3. Win Individual Matchups
There will be so many intriguing matchups throughout Miami’s playoff run, given that they advance to the NBA Finals. Currently, the matchup of Goran Dragic on Kemba Walker is one to watch. Hassan Whiteside on Al Jefferson is another.
Though team basketball is the key to victory for the Heat, winning individual matchups is also vital to the team’s success. The game of basketball is all about exploiting matchups and Miami has done a superior job of this over the years. Head coach Erik Spoelstra will have to read deep into the scouting report in order to assess his best possible matchups throughout each series and work to hone in on one-on-one domination in those areas.
If Miami meets LeBron James in the Eastern Conference Finals, it’s no shocker that a one-on-one matchup versus James will not work out. The “King” can’t be stopped, but he can be slowed, and Miami will have to rely on team defense to get the job done. Having said that, the individual matchups of Johnson, Justise Winslow and/or Luol Deng on James will be key when Miami cannot afford to spare another defender, say, if Kyrie Irving or Kevin Love gets hot in the series.
Next: Get Whiteside Going
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