Does Miami have a playoff gear?

BySTEVE ILARDI
May 24, 2014, 12:20 AM

— -- It began as mere suspicion, but soon became conventional wisdom. Miami is coasting this season.

LeBron definitely looks like he's coasting, especially on defense. But the Heat'll turn it up a notch in the playoffs.

It's a time-honored sports cliché: The weary, aging champion, angling to hold on to the crown, reserves its best effort for the postseason, when it really matters.

But is there any hard evidence that the 2013-14 Heat can turn up the quality of their play at will? Do they really have a playoff gear?

Short answer: So far this postseason, the Heat have not shown that they have an extra gear.

The longer, more interesting answers are below.