This… is Culture: The Miami Heat like it this way
Culture is defined as the customs, arts, social institutions, and achievements of a particular nation, people, or other social group.
To the Miami Heat, it means being the hardest-working, best-conditioned, most professional, unselfish, toughest, meanest, and nastiest team in the NBA.
Every season, there seems to come a point where basketball fans believe that this is overstated. And every season, at some point, the Miami Heat prove that they are indeed the hardest-working, best-conditioned, most professional, unselfish, toughest, meanest, and nastiest team in the NBA.
As if last season’s improbable run to the NBA Finals as an 8-seed didn’t prove that enough, the Heat—again as an 8-seed—must now find a way to try to replicate that run without Jimmy Butler, the man who led them through the East last season. And after an absolute beatdown in Boston in Game 1 against the Celtics, the NBA’s best regular-season team, it seemed as though the Miami Heat were undermanned and overmatched. But as Heat head coach Eric Spoelstra would say, the Miami Heat have enough.
Never one to make excuses, you had to know that Spoelstra—named one of the top-15 head coaches of all time—would have his team ready to come out and play inspired basketball. And that they did.
On Tuesday, Spoelstra spoke about the 3-point discrepancy in Game 1 and stated that they would need to be much better in that area to compete with the Celtics.
“I understand the math to it. You don’t want to lose in a certain area by 30 points,” he said. “It’s probably going to require some balance because we’re not going to bring them down to 25 [attempts], and we’re not going to shoot 50 of them. That’s not realistic.”
What the Heat did do, however, was set a franchise record for 3-pointers made in a playoff game with 23 makes from downtown, shooting 53.5% from 3 in a Game 2 win to even the series with Boston as they head back to Miami.
Tyler Herro led the 3-point barrage, shooting 6-11 from deep while also leading the team with 24 points. Caleb Martin, who was booed all night by the Celtics’ home crowd after his “hard foul” on Jayson Tatum in Game 1, also played a major role in the Heat’s shooting efforts, going 5-6 from 3-point range.
“He’s a competitor. He’s the ultimate X factor,” Spoelstra said of Caleb Martin after Game 2. “He’s the X factor of X factors.”
All five starters for Miami scored in double figures, and the Heat’s defense held Boston—the league’s best regular-season offense—to just 101 points on the Celtics’ home floor, where they were also a
league-best 37-4 this season.
Now it’s back to Miami with the series tied at one game apiece. The Miami Heat are surely still the underdogs in this series. To everyone except for them, at least. Because “culture” is not lying down because your best player is out.
Culture is going 30-11 in the second half of a season with Hassan Whiteside, Dion Waiters, and James Johnson playing major roles. Culture is the development of Haywood Highsmith and Duncan Robinson. Culture is making a run to the NBA Finals as an 8-seed. Culture is what happened on Wednesday night in Boston.
Nobody can tell you what will happen over these next few games. Not even Kendrick Perkins. But one thing is for certain. This is culture.
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Kevin Rodriguez is a photographer, videographer and writer for Five Reasons Sports Network.
Two teams that have been running the East for a while now. Should take advantage soon because I believe the Wizards new front office will have that team dominating for years.
Gotta give Spo and this coaching staff ALOT of credit! Casuals may chime in and say our post season success as of late comes down to “luck”, but luck doesn’t get you 3 ECF and 2 finals appearances in the last 4 seasons.
I hate the Heat but Heat culture is pretty wild.
The Heat are continually improving and tough to play against in the playoffs. It should be interesting Game 3 & 4.
Not worried. Boston always finds a way to choke.
Jimmy need to come strengthen that MCL at @Goefit