Heat's Offense Needs A Boost In Game 5
MIAMI (CBSMiami) – As the Miami Heat come back for Game 5 looking to close out the Knicks, the Heat's offense is needs a kick start after a Game 4 fiasco that saw the Heat struggle from the field and from the free throw line.
In Game 4, the Heat shot just 41.1 percent from the field and shot just 16 percent from beyond the three-point line. The team did no better from the free throw line, led in large part by Dwyane Wade's struggles.
For the game, Wade made just 4-11 free throws and his seven misses dropped the Heat's free shooting down to just 68.6 percent. For the series, Wade is shooting just 52 percent from the free throw line. LeBron James and Chris Bosh combined to go 16-18 from the free throw line in Game 4.
While LeBron did well from the free throw line, he struggled from the field shooting just 9 of 21, or 43 percent. Wade shot 50 percent from the field, but the other starters, Udonis Haslem, Mario Chalmers, and Chris Bosh combined to shoot 9-25 or roughly 36 percent from the field.
Overall, Miami is shooting 46 percent from the field and 34 percent from behind the three-point line against the Knicks in the opening round series. The Heat are owning the Knicks in every category except Rebounds and free throw shooting percentage.
One of the brightest spots in the playoffs thus far has been Heat power forward/center Chris Bosh. Since being moved to the center position in the starting lineup, Bosh is averaging 14 points and 7.3 rebounds per game and has been key in opening holes for LeBron and Wade.
The Heat have dominated at home most of the season including, but for them to make it far into the 2012 NBA Playoffs; they will continue to have find at least one shooter to get hot each game to make for easy victories.
In Game 4, Shane Battier and Mike Miller combined for five points on 2-7 shooting. One or both of those players will have to near 10 points for the Heat to truly have easy victories from here on out.
