Don Casey (former high school, college, and NBA coach) comments on the 2010-11 Miami Heat and what it takes to win championships:
"So what's in store here? Who knows? That's the interesting part -- players must play within the boundaries of team concepts, both on offense and defense. As the Lakers and Celtics -- and, yes, the Heat -- have proven, it's a team game, period. Teams win championships with team-skilled players, or play the team game to be in a position to win. The statement that 'great players don't always need to play great -- only when they must play great" is something we'll find out with the Heat.'
Coach Casey strategizes on how best to contain the Heat's potential offensive fire-power:
Even with the defensive restrictions (e.g., illegal defenses via three seconds), the matchup zone will be more effective than man-to-man defense. In the "pure" man defense, coaches cannot provide strong help-side defense, as the USA World Championship team and its opponents can do in international competition.
We just saw Phoenix shake up the basketball world, avoiding a sweep by changing defenses in Game 3 of the Western Conference finals against the Los Angeles Lakers.
With the Lakers scoring just 15 points in the second quarter of Game 3, coach Alvin Gentry found diamonds in his own backyard. While The Lakers' zone offense concepts date back to the Neanderthal Man, after they shot 18-for-60 from the 3-point line in two games, the Dawn of Zone Enlightenment arrived. Afterward, Phil Jackson stated real teams don't play zone in the playoffs.
Really?
Phil (Jackson) should take notice; real teams have a zone defense as part of the package. He and others should check Synergy Systems and scroll to Game 3 of the 2006 Finals between the Heat and the Mavericks. Pat Riley changed his defense to a quasi-two-three matchup zone, and guess what? Miami went on to win four straight for the title.
The matchup zone will accomplish the following against Miami:
1. It will neutralize the Heat's athleticism.
2. It will disrupt Miami's offensive rhythm.
3. It will impede the pick-and-roll drastically.
4. It will contain or push out or down Miami's drive and kick plays.
5. It will force the Heat's offense to take time. The matchup makes the shot clock your ally.
6. It will make the Heat a "catch and shoot" team. How many of those players does Miami have? I'm not talking about spot-up shooters; I'm talking about guys who can catch and shoot. I see maybe one, Mike Miller.
7. It will make Miami's offense more routine, and the more routine an offense, the easier it is for a defense to groove into its schemes.
8. It can make Miami think "zone" even if the other team is back in man-to-man defense.
KNIGHTS TAKE NOTE ... THE POWER OF OUR 31 AND 23 DEFENSES TO DEFEAT VERY TALENTED OPPONENTS!!!!
