The Miami Heat got the biggest win of their 2011-12 season Monday night.
OK, it may not have been the biggest win of the season, but they at least finally showed up against the same Milwaukee Bucks team that beat them in their first two matchups of the young NBA season. Until Monday night, the Milwaukee Bucks had the Heat's number, beating Miami in South Beach 91-82, then trouncing the Heatles in Milwaukee later on in the season by a score of 105-97.
Miami finally figured out how to beat the Bucks, though, dominating Milwaukee 114-96, by putting together four consistent quarters for the second straight game. Miami pieced together its second straight complete game by sticking to its newfound defensive pressure that's rooted in isolation defense.
What exactly is isolation defense?
It's a one-on-one style that focuses on individual defending while bringing help-side defense only when the opposing team's offense brings the ball into the paint.
Isolation defense takes a lot of discipline and it works best against teams that don't have a dominant big man, like the past two teams they faced, the Milwaukee Bucks and the Atlanta Hawks.
Miami's newfound defensive focus helped it hold the Bucks to 39.3 percent shooting from the field and 39.1 percent shooting from beyond the arc, while also helping Miami outrebound the Bucks 45-35.
Not only did the Heat lock down the Bucks, they also proved just how dominant they can be on the offensive side of the ball by shooting 53.1 percent from the field and 50.0 percent from beyond the arc. LeBron James and company's impressive offensive production all comes back to the defensive side of the ball.
When the Heat force teams to beat them one-on-one, without consistently bringing help-side defense, they put on display just how physical they are defensively, which is arguably one of their biggest strengths as a team.
Increased defensive pressure for the Heat forces teams into a one-on-one mentality, which results in a high number of contested shots, which subsequently results in the Heat being able to get out and run in their transition-style offense.
When the Heat are running the transition, they are arguably the most dangerous team in the NBA, and the way they've been playing defense as of late is setting them up to do just that, early and often.
The real test for the Miami Heat and their newfound isolation defense will be Tuesday night's matchup against the Indiana Pacers, because unlike the Hawks and the Bucks, the Pacers have a legitimate post presence in NBA All-Star center Roy Hibbert.
If Miami can manage to contain both Hibbert and David West with its isolation offense, it will be a major step in the right direction for a star-studded Heat team that's been helped back by its inconsistencies on defense throughout the 2011-12 NBA season.
Can Miami extend its two-game road winning streak to three games with a win against the Indiana Pacers, who are looking to end a rough three-game losing streak with a win against the Heatles?
If Miami wants to beat Indiana, its focus must be on playing consistently on the defensive side of the ball, as it has been in the Heat's past two games. With the Heat finally playing up to their potential on the defensive side of the ball, there's no telling how dangerous of a team they can be.
Javier Lopez Alex Hinshaw Ramon Ramirez Sergio Romo Brian Wilson Eli Whiteside
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