Heat taking charges at a historic rate: ‘That’s our version of blocking shots at the rim’
The Miami Heat is powered by its top-five defense.
With the Eastern Conference-leading Heat’s offense recently slipping outside of the top 10, it entered Monday with the NBA’s fifth-best defensive rating for the season. The last time the Heat finished a regular season with a top-five defense was in 2011-12, the second year of the Big 3 era that ended with an NBA championship.
Limiting paint opportunities, especially around the rim, is the foundation of Miami’s defensive philosophy. The Heat has been one of the NBA’s best in accomplishing that goal by using a switch-heavy system that’s set up to close driving lanes while also frequently sending extra defenders to wall off the paint.
But there’s also another strategy that the Heat has used to deter the ball from the paint, and it involves falling to the floor. Miami has drawn a league-leading 98 charges this season, which is by far the most in the NBA with the Houston Rockets second on the list with 54 charges drawn.
“It’s important for us,” coach Erik Spoelstra said following Monday’s practice, as the Heat continues its seven-game homestand on Tuesday against the Detroit Pistons at FTX Arena (7:30 p.m., Bally Sports Sun). “To be able to take charges, you have to have a good team defense. You, one, have to have the awareness on the weak side of seeing plays before they happen and rotating early to be able to take the hit. The second thing is you have to have a willingness and courage to put your body in harm’s way and you’re doing that for your team. I love that aspect of it.”
For perspective, 22 NBA teams have yet to even draw 40 charges this season as the Heat approaches 100. Miami took 69 charges last season.
The Heat is also doing it at a historic rate, as its 98 charges is the second most during a single season since the stat was kept by PBP Stats in 2010-11. Miami needs to take just 10 more charges to jump into first on that list, as the Phoenix Suns now occupy that spot after drawing 107 charges during the 2010-11 season.
The Heat is on its way to passing the Suns, as it needs to average just 0.8 drawn charges per game over the its final 13 regular-season games to do it. Miami has averaged 1.4 drawn charges per game this season.
“It really just shows how much we have each other’s back that we’re willing to sacrifice our body to be in the right spot to help our team win,” Heat center Dewayne Dedmon said. “That’s what I think it shows. If somebody gets beat off the dribble and you’re in the spot early enough to be able to do that, it goes a long way.”
At 6 feet and 196 pounds, Heat veteran point guard Kyle Lowry has been the driving force behind the Heat’s spike in charges. He has taken a team-leading 24 charges this season, which is the second most by any NBA player behind only the 25 that Brooklyn’s Blake Griffin has drawn.
“We don’t have shot blockers like that, so we got to find ways to protect the paint. That’s why I take charges,” Lowry said. “But I think it’s just kind of a contagious type thing. Helping and being in the right spots and doing things and sacrificing your body in some way. A charge is deflating to the opposing team.”
Plenty of others on the Heat’s roster have contributed. Max Strus has drawn 12 charges this season, Dedmon has drawn 11, P.J. Tucker has drawn 10, Caleb Martin has drawn eight, Gabe Vincent has drawn eight, Duncan Robinson has drawn six, Jimmy Butler has drawn five, Bam Adebayo has drawn three, Markieff Morris has drawn two, Omer Yurtseven has drawn two, and even Victor Oladipo has already drawn two charges in his first three games after making his season debut last week.
“We take pride in it,” Vincent said. “We stand up for charges, we clap for each other and we encourage those. They really get us going and it’s discouraging to teams that go in there to try to make a play, and not only is it a turnover but it’s a foul too. You take away some of guys’ aggressiveness with that. So we try to use it to our advantage.”
It’s an advantage that opponents have to scheme against because the threat of a charge has become such a big part of the Heat’s paint defense.
“As many as we take, it’s something that they have to highlight,” Tucker said. “You have to talk about it. So that makes people think twice, especially when attacking. You got guys like Kyle in there who’s ready, me who’s ready at all times to sacrifice our body to give it up. Plus having Bam and Dedmon back there to be able to protect [the rim] a little bit, a combination of both of those things make people think.”
The Heat entered Monday limiting opponents to the NBA’s fourth-fewest shots from inside the restricted area at 22 per game and the third-fewest non-rim paint shots at 13.9 per game this season. When it comes to those numbers, Miami’s ability and willingness to step in and take charges should not be overlooked.
“It’s a true sacrifice of your body to make a winning play, and we have a roster full of guys that have the IQ and feel but also have the courage to be able to take those hits,” Spoelstra said. “Also, we’re not like a top-flight shot-blocking team, so that’s our version of blocking shots at the rim.”
INJURY UPDATE
Martin, who sat out the last two games because of a hyperextended left knee, did not practice Monday and will miss Tuesday’s game against the Pistons.
“He was able to do some good rehab on the side,” Spoelstra said following Monday’s practice. “He definitely is making progress but he wasn’t able to go through practice.”
The only other players on the Heat’s injury report are Kyle Guy and Javonte Smart, who both remain in the G League with the Sioux Falls Skyforce as part of their two-way contracts.
Everybody else on the Heat’s roster is expected to be available on Tuesday.
This story was originally published March 14, 2022 at 1:55 PM.
