The Dark Side: Our Q&A With a Miami Heat Blogger
By David Ramil
Tread carefully, Thunder fans…you’re now entering ‘The Dark Side’, our Q&A with the best bloggers in the business covering rival teams. The Miami Heat went from being a title contender for the past four seasons to rebuilding into a team struggling to stay in the playoff chase. They’ve come on strong of late and will be a tough opponent for the Oklahoma City Thunder. We check in with Wes Goldberg (@wcgoldberg), editor of FanSided’s All U Can Heat, to get his perspective on the postseason battle and the impacts trades have made on the Heat.
First and foremost, how has this team bounced back from the loss of LeBron James? Have the fans moved on from his unexpected departure?
When NFL coaches acquire new players, the pattern is to break them down just to build them back up. It’s the only way to mold a player to a system or culture, and for that player to reach his or her potential. At least, that’s the old school way of thinking. That’s basically what LeBron’s departure was. Heat fans reached a dark place when he (or Lee Jenkins) announced his decision to go back to Cleveland. It only got worse, as the team hit lows we haven’t seen since the 2007-08 season and new highs of injuries and frustration. Now, with the acquisition of Goran Dragic and Hassan Whiteside, Heat fans have found new faces to root for and are in the process of being built back up. Whiteside’s emergence earlier in the year can’t be overstated. He saved Heat fans from jumping over the proverbial cliff. Whatever that means.
The Heat have been playing exceptionally well of late and most of that seems to be the resurgence of Dwyane Wade. What’s been the key to his incredible production over the last few games?
Is it a mystery? He’s healthy. Head over to AllUCanHeat.com, we have plenty on that. That, and Dragic is handling the ball, allowing for Wade to hit the post and not have to worry about facilitating the offense while also being the go-to scorer.
That’s basically what LeBron’s departure was. Heat fans reached a dark place when he announced his decision to go back to Cleveland.
The Heat – like the Thunder – have had to deal with injuries to key players. How has the team responded to those absences throughout the year?
They have reacted to each injury a bit differently. Chris Bosh and Chris Andersen missed time earlier in the year, so they responded by discovering Hassan Whiteside. With Wade out a various points in the season, they had to experiment with its backcourt combinations. What it all led to was Pat Riley‘s trade for Dragic, and an accelerated reliance on their D-League affiliate, the Sioux Falls Skyforce.
Miami pulled off a big trade at the deadline to acquire Goran Dragic. Thunder fans know how effective he was for Phoenix – how has he fit in with the Heat?
Like I said, Dragic is handling the ball, which allows Wade to nestle his way into the post early on in the shot clock. Dragic’s up-tempo style of play fits well with Wade’s attacking style, and we’ve seen his numbers pick up. Even more impressive has been how the two of them have helped everyone else on the roster. Luol Deng is a lousy second option, but he’s an acceptable third and a fantastic fourth option. Hassan Whiteside is a pick-and-roll monster-machine hybrid, and the Heat can run him through a PnR with either Dragic or Wade. The parts were there, and Dragic just made them click into place.
The Heat have seemingly struck gold with Hassan Whiteside, a player that never seemed to be able to find his place in the NBA until just recently. What does he bring to the table?
Besides fire quotes and a guy for Michael Beasley to bounce his stoner ideas off of, Hassan Whiteside allows the Heat to simplify things. On defense, his teammates can focus on running guys off the 3-point line. On offense, his ability to dive on the pick-and-roll and follow through at a near 62 percent rate has become Miami’s bread and butter.
Lastly, is there a matchup with the Thunder that you’re looking forward to the most?
I’m scared sh-tless of Russell Westbrook. I’ve been so impressed with Dragic, and I’m worried Russ is going to ruin everything. Other than that (and the possibility that Wade somehow takes Westbrook’s recent play personally and tries to match him score for score), I don’t know if I’ll be able to take my eyes off of Whiteside battling with Steven Adams. Like Bruce Jenner, it could turn ugly.