Tom Haberstroh has some thoughts on the Miami Heat’s new “Pace and Space” offense after the Heat’s opening-day blowout of the defending champion Dallas Mavericks. Here’s a quick excerpt from his post, which starts with a description of LeBron James drawing a foul on a fast break after a made basket:
Yes, it’s hard to read to much into the first game of the season, especially with all the players Dallas lost, the shortened training camp, and the emotional pre-game banner ceremony for the Mavericks. But the Heat’s fast, furious, and flowing attack was what a lot of NBA fans have been waiting more than a year and a half to see.
Even without much effective weak-side action in the half-court or Chris Bosh doing anything offensively, the Heat absolutely carved the Mavericks’ defense to pieces, and they did it with panache. Having Mario Chalmers and Norris Cole play the point full-time instead of relying on a shooter like Carlos Arroyo, Mike Bibby, or Eddie House at the point made a huge difference -- both players used their speed, athleticism, and aggressiveness to put pressure on the Mavericks on both end of the floor, which was a major factor in helping the Heat get out in transition so often.
The major question facing the Heat if they continue to play this style is whether it will work as well in the playoffs, when the game tends to slow down and possessions get more tense. For that reason, the Heat’s other main offensive adjustment -- they used far more of James and Wade in the post and had far less of James and Wade aimlessly launching jumpers from the perimeter -- could end up being more important than the team’s new commitment to pushing the pace when the games start to really matter.
