Even the Missouri Tigers’ road record doesn’t show this much underachievement.
The Miami Heat own three of the NBA’s best players (including two All Star starters), two of the league’s most deadly three-point shooters, and a 2-8 record against the Eastern Conference’s three best teams (Boston, Chicago, and Orlando).
Something in that picture just doesn’t add up. LeBron was able to have this kind of success playing alongside the likes of Anderson Varejao and Mo Williams in Cleveland, so to say his supporting cast is improved this season would be a massive understatement. Yet, even with big names added around him, LeBron and Co. can’t quite seem to get over the hump when it matters. In the end, it all comes down to attitude.
The Heat seem to lack the swagger it takes to win against the NBA’s best teams. You have to have that killer instinct; the certainty that in the end, when the game is on the line, you’ll be able to make big plays and pull out a win. Tiger Woods is a prime example.
Tiger, like the Miami Heat, has all the physical tools necessary to succeed. He’s stronger, smarter, and more athletic than any of his competition (especially John Daly). However, as Sergio Garcia and Greg Norman can tell you, a player can have all the talent in the world and still lack that “it” factor it takes to come through in the clutch.
For most of his career, Tiger had that “it”. Going into the final day of a major tournament, when that red shirt came out, it meant certain death for opponents. Tiger simply wouldn’t let himself fail. His unwavering mental mindset led to consistent physical success. Tiger Woods had won 71 PGA tournaments, 14 major championships, and was considered possibly the greatest golfer of all time.
Oh, how things have changed. Tiger Woods is just as athletically talented as he ever was. He looks the same, swears under his breath on national television the same, and still wears red shirts on Sundays. But since his carousel of promiscuous women came into the public eye, he’s a mental shell of his former self. That lack of confidence has resulted in 0 PGA tour wins and numerous questions about if he’ll ever be the kind of player he once was.
That’s the difference for Miami. Right now, they have the attitude of post-scandal Tiger. They need to go pre-scandal. And considering that they’re only 2-5 since the All-Star break, I’d say they aren’t there yet.
This change needs to start at the top. The consensus view is that LeBron James is the greatest athlete ever to play in the NBA, but that freakish athleticism hasn’t translated into game-winning shots. In the past week and a half, Lebron has taken four shots at the end of regulation to tie or win games (against Chicago, New York, Orlando, and Chicago again). He’s bricked all four. The fact is, at the end of games coach Eric Spoelstra has trusted Lebron with the ball, rather than fellow All-Stars Dwayne Wade or Chris Bosh. Eventually, Lebron is going to need to reward that faith.
With all that said, there’s still plenty of time for Miami to make corrections. As the Boston Celtics showed last season, getting to the playoffs is really all that matters. But in the playoffs, the Heat aren’t going to be able to avoid facing the NBA’s best. It’s up to them to decide which “Tiger” fits them best.
