Good all-around post, but I think people discount the Heat's depth too much.
Shane Battier is the poster child of a role player.
Battier WAS the poster child of a role player... 3 years ago. Not he's 33 and isn't nearly as effective as he used to be.
Excellent perimeter defender who usually draws the assignment of guarding the likes of Kobe, Durant, and LeBron, when he played elsewhere.
you are completely living in the past here.
He is also an underrated shooter.
actually, he's an overrated shooter. He was a good shooter years ago, but as he's gotten older, his shot has gone bye bye, averaging a pretty bad 33% three point shooting the last couple years. again, living in the past.
If I were Spoelstra, I'd keep him on Durant and give LeBron the easy assignment of guarding Sefolosha (sp) so he has energy to dominate on offense.
Durant would score 40 per on Battier. And LeBron didn't even guard Durant all that much in the last game but Durant DID guard LeBron in the fourth... and was still able to carry that quarter.
It's not like the Heat are devoid of role players, I simply think they are underutilized. Haslem has been a junkyard dog his entire career.
a very lengthy career as he's into his 30's as well and been injured on and off the last couple years.
He could be counted on to get 10 & 8 game in and game out off the bench.
off the bench? again, living in the past.
Mike Miller (who is having a disastrous playoff season) is a good perimeter threat on offense and spaces out the floor quite well when the ball is going in the basket.
again, living in the past. Miller's old and has been injury prone and a disaster not just this playoff season but for the last two seasons. That happens with age.
Mario Chalmers seems to play his best ball when the pressure is on (this has been the case since his days at Kansas) and is not afraid to take the big shot.
Chalmers is a decent role player but unbelievably erratic.
Moreover, Joel Anthony is a great shot blocker and I don't understand why he isn't used more often. While he is virtually useless on offense, his defense is worth giving him 20 minutes +/-.
dude's a rich man's Mark West. An okay role player at best.
The reason you have Bosh, Wade, and LeBron on the team is to score buckets, largely why they account for 65-70% of the team's total points. Those three alone should be able to outscore anyone's lineup of 5 at any given moment.
In addition, there are a handful of other players on the Heat roster that have made significant contributions throughout the season - Norris Cole, Dexter Pittman (sans the dirty play against Indiana, and James Jones, who we all know can shoot the ball.
Lol... Norris Cole, Dexter Pittman and James Jones are worthless basketball players at this level. I mean... Dexter Pittman and Norris Cole have made "significant contributions"? That's a joke TJ. Those guys are bench warmer extraordinares.
But it all starts with the superstars. LeBron is the most versatile player on the planet. Wade is still a Top 5 player in this league, even if he's not playing like one right now. And Bosh is still an all-star who can hit the perimeter shot and inexplicably developed a three point game the past few days.
IMO, if Pat Riley came down from the FO again to coach, he would maximize the potential of the aforementioned players and this discussion about the team's depth would be put to rest. I honestly think Spoelstra is that bad of a coach where he has the uncanny power to make nothing out of something. If you cannot succeed with LeBron, Bosh, and Wade, you have problems.
Listen, I love Durant to death and would have understood if he got the MVP over LeBron this season, but he's nowhere near the defender and facilitator LeBron is. I'm slowly coming around to Westbrook, but I believe he is one of the more erratic players in the league.
again... LOL... 24/5/5 is one of the most erratic players in the game? That's a complete joke. He's one of the best players in the game PERIOD and at this point in his career destroys Wade in their head to head match-up.
For a guy who is amazing in penetration, his overall FG% is only 43% and isn't a great facilitator. Keep him in the perimeter and force him to be a true PG/outside shooter and he can be completely taken out of his game.
he can be completely taken out of his game? Who exactly is going to keep him on the perimeter? No one has done that for two years with him.
