Wade lit up the score board tonight with 31 points |
Miami shot better. The Heat's 50 percent shooting from the field topped the Raptor's 45 percent. We saw a lot of consistency from everyone on the team, and they looked very fluent with every shot they took. At the end of the day, the team that makes more shots is going to win. Miami shot the ball very well tonight.
The Heat had less turn overs. Miami's 9 turnovers was less than Toronto's 11, and LeBron and Wade took care of the rock. The Heat did a great job protecting the ball today, and it helped them substantially in the final minutes of the game.
Big Z started. I loved Z in the starting line up today, and he put up great numbers. 12 points from the big guy, and the outside threat gives Wade and James a wider lane to work with. Big Z in the starting line up helps LeBron out a lot more, and adds a nice scoring threat. Great move.
Wade recovered very well from Boston. We saw him drop 31 points with 8 rebounds, and he made the Raptor's defense look silly. Wade is a pure scorer, and when he puts up numbers like this it helps to get everyone else started. On this Miami Heat team, he is going to be the guy that puts up plus 20 consistently. If all else fails, count on him or LeBron and throw down the momentum shifting dunk.
LeBron kept the game in control. King James did his best to control the pace of the game, while adding a double double with 23 points and 11 assists. He found Wade open numerous times, and the combination of Wade and James tonight was lethal. When LeBron can control the tempo and play his way, the whole team benefits. Which brings me to my next point.
The bench play was great tonight. Although Miami does not have a very deep bench, Jones and Haslem combined for 24 points. Haslem's consistency continues to be a factor, and I really enjoyed the fact that we have been seeing more minutes from him lately.
Bosh's game was off tonight. You can tell he was frustrated, and it was obviously aggravating to not be able to put up serious points against your old team. With LeBron and Wade syncing so well, you can imagine Bosh's frustration that he isn't quite their yet. I believe he is trying too hard to impress people. Chris is a great talent, and has nothing to prove. Once he settles down and just plays his game, everything is going to come to him. We saw LeBron talking to him towards the end of the game, so it is clear that everyone else on the team is going to support him until he gets into a groove. On top of that, the points he puts up really do make a difference in the game. So overall, I am not worried about Bosh's play. He did his job and made a dent in the scoring column. In my opinion, as long as the Heat get the win, Bosh did what he had to do.
So overall we saw this game as a step in the right direction. We saw LeBron and Wade's dominance when they are both on the same page, solid bench play from Jones and Haslem, and a line up change that proved successful. The Heat have plenty of time to rest between now and their next game on Wednesday, so expect to see a lot more improvements. Their is no ceiling for Miami basketball.
Get em.