****OFFICIAL 2013 NBA PLAYOFFS THREAD****

[-King-]

2012-2013 NBA Champions:

[KC native]

Originally Posted by -King-

Report: Erik Spoelstra considering starting Mike Miller in Game 4

Kurt Helin

Jun 13, 2013, 2:50 PM EDT
1 Comment
San Antonio Spurs v Miami Heat - Game Two Getty Images

Miami needs floor spacing to get their offense going. The San Antonio Spurs are packing the paint, ignoring Dwyane Wade on the perimeter off the ball, taking away LeBron James’ driving lanes and daring anyone on the Spurs to regularly beat them by shooting over the top. The Heat have become stagnant, the weak side movement in their offense seems to have gone away.

The only Heat player to really space the floor in this series is Mike Miller, who is 10-of-11 from three the NBA Finals.

So Erik Spoelstra is considering starting him, reports Brian Windhorst of ESPN.

Looking to jump-start a sluggish offense, Miami Heat coach Erik Spoelstra is considering changing his starting lineup for Game 4 of the NBA Finals and inserting the hot-shooting Mike Miller, sources said Thursday…

If Spoelstra decides to make the change with Miami trailing the San Antonio Spurs 2-1 in the best-of-seven Finals, Miller likely would replace Udonis Haslem in the starting lineup to give the Heat more shooters in an attempt to spread the floor.

Miller and LeBron have been +18.9 per 100 possessions when paired this series. It’s worth a shot. But whether he starts or comes off the bench, expect a lot of Miller and a lot of shooters on the court for the Heat.

Two quick thoughts.

First, it’s not just the offense that is the Heat’s problem — they were worse on the defensive end in Game 3. Fixing the offensive problems is less than half the story, although Miller certainly has been solid on defense.

Second, I have a theory that the first coach to break his regular routine in a series — to really mess with rotations or radically alter strategy — is the coach that knows he’s beat. If you get all the way to the NBA Finals doing one thing, you don’t change it up unless you have to. Sometimes the desperation moves pay off and things change, but it’s not a good sign.

Please start Mike Miller. ****ing idiot. Miller can't play defense at all and isn't going to go 5-5 from 3 point land tonight.

Spoelestra is in over his head.

[Hootie]

their BEST lineup is:

Cole, Allen, Miller, James, Anderson

[KC native]

Originally Posted by unnecessary drama

their BEST lineup is:

Cole, Allen, Miller, James, Anderson

So who covers Duncan and Splitter? Miami would get dominated down low if they ran that line up for long periods of time.

[vailpass]

Go Spurs!

[Hootie]

Originally Posted by KC native

So who covers Duncan and Splitter? Miami would get dominated down low if they ran that line up for long periods of time.

who covers those two with Bosh and Haslem in the game?

[KC native]

Originally Posted by unnecessary drama

who covers those two with Bosh and Haslem in the game?

Touche. Duncan and Splitter have man handled Anderson though. He is a liability for them against the Spurs. He doesn't have the size and strength to stop them. Haslem has been decent on defense and Bosh is bosh.

[chiefzilla1501]

Originally Posted by unnecessary drama

their BEST lineup is:

Cole, Allen, Miller, James, Anderson

It's hard to figure out why spo used that lineup with bosh instead of Anderson.

Second... Not really sure if that really changes things up a ton. Boshs value is in spreading the floor so they don't crowd the inside for lebron. So is miller's. Bosh poses the threat that he can beat you on the dribble if you guard him too close, miller's will beat you with a 3 if you don't play him close enough.

From that standpoint, Miller does help lbj play with less traffic. But if miller's off just a tad bit and considering that bosh gives at least some defense and can rebound... How much value is miller adding. My sense is.. If miller isn't shooting 5 for 5,not much.

[Hootie]

Bosh is 100% worthless.

Wade is about 90% worthless with a little upside for redemption. Dude has just lost it.

He needs to start making his shots...and stop taking fadeaway 18 footers.

Bosh probably doesn't need to be on the floor more than 25 minutes...tops. He's useless.

[KC native]

Originally Posted by unnecessary drama

Bosh is 100% worthless.

Wade is about 90% worthless with a little upside for redemption. Dude has just lost it.

He needs to start making his shots...and stop taking fadeaway 18 footers.

Bosh probably doesn't need to be on the floor more than 25 minutes...tops. He's useless.

Or the Spurs could just be that good. The Heat's line up was dominant all season until they ran into a real team in the finals. Any team that features LeBron James will be in cintention because he is the best player in the game right now.

[Hootie]

the Heat won 7 of the first 8 quarters against the Spurs

the Pacers were a tougher matchup than the Spurs last series...the Heat trailed like 80% of that series

If Miami wins this game, they win the series in 7. If they lose, they lose in 5.

[KC_Connection]

Originally Posted by KC native

Please start Mike Miller. ****ing idiot. Miller can't play defense at all and isn't going to go 5-5 from 3 point land tonight.

Spoelestra is in over his head.

So basically Miller does the same thing as Bosh in their offense, but actually makes his wide open threes more often.

[-King-]

Originally Posted by unnecessary drama

the Heat won 7 of the first 8 quarters against the Spurs

the Pacers were a tougher matchup than the Spurs last series...the Heat trailed like 80% of that series

Go home, you're drunk.

[chiefzilla1501]

Originally Posted by KC_Connection

So basically Miller does the same thing as Bosh in their offense, but actually makes his wide open threes more often.

Except that he rebounds, is a good not great defender, and is good not great in the post. Miller is a pure outside shooter. His job is to hit a three here and there and force one guy to take his off LeBron in the lane. That's it. You have to deal with the fact that he's going to get outmatched on defense and will be average on the boards.

It's quite simple. If Bosh doesn't hit his outside shots, this is a wash. If Bosh does even average from the otuside, then this is a complete waste to take Bosh out of the lineup for Miller.

[Hammock Parties]

Tonight Lebron's legend dies.

He will wilt under the pressure of this game.

[KC_Connection]

Originally Posted by chiefzilla1501

Except that he rebounds, is a good not great defender, and is good not great in the post.

You sure we're talking about the same player? Bosh has never been an effective post player (he's a face up player...or at least he used to be, now he's just a spot shooter for Miami), nor is he an effective defender against anybody with size. He's been a good rebounder in the past, but he's coming off averaging an embarrassing 4 rebounds a game against the Pacers. That aspect of his game gets worse in physical games against bigger players.

Bosh is better than Mike Miller, but considering how he's played in the playoffs and how they utilize the skills he does have (very poorly), it's not exactly an outrageous decision if that in fact happens.