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MIAMI – With less than a dozen games remaining before the playoffs, Erik Spoelstra hasn't exactly posted a 'Help Wanted' sign as he looks to shore up his team's postseason rotation.

But it appears the Miami Heat coach is currently poring through resumes.

And if that's the case, it might be time for Spoelstra to amend his view of at least one applicant. James Jones shouldn't be seen as a luxury as the Heat look for reliable shooters who can space the floor around LeBron James and Dwyane Wade.

It's time to make Jones a necessity in the rotation.

Of course, it's easy to endorse Jones' application after his latest job performance, one that included matching his career high with six 3-pointers for 18 points off the bench in Sunday's blowout win against Detroit. But this isn't a spur-of-the-moment argument.

Jones has done this kind of thing before, this thing that allows him to respond to being pushed to the back of the bench by splashing threes out of nowhere the moment he enters the game. A nine-year veteran in his fourth season in Miami, Jones is like one of those characters from a pop-up book.

The only way to keep him down is to close off any chance for him to see action. But the moment there's an opening, boom. He turns in the kind of performance that makes you take notice, makes you question why he hasn't been a part of the rotation all along.

Makes you wonder why Spoelstra just won't let him do his thing.

Jones has had promising moments this season when he showed he could be a reliable and fearless shooter to complement the attacking styles of James and Wade. But Sunday's game was Jones' most playing time since January. With Wade sitting out to rest an ankle injury, Jones went 6 of 8 from 3-point range and also had four steals in 23 minutes. It was an oasis of an opportunity amid limited stints and DNP-Coach's Decision distinctions.

“I didn't know that Dwyane wasn't playing until 20 minutes before the game,” Jones said. “Coach didn't tell me anything. He just expects all of us to be ready.”

Staying in a state of perpetual readiness is the only place Jones knows where to reside. It's been that way since he arrived as a free agent in 2008 to be a Mike Miller-type shooter for this team well before Miller actually was signed.

Miller was brought in as the team's fourth-highest paid player in 2010 when the roster was reloaded around James, Wade and Bosh. Then last offseason, Shane Battier arrived to add even more depth on the perimeter. Indirectly, Jones helped to facilitate the makeovers by taking a buyout in 2010 to create salary cap space for the Heat. He then re-signed with Miami each of the past two offseasons.

“I made the adjustment last year where, mentally, I convince myself that I get paid and I'm here to be ready to play, not (necessarily) to play,” Jones said. “So I spend all my time and preparation just knowing that when I do get a chance to play, they expect me to perform. I prepare as if I'm a rotation guy even though I'm not playing. So when nights come up like (Sunday), I can help my team.”

Jones has shot 43.4 percent from 3-point range this season and has appeared in 41 games. But he's been the victim of a numbers crunch. He's not as versatile as Miller, but he's proven to be far more durable. And Jones is not nearly as effective a defender as Battier, but he's a far more consistent shooter.

The Heat also has used rookies Terrel Harris and Norris Cole ahead of Jones for stretches this season. Jones has taken it all in stride without losing any confidence in his stroke.

“It was extremely difficult early,” Jones said of adjusting to sporadic opportunities to play. “I'm starting to get a feel for it. I know that it's not an indictment of my skill level. It's just that some great players are in front of me. We're loaded. Coming into this season, I understood that. All of the guys knew we'd have to make a sacrifice. Unfortunately for me, it's been playing time.”

But that might soon change if Spoelstra truly is open to tweaking his playoff rotation, even in the slightest way.

It's safe to assume that five players are locked into extensive roles in what's likely to be an eight-man rotation: James, Wade, Bosh, Battier and Udonis Haslem. From there, expect Chalmers and Ronny Turiaf to maintain starting jobs at point guard and center – although it doesn't guarantee they will finish games.

That accounts for seven players already, which basically means one more spot – possibly two – would be up for grabs in a traditional playoff rotation.

Despite still being in striking distance of the Chicago Bulls, San Antonio Spurs and Oklahoma City Thunder for the league's best record and homecourt advantage through the playoffs, the Heat remain very much a team trying to see which pieces fit best around James, Wade and Bosh.

Ideally, Miller would have a key role. But he just returned Sunday after missing a month with an ankle injury, the latest setback in a line of injuries he's dealt with over two seasons.

“(Spoelstra's) got to get a rotation set so we can get ready for the playoffs,” Miller said. “I think he's going to be juggling for the next few games to see how it works out. We'll see what happens.”

Spoelstra considers this a good problem to have.

“A lot of guys are making compelling cases to play, but there will ultimately have to be a sacrifice for the team,” Spoelstra said. “I hope I have to make tough decisions as we go forward. Everybody has the right mindset in that locker room. When their number is called, they’re ready to step up for the team.”

And those who don't get many chances to step up have remained professional enough to sit down without being much of a distraction.

Jones has excelled at both.

He's even taken on the role of the always popular backup quarterback when it comes to fan support. Jones said he's heard the chants for him to play at games and has listened to sports talk radio shows, which sometimes have been flooded with callers disappointed in his limited role.

“Every guy is on edge pretty much, trying to play to their utmost capabilities,” Jones said. “What you see now is a sense of urgency with the coaches as far as the rotation, a sense of urgency as far as all the players, knowing we don't have (much) more time to figure it out. We have (11) games. After that, you win or go home.”

Miami is home for Jones.

The challenge now is whether Spoelstra can find a resting spot for the sharpshooter in his rotation.

MIAMI -- With under two hours before Sunday's game against the Detroit Pistons, Erik Spoelstra promised some changes.

"There are some small tweaks that I’ll make from here on out," Spoelstra said. “The tweaks aren’t major tweaks, but they’re important ones. I feel pretty comfortable about a few things going forward even if I haven’t pulled the trigger.”

In cryptic tone, Spoelstra delivered a cliffhanger for the reporters in the room. As the coach walked off the podium, writers gathered their things and speculated amongst themselves about what was in store.

About halfway through the first quarter of Sunday's game, Spoelstra's tweak was revealed. Up 12-8 against Detroit, the coach turned to his long line of reserves, called out a name and prompted a rookie stand and check in to the game. For the first time all season, it was rookie Terrel Harris' turn to lead the second unit, not fellow rookie Norris Cole.

Two months ago, Cole was selected to play among the best rookies in the 2012 Rising Stars Challenge, but on Sunday he wouldn't rise from the bench on his own team until garbage time. That's his place in the rotation now and considering his recent struggles, the demotion was hardly unjustified.

On its own, Cole's removal from the rotation might not be big news, but his disastrous play as of late had been dragging down Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh in the second unit. For the entirety of the season, Spoelstra has watched his "go-to" second unit of Cole, Wade, Bosh, Shane Battier and Udonis Haslem massively underachieve. Although it ranks as the team's second most frequent lineup, it's usage hasn't been on merit; the star-studded lineup has been outscored by 28 points this season while on the floor. Interestingly, among the Heat's ten most-used lineups, it is the only one that features a losing tally on the scoreboard.

It's no secret that Cole is a central reason why the Heat's second unit has disappointed, especially on offense. Entering Sunday's game, the rookie had shot a paltry 2-for-21 from the floor in the month of April while tallying six turnovers compared to just eight assists. For a point guard whose primary job is to score and put pressure on the defense, Cole simply doesn't bring much to the table if he's not making his shots. Cole's score-first mentality was once heralded as a strength, but gradually that same trait has became a major liability.

Cole's demotion also signals the end of a promising preseason plan. As a rookie with seemingly boundless energy, Cole flew past his older contemporaries in the beginning of the season and dazzled on the big stage against Boston on national television. This was all part of Spoelstra's plan to push the tempo. Evidently, this plan had legs.

Then Cole hit the proverbial rookie wall. The lack of a standard training camp and condensed season had taken its toll on Cole. That same fearlessness that made him so appealing as a first-round pick also made him often look foolish. With fresh legs and a blank scouting report, the Cole of December swiftly maneuvered around defenders in the lane on his way to tough, contorted shots near the rim. Those shots aren't going in anymore; he's shooting 38 percent on layups over his last 10 games, almost half the league norm.

Cole's physical drop-off has been so drastic that Spoelstra has now begun to praise Harris' boost of energy off the bench. That used to be Cole's job.

"Harris gives us another dynamic of speed and quickness," Spoelstra said after Sunday's 23-point win. "Our second unit came in and sparked us. A lot of guys are making compelling cases to play."

For now, Harris has earned playing time over Cole perhaps by default. Harris' insertion into the second unit slides LeBron and Wade into backup point guard duties where they can move the ball and maintain the Heat's floor-spacing. With Cole on the floor, Wade and Bosh's chemistry looked disrupted and the rate of Heat's assisted baskets had plummeted to league-low depths. Cole did score 10 points in five minutes of garbage time on Sunday, but that's where he'll stay for the time being.

"We’re not writing him off, he’s too tough," Spoelstra said of Cole. "We’ll see what we do as we go forward."

Spoelstra likes what he sees from Harris, who holds a season's worth of energy to burn. With about two weeks left in the season, Spoelstra has made a significant tweak to the rotation in preparation for the playoffs -- a rotation that may not feature prized first-round pick Cole.

MIAMI -- Regardless of what challenges or shortcomings the Heat deal with on a regular basis, they have no chance at reaching their goals unless LeBron James plays to his potential.

During their up-and-down performance over the past few weeks it was a rare and prolonged offensive slump from James that was perhaps the most curious affliction. Late last month James had maybe his worst two weeks of offense since he was a rookie, causing some minor alarm.

That appears to be in the past, however, as James had another strong performance Sunday when the Heat beat the Detroit Pistons 98-75. That slump is gone as he’s now put together two weeks of play that more resemble performances worthy of his Most Valuable Player candidacy. It’s helped the Heat regain some stability and keep themselves in the hunt for the top overall seed in the playoffs.

With Dwyane Wade sitting out Sunday’s game for the second time in a week with a superficial injury -- this time it was a minor ankle issue, though mostly it appears the Heat are just prudently looking for chances to get him some rest -- James had 26 points on 12-of-22 shooting.

Combined with a reasonably strong defensive effort -- the Pistons shot just 37 percent and put up the fewest points the Heat have allowed in a home game this season -- the Heat shook off their Friday night loss to Memphis to improve to 3-1 on their current five-game homestand.

During that six-game flatline period in March, James averaged just 18.5 points and shot 42 percent, numbers that represented vast drops from his norms. He had suffered a head and neck injury, which was deemed not to be a concussion, and banged his right elbow hard after a fall. While he refused to use all that as an excuse, it was plain to see that James' jumper was looking flat and he was avoiding contact as his free throw attempts plunged, as well.

Over these past six games, however, James has looked healthier and more confident. During this span his numbers have returned to All-Star levels: 28.5 points and 54 percent shooting.

“Some of the shots that I was missing when I was going through [the slump] were the same I was making before so I just kept going,” James said. “Now I’m feeling good and my teammates are giving me a lot of confidence.”

Traditionally, James uses the last few weeks of the regular season to prepare for the playoffs. He expands his shooting routines and gets extra treatment in the training room. It’s something numerous veterans do this time of year.

With the nagging injuries -- he’s also been dealing with a damaged finger on his left hand -- getting better and his focus sharpening, James appears to be finding his form as the playoffs approach.

“I’m just trying to get into playoff mode,” James said. “Just knowing we have some really good teams coming up and I’m looking forward to it.”

The upcoming week could prove pivotal for Miami if it wants to catch the Chicago Bulls and secure home-court advantage throughout the playoffs. The Bulls lost in New York on Sunday, which allowed the Heat to draw to within a game of Chicago in the loss column.

After closing out this stretch of home games Tuesday against the Boston Celtics, the Heat go on the road to play the Bulls on Thursday in what could end up being an important game for that top seed. Knowing those games were coming up likely played into the decision to give Wade Sunday off.

“It’s great if we can gain a little bit of ground on [Chicago],” said Heat forward Chris Bosh, who also played well Sunday with 22 points and nine rebounds. “We’re going to play [Chicago] two more times so things will line up the way they’re supposed to.”

In another installment of the Heat Index's 3-on-3 series, our writers give their takes on the storylines before the Heat host the Pistons (21-34).

1. Fact or Fiction: Detroit's recent hot steak is more fluke than for real.

Tom Haberstroh: Fact. Not to take anything away from their strong play as of late -- actually, nevermind. That's what I'm about to do. They're 5-2 in their last seven games but here's who they beat: the Wizards twice, the Bobcats in overtime, the Erie Cavaliers and the bizarro Orlando Magic. A win is a win, but I'm not sold that they're suddenly better than they were a month ago.

Michael Wallace: Fiction. The Pistons should be a .500 team fighting for a final playoff spot in the East. Emphasis on should. They do have a combination of talented pieces and proven veterans on the roster, so this team has drastically underachieved in recent years. This current relative upswing is too little, too late.

Brian Windhorst: Fiction. After a morbid 4-20 start, the Pistons are 10-10 since the All-Star break (the Heat are 12-8) and showing all the signs of a team that is turning the corner. Rodney Stuckey is probably playing the best basketball of his career, Greg Monroe is a most improved candidate and looks like a franchise center and rookie Brandon Knight is promising. This does look like a team on the rise.

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2. Fact or Fiction: Mike Miller's addition means more than Turiaf's.

Haberstroh: Fact. Only Sacramento has shot worse from downtown than the Heat (28.4 percent!) over their last 10 games. For a team that flaunted not one, but two shooters at the 3-point contest, they seem quite desperate for some floor-spacers -- and more importantly, shot-makers.

Wallace: Fact. In theory, this is a no-brainer. The Heat's record when Miller plays is far and above better than when he doesn't. But that can also be a bit misleading considering this is one of the least productive seasons in Miller's career. Turiaf's size, rebounding ability and toughness up front fill a huge void. But Miller's versatility fits more with the Heat's preferred style and pace.

Windhorst: Fact. Turiaf plays a position where the Heat are thin, Miller plays a position where the Heat are deep and that is why it could be a discussion. But the Heat have played their best -- last year in the playoffs and this year during in the middle of the season -- when Miller has been healthy and contributing. He's not be the player the Heat thought they were signing but his ability to hit the 3-pointer plus his hustle and defensive flexibility really seem to have positive impacts beyond his basic stats.

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3. Fact or Fiction: Miami's biggest concerns are (in order) health, boredom and fatigue.

Haberstroh: Fiction. I'll say health is the most pressing issue because this team's fate will be decided by LeBron James' play down the stretch. And from all indications, he's still not over the dislocated finger and the lingering side effects from the collision with Grant Hill. (Yes, I think the Hill collision was more serious than they're letting on). Whether it's complacency or fatigue or more likely, a combination of both, this team needs to cut down on its moronic turnovers. I'll say it's a tie.

Wallace: Fiction. Health could be a legit concern, with LeBron pushing through a few nagging issues and Miller having missed a month with an ankle sprain. But boredom and fatigue are simply byproducts of this season - not viable excuses. So when the Heat win it's due to fantastic play. But when they lose, it's because of fatigue? Come on, man!

Windhorst: Fiction. Other than health -- and that is every team's top worry going to playoffs -- I think consistency is the biggest challenge for them. Perhaps it has grown out of boredom and is contributed to by fatigue, but they do not have the same level on mental focus and energy from night-to-night. That is a real danger to their playoff chances if they don't solve it.

MIAMI -- There is no shame whatsoever in losing a game to the Memphis Grizzlies these days. In a season of preposterous bits of schedule, the Grizzlies are working through a buzz saw week with remarkable effectiveness.

The latest was hammering the Miami Heat on Friday, a 97-82 win that snapped the Heat’s 17-game home win streak. It happened four days after they’d won in Oklahoma City. And eight days into a nine-day stretch in which the Grizzlies play seven games, five on the road and six against teams currently in playoff position. They’re a strong 4-2.

There is also no shame whatsoever in Heat coach Erik Spoelstra’s strong denial that his team has been yo-yoing recently because of fatigue. This is true, even his own players admit it, but it is part of a coach’s responsibility to push his team and not give them excuses to fall on. Not overreacting, positively or negatively, to bad games is usually a trait that works well for coaches.

Whether Spoelstra needed to go on another bizarre rant following the game -- he’s been doing this more and more over the past couple of weeks, first becoming very demonstrative on the sideline during games and then attacking conspiracy theories, even ones that don’t seem to be known, in various news conferences -- is another matter.

On this night, Spoelstra complained about the “storyline” that his team was fatigued and then went on a tirade about how the media was bored and predicted that in six or seven years reporters would be suggesting teams “shut it down after the All-Star break.” A story on ESPN.com on Friday suggested that with the Heat’s players showing some fatigue, perhaps the team should start giving their players some days off before the playoffs.

Spoelstra, obviously in complete disagreement, kept LeBron James, Chris Bosh and Dwyane Wade in the game until there was 1:45 left on Friday, even though the Heat were down 21 points with five minutes to play. Then he called a practice for Saturday afternoon. He’s a man of principle.

Meanwhile, a few feet away in the locker room, one of his captains talked about how fatigue played a role in the Heat’s first home loss in 10 weeks.

“I said it to myself in the warm-up line; I’m like, 'It might be one of those nights, Jesus,'" Wade said. “I hoped it wasn’t, but it was. … Everybody is fatigued, that’s the kind of season it is. Everybody around the league. Some nights it is going to be great, some nights it’s not.”

Wade was being honest. But when he came up short on two dunk attempts in the first half, there was plenty of visual data anyway.

Moving past that “storyline,” it’s more likely that Spoelstra has been getting more testy with his team and then letting it bleed over into sessions in which he scolds the media -- kicking the dog as it were -- because the Heat continue to struggle to find consistency. It’s getting on his nerves and, with the playoffs approaching, the pressure is starting to mount.

That victory over the Thunder on Wednesday night was strong. But their effort Friday -- there were 11 turnovers in the first quarter -- was not consistent. That is what is at the root of the coach’s frustration.

He’s got a team that was not only the title favorite to start the season, but had solidified it by late February when they had the league’s best record.

Now, he’s got a team that isn’t performing at the same level as its peers. Whether he wants to consider the fatigue factor or not, the standings, as James said, do not lie.

He’s got a rookie point guard, Norris Cole, who is now shooting 22 percent over the past 13 games and is 2-of-21 over the past four. He changed his starting center 50 games into the season and replaced him with a player signed two weeks earlier. He’s got a starting power forward in Chris Bosh -- who set a goal at the start of the season to average 10 rebounds a game -- averaging the fewest rebounds since his rookie season. After getting four in 35 minutes Friday, Bosh said: “I don’t really pay attention to the rebounds individually.”

There is Spoelstra’s offense, which averaged 103 points for the first 34 games, that is now averaging just 94 points over the past 20 games. The Grizzlies became the third team in the past week to hold the Heat to worse than 41 percent shooting.

The coach and his team have a lot of problems to fix and limited time to fix them. The fatigue is just one factor and it is also one, Spoelstra believes, his team should just push through. He’s been changing his lineups and rotations and pouring in work around the games to try to snap the Heat back to championship form.

This week players watched some film from last season’s Finals meltdown against the Dallas Mavericks, a motivational tool aimed to remind them what this season is all about. It’s effect, like just about everything else that has been tried recently, appears to have been limited.

“We have a high ceiling,” Spoelstra has said repeatedly over the past few weeks. “We have a lot to improve on like a lot of teams. Nobody is perfect.”

Finally, a “storyline” everyone can agree on.

MIAMI - Heat coach Erik Spoelstra has referred to Miami as a "no-excuse" team all season. So when asked whether late-season fatigue factored into his team's sluggish play in a 97-82 loss Friday to Memphis, it struck a nerve.

Make that a few nerves. The Heat's 17-game home winning streak wasn't the only thing snapped at AmericanAirlines Arena after Friday's performance.

In another installment of the Heat Index's 3-on-3 series, our writers give their takes on the storylines before the Heat host the Grizzlies (30-23).

1. Fact or Fiction: The Heat should have signed Gilbert Arenas instead.

Tom Haberstroh: Fiction. Norris Cole has been a mess for months now, but if the Heat want to push the ball and change the tempo when they go to the bench, Arenas is not the answer. Come to think of it, Arenas is probably not the answer for any NBA team at this stage. Come playoff time, the Heat may not even need a backup point guard anyway; that role could be absorbed by Dwyane Wade and LeBron James.

Michael Wallace: Fiction. Ronny Turiaf was the better and more necessary choice for the Heat, considering the team's lack of productive depth on the front line. In the end, you have to think Turiaf will help this team more than Arenas would.

Brian Windhorst: Fiction. The Heat's biggest need was a big man and they tried for several months to get one before getting Turiaf. And just to illustrate how bad the need was, Turiaf is in the starting lineup within a couple weeks. Forgetting about the various Arenas issues, it makes sense that the Heat wanted to commit to a young player like Norris Cole. Even if Cole is having a very rough time.

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2. Fact or Fiction: The Heat should gun for the No. 1 seed at expense of rest.

Haberstroh: Fiction. If they want to flip the switch for the playoffs and get back to "pace and space," they need a power generator. That could come in the form of a week off. The Chicago Bulls have a two-thirds chance at landing the No. 1 seed so it's going to be an uphill climb for the Heat to catch them. Playing fast and up-tempo gives the Heat their best chance at winning it all. That's more important than a home-court advantage they may never get to use.

Wallace: Fiction. Although I think this rest issue is well overblown (is the Heat's predicament different than any other top team this season with regard to being tired?), the injury concerns are a different issue. There's no need for guys to push through nagging injuries at this stage. Plus, the Heat are confident they can steal a win on the road from anyone in the East.

Windhorst: Fiction. And double fiction. The Heat have been battling dead legs for the last week or so. It is showing up everywhere. The prudent thing to do would be to get to the playoffs with everyone in the best shape possible and then deal with one opponent at a time. This season seeding might only have limited value when compared to how much gas is in the tank.

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3. Fact or Fiction: The Heat should have R. Turiaf guard Z. Randolph.

Haberstroh: Fact. To put it lightly, Chris Bosh has been lumbering up and down the court these days. Considering his tired state, going against the physical Zach Randolph might not be the best idea. Sure, it won't help shed the "soft" label, but it probably gives the Heat better chances if Bosh's not Z-Bo's primary defender. Not that Marc Gasol is a cakewalk or anything.

Wallace: Fiction. So then who would defend Memphis' All-Star big in Marc Gasol? Fortunately for Chris Bosh, Zach is still playing his way into shape and hasn't regained his beastly form yet at power forward. But chances are, Udonis Haslem will likely spend most of his night doing the dirty work against Randolph.

Windhorst: Fact. But I'm sure Bosh and Udonis Haslem will be on him as well at various times. Zach has been around for a long time and Bosh has played against him a great deal as has Haslem. He is an excellent pick-and-pop player and so dealing with those coverages plus getting around his well-known backside for rebounds will be a team-wide effort.

MIAMI – There’s an inconvenient truth facing the Heat right now. They can chose to ignore it or they can chose to do something about it even if it may not make sense in the short term.

The Heat’s players, especially their stars, are tired. Actually, that’s not strong enough. They’re gassed. It shows in their performance, it shows in their attitude and it has been showing in the results.

The prudent thing to do is to start shutting some players down over the next two weeks so they can attempt to regain some stamina for the playoffs. Not a day off in the last week of the year. But multiple days off now, when they need it badly, so they can still build up a rhythm going into the playoffs.

Yes, even coming off a huge win over the Thunder. Yes, even though the Bulls have been stumbling a bit without Derrick Rose and have allowed the Heat back into the race for the top seed in the Eastern Conference. Yes, even with big games coming up in the next two weeks with the Celtics, Bulls and Knicks.

This suggestion goes against the Heat way. Pat Riley is famous for working his players into the ground. When they are tired he usually just pushed them harder. Last week after the Heat had played eight games in 13 days, six of them on the road, Erik Spoelstra conducted what he called a “training camp practice.” This was just before the team started five-games-in-seven-days stretch. On one of those off days, he held another practice, though this one was at least non-contact.

Chris Bosh looks like he’s running in sand half the time right now. He’s averaged three fewer rebounds per game after the All-Star break than before it. When he was asked about the precipitous drop off he explained it by saying “the ball isn’t bouncing my way right now.” The ball is bouncing just the same, Bosh is just too worn out to chase it down. He’s not getting the same lift on his jumpers, either. It screams dead legs.

Dwyane Wade took 13 3-pointers before the All-Star break. He’s taken 38 3-pointers since then, the result of fewer basket attacks. He shot 56 percent in February and has shot 49 percent since, 45 percent in his past five games. Those numbers are still good but they’re headed in the wrong direction.

Beyond the numbers, just watching Wade you can see he doesn’t have the same explosion. Wade averaged just under 32 minutes a game during the first half of the season. Over his last 13 games, played over 25 days, he’s averaged 37 minutes a game. It shows.

LeBron James is averaging 37.8 minutes a game, just about the lowest of his career. But he’s never played a season like this and his minutes have been rising. He’s averaged about four more minutes a game in March and April than he did in February. James’ performance hardly changes based on minutes played but he’s dealt with minor injuries to his neck, finger, ankle and elbow recently.

There’s a reason the Heat’s offensive numbers have dropped significantly over the last six weeks. Their stars, who were the engine of their up-tempo attack, have worn down playing a style that required lots of energy in a no-rest season. It’s not an indictment of Spoelstra or anyone else. But it is the truth.

The advance scouts see it, the opposing teams see it, the fans can see it and the players can feel it even if it is not something they would discuss publicly.

It would be nice for the Heat if they could overtake Chicago for the top seed and outlast the Thunder and Spurs to make sure they have homecourt advantage if they are to make the Finals. But in this season, a year like no other most of these players have experienced in their lifetime, the biggest priority may be health and energy.

The teams that make that a main focus, and there are several, might end up having a big advantage later on. The Heat have to figure out where it ranks on their priority list and soon.

With 3:03 left in the game and the Heat up 85-81 over the 76ers, LeBron James stepped up to the charity stripe for a pair of free throws. With Dwyane Wade sidelined, all of the eyes in AmericanAirlines Arena turned to LeBron to come up big in crunchtime.

LeBron went 1-for-2 at the line. Not impressive. What followed, though, was impressive. From there, LeBron proceeded to hit two jumpers, flush an alley-oop and convert three more free throws in the closing minutes. With the game in balance, LeBron scored 12 points over the final three minutes of the game, matching the Philadelphia 76ers entire team's total over that span. The Heat went on to win 99-93.

LeBron closed the door, something that every critic has yearned for him to do more consistently. It's no secret that LeBron's season hasn't memorable for his clutch performance. He might have the commanding lead in player efficiency rating, but he doesn't boast a catalog of game-winners that are featured daily on the morning highlight reels.

That's not the case for his opponent on Wednesday -- Kevin Durant and the Oklahoma City Thunder. Or at least that's what it seems.

From the team perspective, the Thunder are 16-9 (.640) when games enter clutch time which is actually slightly worse, percentage-wise, than what the 14-7 (.667) Heat have done this season. There's no question that the Thunder have had far more dramatic wins this season, but when the games get close, the Heat have surprisingly seen better results from a record standpoint.

The Thunder have been stellar this season with the game on the line and leading the way is Durant, who has been unbelievably successful in the shot-making department. The 23-year-old (remember, 23!) currently leads the NBA with 126 points in clutch situations (defined as the score within five points or less in the final five minutes). And Russell Westbrook? He ranks fourth in the league in clutch points (108), trailing Kobe Bryant (121) and Chris Paul (115).

Where is LeBron on the list? And Wade? They're further down on the list. In fact, Durant has more points in those clutch situations (126) than LeBron and Wade combined (64 and 42 points, respectively). Westbrook, too. What's more surprising? Bosh, the power forward who's often labeled as soft and mentally-feebled, has scored 55 points in clutch situations, which is more than Wade, the Heat's so-called closer, this season.

This is where we pause to mention the power of opportunity. The Thunder have played 122 minutes of clutch time this season and Durant and Westbrook have been on the floor for all 122 of those minutes. The Heat are a different story, having played 105 minutes in the clutch with LeBron playing only 85 of those minutes and Wade only 72 minutes. Still, that doesn't completely explain point disparity.


Here are the numbers, including the top trios from both teams:



What jumps out? First, Durant still comes out on top when we slice the game this way. Boosted by a enormous usage rate (percentage of team's possessions used by a field goal attempt, free throw or turnover) of 42.5 percent, Durant trumps all in scoring and PER. Westbrook and Bosh have been monsters in shot efficiency when we look at their true shooting percentage which brings three-pointers and free throws into the picture.

But Wade hasn't been sharp, which runs counter to what the conventional wisdom would suggest. Bosh might have played more, but when control for playing time, he has still been more efficient by PER and more accurate by true shooting. It should be noted that Bosh is set up for many of his buckets while Wade takes the burden of shot creation by himself.

And Harden? That might be the most jaw-dropping figure of all. When was the last time we saw a wing player who averages about 20 points per game get completely ignored in crunch time? Sure, he brings more to the table than scoring, but a player of Harden's scoring talent shouldn't have a usage rate that rivals Joel Anthony.

Let's take the next step and look at what I'll call "super-clutch" time. How do these players look in a one-possession game in the final minute?



With a sample size this microscopic, we can't take much away from this other than to say Durant has been other-worldly when the lights at their brightest. I mean, 39 points in 18 minutes? That's the equivalent of scoring a whopping 78 points over a 36 minute period. That's simply incredible.

And there's the Wade that the national audience remembers. In highly concentrated clutch moments, Wade has posted a higher usage rate than LeBron in this case and has flourished with that responsibility. Judging by their similar usage rates, there's no indication that one or the other is the "closer" in the final minute, but that Wade has found more success thus far. And don't forget about Bosh, he has come through when counted on.

And lastly: poor, poor Harden. No shot attempts in 18 minutes. Maybe he'll get his big chance on Wednesday night.

All in all, the clutch numbers tell us what has happened, but they hold little predictive power. No one expects Durant to sustain this superhuman level of performance. But no one should downplay what he has done either. Let's hope Wednesday night brings some more data points for entertainment's sake.

Statistical support provided by NBA.com

In another installment of the Heat Index's 3-on-3 series, our writers give their takes on the storylines before the Heat host the Thunder (40-13).

1. Fact or Fiction: The Heat have upgraded the starting lineup with Turiaf.

Tom Haberstroh: Fact. Honestly, when Turiaf got signed off the scrap heap, I had no idea that Turiaf was able to play at this level this quickly. The notoriously pungent veteran (just ask Amare Stoudemire) has been a breath of fresh air on offense. It might be best to put the guys in a platoon according to the opposing defense. Against a team like Boston and Chicago, playing the offensively-skilled Turiaf makes more sense. But against teams like Oklahoma City, Anthony's defense will be valuable.

Michael Wallace: Fact. To a degree. Turiaf is not as big a threat to block or alter shots as Joel Anthony. But he's a more consistent rebounder and is leaps and bounds ahead of Joel at passing, catching and finishing around the rim. Bottom line is this: Opponents have to at least account for Turiaf on both ends.

Brian Windhorst: Fact. It sort of sums up the Heat's situation at center by saying a guy that another playoff team jettisoned as an unwanted spare part a couple weeks ago is an upgrade. Joel Anthony plays hard and does what the Heat pay him to do, he rebounds and challenges shots. But when he's out there, it's 4-on-5 offensively and that limits the entire team. Turiaf is no Kareem but you can actually run a pick-and-roll with him and know that he'll catch the ball. Also, if the defense leaves him alone he can make a basket.

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2. Fact or Fiction: You'd be surprised if this isn't the Finals matchup.

Haberstroh: Fiction. The Bulls and the Spurs may not be favorites to win their respective conferences, but they've been good enough to use light pencil for a OKC-Miami prediction. Do I think it's the most likely matchup? Yes. Do I think it has a better than 50-50 chance of happening? No. History tells me that quirky things happen in the playoffs.

Wallace: Fact. Although I wouldn't suggest that either team is a flat-out lock. I do believe the Thunder could potentially have a far more difficult path to the Finals in the West, with the L.A. squads, the Spurs, Mavericks and even Memphis capable of doing damage. In the East, it appears to be a two-team race between the Heat and Bulls - the favorite being the one that avoids Rajon Rondo and the Celtics, who could be dangerous if relatively healthy.

Windhorst: Fiction. Nothing would surprise me in these playoffs. The season is bizarre and so the seeds don't matter as much. I think there's really four teams -- OKC, Dallas, Lakers and Spurs -- that could win the West. I do believe the Heat, despite their blase last five weeks, are still the favorite in the East. But I wouldn't lay down hard-earned cash that these teams would play again this year.

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3. Fact or Fiction: The MVP is LeBron's to lose.

Haberstroh: Fact. LeBron has been the best and most valuable player this season on both ends of the floor. Enough with the narrative construction; this isn't a popularity contest.

Wallace: Fact. But I do think the combination of LeBron's recent slump, by his lofty standards, and OKC's recent impressive run has put Kevin Durant well within striking distance. Voters might also be swayed by how some elite players have come out to stump for Durant in recent days, including reigning MVP Derrick Rose. Still, I think LeBron has had the better overall season so far.

Windhorst: Fiction. I know what the stats say but you have to consider the voters and history here. The MVP has a political layer to it. The voters want the best story and they consider outside influences. Unless LeBron just has a massive April and the Thunder falter, Durant is going to win this thing. When you are deciding on the most valuable guy in the league, it is impossible not to consider the last two playoffs. I know it's supposed to be a 2011-12 award but that isn't real. Voters have to seriously consider if they want to make James a 3-time MVP when they're not sure he belongs in that category. Durant, in addition to having a great year, doesn't have such baggage.

In another installment of the Heat Index's 3-on-3 series, our writers give their takes on the storylines before the Heat host the Sixers (29-22).

1. Fact or Fiction: Of the likely East playoff teams, the Heat would prefer to play Philly.

Tom Haberstroh: Fact. Even though Amare Stoudemire and Jeremy Lin are most likely out of the picture, I still say that the Knicks would scare the Heat more than the Sixers. Why? Tyson Chandler. When the Knicks surround him with shooters like Steve Novak and J.R. Smith, they're like Mavs-lite. I don't think the Sixers nor the Knicks threaten the Heat in a seven-game series, but I give the edge to the Knicks here.

Michael Wallace: Fact. But I also imagine that it would depend on which person in the organization you'd ask. Style-wise, Philly poses as little a threat as anyone in the East. But I'd bet a huge part of Erik Spoelstra or Pat Riley wouldn't mind drawing an opponent early that would require Miami's attention and full intensity from the get-go.

Brian Windhorst: Fact. There's a reason the Heat are dominant against the Sixers in the Big Three era. Philly generally plays small and athletic and that matches up better than teams with size across the front line. Also the Heat are totally cool with the Sixers' desire to run, they will run right with them if they can. About the only thing that Philly does that doesn't suit Miami is they're great at taking care of the ball.

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2. Fact or Fiction: S. Hawes means more to the Sixers than R. Allen to C's.

Haberstroh: Fact. There are plenty of angles here, but it boils down to this surprising fact: the Sixers are 16-7 with Spencer Hawes and the Celtics are 20-21 with Ray Allen. As a young, big body underneath with skills, Hawes is a vital part of what the Sixers are trying to do. Same goes for Allen, but as we saw on Sunday, the Celtics can get by with that other three.

Wallace: Fiction. This is entirely relative. The Sixers will need Hawes to win a playoff series. Boston might be able to squeeze by a first-round opponent without Allen. But Boston can't advance much beyond that without his clutch shooting. On the other hand, the Sixers probably wouldn't get deep into the playoffs even if Hawes is available and playing well.

Windhorst: Fact. If you look at the records without each one, it's undeniable. I'm not sure that coaches across the league would agree but as LeBron says, the standings don't lie. The Heat have not seen the Sixers with Hawes yet this season, he was hurt for all three meetings. He's not a dominant big but he is a good rebounder and he can stretch the defense with his ability to shoot. That is a different look the Heat will have to prepare for.

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3. Fact or Fiction: MIA's 21st-ranked offense in March is more stunning than PHI 23-pt L to WAS.

Haberstroh: Fact, although I'm veritably floored by both. How does Philly get blown out by the Wizards and then go beat the Hawks in the very next game? We like to call that a "lockout loss." That happens. The Heat's mediocre scoring with LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh all playing? Now that's special.

Wallace: Fact. As we all know, anything is possible on any given night during the NBA regular season, especially one with this crazy schedule across the board. But to see Miami's offense grow as stale and predictable as it had in March - all things considered - after such a solid start was stunning.

Windhorst: Fact. Anyone can have a bad night, though that was a really bad night for Philly. Meanwhile, the Heat's offense has been in a free fall since the All-Star break and might (they hope) have just hit rock bottom after that 72-point display on Sunday in Boston.

MIAMI -- Pat Riley sat back in a chair with his arms crossed across his chest and his legs outstretched in front of him, closely watching the Heat players take their free throws after practice. No, his presence on Monday wasn't unusual; the Heat president has attended almost every Heat practice this season as an observer from the sidelines of the team's practice court.

But after the Heat's most recent slump, his presence hung in the air like a lingering storm cloud. He was there chatting it up with coach Erik Spoelstra, probably receiving a debriefing from his coach who sat on the edge of a table nearby. Spoelstra had just wrapped up a practice that ran 90 minutes longer than usual, after which he delivered one of his most fiery media sessions of the season.

It's easy to see why. Riley and Spoelstra were about 24 hours removed from watching their team get trampled by the Celtics in Boston on Sunday, yet another disappointing road loss for the suddenly stalling Heat.

"Yesterday was unacceptable," the normally-reserved Spoelstra said. "Today, we worked as a group to fix it."

With a back-to-back against the 76ers and Thunder on the horizon, the Heat took the day off from a physical standpoint. They spent most of their time watching film from Sunday's game and then lightly going over their schemes on the court. But even after finishing the film session, the bitterness from the loss was palpable.

"They blew us off their court," Spoelstra said. "There’s no 'ifs,' 'ands' or 'buts' about it. Every facet of the game, they out-competed and out-played us."

With the rout in Boston, the Heat have now lost seven of their last eight games on the road against winning teams. Four of those losses have been decided by double-digits.

"There’s no secret to it, we’re not the Miami Heat in the last three weeks on the road for whatever reason," Spoelstra said. "All we can do is work at it.”

Work on it they did. This isn't the first time the Heat have gone through an extended film session. After the double-digit loss in Oklahoma City on Mar. 24, the Heat watched their catalog of turnovers and dissected their overall sloppy play in recent games. But it didn't seem to have much of an effect on Sunday as the Heat got pounded by 21 points by an older Celtics team who don't have the advantage of having fresh legs. The Heat are hoping that this marathon film session will have different results.

The team got a refresher on the team's schemes and they ironed out their defensive principles, something that Spoelstra holds at the top of the team's priority list. Led by Rajon Rondo and his 14 assists, the Celtics ran circles around the Heat's normally air-tight defense. Although the Heat scored just 72 points, the focus of the film session was on both ends of the floor.

"When you're going through it, you could feel like there's a million things going on, but when you sit down and break it down on film, it's simple," Dwyane Wade said. "If life was like that, we’d all be better people.”

On the outside, it seems that fatigue has played a part of their struggles and the condensed schedule has caught up to them. The Heat haven't been the up-tempo, high-octane squad that pummeled opponents back in the opening month of the season. The Heat averaged a scorching 102 possessions in their four games in December, but pulled back to an average of about 94 possessions in January and February. In March, the Heat slowed to a crawl, averaging 91 possessions during a month where they put up a underwhelming 10-6 record. The accelerated pace that propelled the team to an 8-1 start? That's in the rear-view mirror.

"As everybody knows and is on everybody’s scouting report, so much of our energy is generated from our activity and confidence from defense," Spoelstra said. "We’re an ignitable group, we understand that, but it takes a big commitment to play at our necessary energy level."

Although Spoelstra and Wade did cite a lack of energy and focus, the team wouldn't label fatigue as a factor. LeBron was adamant that the team won't use it as an excuse.

“Everyone [in the league] has fatigue at this point," LeBron said before returning the focus back to the reporters. "You have fatigue. I know you get tired of coming back here every other day. Everyone has fatigue at this point."

If not fatigue, the Heat are hoping that the problems on the road can be solved by concentration and attention to detail. It's also worth pointing out that the Heat have fourth-best road record in the league so perhaps the panic heard around South Florida might be reactionary. But Spoelstra wasn't the only one to characterize the Heat as two-faced this season.

"We know we haven’t been playing well on the road, it’s something that we have to fix," LeBron said. "We’re a totally different team at home. We wish we could have another road game tomorrow and redeem ourselves."

Redemption on the road will have to wait for another 10 days until they meet the Bulls in Chicago. But the Heat will have a chance to turn it around on Tuesday against the 76ers before taking on the Thunder again on Wednesday. A successful run here at the end of the regular season finish could go a long way in turning Riley into a more satisfied observer of his squad.

After the Heat lost another big game on the road in front of a national audience, it's time to bust out the stethoscope and diagnose what's wrong with the Heat. Here are five charts that tell the story. (Geek note: lines are presented as trailing 10-game averages.)

1. LeBron James isn't relentlessly attacking the basket
Remember when LeBron was punishing the basket earlier in the season? Not anymore.


2. Norris Cole and Mario Chalmers' shooting has fallen off a cliff
Can't stress enough: Miami's point guard production has plummeted from All-NBA to the NBA's basement.


3. Dwyane Wade's tendency to settle in losses
Noticed Wade has suddenly fallen in love with his jump shot? It's a symptom of stagnant offense.


4. The Heat's dramatic drop-off in tempo
Tired or not, Miami has abandoned the high-paced attack as the condensed season has rolled along.


5. Chris Bosh's rebounding pales compared to his peers
Once one of the top rebounders at his position, Bosh now trails the competition on the boards.


Statistical support for this story from NBA.com.

As you get ready for Sunday's nationally televised showdown between the regrouping Heat and the resurgent Celtics, here are five reasons why leaving Boston with a victory will be a very difficult task for Miami if LeBron James and Co. don't bring their "A" game to the Garden.