Pretty sure a player like Mark Eaton wouldn't be getting eaten (heh) alive by Hibbert. The Heat have built their entire defense on covering ground and thwarting penetration (by having bigs with relatively nimble feet that can also allow them to contest in help [which usually means a sacrifice of size and/or strength]). It's no surprise or secret that if anything would undo the Heat it would be strong post play from BOTH big positions because it would force them to think twice about using their generally hyper-effective small ball unit(s).
That same offensive strategy wasn't as effective against the Spurs (Grizzlies) as what the Warriors did (had). What the Warriors do would also be less effective against the Heat as the Heat could help off of any center they threw out there and would get out-small-balled.
I don't like the idea of wholesale truth to pro-sports. Every year, every fan and every team sees what's effective in the playoffs and treat it like it's gospel when the reality is that a whole lot of this is how you matchup, the general talent level of the teams, chemistry, and strategy. Just like in Jr. Jazz or in a pickup game.
What Miami has done defensively has generally been EXTEMELY effective and there are plenty of examples of teams relying on starting Cs who couldn't really score reliably (Tyson Chandler, Kendrick Perkins, Ben Wallace, anyone on the Heat [who also can't guard the post against a good player which isn't a problem against 90% of the league anyway]).
There are some hard and fast rules in play (YOU NEED STARS, space the floor, defend the paint), but really, just build the best team you can given the insane number of variables.
That same offensive strategy wasn't as effective against the Spurs (Grizzlies) as what the Warriors did (had). What the Warriors do would also be less effective against the Heat as the Heat could help off of any center they threw out there and would get out-small-balled.
I don't like the idea of wholesale truth to pro-sports. Every year, every fan and every team sees what's effective in the playoffs and treat it like it's gospel when the reality is that a whole lot of this is how you matchup, the general talent level of the teams, chemistry, and strategy. Just like in Jr. Jazz or in a pickup game.
What Miami has done defensively has generally been EXTEMELY effective and there are plenty of examples of teams relying on starting Cs who couldn't really score reliably (Tyson Chandler, Kendrick Perkins, Ben Wallace, anyone on the Heat [who also can't guard the post against a good player which isn't a problem against 90% of the league anyway]).
There are some hard and fast rules in play (YOU NEED STARS, space the floor, defend the paint), but really, just build the best team you can given the insane number of variables.
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