Hawks hand Miami their first loss of season

by David Dwork on Jan 3, 2012 1:35 AM EST

All good things must come to an end, and that was the case tonight at the AAA as the Miami Heat's undefeated start to the season ended at the hands of the Atlanta Hawks 100-92. For the first time this season a team was able to slow down the Heat and keep them in half-court mode a lot more then they liked, and the Hawks did that by playing a lot of zone defense and showing Miami some athleticism they hadn't seen yet this year.

It also helped that Atlanta shot 56.3% from 3-point range, including several huge triples in the final minutes of the 4^th quarter to keep the Hawks lead too much for the Heat to overcome. The comeback attempt had Miami shooting more three's then usual, with Chris Bosh going 0-for-3 and Dwyane Wade missing his first attempt from downtown this season. As a team the Heat shot just 38.5% from beyond the arc.

GAME NOTES

This was the first game of the year for both teams against an above .500 opponent.
Shane Battier had his first productive game of the season, hitting 3-of-4 from downtown with 2 boards, 2 assists and a block.
Dwyane Wade had a very rough game, hitting just 4 of his 17 shots, though he did have a season-high 10 assists, 3 steals and a block. He now has a block in every game this season and in 9 straight games going back to last year.
Atlanta's 33 4^th quarter points and 53 2^nd half points are both highs against the Heat this season.
Udonis Haslem grabbed 10 rebounds, his 3^rd game with double digit boards this season. He also has two games with 9 rebounds.
LeBron James led all players with 28 points. He had a solid all-around game with 7 rebounds and 6 assists though he struggled offensively in the 2^nd half, along with his Heat teammates.

Miami now gets a day off before another back-to-back set, first playing Indiana at home before heading up to Atlanta for a rematch of tonight's game.

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Comments

A bit bummed that Knee-Mac led to this

But I guess the compacted schedule would show it’s colors soon enough.

by kazam92 on Jan 3, 2012 2:13 AM EST reply actions

As a team the Heat shot just 38.5% from beyond the arc.

In my opinion shooting 38.5% from 3-point range as a team is VERY good.

The word “just 38.5%” makes it sound like its somehow a bad percentage…

by ap3604 on Jan 3, 2012 4:24 AM EST reply actions

The 56% the Hawks shot on 3-pointers was just simply luck and shouldn’t be something to be counted on in the future or compared against really.

by ap3604 on Jan 3, 2012 4:26 AM EST up reply actions

The "just 38.5" is in context

Miami's Superstars: Reggie Bush, Brandon Marshall, Jake Long, Mike Pouncey, Karlos Dansby, Cameron Wake, Vontae Davis and Sean Smith (just wait), Lebron James, Dwyane Wade, Chris Bosh, Mike Stanton, Gaby Sanchez, Hanley Ramirez, Josh Johnson, Heath Bell, Mark Buehrle, Jose Reyes, Tomas Fleischmann, Stephen Weiss, Jose Theodore, and Chris Versteeg. :)

by finzrule on Jan 3, 2012 11:34 PM EST up reply actions

Shameful......!

Shameful that theHeat had no effective answer for Atlant’a zone defense. It is so shameful because we have seen the Mavs, Celtics use it successfull against the Heat recently that one would have thought the Heat should have been prepared for any zone defense from other teams. Shameful that the Coaches did not prepare them well enough.

This does not tell well on the coaching staff. The good is that it had happened early in the season….the bad is that everyone saw it coming except perhaps the coaching staff.

It reminds me of last season when Coach Spo played Big Z as a starter repeatedly even though it was obvious that teams were taking advantage of Big Z’s slower speed on defense to jump to early leads in the 1st quarter..Coach Spo refused to make the adjustment until early in the play-off when it would have cost the Heat an early playoff exit..

Coach Spo the time to prepare the Heat offense against the zone defense is now. What are you waiting for?

by Who donnit? on Jan 3, 2012 11:02 PM EST reply actions

No 66-0, onward, Go Heat! beat the Pacers!

I suppose every team will throw a zone at the Heat, even the Bulls probably—figure it out players and coaches. Off night from Wade, it happens to everyone, he will tear the Pacers up most likely.

Reporter: What would you say a Greg Studrawa offense is like? Stud:

"Attack and be very physical…fly around…attacking, come after you and come after you and come after you…." Me: I love this answer.

GET TO THE RIM HEAT (and SKY)! ATTACK THE PAINT!

by mjtig on Jan 4, 2012 6:32 AM EST reply actions

bulls defense is already a strange hybrid of

man and zone, its like thibs brain-child…i see him maybe giving it more zone elements than man, but ultimately it will remain the same against the heat…

I dont care what the D.N.A. Says, the Guy wearing number 12 Cannot be Kirk Hinrich, he is definetly Kurt. Kirk can actually play basketball!

by piccolomair on Jan 4, 2012 2:20 PM EST up reply actions

I saw a post on BaB about it but did not click to see what people had to say, but I figured Coach Tibs would stick to the same D for the most part

Reporter: What would you say a Greg Studrawa offense is like? Stud:

"Attack and be very physical…fly around…attacking, come after you and come after you and come after you…." Me: I love this answer.

GET TO THE RIM HEAT (and SKY)! ATTACK THE PAINT!

by mjtig on Jan 4, 2012 6:22 PM EST up reply actions

*I figure Coach Thibs will....

Reporter: What would you say a Greg Studrawa offense is like? Stud:

"Attack and be very physical…fly around…attacking, come after you and come after you and come after you…." Me: I love this answer.

GET TO THE RIM HEAT (and SKY)! ATTACK THE PAINT!

by mjtig on Jan 4, 2012 6:46 PM EST up reply actions

Hmm

Heat better have their 3 point shooters all in when the sissy zone defense is brought by coward teams who can’t guard their own shadow!
Better get it together 2nite,,,the pacers are a young nucleus that can match up with the heat at every position and Hibbert will dominate Joel Anthony.
Let’s go heat!

.Heat Tri-nasty is inevitable!

by thedeeofdees on Jan 4, 2012 4:54 PM EST reply actions