It is easy to understand why the basketball world is talking about the fearsome offense that the Miami Heat in the coming season NBA; However, sometimes a team’s main weapon isn’t necessarily the one that gets the most attention.
That could be the case with the southern team. Floridathat after the arrivals of figures like Giannis Antetokounmpo and Klay Thompson During the break between campaigns he has regained some of the shine he had lost in recent years.
But the troop of Erik Spoelstra has much more to offer than a solid attack; In fact, perhaps the most terrifying part of the quintet, at least for their rivals, is in the defensive area.
The Heat’s starting team does not present any weak link that its opponents can safely attack. Perhaps Thompson can appear as the most vulnerable alternative in the quintet, but the former player of the Golden State Warriors and Dallas Mavericks He will have many reinforcements around him.
Davion Mitchell He is one of the best defensive players in his position, while Andrew Wiggins He gives Miami another long, athletic wing with the ability to take on complex assignments. And if opposing offenses can overcome those two barriers, they will still have to deal with Antetokounmpo and Bam Adebayo.
Adebayo, who has established himself as one of the organization’s greats in recent years, has done basically everything defensively for the Heat in recent seasons. He has been assigned to guard the perimeter and clean up mistakes made by some colleagues, among other tasks.
The veteran player’s work has been so solid that at times it seems that Spoelstra has used his services to cover up to three positions at the same time. But now he will have the Greek star by his side and that is a scenario that should scare the rest of the league.
Both are extremely versatile players who can protect the paint and have the ability to defend away from the basket. The combination of the two could even bring out the best defensive version of each one, as Antetokounmpo will have the door open to be an aggressive defender, knowing that Adebayo will be somewhere behind him.
The NBA’s most talented offenses will, one way or another, find a way to penetrate the defense. They will execute different moves until they get the matchups they want and then they will repeat it over and over again.
But the defensive solidity that Miami presents leads to the question: what matchups will the other teams want when they clash with the Heat?
At the top level, it’s too ambitious to aim for perfection, so fans can expect some matches where the opposing scoreboard gets out of control. But those same fans can rest assured that it won’t be easy to score against their team.
Mitchell can pressure whoever has the ball, Wiggins has the ability to deal with big, burly wings, Adebayo can switch positions effectively and easily, and Antetokounmpo can be in charge of correcting mistakes around the basket.
Banking is not far behind
And if the regular quintet represents defensive solidity, the options that Spoelstra will have from the bench are not far behind either.
Pelle Larsson He is under the scrutiny of many experts who trust that he will take a big step forward in his career during the coming season. He is a fairly physical player, who shows no fear when it comes to covering his opponents. The Swede appears to be the piece that Spoelstra can turn to when Miami needs more energy on the court.
It is also Dru Smithwho does not receive anywhere near the media recognition of other important players on the roster, but who represents exactly what Miami needs on defense. He pressures guards, plays hard and doesn’t need the ball to impact the game.
Likewise, the Heat board has also been in charge of forming a larger roster and that is another card that could show its weight throughout an 82-game campaign. Miami should not be faced with the constant need to compensate for having smaller players than its rivals at certain positions. They have legitimate size on their side, as well as versatility.
With this staff, under the command of a coach with a solid reputation like Spoelstra’s, Miami could well position itself as one of the five best defenses in the league.
The Heat’s offense will improve considerably in the upcoming tournament and fans have every reason to be excited about it. But when it comes to winning games, Miami’s defense could be the one that ends up making the difference.
