An excellent start to the Miami Heat season has crashed and burned in a hurry. After a 13-6 start, they were looking like a team to watch out for in the Eastern Conference, but they have had a significant fall-off in recent weeks, particularly on the offensive end.
As a result, they have lost their last five games in a row and six of their last seven, falling to 14-12. Barely hanging onto a play-in spot, their best player, Bam Adebayo, had some direct words for the rest of his locker room amidst the disappointing stretch of basketball.
Where Are Bam Adebayo and the Miami Heat Lacking?
As the team has fallen in the standings through a brutal December, that slide has also shown up in their production. Their offensive rating, which was among the best in the league, has fallen to a league-average 15th.
That has also been reflected in the raw production, as they failed to cross 110 points in four of their last five games during this losing streak, after eclipsing the barrier in 18 of their first 21 matches. The fall-off has directly resulted in the losses piling up for the organization. However, Adebayo believes the team is not beyond improvement if they can maintain their defensive identity. Speaking to reporters after a 106-96 loss, his focus was crystal clear as he emphasized the importance of defense to his teammates.
“It’s the defensive end I’m worried about. Even if we don’t score 140 and score 96, we can still win. That’s obviously got to be a collective thing and understanding that everybody has to be on the same page.”
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Ranked fourth in defensive rating for the year, the Heat haven’t been a shoddy unit on that side of the ball by any stretch of the imagination. Even holding the Raptors to just 106 would be a plus on any given night. However, with the offense failing to hold up its end of the bargain, the team needs to rely more heavily on its defense. With Adebayo as the lynchpin of the unit, it’s easy to see why he feels responsible for any shortcomings from that side of the ball.
With a roster that features a plethora of guards who have a penchant for offense, like Tyler Herro and Norman Powell, the responsibility of the defense falls more heavily on their last line, which happens to be their perennial All-Star candidate. Still, defense hasn’t been the central issue for Miami this season, even in their dip. The offense needs to find its flow once again. Otherwise, the year could slip out of their hands in a hurry.
