the team’s strengths? How can we get to that? What makes the most sense for this team?”
The Heat found it with defense, threepoint shooting and a blue-collar approach that Spoelstra appreciates. During this hot streak, the team is winning with players both expected and unexpected. Guard Goran Dragic is averaging 21.7 points since Jan. 14. That’s expected. Guard Dion Waiters is averaging 19.1 points and shooting 45.8% on three-pointers. That’s unexpected.
Center Hassan Whiteside is averaging 15.2 points and 14.1 rebounds. Expected. James Johnson is averaging 12.7 points, 4.9 rebounds and 4.2 assists. Unexpected. Wayne Ellington is at 11.6 points per game. Expected. Okaro White is playing 15.5 minutes per game. Unexpected.
“The best part of this is that everybody has been involved – from the top of ownership to management to coaching staff and players,” Spoelstra said. “Everybody is trying to do their part without worrying about who gets the credit.”
Oh, and the Heat have been the most injured team in the NBA this season. Heat players have missed a league-leading 269 games due to injury, including second-year players Justise Winslow (out since Dec. 30) and Josh Richardson (just 38 games played this season).
While it takes players to execute on the court, what’s happening can be traced to Spoelstra, who probably should have won a Coach of the Year award when he had Chris Bosh, LeBron James and Dwyane Wade. He has been one of the league’s best, and perhaps underappreciated, coaches for almost a decade.
Spoelstra isn’t exactly doing this with pieces off the scrap heap, but he is making the most out of the lineup.
“I just like having the opportunity to coach this team, and I’m thrilled to be able to coach this group because I respect them. It’s a really good group to be part of,” he said.