NBA Miami Heat

Tanking Not An Option For Miami Heat

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By @MattSamFolk

Dwyane Wade, Erik Spoelstra

Scott Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports

The 2014-15 Miami Heat (14-17) season has been a slog at times. The Heat have a 6-11 home record that includes six double-digit defeats. All is not lost, however, as a momentous Christmas Day victory over LeBron James in his return to American Airlines Arena as a member of the Cleveland Cavaliers showed what the Heat can accomplish when playing to their potential. Some pundits are pointing to Miami’s top 10 protected 2015 first-round pick, otherwise owed to the Philadelphia 76ers, as a reason to nix the season and fall deep into the lottery. Tanking would be the worst decision the Heat could make with plenty to achieve in the current season as well as critical future considerations.

Pat Riley and the Heat brass see Miami for what it is, an above average Eastern Conference team that has been decimated by injuries. Many will hide behind the age on the roster, yet F/C Chris Bosh has been a very durable player throughout his career missing just 90 games in his first 11 seasons and never more than 15. F Josh McRoberts has had little injury history prior to the toe injury that eliminated his preseason and the meniscus tear that ended it. Even 32-year-old G Dwyane Wade has only missed one game to his ailing knees (his seven-game absence resulted from a tweaked hamstring).

Bosh is listed as probable to return tonight for the final game of Miami’s homestand against the Orlando Magic. The Heat have struggled mightily in a few of his missed games, but also pushed elite teams like the Washington Wizards and Memphis Grizzlies to the final minute. The emergence of F Danny Granger as a legitimate wing and occasional stretch forward — 10 PPG on 15-of-29 shooting with six treys in the last four games — has boosted a shaky rotation. Chris Andersen, known to most as simply “Birdman”, has also returned from an ankle injury and been very effective in a new starting role with Bosh sidelined. Erik Spoelstra hasn’t had both Birdman and Bosh available since Thanksgiving.

Wade is currently enjoying his most prolific month of scoring since March of 2011, and he’s managing to do it efficiently, shooting 51 percent from the field. Top offseason signing F Luol Deng has played his best in a Heat uniform the last couple weeks, and the Heat may have unearthed a diamond in the rough in young C Hassan Whiteside. Whiteside’s athleticism even at seven feet makes him an a rim protector and stellar rebounder when on the floor. If Spoelstra can find ways to utilize Whiteside offensively, Miami may already have a backup center of the future to replace the 36-year-old Birdman in addition to a solid contributor this season.

Riley may have a move up his sleeve by the trade deadline, and with a $2.65 million disabled-player exception available, the roster could yet receive reinforcements. Miami has targeted F Andray Blatche — 11.2 PPG and 5.3 RPG with Brooklyn a season ago — with the exception, but he cannot return from China until February. With few prominent names currently available, it’s difficult to know whether the Heat will wait on Blatche or pounce on a lesser option.

The real position of need is point guard, where a timeshare of Norris Cole, Mario Chalmers and 2014 first-round pick Shabazz Napier have not produced consistently. Chalmers has been serviceable as a combo guard splitting duties with Wade as a two-guard, but Cole and Napier have not been able to make an impact every game. If Riley can acquire the right point guard to split time with Chalmers and another power forward of Blatche’s caliber, the Heat could be a tough out in the postseason for even the premier teams in the Eastern Conference.

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