The Heat Have the Heart, but Not the Talent to Overcome the Cavaliers
The Miami Heat can never be questioned for their effort and instilled competitive culture, but talent is also a requirement for winning, and the Heat have shown not to have enough of it. Game Two saw the Heat do a late-game rally, and an amazing showcase from Tyler Herro, and Davion Mitchell. Haywood Highsmith was also extremely vital towards the late-game comeback, but didn’t have enough to close the game. Bam Adebayo was notably absent with only 11 points in a game that could’ve been vital in turning the momentum towards the Heat when they return to Miami for Game Three with a possible tied series. Adebayo has been very reliable for Miami for the second half of the season, but the pressure may have been too much. Herro and Adebayo are going through their first playoff series as the leaders of the team. This is a very difficult transition to go through, and one of them having an off night can be devastating.
Herro faced similar criticisms when he underperformed in Game One, causing the Heat to demand more from players with less ability. Tonight showcased a team that can give teams a tough battle, but lacks answers when they need to close a game. Nikola Jovic is reasonably catching heat for his struggles late in the game, but he shouldn’t have to be in that role anyway. Herro, as good as he was with his 33-point performance, needs to show that he belongs in the category with the top stars by closing games out no matter what the defense is attacking you with. Herro might be a year away before he takes that leap, and given his progression throughout the years, it’s reasonable to think that it’s possible, but that time isn’t now. Adebayo is great, but at age 27, he simply won’t turn into an unstoppable offensive takeover threat.
If the two top stars in Miami can’t finish the game, then who can? Davion Mitchell has grown into a really crafty player for Miami, but asking him to be a closer is a lot for a guy who has only averaged more than 10 points per game once in his career. Andrew Wiggins would be considered by most to be a shoo-in for the next top option, but he was absent in Game One and even more of a no-show in Game Two. Erik Spoelstra showed his trust in Wiggins when the 30-year-old was nowhere to be seen on the court to close out the game. No closing time minutes for the key return from the Jimmy Butler trade is certainly an indictment of how Wiggins is being received right now in Miami. The closing role is bare and will need to be an addition picked up down the line. It’s really fun to watch an underdog team give the one seed a battle and finish the season with dignity, but it’s probably fair to say that the front office in the 305 is looking more towards the offseason than another Cinderella finals run.
