Turnovers again at center of Heat defense’s success. Also, four starters out vs. Thunder
The Miami Heat’s defense has again settled into a spot in the NBA’s top-10 rankings in large part because of its ability to be disruptive and force teams into empty possessions.
For the third season in a row, the Heat’s defense finds itself among the NBA’s best at generating turnovers. After finishing the 2020-21 season with league’s second-highest opponent turnover rate (percentage of opponent possessions that end in a turnover) at 15.6 percent and last season with the third-highest opponent turnover rate at 15.4 percent, Miami entered Tuesday with the second-highest opponent turnover rate at 17.1 percent this season.
“We’re trying to figure out our identity,” Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said ahead of Tuesday night’s matchup against the Oklahoma City Thunder at FTX Arena. “That’s a big part of our identity. This group, this team, for us to really be our best version defensively, we have to be extremely disruptive.”
The Heat is converting its opponent’s turnovers into 19 points per game this season, which is the sixth-most in the league. Those points have helped lift a Heat offense that’s otherwise struggling, as the unit entered Tuesday with the NBA’s 24th-ranked offensive rating for the season.
“When we’re getting deflections, when we’re speeding teams up, when we’re getting them out of what they normally like to do, regardless of the scheme, those games have had a better tenor for us and way more to our identity,” Spoelstra added. “Now we still have our bedrock principles of protecting the paint, protecting the rim and finishing off plays. But that definitely has been a bit more of a complexion of this group.”
Making it even more impressive is the fact that the Heat is being disruptive and forcing turnovers without committing a high number of fouls, which is different than last season when Miami committed the ninth-most shooting fouls in the NBA. This season, the Heat entered Tuesday with the fourth-fewest shooting fouls committed in the league.
It’s an improvement that has made a subtle difference, with teams attempting 21 free throws per game against the Heat this season compared to 22.5 free throws per game last season. With Miami playing in a league-leading 28 clutch games this season, one to two fewer free throws per game can prove to be significant some nights.
“I didn’t like that we were fouling a bunch last year,” Spoelstra said. “We’ve had the same points of emphasis. ... Sometimes it sticks, sometimes it doesn’t. This is the identity of this team right now. We’re at our best when we’re active, disruptive, speeding teams up. But I still would like to see our defense get to a higher level. I think we’re capable of it and it’s a matter of doing things with more purpose and more consistency.”
The Heat entered Tuesday with the NBA’s eighth-best defensive rating behind the success of its 2-3 zone and ability to force turnovers. Through the first 41 games of the season, Miami is 5-2 when getting its opponent to commit 20 or more turnovers.
The Heat’s defense relies on forcing turnovers more than most units.
By taking out turnovers and counting only half-court possessions that end in a field-goal attempt or foul, the Heat’s defense has allowed 1.32 points per possession, according to Second Spectrum tracking data. That’s ranked 20th in the NBA despite the unit’s top-10 overall numbers when including defensive possessions that end in an opponent turnover.
“It’s something we emphasize constantly,” Spoelstra said. “It’s a barometer for our success. Not necessarily the steals, but the activity, deflections, speeding teams up, getting them out of their normal comfort zones. We’re at our best defensively when we’re active, disruptive and it takes a commitment to that energy and activity.
“That’s the blueprint for our success defensively. We’re not confused about it and it takes great discipline to be able to do that consistently over and over and over, particularly if you know that that’s your road map to success on that side of the floor.”
HEAT WITHOUT FOUR STARTERS
The Heat will be without four starters on Tuesday in its nationally televised game against the Thunder, as Bam Adebayo (right wrist contusion), Tyler Herro (left Achilles soreness), Kyle Lowry (left knee discomfort) and Caleb Martin (left quadriceps strain) have all been ruled out.
Jimmy Butler is the only available player from the Heat’s preferred starting lineup.
Adebayo re-aggravated a lingering wrist injury during Sunday’s loss to the Nets, with an MRI on Monday confirming a wrist contusion.
Herro slipped on a wet spot on the final possession of Sunday’s defeat and he’s now dealing with an Achilles injury.
Lowry will miss his third game of the season because of left knee pain, as he also sat out two straight games in mid-December with left knee soreness.
And Martin will miss his third straight game because of a strained quadriceps.
Nikola Jovic (lower back stress reaction), Duncan Robinson (finger surgery) and Omer Yurtseven (left ankle surgery) will also be unavailable. That leaves the Heat with just nine available players against the Thunder.
This story was originally published January 10, 2023 at 11:52 AM.
