Why the Miami Heat don’t need a go-to guy to win it all

MIAMI, FLORIDA – APRIL 19: Bam Adebayo #13 and Jimmy Butler #22 of the Miami Heat look on against the Atlanta Hawks during the fourth quarter in Game Two of the Eastern Conference First Round at FTX Arena on April 19, 2022 in Miami, Florida. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)

The NBA playoffs have been full of intense, fast-paced action, and it seems the fun won’t stop anytime soon. Miami Heat fans are ecstatic right now after their Game 1 and 2 blowout wins at the hands of great defense and, of course, Mr. Jimmy Buckets.

Jimmy Butler took over when the going got tough in Game 2 with an insane 45 points (playoff career-high), five rebounds, five assists, and two steals in a masterful performance to secure the win.

The Miami Heat are ready to prove the media and the world wrong when it comes to their defensive squad

It seems all but inevitable that this Heat squad is destined to advance to the second round, but the icing on top of the cake with this team and scenario is they do not need this Butler performance every game. And that’s perfectly fine.

Not that Heat fans wouldn’t welcome it on any given night, but the Heat have worked hard to instill their defensive identity, showing that this collective group can handle whatever is thrown their way.

Take Bam Adebayo for example. The Defensive Player of the year candidate, who was robbed of a finalist position, finishing fourth in the overall voting, has been sluggish offensively coming off his COVID absence, but he has held it down defensively.

Atlanta has only managed to attempt 16 shots when being defended by Bam in Games 1 and 2. Of those, they only made three. His defensive field goal percentage vs the Hawks is a staggering 18.8% with a +27 when he is on the floor. Those are elite defensive numbers.

Gabe Vincent has also stood out winning a much-needed spot on the rotational unit. When defending Trae Young, Gabe has managed to limit him to just three points on 1-of-7 shooting from the field according to NBA tracking stats.

Even Coach Spoelstra praised him after Game 2.  Via the Miami Herald:

“Really along the same lines of what I was saying about Jimmy, not to the explosive offense that Jimmy was able to provide. But it’s the two-way basketball that’s important,”

Jimmy Butler is also a staple of this Miami Heat defense, but that isn’t anything new. He has a total of 5 steals already in Games 1 and 2 and has honestly looked more locked in both defensively and offensively than last year’s playoffs.

With other series, like the Celtics and Nets, Brooklyn suffers if either KD or Kyrie have poor games which has been the case in their first 2 games. A repercussion of a go-to superstar that absorbs ISO ball. It has worked before and in distinctive scenarios is a formula for success but is not always guaranteed. That certainly isn’t the case for this Miami team.

They pride themselves in knowing defense is the end result of their magnificent fast-paced transition offense. It needs to continue to be so for this deep playoff run. As a matter of fact, this team has multiple versatile defenders as well as shooters and a great dominant post offense.

It does not fall all on one guy and the luck of the draw if he is on or off that night. That is what has been working and hopefully will continue to strive if they want another crack at the NBA Finals.

And by the looks of it, they started on the right track.