Heat: Red Alert

Okay, yes the Heat are in trouble and everyone can see that. They have just dropped five straight and are not producing wins like everyone expected.

Should the Heat organization hit the panic button just yet?

No.

The Heat are the Heat. They are the most talented team in the NBA and talent can get you far. Too much talent can also hurt you at times if you're not careful.  Relying on only your talent in basketball 9 out of 10 times will not work out so well.

I remember my high school basketball coach telling me, “Hey, you can teach any idiot to shoot, but knowing when to shoot is something that takes intuition.” He didn't exactly say it like that. My high school basketball coach by his own admission was a prick. But I realized what he was saying. Having the skills to do things in basketball will not ensure success. That is where the Heat are currently. They have all the skills in the world. They arguably have two of the five best players in the NBA on one team and sharp shoots that rival Black Ops.

What is wrong with them? A lot.

When I watch the Heat play it seem as thought there is no game plan. They don't try to execute anything on the floor, all they try to do is produce. You would never see the Celtics play like that or the Spurs. And you only see the Lakers do that when something breaks down or Kobe Bryant is frustrated and tries to take over the game. Sorry, have to reiterate this, Kobe is the best player in the game and has five rings that say he can do whatever he wants with a basketball on the court; LeBron James and Dwyane Wade are nowhere near him.

The Miami Heat right now are a show: Flashy passes, great dunks, with one-on-one entertainment. That might have been enough to get it done in the 90's when Jordan played, but not anymore. The NBA has evolved. You need to have a strong team game. Your big men need to be involve to set up easy spot up jump-shots (like the Orlando Magic). And yes, you need a star player on your team. The only basketball team I can remember winning a NBA Championship without a true star player was the Detroit Pistons (2004) and they beat the Los Angeles Lakers that had four hall-a-fame starters. Their was turmoil on that Laker team at that time, but there is no excuse losing to the Pistons with the roster they had.

So why is it that the Heat will be okay?

Because they have the talent, and that talent is not going anywhere. James and Wade, along with Chris Bosh are smart enough players to know that when crunch time comes that it's enough with the Hollywood show and it will be time to make something special like an indi-movie. You might say they will turn into Mickey Rourke and their playoff run will amount to something like the movie “The Wrestler”.

When the playoffs come things will settle down for them internally. Yes, the media will be pushing them, trying to get a story, but underneath all that mayhem, they will be calm and cool. Imploding will not do them any good and will cause them to make an early exit out of the playoffs. James will be passing more. Wade will stop taking crazy fade-away shots. Bosh will get closer to the basket and Mike Bibby will start running the team like a point guard should.

I still have the Heat making it to the second round. And for you avid sports fans, if you think a slumping team is down and out, I just have to mention two teams. The New York Giants during the 2007-2008 season and the Super Bowl that year. And the Boston Red Sox improbable playoff victory against the New York Yankees in the ALCS in 2004.

Therefore, my advice to all those Heat-haters, save your breath till it's all said and done.

Mr. Felder