Please play along with me for a minute here. When trying to think of a way to sum up the Miami Heat’s situation right now, this video was the first thing that came to mind. Pretend in this instance that Commissioner Gordon is Erik Spoelstra, since Coach Spo is on his death bed right now. If Miami loses Spo is fired or he's going to suddenly want to spend more time with his family and will step down as coach. When he says, "This evil rises," picture Kevin Garnett in this Gatorade Rain advertisement. When he says, "Batman," just replace that with, "Boshtrich." And since Gordon is talking to Bruce Wayne, just imagine that is Chris Bosh. Let's go.
That about sums up Miami's predicament. The big three were all in this together, then with one strange abdominal strain after a dunk, Chris Bosh was gone. Now after a series with Indiana that was tough, the Boston Celtics are rising and have managed to outplay the Heat in three straight games. If not for some officiating many thought was poor in Game 2, the Celtics could easily be up 3-1 right now. The C's have built up double-digit leads in the last three games but lost them in Games 2 and 4, but they have held home court and go back to Miami with the series at 2-2 and a good shot at stealing the game they need on the road.
The biggest reason for this, much like the evil Bane rising in Gotham since Batman is gone, is because Chris Bosh has been out since the first game of the Pacers series. It should be pretty obvious to everybody that Miami badly needs Bosh, but it is still worth explaining. There was a game in that series with Indiana where up until late only two people other than Dwyane Wade and LeBron James scored the ball. You can't win a championship like that. The Heat can get contributions from guys like Udonis Haslem, Mario Chalmers, Shane Battier, and even the occasional Mike Miller quality appearance. But in spite of the role players occasionally stepping up, it isn't enough. Too much of Miami's offense is Wade or LeBron take the ball and everybody get back. This was manageable against Indiana since their inexperience gave Miami something to capitalize on. It isn't the same with Boston, and an All Star and proven 20 point per game scorer would help.
Dwyane Wade is struggling thanks to Boston's defense. He goes long stretches where he is ineffective. Miami's offense is very much centered around the big three dominating so with Bosh out and Wade diminished, more pressure falls on LeBron James. He has had a good series but much like Cleveland, LeBron playing well with some scrubs is not going to be enough to beat Boston. If Miami had Chris Bosh this series would be different. It is hard to tell by how much as Boston's defense always keeps them in it and Rajon Rondo causes all sorts of problems, but the late game fails we saw from Miami would be less likely and LeBron and Wade would not have to do as much, and Boston's old legs would have to work harder on defense.
Bosh is mocked constantly and the Heat have been called the big two and a half, but really Bosh is every bit as important to the team as the other guys and is a very good player. Aside from helping double on Dwyane Wade occasionally and maybe picking up LeBron off a screen, Kevin Garnett doesn't have to do a whole lot in this series on the defensive end. Chris Bosh being there instantly puts another offensive threat on the floor and KG has to do some real work. Garnett is getting up there in age, has fought off nagging injuries for a while, and has to do so much on the offensive end. If he had to guard Bosh it would wear him out. Bosh's jump shooting ability helps stretch the floor and would open up more holes for Wade. Bosh's offensive skill set would save Miami instantly since just having
him out there opens the floor more and makes the Heat tougher to guard. If Bosh were there, think of how different those poorly executed final possessions Miami had in the fourth quarter and overtime would have been last night.
To end the fourth, LeBron got the ball, drove into a crowd of three people, and smartly passed the ball. Despite the title of this video, LeBron did not choke. If that were Bosh, a far more capable offensive player than Haslem, nobody could have a problem with that, but the Celtics just played good defense so the play was doomed. On ESPN somebody was saying LeBron should have given it to Chalmers. How would he even see Chalmers? If anything Haslem could have tried to get it to Chalmers but whatever. It was a bad play, and in overtime LeBron fouled out and the Heat's final possession was just as bad. Watch:
Aside from Chalmers trying to get open, there was no play other than something to the effect of "get back and let Dwyane shoot." An iso for a star at the end of the game isn't always a bad move or anything, but that seems to be what Miami does every time and they fail miserably. Two thoughts hit me while watching that play. First, if Bosh were there it is likely there would have been a much better design. To finish out the discussion on the importance of the Boshtrich, Chris Bosh is a terrific offensive player and for a team that seems to have so many problems executing on offense at the end of games it would save their asses and make them far less predictable if he were out there.
Second, why was Mike Miller on the bench? James Jones was out there so Miller should have been too so you'd have more three point shooters, but yet the play was pretty clearly "maybe get the ball to Mario Chalmers but if not screw it Dwyane will handle it." The other guys weren't even moving on the floor as decoys. That is Erik Spoelstra's fault. Jon Barry said last night after the game this is a recurring problem with the Heat. They can't execute at the end of games. It isn't always that somebody is choking, Spoelstra needs to design better plays than "maybe set a screen here or there then just stand back and let Wade or LBJ go to work." It has been two seasons and they still have problems executing at the end of games. Bosh being there is another option, but the Heat still have fundamental problems in design.
After last night's loss, the Heat are now complaining about the referees due to LeBron fouling out. Yes, the Heat are complaining about the referees. In Game 2, Miami took 47 free throws to Boston's 29. Boston has attempted more free throws than Miami in only one of the four games so far, taking 26 to Miami's 20 in Game 3. In Game 2, the game many said was horribly officiated, Miami was called for 18 fouls while Boston was called for 33. Miami hasn't exactly been dumped on by the refs or anything.
While LeBron fouling out was strange, Paul Pierce fouled out for the second time this series last night. It isn't like only Miami was being dumped on, but if you talk to former coach and current Heat president Pat Riley you'll hear a much different tale.
"It was a typical night in the Boston Garden," Riles was quoted in Mark Spears' piece on the Heat being upset about the refs. Keep in mind, when Boston was miffed about the refs Miami had just taken 18 more free throws and had been called for 15 fewer fouls. Last night Boston was called for 30 fouls to Miami's 28, and Boston took 20 free throws to Miami's 24. LeBron James attempted the most free throws out of anybody in the game with 8. The refs really must have had it out for Miami then. Was it the refs being mean, or was it Miami getting flustered?
The Heat need to worry less about the refs and more about the fact that in three straight games Boston has built up leads of 15 or more through devastating execution. Garnett continues to turn the clock back, averaging 19.5 points and 10.8 rebounds this post-season. His career averages are 19.3 and 10.6. That is insane. Even a good defender like Udonis Haslem hasn't been able to stop KG from getting his numbers and having a double-double in three of the four games so far. Miami also needs to find a way to slow Rajon Rondo since he is shredding them. Rondo has been scoring well this series, and he has never been known for his ability to put the ball in the basket. This is a Celtics team riddled with injuries, missing one of its best defensive guards, and thought far too old to compete. But somehow they're pushing Miami around now.
Of course Miami isn't the only team that needs to figure things out. Boston has blown big leads in two games now, dropping Game 2 because of this. Boston's offense can be downright dreadful on many possessions, and after great execution in the first half they find themselves struggling in the second. Boston also needs to play smarter. Paul Pierce fouled out last night after two plays involving Shane Battier. Battier took a charge on a fast break to give him five fouls. The Heat led the league in taking charges during the season and Pierce was running slow on the break so he should have seen this coming. Then he steamrolled Battier a few minutes later, shoving him in the back and getting called for the foul. It was really bad. Almost as bad as Ray Allen foolishly trying to put up a lay up over Dwyane Wade the other night and getting stuffed. Boston needs to slow down and execute like the Spurs of old since if they want to speed things up Miami will run wild on them. This is how they blow leads and get made to look like silly old men.
But despite the blown leads and silly mistakes, what seemed like the obvious end of the Celtics has now become an intense series. Despite their age and having to battle nagging injuries, the C's have been outplaying Miami and seem ready to fight for the series lead in Game 5. Bosh may return for that game, and if he does it will be interesting to see if he's close to full strength. If he isn't healthy then he will most likely be ineffective and nothing much changes for Boston. If he is healthy then the Celtics have to re-work their entire defensive scheme. If not then it may be more of the same, with Boston putting Miami on the ropes.
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