Tag Archive for: Los Angeles Clippers

Miami Heat: Limiting secondary scoring paramount to beating Clippers

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As the Miami Heat get set to take on the Los Angeles Clippers Wednesday night, there is something they have to be mindful of. The secondary scoring Los Angeles produced was a major issue the last time these two teams played. It cost Miami the game.

Kawhi Leonard is going to get his points.  If Miami wants to win on Wednesday they need to focus on limiting what the others do offensively.

Landry Shamet scored 22 points on eight-of-15 shooting. He went six-of-12 from beyond the arc and contributed six assists as well. He certainly made his 43 minutes count. It was a bit unexpected for a player averaging 8.1 points per contest. Nevertheless, that’s what makes the NBA so great. Anybody can play well on any given night.

Normally, one of the biggest goals for Miami Heat would be to stop Leonard. That is still definitely a goal. However, the Heat have to be wary of secondary scoring in this matchup. Shamet for example has been playing well lately. He averaged 11.5 points in the month of January. That includes the last game against Miami. He has done well primarily coming off the bench.

Paul George is another player that can go off at any moment. In his last game against San Antonio on Monday, he scored 19 points. He is off to a great start in the month of February, averaging 21 points in the first two games of the month.

The Miami Heat will have to be on their toes

The Clippers will attack the Miami Heat. They will not be afraid to use any of the weapons at their disposal. Against teams like Boston, the Miami Heat have been exposed defensively. Miami will need to do everything they can to make sure they eliminate as many weaknesses as possible. If they don’t, it could be a long evening. A stellar defensive game will be needed. Strong rotations on defense will be critical for success.

A win for the Miami Heat would go a long way. This would certainly be a critical victory for them as the All-Star break nears. Especially against one of the elite teams in a stacked Western Conference, winning this game would give them momentum.

Miami Heat need to be ready for balance of Clippers

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As the Miami Heat get ready to take on the Los Angeles Clippers Friday night, they have to be ready for the multi-faceted attack Los Angeles brings to the table. They are a balanced team, and succeed well in all areas.

Take for example Kawhi Leonard. He is third in the league in steals per game with an average of two per contest. He also has 27.1 points per contest. That is seventh in the entire league. He brings to the table a multi—faceted  game that has suited Los Angeles well. With an average of 9.6 field goals made per game, that puts him sixth in the entire league in that category. His 20.6 average field goal attempts per game ranks him fifth in all of basketball.

Montrezl Harrell is a tough defender, but he can also shoot the basketball really well. He ranks 11th in the entire league in field goal percentage. Shooting at a 57.2% clip, he brings both toughness and efficiency to the table.

Paul George brings a multi-level offensive game to the table. He is apt at shooting the basketball . He can also get to the free-throw line and make his chances. With a 90.9 free-throw conversion percentage, George certainly makes the most of his opportunities when he is at the line. The best thing the Miami Heat can do is not foul him. Otherwise, it’s essentially guaranteed free points.

Miami Heat have challenge ahead of them.

With this balance Los Angeles possesses, the Miami Heat certainly have a tough challenge ahead of them. The biggest thing that they should do Friday night is move the basketball offensively. Keeping the Clippers on their toes defensively could be a key to victory.

Defensively, it will be hard to combat the likes of George and Leonard without allowing at least a few baskets. Rotating defensively and not allowing the Clippers to get comfortable will be key. Staying in front of their man will help eliminate drive to the basket. Making Los Angeles work offensively will slow them down. They are going to get their points, it’s just a matter of limiting the damage.

The Miami Heat will be challenged on Friday night. This will  be a good test to see where they stand against the Western Conference. They will certainly have a lot to think about on both sides of the ball. Slowing down the Clippers will certainly not be an easy task. It may be a question of allowing the Clippers to succeed in some areas if it means taking away others.