3 adjustments the Miami Heat need to make after a big loss to the Boston Celtics in Game 2 of the Eastern Conference finals
After making a statement in their Game 1 win over the Boston Celtics, the Miami Heat dropped Game 2 to even the series back up. Thanks to an all-around showing, the Celtics beat the Heat by 25 to bounce back.
Looking ahead to Game 3, Miami needs to make multiple adjustments as they prepare to take the floor in Boston. One thing the Heat must address if they want to get back in the series is limiting the supporting cast.
Boston's roster is filled with depth and they are capable of hurting teams in multiple ways. Jayson Tatum has emerged into superstardom and reached the point where he is going to get his numbers every night no matter what. The key for Miami is to not let the players around him get going.
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In Game 2, Marcus Smart tallied 24 points, and Grant Williams scored 19 off the bench. For Miami's sake, they have to do a better job of cutting off some of the lesser offensive options. The Miami Heat have built a reputation of being a hard-nosed defensive team, and if they want to win, they must defend better as a group. If Boston's supporting cast continues to score at this rate, it could lead to the end of the Heat's playoff run.
The Miami Heat must get their other stars going offensively
Jimmy Butler has been phenomenal for the Miami Heat, but he hasn't had much around him. In Game 2, Tyler Herro and Bam Adebayo combined for a total of 17 points. That is simply not going to cut it against a team like the Celtics.
Herro has been a spark plug for the Miami Heat's offense all season. Getting him back on track should be a top priority as they gear up for the back end of this series. His microwave scoring ability opens up the floor for the rest of the Heat to do damage.
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As Miami's second-best player, Bam Adebayo also has to be more assertive on the offensive end. Six shot attempts is far too low of volume for a player of his caliber. Moving forward, he has to be more assertive and physical around the rim with Boston's big men.
The third and final adjustment for the Miami Heat is three-point shooting. Not only did they shoot the ball poorly from deep in Game 2, but they allowed Boston to can 20 triples while shooting 50%. Last round, the Milwaukee Bucks learned the hard way about leaving Boston's shooters open from deep. If Miami doesn't want to suffer a similar fate, they have to up the intensity defending on the perimeter.