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Should we be concerned about the Heat’s continued inability to finish at rim?

Miami Heat
The Miami Heat have been one of the worst teams around the rim in the NBA. (Mandatory Credit: Reggie Hildred-USA TODAY Sports)

Even though the Miami Heat completely weeded out long 2s from their shot profile and are making 3s rank inside the top-10 in both 3-point frequency and 3-point percentage, they have still been a mediocre offense through the team’s first 15 games after being a bottom-third offense in each of the last two seasons.

The biggest reason is the Heat’s inability to generate–and convert–rim attempts. That’s not a new issue, however, so should there be a reason for concern? Let’s examine!

Should we be concerned about the Heat’s inability to finish at the rim?

Even in today’s pace-and-space era, one could argue that the most fashionable form of offense is generating paint touches. Getting at least one foot in the paint could not only generate attempts around the rim, but bend a defense enough to generate an open look on the perimeter, and thus putting a defense in rotation and possibly creating additional advantages around the hardwood.

The issue is, however, the Heat have not done that at a high level. So far this season, the Heat are No. 16 in paint touches per game, but are scoring points at the fifth-lowest rate with the second-lowest field goal percentage when paint touches are generated.

To add insult to injury, the Heat have the seventh-lowest rim frequency and the second-worst rim field goal percentage, converting at a dismal 58.3 percent, per Cleaning The Glass. Only the Charlotte Hornets are worse by 0.3 percent. Miami’s had nine games where it’s placed in the 33rd percentile or worse in rim field goal percentage, including seven games in the 20th percentile or worse and four in the 6th percentile or worse. Yikes!

That’s not a new issue, however. In each of the previous three seasons, they’ve ranked amongst the bottom-four teams in rim frequency while placing No. 13, 19 and 25 in rim FG%. It’s gotten progressively worse … why?

One could immediately point to the spacing; while they’ve made a vain effort to space the floor, teams don’t respect Jimmy Butler or Bam Adebayo enough to actually accomplish said successful spacing. The scouting report is the scouting report, and certain teams are willing to let the Heat beat them in certain places–one of those not being around the rim.

Plus, outside of Butler, a battering ram inside the arc, they also aren’t very physical (with little lift) once they get to the rim. Either they shy away from contact or, specifically in Adebayo’s case, take contested fadeaway 2s six feet away; the Heat create few advantages when they’re able to generate paint touches, which is a big issue.

The personnel doesn’t help, either. Their best point guard is in Sioux Falls, their best players don’t make each other better and they have a lot of redundant skill sets that don’t exactly mesh together.

It’s difficult to prognosticate whether or not those three factors–among others–have affected the Miami Heat’s inability to make shots at the rim, but it certainly hasn’t helped. Some of the attempts may be a byproduct of basketball being a make-or-miss sport, but this has also been a growing trend for three-plus years now. There’s legitimate reason to have some level of concern, only adding to some of the issues already present within this context.

Do you think there’s reason for concern? Let us know in the comments!

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SunManFromDogBone

If Miami can fix it’s overall poor free throw shooting, poor lay-up shooting, poor offensive rebounding and poor turd quarters, the team might win a few more games.

Last edited 5 days ago by SunManFromDogBone
vagibugi

Its too late to be concerned. Thats the fact.

Bout30man

True, there is no starting lineup or rotations that will fix it. There is no strategy, like getting rid of long two point shots, that will fix it. There is no young player that will evolve into a high quality player in enough time to fix it. And there is no one coming back from injury to fix it. The Riley led front office was hoping against hope that somehow this roster would be good enough and it seems likely that the staff can see the limitations now but they are in a position with few viable options. It’s a shame because all it would take is one very good move and we would be pretty competitive. But, at this time we aren’t and finishing inside is just one of several ways we are deficient in comparison to the better teams in the league.

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