The Miami Heat, reeling already as the team's toughest stretch of games rolls along, find themselves facing a difficult opponent, the Chicago Bulls, while staring at themselves in the mirror. Miami has lost three straight, two of them involving late comebacks by what many would believe to be inferior clubs. LeBron James and Dwyane Wade, the unquestioned suns of the Heat's galaxy, struggled down the stretch during each, and gave way to a damning bit of research: Miami is a league-worst 1-14 on game-tying or go-ahead shots in the final 10 seconds of the fourth quarter or overtime.
Bulls Vs. Heat: LeBron James, Dwyane Wade Arrive At Crossroads
The Heat, it seems, are not clutch. They have the league’s No. 2 margin of victory and top-five rankings on both offense and defense. But the team with two of the top five players in the NBA has a lack of resolve in the magic hours. They often settle for three-pointers, despite neither of the stars being adept at shooting beyond 18 feet or so. The unpredictability that should follow an amazing two-pronged attack like James plus Wade has devolved into replicated anti-imagination of isolation basketball writ large.
Enter the Bulls, who have already beat the Heat twice. LeBron miss one of those game, so apply an asterisk as necessary. But the Bulls took the Heat just 10 days ago, with both teams in tact. Chicago won 93-89, as Chris Bosh -- remember him? -- shot a miraculously awful 1-18 from the floor. Miami is awful on the offensive glass, and can't easily survive such horrid shooting nights from a big man. And so they didn't survive, as Luol Deng and Derrick Rose handled business to counter strong efforts from Wade and James.
Bosh will shoot better this time; no amount of Carlos Boozer eyebrows, Joakim Noah sweat mop and Omer Asik aura can cause CB4 to go 1-18 again. But Miami's success relies, in the end, on the ability of James and Wade to become something greater than alternating stars. That's happened only in spurts this season, and almost exclusively in up-tempo, breaking ball. Chicago will resist that style, and put the onus on Miami's twin cores to create in the halfcourt. All great artists work within oppressive borders. Can LeBron and Wade ever do the same?
The Bulls and Heat tip off in South Beach at 1 PM Eastern on ABC. For more on the Heat, visit Peninsula Is Mightier. For Bulls commentary, check out Blog-a-Bull and SB Nation Chicago.
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