The Heat's lackluster bench

[Real Deal]

Just read a few things about Miami, and this caught my eye:

 

Brian Windhorst ‏ @WindhorstESPN

Heat (24.3 ppg) & Celtics (23.6) have 2 of 3 lowest-scoring benches in league. Only Lakers (20.8) worse.

Also, this gem about Cole...

 

Heat rookie Norris Cole shot 32.4% in March, lowest of any of the 233 players who took 70+ shots.

Forgive me for wondering how the Heat are going to beat an elite defensive team in seven games if LeBron OR Wade struggle most of the series, in the same way I wonder about the Lakers if Kobe or Drew has major trouble. Just last year, Wade had problems in the Chicago series, if I recall correctly, and we know what happened to James against Dallas.

 

Do the Heat even have a legitimate sixth man to depend on?

 

Looking at the roster, it seems like Chalmers is the fourth best player on this team...which was impossible for most Heat fans to admit early in the year, when they thought Norris Cole was going to dominate and take the starting role. Now, Cole is shooting 40% or so, Haslem can't even find his way to 45% despite all of the bunnies he's spoon-fed, and Battier (who is open all the time) shoots under 39%.

 

Yet, as a whole, the team is shooting 48% and #1 in the NBA, lol.

[SRV]

I have been aware of our crappy bench after about a month of games. On paper, it looks like a really good bench, but for one reason or another, they are all having a terrible year. Haslem and Miller are way off, Battier is just not as helpful as advertised, and James Jones never plays, and he is probably our best shooter. Eddy Curry and Dexter Pittman are both too out of shape to do anything at all. I despise Chalmers at times, but he is really the only other option we have.

 

There is not much we can do now other than hope they all figure something out. It hasn't lost us too many games so far, so hopefully we can manage.

[Flash]

This bench is so much better than last years its not even funny but there are nights when they don't show up. Norris just hit the rookie wall. He and Mario were pretty much much going 50/50 at the position for the first half of the season. Then take into account Battier and Haslem's struggles and there you go. UD seems to have found his shot though and Battier is getting there as well. Once Mike Miller gets back and we're at full strength I think those numbers will be better. The little things that Battier does alone are more than anyone on our bench did last season.

[Abro]

Although our bench is much better than last years, as of late they haven't been scoring at all and they just seem burnt out and that they just don't really care either! I don't really understand why either because they know that they need to win these games they have been playing because yes, they are statement games. This team seriously frustrates the hell out of me.