3 reasons Miami Heat can win without Hassan Whiteside

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Apr 23, 2016; Charlotte, NC, USA; Miami Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra talks to guard Dwyane Wade (3) during the second half in game three of the first round of the NBA Playoffs against the Charlotte Hornets at Time Warner Cable Arena. Mandatory Credit: Sam Sharpe-USA TODAY Sports /

2. Erik Spoelstra is a better head coach than Dwane Casey

It’s taken about two years, but Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra is finally getting the recognition he deserves as a possible top 10 head coach in the NBA. He led the Heat to two NBA Championships (2012-13) and four straight NBA Finals (2011-14), but he obviously had the distinct pleasure of coaching LeBron James those four NBA seasons.

Last season was a tough one for the Heat, as Miami missed the 2015 NBA Playoffs and wound up with the No. 10 overall pick in the 2015 NBA Draft. Since selecting Justise Winslow No. 10 overall out of Duke, the Heat have gotten themselves back on track as a dark horse title contender in 2015-16.

Spoelstra has put together a great defense-first team and has gotten the most out of his role players and new starters in the last two years. His previous success with the big three allowed him to prove to Heat fans that he is a great head coach and not just a great manager of personalities.

Basically, Miami holds a distinct advantage in the x’s and o’s department with Spoelstra over the nearly fired Dwane Casey of the Raptors. While former Indiana Pacers head coach Frank Vogel got the axe after losing win-or-go-home Game 7 versus Toronto, had the Raptors failed to advance to the Eastern Conference Semifinals for the third year in a row with that corpse, Casey would be the one out of a job and not Vogel.

It’s often overlooked, but superior head coaching will typically give a hopeless underdog at least one game in a best-of-seven series (i.e., Rick Carlisle helping the Dallas Mavericks win a game over the superior Oklahoma City Thunder in the first round.).

This series will go at least six games. Should Spoelstra put together a gem of game plan in either Game 4 or 5, the Heat will grab back all the momentum in this best-of-seven series after dropping Games 2 and 3 to possibly knock off the Raptors in Game 7 at Air Canada Centre.

Next: 1. Playoff Dwyane Wade is the best player on the court.

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