Before the Miami Heat ventured out for their first road test of the 2016 NBA playoffs, Dwyane Wade shared the kind of sage advice only a battle-tested vet possesses.
"Understand that we're going to see a totally different team," the three-time champion warned.
Wade's words were meant to describe the Charlotte Hornets, who would surely be emboldened by their home fans and desperate after falling into a 2-0 series hole. But it was the Heat who looked further removed from their normal selves during Saturday's 96-80 loss.
Of course, maybe that's the best reflection of who the Heat have actually been throughout the season. No sooner had they seemingly cemented themselves as the Cleveland Cavaliers' biggest obstacle in the Eastern Conference than they failed to bury a Hornets team that appeared to be on its death bed.
Charlotte's most important two-way player, Nicolas Batum, was sidelined by a sprained left ankle. Its starting backcourt of Kemba Walker and Courtney Lee combined to score 25 points and miss 23 shots. The Hornets misfired on 13 of 18 three-point attempts. They had a single starter shoot above 46 percent ...
Read Full Article at Bleacher Report - NBA
Article written by Zach Buckley
Miami Heat Won’t Reach Postseason Potential Until They Shed Inconsistencies
April 24th, 2016 by Zach Buckley Leave a reply »
Advertisement