By CHRIS PERKINS
FOXSportsFlorida.com Heat Writer
January 4, 2011
MIAMI -- Back in September, you thought versatile forwards Udonis Haslem and Mike Miller and sharp-shooting center Zydrunas Ilgauskas would lead the Heat's bench brigade. It was going to be a special group, maybe the best in the NBA.
Now it's four months later. The third incarnation of the Heat's bench -- guard Mario Chalmers, centers Joel Anthony and Erick Dampier, and forwards James Jones and Juwan Howard, along with a struggling Miller -- isn't nearly as effective as the original incarnation. But Coach Erik Spoelstra says it's good enough.
"They're giving us what we need," Spoelstra said after Tuesday's 101-89 victory over Milwaukee, the Heat's 19th win in its past 20 games, "and that's energy, effort, consistency and allowing us to either hold a lead or take a lead up."
The Heat's original bench group was loaded. This bench brigade is spotty. Maybe it gets better when Jones has a normal night (he was 1 for 2 shooting on Tuesday) or when Miller fully recovers from thumb surgery. But more is required from these reserves if the bench is going to be a factor in a Heat title run.
No, you're not going to find a Sixth Man of the Year candidate on Miami's bench. In fact, Jones thinks you won't even find five starters on the Heat.
"Three starters, nine subs," is how Jones describes the 12-man roster. "The guys in the supporting cast, we have to be ready to be effective regardless of our situation, and that changes from game to game, day to day. It changes from week to week."
You saw many of the bench's shortcomings in Tuesday's victory at American Airlines Arena. They grabbed some rebounds, hit a few shots, made a couple of steals and gave the starters a break.
It was nothing big; a low-key key to the victory, not much of a meaningful contribution. The bench provided only 15 points (on 5-for-15 shooting), 16 rebounds and no assists while committing 11 fouls.
Yes, the Heat will go only as far as the Big Three of LeBron James (25 points, 6 rebounds, 9 assists), Dwyane Wade (34 points) and Chris Bosh (19 points, 12 rebounds) will carry them. After all, everyone else is just filler.
"With the way we play, we're not too dependent on the bench," guard Eddie House said. "It's so dominated by the Big Three."
But this revamped bench has to get more consistent. It's a rag-tag bunch when compared to what Miami thought it was going to have when training camp began. The reserves even named themselves "Special Ops," a title inspired by their training camp at Eglin Air Force Base in Fort Walton Beach, Fla.
Then changes came; the first was Miller injuring his thumb. That vastly changed the dynamic of the bench. The long-range shooter and ball-handler was gone.
Then Anthony was replaced by Ilgauskas in the starting lineup. The best mid-range shooter was gone.
And finally, Haslem went down with a foot injury. There goes the rebounding, hustle, defense and intangibles late in games. While all that was going on, veteran Jerry Stackhouse came and went with barely a sound.
The Heat's bench has suffered big losses. But this is a no-excuses league, and Miami's bench has to develop more consistency.
Now, a few observations from Tuesday night:
-- Ilgauskas had a first-quarter sequence in which he outreached two defenders (his feet barely left the floor) to tap the ball to himself twice and then he tapped it into the basket. Way to be 7-foot-3, Big Z.
-- Haslem doesn't watch games from the bench because he has to keep his surgically-repaired right foot elevated. But he says once that period of his rehabilitation is over, he'll be back on the bench.
-- Sweet pass by Carlos Arroyo to Wade on that first-quarter fast break. James grabbed the rebound, took a few dribbles, hit Arroyo on the right side, and he had a nice touch pass to Wade, who converted the layup. Good look, 'Los. He's got tricks in the open court.
-- Did you take note of that second-quarter possession in which Milwaukee's Earl Boykins bobbled the inbounds pass and lost it? Chalmers scooped up the loose ball and blazed into the lane, all alone, where he inexplicably picked up his dribble and got called for traveling without even attempting a shot. Ugly stuff. Chalmers has to eliminate such errors.
-- You
