Faster pace leads to scoring surge
Before Dwyane Wade
MIAMI — was traded to Miami on Feb. 8, the Heat’s offense was one of the worst and slowest in the NBA.
Miami ranked 24th out of 30 teams in offensive rating with 103.1 points per 100 possessions over the first 55 games of the season. But over the past 11 games with Wade, the Heat posted the
eighth-best offensive rating with 111.3 points per 100 possessions. Wade’s presence has helped, but players in the Heat locker room point to a faster pace as
the biggest reason for the sudden improvement. The Heat are averaging 100.43 possessions per 48 minutes over this recent 11-game offensive surge, the NBA’s 13th-fastest pace during that time. Compare that to the first 55 games when Miami was playing at the third-slowest pace in the league (96.86 possessions per 48 minutes), and this is a pretty drastic style change.
“Our pace is faster,” point guard Goran Dragic said when asked to
dissect the Heat’s of ff ff ff ff ff fens ive improvement. “It sounds kind of strange because D-Wade, he likes to play a little bit slower. But especially the fifirst unit, we have a lot of pitch- aheads. As soon as you get the ball, try to pitch
ahead. ... We’ve got maybe more possessions because of that. Of course, our execution is way better so that counts, too.”
The Heat now take their surging off ff ff ff ff ff en se and a twogame winning streak on the road for a three-game trip that begins tonight against the Trail Blazers. Portland is on a nine-game winning streak and is third in the Western Conference, while the Heat have dropped seven consecutive road games and could be without starting center Hassan Whiteside (strained left hip flexor) and Wade ( strained left hamstring). But if Miami can continue to pair an improved off ff ff ff ff ff en se with its strong defense, it can keep any game close regardless of the opponent.
The faster pace creates extra shot attempts. Miami is averaging 89.3 shots over the past 11 games compared to 84.1 for the season. Those additional five shots c an make a di ff ff ff ff ff ff er en ce for a Heat team that’s played a lot of
‘I love the pace of how fast we were getting it up and advancing …’ Erik Spoelstra Heat coach
opponents close. Miami has been a part of an NBA-high 45 games this season in which there was a margin of fifive points or fewer inside the
fifinal fifive minutes. Coach Erik Spoelstra said the Heat played at a “terrifific pace” in Saturday’s 129-102
win over the Wizards. Miami scored season-highs in points and paint points.
“I love the pace of how fast we were getting it up and advancing the ball into attacking positions,” Spoelstra said. “That’s something, I think, with our speed and our depth now that we’re healthy, I think we can explore that even more.”