<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">They are everything the Heat wants to be, everything the Heat aspires to become, so the presence of the San Antonio Spurs tonight at AmericanAirlines Arena is as much a symbolic overture to the Heat's future as it is a barometer to where the Heat finds itself today. ''It's time for us to make a move,'' said Heat coach Pat Riley, whose team faces the defending NBA champs tonight. The Heat is quickly approaching the halfway point of the season, and the same team that was being anointed in the preseason as a championship contender finds itself at 23-16 -- a somewhat disappointing record, especially in contrast to the two teams that most likely will stand in the Heat's path to a title. Detroit is 31-5, and San Antonio is 30-9. Riley knows exactly why the Spurs and Pistons boast the two best records in the NBA. BEST DEFENSE ''It's defense first for San Antonio and defense first for Detroit, and it goes hand in hand with their offensive game,'' Riley said. ``They are head and shoulders above everybody.'' What does the Heat need to do to catch up with the league's elite? ''Our defense is not where I want it to be,'' Riley said. ``I'm happy with the personnel. Over the last 18 games we're almost eight [to] nine points better. We're better in every category offensively. And we're better in two or three categories defensively. ``But from an individual defensive standpoint we're just not getting it done. At the end of close games, you've got to be able to shut somebody down. Your team has to be able to do that because players are too good, and they are going to find open players and players are going to hit shots. ``We have to -- over the next 2 ? months -- find a disposition and find a defensive consistency individually that's better than it is now.'' Riley has always preached defense, and his Heat teams in the past were known for their toughness and ability to stop the best in the NBA. He left the court to concentrate on duties as team president, and when he returned this season he found a different team -- albeit one he built -- and a different set of rules. Riley was always known as a strict taskmaster who pushed his teams in practice. He vowed not to be as relentless when he returned to coaching this year, but he also knows players have to pay a price to succeed -- especially on defense. ''There's something to developing a mental toughness in practice and a conditioning toughness,'' he said. ``What we always prided ourselves on was the fact our guys were in such good shape that they wouldn't break.'' Riley also is dealing with new rules, which deter anyone from playing a tough physical, style of defense. ``The rules today are a lot different than they were back when you could put a hand on somebody. Now you cough on somebody and it's a foul. It's absolutely ridiculous. But that's the way they want the game, and we have to teach different techniques, and the techniques you teach are a lot softer. I hate to use that word, but they are a lot softer.'' Riley sounded exasperated, then smiled. ''I'm not frustrated,'' he said. ``I'm trying to swallow it -- and digest it a little bit and figure out a way to get around it.'' </div> Source
