One of the most overlooked aspects of a team's success is something rather simple: actually being a team. The players getting along with each other, strong connections between players and coach, and doing more than just playing basketball games together.
But there is a point where that can leak onto the floor, and not in the sense of play, but in the sense of leadership and accountability.
Players stay comfortable, avoid difficult conversations, and the same problems that show up on the court continue to persist.
In Miami, the time to put a stop to that is now.
Because being a team is more than just the power of friendship. It is the ability to hold eachother accountable night in and night out without worrying about how it will affect a relationship off the court.
It is about each player stepping up, and embracing the role they have on a team.
And it is about someone stepping up to lead.
Davion Mitchell, has slowly become that voice in the locker room:
"Sometimes we get lazy and when we get lazy - we try to close out really hard...I don't know...we gotta have another man there if we're going to run people off the line...nothing happened - we just gotta do it. It's the same people, we're the same defense - we just gotta put it in the game. That's it."
Interestingly enough, these issues aren't exclusive to Miami.
Last season in Milwaukee , Giannis Antetokounmpo publicly addressed similar concerns surrounding the Bucks, pointing toward a lack of chemistry, selfish play, and an unwillingness to play together. Following a loss to Oklahoma City, Giannis questioned whether everyone was playing for the same goal, emphasizing that the team wasn't playing hard or doing the right things to win.
Now in Miami, those same themes are beginning to surface.
Following the Heat's loss to the Lakers, Giannis once again touched on what he believes it takes for a team to be successful.
"Hopefully against the Clippers we can be better. Effort, individual pride, and trust. We (have) got to have those 3 things... Usually after a bad whooping like this, you (have) got to find a way to respond. I tend to respond."
Those three things, effort, individual pride, and trust, are exactly what this Miami team needs to establish. And while Mitchell has begun to speak up about the team's shortcomings, the responsibility cannot fall on just a handful of individuals.
It has to become a collective expectation.
And that's where I bring my next point.
Not everyone on this Miami Heat team is bought into what it takes to win, the frustration is leaking out, and blame is being put on certain individuals, even if it is not directly stated.
That is when you run into a problem, when things get clicky, and when the team is not all bought into the common goal. One player becomes two, two become four, and suddenly you have a divided locker room.
That's when the leadership aspect becomes even more important.
Not everyone on this Miami Heat team needs to be a vocal leader. Not everyone needs to be the person calling out teammates or addressing the media after a disappointing performance. But it is going to take more than Davion Mitchell and Erik Spoelstra to get this team moving in the right direction.
Leadership comes in different forms, and sometimes the best way to lead is through your actions.
There have been too many instances of defensive laziness from this Heat team. Whether it's refusing to block out, failing to fight through screens, or simply not putting in the necessary effort to finish a defensive possession, these are problems that go beyond scheme or talent. Those are effort and accountability issues.
Coach Spoelstra can demand more from his players, and Mitchell can be vocal about what needs to change, but neither can physically go out there and make every player do their job. At some point, the players themselves have to take ownership of what's happening.
It shouldn't take a coach calling someone out or a teammate expressing frustration for players to recognize when they're not holding up their end of the bargain.
You don't need five vocal leaders on the floor. You need five players who understand their responsibilities, hold themselves accountable, and aren't afraid to expect the same from the person standing next to them.
And that's when a team finds their success.
When the pressure is taken off because you believe in the guys you share a locker room with, you trust that if you fail, the next guy will pick you up, and thats when you can just play.
They often say winning solves all problems, and I don't think the Miami Heat are at that point yet, but they need to finish this road trip strong before the two does turn into four.
It starts with these uncomfortable conversations, even less than 10% of the way through the season. The Heat are too talented --especially on the defensive end-- to be getting beaten as bad as they have been to start the year, but what is that talent without the effort required to win.
There is nobody coming to save the Miami Heat, and there is no magical fix to their roster. So, this change is going to have to come from within, but if and when it does, it will be a sight to see.
This article was originally published on www.si.com/nba/heat/onsi as The Miami Heat's Early Season Issues Go Beyond the Basketball Court .
