So, with 18 games left before the playoffs, here's what we have:
--LeBron James is falling apart.
--Dwyane Wade is unhappy with the offense.
--The offense has regressed to a series of isolation plays and three-point shots.
--Chris Bosh has forgotten how to rebound.
--Mario Chalmers has forgotten how to shoot.
--Mike Miller is perpetually injured.
--Norris Cole has hit the rookie wall.
--Eddy Curry and Dexter Pittman never panned out.
--A 6-9ish center is still starting.
--Pat Riley is a terrible singer.
Does that pretty much cover it?
OK, let's not completely overreact. After all, the Heat is 35-13, which is good for second place in the Eastern Conference. Still, you can't deny several things have been off with the team since the All-Star break. The Heat is 8-6 since then and enters Thursday's game against the Mavericks the loser of two straight blowouts.
Let's start with LeBron James. He was shooting the best percentage of his career this season until he banged his elbow and his head against the Suns. Since then, James is shooting around 40 percent. And now a report by ESPN's Chris Broussard tells us that James dislocated his left ringer finger against the Pacers. Believe what you want about James' finger, but know that whenever Broussard breaks any news about James it's because James' people are indirectly trying to make excuses for James' inconsistent game.
I have no doubt that James hurt his finger against the Pacers, but--hello!--it's only a finger. Maybe James needs a few days off to recuperate and rest up for playoffs.
Next, we have Dwyane Wade and his apparent agitation with the Heat's offense. Wade didn't attempt a shot in the fourth quarter against Oklahoma City (silent protest, as Mike Wallace points out, or something else?) and then wouldn't talk about it after the game. There's no denying the fact that the Heat's offense has taken a step back since the All-Star break. The Heat's scoring averages are down and James and Wade, once focused on slashing to the paint, are relying more and more on long jump shots.
Which brings us to the biggest potential issue: Is the Heat burned out? The physical toll of the shortened season has affected every team but the Heat's high-energy styles of offense and defense seem more vulnerable to the fatigue factor. Maybe the Heat is just conserving its energy until the playoffs.
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