Miami Heat's LeBron James posting up in paint, relying less on jumpers - MiamiHerald.com

One of the goals for LeBron James this season was to take his game closer to the basket a bit more often, with less reliance on three-pointers and more use of post-ups.

In Game 2 on Monday, James scored 19 points without scoring a single basket beyond 10 feet.

He attempted seven long jumpers, including three three-pointers, and missed all of them. But he compensated by shooting 8 for 11 within 10 feet.

Of James’ eight baskets, four were layups (including one on an alley-oop), one was a dunk and the other three were short jumpers.

On many of his baskets, James either drove to the basket or received a pinpoint pass.

He finished 8 for 18 from the field.

Rotation changes

Even during these playoffs, Heat coach Erik Spoelstra’s rotations have retained some element of unpredictability.

Instead of tightening his bench, Spoelstra used 10 players in the first half of Game 2, including stints for Norris Cole and James Jones. Neither played in the third quarter.

Cole was removed from the rotation briefly during April after a long shooting slump. He shot 23 for 71 in March and 35 for 98 in April. He logged 2:46 in the first half of Game 2 but hit his only shot, a 17-foot jumper.

Jones ended the season in a 15-for-55 slump but got six first-half minutes and missed his only shot.

Mike Miller, Shane Battier and Joel Anthony obviously will get consistent minutes off the bench for the Heat.

“We feel very comfortable with it,” Spoelstra said of his rotation. “There are some guys that will play spot minutes based on need.”

Eddy Curry and Terrel Harris were on the Heat’s inactive list.

Riley keeps hands off

New York writers have been quizzing Heat players about president Pat Riley’s involvement with the team. Dwyane Wade noted that Riley “has done a great job of letting [Spoelstra] lead us through good and bad times. You’ve got to let a head coach be a head coach and let Spo really put his stamp on this team.”

Udonis Haslem said players speak individually to Riley but mostly “about life, not much about basketball. Pat Riley felt like he needed to let coach Spo blossom into the coach he is capable of being.”

But “make no mistake,” Haslem said.

“The majority of our system comes from coach Riley” and from the system he used when he was coaching. “Coach Spo has tweaked it.”

This and that

• Spoelstra, talking before Game 2 about defending Carmelo Anthony: “He deserves the respect of multiple schemes,” Spoelstra said. “Carmelo is arguably among the top three toughest covers in this league.”

• The Heat continued to get more free throws than the Knicks. Miami, which was 24 for 33 from the line in Game 1, made 19 of 27 in Game 2. The Knicks, 10 for 11 in Game 1, were 13 for 19 in Game 2.

Knicks point guard Jeremy Lin, who had knee surgery April 2, participated in large parts of New York’s shootaround on Monday and has said he could return as early as Game 4. “When he decides to play, I really don’t know,” coach Mike Woodson said.

• Asked about whether preparing for a Game 1 or Game 2 is more fun, Spoelstra cracked, “I would never use ‘fun’ in preparing.”