Mateo’s Hoop Diary: Strahinja Jokić’s assault case continues

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Strahinja Jokić, the older brother of the Denver Nuggets center, will continue his court case on Jan. 6 with a plea and setting hearing for a third-degree assault charge that stemmed from a savage punch against a fan at Ball Arena during a game versus the Los Angeles Lakers in April. The battering left the victim with a concussion, bruising and lacerations. 

 

A witness captured video of the incident. S. Jokić is 6-foot-9 and weighs 287 pounds. The person he struck appears to be of normal size.

 

S. Jokić came alone for his court date on Tuesday, save for his attorney, Abraham Hutt. Originally, a plea and setting hearing was scheduled, but Hutt requested and was granted extra time to negotiate with the City Attorney’s office.

 

On Aug. 21, S. Jokić’s fingerprints and photograph were taken for the case. Additionally, a protection order was enacted that day, barring him from contact with the victim, per court documents.

 

S. Jokić previously was in legal trouble in Denver in 2019. Then, he was charged with assault in the second- degree for strangling Maria Jokić, and accused of false imprisonment plus obstructing a telephone or telegraph service. He later accepted a guilty plea for obstructing a phone service and trespassing in a deferred prosecution arrangement, eliminating the charges. The trespassing charge was removed in 2022. 






Mateo’s Hoop Diary: Jimmy Butler returns as the Heat pull off an 18-point comeback versus the 76ers

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Jimmy Butler made up for lost time in a dominating effort, and the Heat’s defense locked up the 76ers in the second half, en route to victory. On top of that the hosts started a new lineup: Tyler Herro, Duncan Robinson, Butler, Haywood Highsmith and Bam Adebayo.

 

Butler carried the offense in the first quarter with a pick-and-pop jumper in the middle, a post-attack, a backdoor lob, and two fastbreak scores. But the squad missed 10 3-pointers, and some were makeable looks.

 

For the 76ers, Paul George kept maneuvering to his spots, hitting multiple jumpers at middle and close range, plus plowing to the hole for a layup and setting up Joel Embiid, beating Butler and Adebayo’s trap to the baseline. 

 

The closing of the first quarter was brutal for the hosts, too. Multiple turnovers set up quick baskets and trips to the line plus the team soiled itself covering the arc.

 

Subsequently, McCain started the second quarter scoring at close range against Adebayo in the drop, hitting a jumper in front of Herro in mid-range and spinning past Pelle Larson for a scoop layup. Two other quick baskets by Kelly Oubre in the open court piled on. 

 

At one moment, the 76ers had a 17-digit lead. Then five points from Dru Smith, six free throws from Butler and actions by Highsmith and Alec Burks ate into it. 

 

At halftime, the Heat was down 53-56. The team had 26 paint points, 10 on the break, 13 via second chances, seven off turnovers and 21 from the bench. Aside from Butler, the team was shooting 37% from the field. 

 

The 76ers had 30 interior marks, 11 in the open court, none on extra tries, 15 off turnovers and 13 from the bench. 

 

Next, Herro, Butler and Robinson emerged from intermission, connecting on four triples in nearly five minutes. After 76ers coach Nick Nurse called a stoppage, Robinson and Herro hit two trays, and the latter added two shots on the break plus a layup on a pick-and-roll set.

 

Defensively, the Healtes held the 76ers to five of 17 field goals in the third frame. 

 

Butler went to the locker room during the period and didn’t return until nearly midway into the fourth quarter.

 

The fourth quarter started with the Heat ahead 88-72.

 

Despite the Heat converting seven of 21 ventures, The crew kept beating the 76ers on the dribble and the guests’ weak side rotations were weak, too. 

 

On defense, the squad promptly bothered 3-point shots and held the 76ers to 15.5% below league-average efficiency in the restricted area.

 

The Heat won 106-89. The team had 44 paint points, 23 on the break, 18 via second chances, 14 off turnovers and 31 from the bench. 

 

Butler had 30 points on eight of 12 attempts, with 10 rebounds, five assists and one steal.

 

Herro dropped 18 points on 40% accuracy, with five rebounds, five assists and three turnovers. 

 

Robinson put up 13 points on five of 14 tries, with two rebounds, three assists, one steal and two turnovers. 

 

And Adebayo had five points on two of eight shots, with 13 boards, three assists, two steals, one block and three giveaways.

 

The 76ers totaled 48 interior marks, 20 in the open court, zero on extra tries, 17 off turnovers and 28 from the bench. 

 

McCain had 20 digits on 50% shooting, with four rebounds, four assists, two steals and two turnovers. 

 

George logged 18 marks on five of 13 attempts, with six rebounds, five helpings, three steals and three turnovers.

 

Caleb Martin provided 12 points on 41.7% shooting, with five rebounds, two steals and a block. 

 

And Embiid registered 11 points on five of 11 tries, with eight boards, five assists, one block and two turnovers. 

 

At the postgame presser, coach Erik Spoelstra said the new starting lineup understands the core tenets and that keeping Butler “physically youthful” is the priority.

 

Observations:

 

1. McCain was taken by the 76ers one pick after the Heat chose Kel’el Ware. The former is a polished, confident offensive player and likely this year‘s top rookie. This doesn’t mean choosing Ware was a bad pick, but he’s barely in the rotation now. 

 

2. The Heat made nine of 11 baskets in the paint in the first half. They made nine of 20 attempts in the last two quarters. 

 

3. Butler had his top showing of the season. Seven of his eight baskets came in the paint; the other one in the corner. They were logged against Embiid, Martin and Guerschon Yabusele.

 

On top of that, he was pressuring the backline at a high level and was rewarded with 13 free-throw attempts, making all. 

 

4. Burke’s second-quarter boost was badly needed. All three of his field goals- the corner jumper behind Smith’s pin down, the scoop layup, and the step-back two-pointer over Martin- helped dig the Heat out of a hole. 

 

5. Dru Smith was accurate and had three steals- one was a strip and two were in the passing lanes. 

 

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Mateo’s Hoop Diary: Another Herro fourth-quarter masterclass wasted

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The undermanned Heatles were behind the all-game in a failed effort to snatch two straight victories at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. The guests shot poorly in the square, were hurt in the open court and were outrebounded by seven. 

 

In the first quarter, the Heat was late to contest three-point shots and missed its own deep looks, save for 17-year veteran Kevin Love and Duncan Robinson, who prevented early annihilation. But Pascal Siakam did most of the damage for the Pacers with seven consecutive points at the end of the first quarter, dribbling into the lane for jumpers and splashing a triple.

 

The Heat entered the second frame down eight points. Indiana’s TJ McConnell and Siakam successfully fired in the interior on the dribble. Myles Turner flushed a powerful open-court jam on Nikola Jović and made a 3-pointer as the trailer. And the Pacers scored instantly on three Heat giveaways.

 

But the guests countered with Robinson and Josh Richardson canning two transition trays plus Bam Adebayo nailing a mid-range jumper and finishing twice at close range. Defensively, they allowed two of nine 3-pointers and forced two turnovers in the passing lane in the sequence. 

 

The Heat was down at halftime, 49-52. Additionally, the team had 16 paint points, 14 on the break, nine via second chances, 12 off turnovers and 23 from the bench. 

 

The Pacers had 28 interior marks, 11 in the open court, zero on extra tries, nine after turnovers and eight from the reserves.

 

Afterward, the Heat deployed a 2-3 zone and Adebayo carried the offense, making four of eight attempts. But the Pacers throttled to a 16-point lead via multiple trays, a trip to the line and Turner plus Siakam attacking the close-range mismatch. 

 

The Heat entered the fourth quarter down 75-85. Then Tyler Herro lifted the crew from the gutter with 19 points, burying five of six trifectas and taking two trips to the line, never missing. He also set up Adebayo’s second 3-pointer. And Robinson tied the game, making a deep shot on the left side over Siakam. 

 

But Tyrese Haliburton responded, pouring in back-to-back 3-pointers. Turner finished the fourth quarter with 10 points on four of eight shots. And Siakam scored on a mismatch against Rozier from the top to the cup. 

 

The Heat lost, 110-119. The team had 28 paint points, 16 on the break, nine via second chances, 18 off turnovers and 42 from the bench.

 

Herro had 28 points on eight of 18 shots, with four rebounds, four assists, one steal and a turnover. 

 

Adebayo put up 24 points on 50% accuracy, with eight rebounds, two assists and two turnovers. 

 

And Robinson had 20 digits on six of 10 attempts, with four rebounds, four assists and two turnovers. 

 

The Pacers had 62 interior points, 18 in the open court, nine on extra tries, nine off turnovers and 22 from the reserves.

 

Turner dropped 34 points on 14 of 23 attempts, with nine rebounds, one assist and two blocks.

 

Siakam had 23 points on 81.8% shooting, with four rebounds, three assists, a steal and two turnovers. 

 

Bennedict Mathurin logged 21 points on six of 10 looks, with 12 rebounds, two assists, two steals and a turnover. 

 

And Haliburton had 16 points on 30.8% accuracy, with three rebounds, 13 assists and two blocks.

 

At the postgame presser, coach Erik Spoelstra said the Pacers “were able to control big muscle areas of the game.”

 

Observations:

 

1. It’s time to bench Terry Rozier. His best work was providing four offensive rebounds, scoring on two of them up close in the first half. But he misfired all five of his 3-point attempts and was not an impact player down the stretch.

 

In 2017, Spoelstra cut Dion Waiters’ minutes, then eventually put him back in the starting lineup when he earned it, and he blossomed before popping his ankle. It may be time to do the same thing with Rozier. 

 

2. Adebayo made his eighth and ninth 3-pointers of the season. He’s now shooting 30% from deep (9/30). 

 

3. Jaime Jaquez Jr. hurt his right ankle, stepping on McConnell’s foot after missing a baseline jumper in the third quarter. He was assisted to the tunnel and then limped to the locker room.  After the game, he said that he would have a better idea of the severity of the injury by Monday. 

 

4. Herro entered the fourth quarter with three of 11 baskets logged. His 19 points make him the seventh Heat player to log at least that many in the fourth quarter of a regular season game. The others were Dwyane Wade, who did it seven times, plus Kelly Olynyk, Goran Dragić, Kyle Lowry, Victor Oladipo and Duncan Robinson.

 

5. Haliburton had 13 dimes and zero turnovers. He picked the Heat apart on the break and in the half-court, finding cutters.

6. Two back-breaking plays: the corner triple Jović gave up to Turner in the last three minutes because he was sagged off too far. And Turner hit a right-wing pick-and-pop 3-pointer because Jović bit on a pump fake.

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The Dolphins have finally found an effective tight end in Jonnu Smith, who had 101 yards in the win over the Raiders.

Pressure Point: Jonnu Smith’s 2 touchdowns lead Dolphins to win in tight-end duel

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Tight ends have given the Miami Dolphins fits for years.

Their own as well as their opponents’.

Veteran Jonnu Smith was signed in the offseason to remedy the former problem. Sunday he delivered in a big way with two touchdowns in the Dolphins’ 34-19 win against the Las Vegas Raiders.

His 57-yard TD catch when the Raiders somehow neglected to cover him extended a shaky lead and sealed a must-win for the Dolphins at Hard Rock Stadium.

At 4-6 and on their first winning streak of the season, the Dolphins kept alive hopes of a long-shot playoff run ahead of a home game next week against the 3-8 Patriots.

Smith was so alone on the decisive play he looked like a center fielder waiting for a fly ball when Tua Tagovailoa’s throw reached him.

“The Red Sea parted” was the way Smith described it to the media after the game. “It’s Sunday, I’m coming with my biblical terms today. It seems like if it was a busted coverage, and Tua, me and him, we just connected, locked eyes and just made the rest happen.”

Dolphins can’t stop rookie TE Brock Bowers

That busted coverage of biblical proportions enabled the Dolphins to claim the advantage in an epic showdown of tight ends despite allowing impressive Raiders rookie Brock Bowers to go off for 126 yards on 13 catches, including a 23-yard touchdown.

The Dolphins have remained inept at defending tight ends this season. But Smith is shoring up what has been a major hole in the offense for years.

His 1-yard TD grab on fourth down on the opening possession gave the Dolphins a lead they wouldn’t relinquish. He finished the day with six receptions for 101 yards.

Smith’s first touchdown of the season on Oct. 24 at Indianapolis ended a 23-game drought for Dolphins tight ends.

He now has 39 receptions this season for 448 yards, an average of 11.5 yards a catch, with three touchdowns.

Notably, Smith has given Miami an important alternate weapon on offense while opponents continue to focus on taking away big-play opportunities for star wide receivers Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle.

“He’s making defenses pay for the over attention Tyreek and Waddle get,” Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel said. “He’s adding a real cool element to our offense. We’ve needed every yard he’s had for us this year.”

Dolphins adjust to ball-control attack

The quick-strike Dolphins offense of last season has given way to a patient, take-what-they-give approach. Not as exciting, but effective in back-to-back wins over the Rams and Raiders.

Against the Raiders, the Dolphins had touchdown drives 70, 97, 60 and 70 yards. They had four drives of 10 or more plays. Even the possession that resulted in the first of two field goals lasted 16 plays and consumed almost 8 1/2 minutes.

The Dolphins made a spectator out of Jake Bailey, who wasn’t called on to punt all day.

“I think what’s been different with the quarterback play is now I’m not trying to force things down the field,” Tagovailoa said of his willingness to check down and dump it off to backs and receivers on short routes. “We like our matchups with our guys in space.”

Sustaining long, time-consuming drives can be a difficult formula for success. It worked against the now 2-8 Raiders, who fired their offensive coordinator and O-line coach during the bye week and have lost six in a row.

Dominating time of possession was more effective in containing the Raiders than the Dolphins’ defense, which followed its outstanding effort in the Monday Night win against the Rams with a ragged performance.

Sloppy performance by Dolphins defense

They didn’t make a notable stop until Jalen Ramsey intercepted Gardner Minshew with just over 3 minutes left and victory all but certain.

There was too much shoddy tackling, such as Kader Kohou letting Ameer Abdullah get away for a touchdown that cut the Miami lead to 24-19. Bowers shed tackle attempts all day.

The Raiders were able to convert 8 of 14 third-down plays and twice on fourth down. But Miami converted 8 of 12 third-down chances and both fourth-down attempts.

Fortunately for the Dolphins, they are finding a winning formula now with Tagovailoa three games back from his latest concussion.

They topped 30 points for the first time this season.

“I think we only had about three drives last season that lasted 14 plays,” McDaniel said. “We’ve adjusted to how defenses have adjusted to us.”

Tagovailoa had some key third-down connections with Tyreek Hill, who finished with seven catches for 61 yards, including a touchdown. Tua had three touchdowns, no interceptions and a passer rating of 127.8.

Dolphins not giving up playoff aspirations

The Dolphins still face a steep climb from a 2-6 start to a playoff spot. For now, they remain in the conversation with no margin for error.

“I know the stats, the record doesn’t show, but we’re working,” Smith said. “I understand that there’s an expectation that came into this. And to just have that mentality of, listen, let’s look at this thing in the mirror and let’s go attack it. No matter who is with us, who is against us, we know what we’ve got in here and we’re going to keep rolling.”

For the first time in a long while, the Dolphins can look in the mirror and see a legitimate receiving threat at tight end on their side, even if they still can’t stop one on the other side.

Craig Davis has covered South Florida sports and teams, including the Dolphins, for four decades. Follow him on the site formerly known as Twitter @CraigDavisRuns.

Mateo’s Hoop Diary: Heat defeat Pacers in Indiana in Emirates Cup Group Play

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The quest for the Emirates Cup continued in a winning effort for the visitors, 124-111 at Gainbridge Fieldhouse versus the Pacers. Bam Adebayo returned to All-Star form, leading  six other Healtes in double-figure scoring. And the team logged 123.7 points per 100 half-court plays, per Cleaning the Glass.

 

The Heat was down 26-29 at the end of the first quarter, failing on seven 3-point attempts and conceding five of 11 to the Pacers. Heat killer TJ McConnell added five points off the bench via rim attacks, too. 

 

The visitors survived the opening run, hammering the paint in the half-court plus transition. Haywood Highsmith was the leading man with eight digits from baseline cuts and fast break attacks. Herro had five points at the line as well. 

 

Then the Heat connected on five of 11 trays in the second quarter. Adebayo also set up Nikola Jović on the break and hit a mid-range jumper, helped by Duncan Robinson’s down screen. The rest of the Heatles made five of 13 shots. 

 

But Pascal Siakam countered with four of six baskets at short, medium, and long distance plus he drove into the zone to set up the outside sniper. And Tyrese Haliburton swished two triples on the catch and scored in transition to end the half. 

 

The Heat was up at halftime, 61-55. Additionally, the team had 26 paint points, 14 on the break, six via second chances, eight off turnovers and 25 from the bench.

 

The Pacers had 20 interior marks, three on the break, none on the second chances, seven off turnovers and 18 from the reserves.

 

Subsequently, Kevin Love splashed three trays plus finished three baskets in the restricted area to start the third quarter. After Herro’s fast break left-corner triple following a Myles Turners’ freebie, coach Rick Carlisle called a stoppage for his Pacers as the Heat took a 13-point lead. Then Herro set up Love at the rim on a pick-and-roll set and Terry Rozier made an 18-foot shot while the defense permitted nothing, causing Carlisle to call another timeout 53 seconds later.

 

But a 22-digit lead was sliced to 10 via three trifectas and dribble penetration.

 

Next, the Heat started the fourth quarter ahead by 13. The Pacers reinserted the starting lineup—Haliburton, Bennedict Mathurin, Ben Sheppard, Siakam, and Turner—but the Heat kept pouring in long, mid and short range baskets. Adebayo devoured the coverages before him and intercepted two passes by Jarace Walker, carrying the Heat to the end line. 

 

The Heat won 124-111. The team had 44 paint points, 19 on the break, nine via second chances, 20 off turnovers and 35 from the bench. 

 

Adebayo had 30 points on 10 of 17 shots, with 11 rebounds, seven assists, five steals and two giveaways.

 

Herro dropped 20 points on 37.5% accuracy, with three rebounds, five assists and four turnovers. 

 

Love had 15 points on six of eight looks, with seven rebounds, two assists and four steals.

 

And Highsmith was immaculate from the field on six tries, registering 14 points, a rebound, an assist and a steal.

 

The Pacers had 48 interior marks, 11 in the open court, 11 on extra tries, 15 off turnovers and 54 from the reserves.

 

Obi Toppin had 21 points on 80% shooting, with three rebounds and a turnover. 

 

Haliburton put up 18 digits on seven of 14 attempts, with two rebounds, eight assists, one steal and a turnover.

 

Siakam totaled 14 points on 42.9% accuracy, with five rebounds, two assists and one turnover. 

 

And McConnell had 14 points on six of 10 looks, with three rebounds, four dimes, one steal and three turnovers. 

 

At the post-game presser, coach Erik Spoelstra said it was deflating to get on the plane to Indiana following the Heat’s loss in Detroit. Spoelstra atypically forgot the Heat didn’t have a timeout, and the Pistons won on the technical free throw on Tuesday. “We had a great day yesterday of work.”

 

In the locker room, Jović was asked if he is the Serbian Jimmy Butler. He said, “Or he’s American me?”

 

Regarding the second unit, Jović said that he, Jaime Jaquez, Robinson and Richardson are a great unit. “We can bring a lot to this team.”

 

Adebayo said he was motivated by Love’s scoring spree to pick up his game. 

 

Observations:

 

1. Highsmith had his third game of the season in double-figure scoring while providing sharp defense. Most of his offensive actions come on the catch, and he has the lowest turnover percentage of all starters for the season. 

 

2. Adebayo made one of four baskets in the first half, but was stellar in the last two frames, making nine of 13 shots. His face-up drives and rim rolls were fruitful plus the hook and jumper were falling. He also made consecutive 3-pointers in the fourth quarter. 

 

Defensively, he was impactful as the dropped pick-and-roll protector and a menace in the passing lanes, picking up four steals; his other one was a strip on Walker under the rim. On top of that, Adebayo led the team in deflections (4) for the game. 

 

The win was one of the best regular-season performances of his career.

 

3. Love’s defense was in mid-season form, producing four takeaways in the passing lanes, too. 

 

4. The Heat guarded Toppin in single coverage, but he was moving without the ball and scoring mostly on the catch at close, medium and long distances. He beat Highsmith, Kel’el Ware, Jaquez, and Herro.

 

5. Jović had another strong performance off the bench. Despite making 25% of 3-point tries, he played well off the ball and had one impressive possession, taking the ball upcourt defended by Siakam and hitting a seven-foot floater over him.

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Mateo’s Hoop Diary: Heat notes in week four of the season

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Despite the Heat’s inconsistent 4-6 start, the team is much better than what it is showing. The latest loss in Detroit for the Emirates Cup match went down to the end of overtime, and uncommonly, coach Erik Spoelstra’s mental lapse- calling a timeout when none were available- sank his team.

 

That night, Tyler Herro became the first Heat player to connect on 10 trifectas in multiple games. The only other past and present Heatles to record it once were Brian Shaw, Mario Chalmers and Duncan Robinson.

 

Through 10 outings, here’s how the Heat rank in important categories:

 

-25th in rebounding percentage (48.4).

 

-23rd in paint scoring (45).

 

-12th in fastbreak points (16.4).

 

– 10th in assist-to-turnover ratio (1.94).

 

-28th in second-chance points (10.6)

 

-10th in points off turnovers (18.8).

 

-20th in opponent 3-point percentage (36.5).

 

Regarding the rebounding, second chance points and point-of-attack protection, the Heat must reclaim its identity as the self-anointed, “Hardest working. Best conditioned. Most professional. Unselfish. Toughest. Meanest. Nastiest team in the NBA.”

 

There is optimism for a turnaround if Bam Adebayo and Jimmy Butler pick up their play. The former’s accuracy has plummeted after a shift in offense- fewer middies and more threes. And for whatever reason, he is not comfortable in his sweet spot- the paint non restricted area.

 

The latter hasn’t returned from time off with a sprained ankle, but he was not pressuring backline defenses as he used to. If motivated Butler shows up full-time, plowing his way to the line, swarming passing lanes plus ball handlers, a good chunk of the Heat’s problems will evaporate.

 

Once Butler returns, Haywood Highsmith, Duncan Robinson, Herro and Adebayo should start with him. Terry Rozier has not played well enough to keep going with the initial rotation, and the cohesion isn’t always there. Perhaps he can find his groove, producing points in a hurry off the bench. In this scenario, Jaime Jaquez Jr. and Kevin Love must step up for the front-court reserves.

 

When the team wanted Damian Lillard, it envisioned a player who could take a lot of offensive pressure away from Butler and Adebayo. Herro is not quite at Lillard’s level, but he can take on more offensive responsibilities now that he’s taken a leap. Of all guards in the east who have played at least 10 games, Herro is seventh in effective field goal percentage (64.3) and eighth in true shooting percentage (66.8).

 

Herro’s time of possession and usage have not increased from last season and his playmaking is sharper than ever. Consider this: the only players this season besides Herro to log at least 45 3-pointers and 50 assists are Jayson Tatum, Derrick White and LaMelo Ball. Notably, Herro is the most accurate of the group from 3-point range, making 47.9% of his 9.6 tries nightly.

 

If this play continues for Herro- 24.9 points, 5.2 rebounds and 5.3 assists per game- he will have a real case to make his first All-Star team.

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Veteran defensive tackle Calais Campbell led an inspired effort by the Dolphins defense in win over Rams.

Pressure Point: Defense leads Dolphins over Rams on MNF, buoys hope

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For the first time this season the Miami Dolphins punched above their weight —and won.

The gritty 23-15 win against the Los Angeles Rams on Monday Night Football came in the sort of setting where the Dolphins have a habit of losing.

On the road, in prime time, against a savvy, veteran quarterback.

In Miami’s most assertive and concerted effort of the season, the defense held Matthew Stafford and the Rams’ dangerous receiving corps without a touchdown.

Despite an up-and-down performance, Tua Tagovailoa and the offense were able to tack on enough points to avert another fourth-quarter collapse and end a three-game losing streak.

And what did it to for the now 3-6 Dolphins? It enables them to cling to the hope they can somehow rise from the deep hole they’ve dug for themselves and make an unlikely run for the playoffs.

That’s where these wayward Dolphins find themselves, clinging to hope like an iguana on the side of a tree on a steamy South Florida afternoon.

“Hopefully this is an opportunity for us to not waste,” Tagovailoa said. “Hopefully we can go on a run.”

Dolphins at 3-6 cling to hopes for the postseason like an iguana on a tree. (Craig Davis photo)

Dolphins at 3-6 cling to hopes for the postseason like an iguana on a tree. (Craig Davis photo)

Dolphins schedule offers opportunity

Given the way defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver’s unit played and the upcoming schedule, there is actually a foundation to build hope.

Remarkably, the Dolphins find themselves only a game behind in the loss column for the final wild card in the AFC.

They face the 2-7 Raiders and 3-7 Patriots at home with a chance to be 5-6 before a Thanksgiving night date at Green Bay.

Buoyed by Jevon Holland, Zach Sieler and Kader Kohou returning from injuries and inspired by ageless Calais Campbell, Miami defenders harassed and frustrated Stafford all night.

They forced two takeaways, including an interception by linebacker Anthony Walker Jr. off a deflection by Campbell — the veteran defensive tackle leads the NFL with six batted passes this season, including two against the Rams.

They registered six hits on Stafford and sacked him four times. They had seven tackles for loss and held the Rams to 3-of-12 on third-down conversions.

Dolphins defense stymies Stafford

Keeping the Rams out of the end zone in LA is no small accomplishment. They were on a three-game winning streak during which they scored 76 points while Stafford threw for 730 yards and six touchdowns.

For a change it was the opponent making the sort of self-inflicted mistakes that have characterized the Dolphins season.

Notably, a high snap off Stafford’s hands derailed the opening drive of the second half and forced the Rams to try a 52-yard field goal. The kick went through but a false start negated it. Joshua Karty then missed the 57-yard attempt.

That was a pivotal moment as the Dolphins took over near midfield and drove 53 yards for a touchdown to push their lead to 17-6. That was the first traction by the Dolphins offense since they went 70 yards in five plays to open the game.

Tua overcomes his own mistakes

Tagovailoa had too many mistakes of his own. He threw an interception, then risked yet another concussion with a dangerous head-first tackle on the return by Christian Rozeboom.

Hey, Tua, be like Marino: Get the hell out of the way after you throw a pick.

He also lost a fumble and took two inexcusable sacks when he held the ball too long and couldn’t throw it away.

But after the second of those, which put the Dolphins in a third-and-19 hole, he quickly atoned by spinning away from another rush and finding Raheem Mostert for a 25-yard gain. That led to a field goal that pushed the lead to 20-9 with 9:07 remaining.

Instead of caving, as in recent weeks, the Dolphins finished strong with a touchdown and two field goals on their final three possessions.

The running game was ineffective (67 yards on 22 attempts) against a spirited Rams defense led by impressive rookie Jared Verse, the former FSU standout.

One of the best moments by the Dolphins’ offensive line was guard Liam Eichenberg annoying Bobby Brown into headbutting him and selling it to draw a personal foul. That led to one of three field goals by Jason Sanders (two of them from 50 yards).

Calais Campbell inspires Dolphins defense

It was a departure from recent exasperating Dolphins viewing. For a change, it was the other team outdoing them in the stupid stuff department.

Nonetheless, the Dolphins’ lead never felt secure until Duke Riley fell on the Rams’ onside kick with 39 seconds remaining.

So despite all of their shortcomings, the Dolphins can still focus on what lies ahead instead of looking beyond to next year.

Here is the remainder of the schedule against teams that are a combined 30-49: Raiders – 2-7; Patriots – 3-7; at Packers – 6-3; Jets – 3-7; at Texans – 6-4; 49ers – 5-4; at Browns – 2-7; at Jets – 3-7.

“To start a wildfire, all you need is one spark, and that spark happened today,” said Campbell, the veteran defensive tackle who at 38 has been the surprise revelation of this season for Miami.
The former Miami Hurricane is not only a physical marvel but also a wise man.

He knows that where there’s life, there’s hope. Right now he has his teammates believing.

Craig Davis has covered South Florida sports and teams, including the Dolphins, for four decades. Follow him on the site formerly known as Twitter @CraigDavisRuns.

Mateo’s Hoop Diary: Heat’s misfits come out of the Wolves’ den with the win

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The Heat went into the Wolves’ den, scraping away with victory. Kevin Love made his season debut with the starting lineup, and Haywood Highsmith was inserted into the group in place of Nikola Jović, who made the game-winning play for the Heat.

 

Jimmy Butler was absent with a right ankle sprain.

 

Anthony Edwards took the first bite out of the Heat’s defense, splashing a left-side tray with Highsmith covering him closely. He also tallied a basket, piercing through the lane, but missed seven shots. The rest of the Timberwolves logged five of 16 looks.

 

On the other side, the Heat hunted Rudy Gobert in pick and roll, plus were the superior defensive team, deploying zone and man-to-man coverage as they raced out to a 27 to 20 lead through 12 minutes without much offensively from Adebayo.

 

Then the defense loosened up, permitting the Wolves 12 of 20 baskets, including six of seven in the restricted area.

 

On offense, Herro rattled off seven points in a row. He made a shot on a  pick-and-roll set with Adebayo, beat Jaden McDaniels from the top to the cup for a layup and swished a 3-pointer against Gobert in drop coverage. The rest of the Heatles made six of 14 shots in the period.

 

At halftime, the Heat led 52-51. Additionally, the team committed 10 turnovers and had 24 paint points, 12 on the break, five via second chances and 24 from the bench.

 

The Timberwolves had 26 interior marks, two in the open court, eight on extra tries, 15 from the reserves and eight giveaways.

 

Subsequently, the Heat came out of intermission crashing on offense courtesy of the Wolves blowing up actions. They lasted six-and-a-half minutes without a point until Jaime Jaquez Jr. connected on a corner tray shielded by a pin down, then made a left-handed layup on the left side over Gobert. On the other side, the hosts took and built a lead on a 3-pointer from Naz Reid plus consecutive triples by Donte DiVincenzo.

 

The fourth quarter started with the Heat down 68-71.

 

Herro buried a pull-up mid-range shot in transition and nailed two 3-pointers.

 

But Minnesota’s Nickeil Alexander-Walker connected on a layup and triple plus dribbled past Terry Rozier for a layup on the left side. And then Jaden McDaniels tracked Mike Conley’s long-range miss, putting it back to take a two-point advantage for the Wolves.

 

With nine seconds left and the Heat down 92-94, Jović cut backdoor from midcourt, caught the sideline inbound and scored through a foul. He then took the lead, making a freebie.

 

Next, Conley failed to make the corner triple out of the inbound for the Timberwolves.

 

The Heat won 95-94. The team had 44 paint points, 26 on the break, 13 via second chances, 23 off turnovers and 36 from the bench.

 

Herro had 26 points on 60% shooting, with six rebounds, three assists and eight turnovers.

 

And Adebayo had nine digits on three of 11 looks, with seven rebounds, seven dimes, one steal, three blocks and four turnovers.

 

The Wolves had 42 interior marks, four in the open court, 19 on extra tries, 20 off turnovers and 35 from the bench.

 

At the postgame presser, coach Erik Spoelstra said, “That’s the hardest we’ve played in any of the regular season games.”

 

In the locker room, Jović said these games “help you keep building” and that it was an important win for the team.

 

Observations:

 

1. Highsmith was a powerhouse on defense, recording five steals by stripping Anthony Edwards twice and seizing the passing lanes thrice. He also blocked Edwards’ corner shot on a closeout.

 

2. Bam had another poor offensive performance- nine points on three of 11 baskets- against Gobert, McDaniel and Reid. All of his jumpers outside of the lane bricked, too.  His best move was blowing past Reid on a face-up move from the key to the basket for a powerful jam.

 

Gobert gave him most trouble, forcing a miss on multiple face-up jumpers and on looks off the catch.

 

Still, he helped out his teammates by being an offensive lineman. He set four screen assists for nine screen assist points.

 

On top of that, Adebayo blocked Edwards once and Randle twice before intermission. Edwards was denied on a baseline attack. Randle was stopped on a drive from the top to the cup and in transition.

 

-Jović had 15 points on six of 12 tries, with seven rebounds, one assist, one steal and one turnover. He had one of his toughest games of the season two nights prior, losing in Denver to the Nuggets. Multiple players checked in off the bench before him, but his hunger was still burning.

 

-Despite logging eight turnovers, Herro was the Heat’s strongest player, continuing the trend for the season. He made nine of 15 baskets, including four of six in the lane.

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Mission Impossible: Breaking Down the Dolphins’ Path to the Postseason

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The Miami Dolphins made the decision this week to stand pat during Tuesday’s trade deadline, ultimately opting neither to trade for or away impact players. If one were to listen to the team, however, one thing would be clear: This is a roster and a coaching staff that believes they are still competing for a spot in the playoffs this season. As unrealistic as that may seem to the fanbase-embittered by a 2-6 start, or an outside observer, this is the path they have chosen, and no amount of complaining about said path will change it. The path to the postseason, however, is a slim one, like tightrope suspended in the air between skyscrapers, slim. There are a couple facts that the Dolphins can take solace in, in undertaking this perilous journey, though, like the fact that the AFC is in a very weak position this year featuring a wild card race that contains the Steelers, who are very likely in barring a surprising collapse, but two remaining spots to be fought over featuring the likes of the Broncos, the Chargers, the Bengals, the Colts and the Jets. As well as the fact that the Dolphins have the second easiest strength of schedule remaining with opponents’ combined win percentage reaching a paltry .405. Let’s take a dive into that schedule, shall we? 

 

Week 10 @ Los Angeles Rams: W

The first test for the playoff push will come on Monday night in Los Angeles versus the Rams, a team that is no stranger to overcoming slow starts, as in 2023, they started 3-6 before finishing 7-1 over their remaining eight games and making the postseason at 10-7, and in 2024 are now 4-4, and winners of three straight following a 1-4 start through their first five games. The Rams feature a dynamic offense headed up by a still borderline elite Matthew Stafford at Quarterback and a trio of skill position players that can match the top three of any offense in Cooper Kupp, Puka Nacua and Kyren Williams. For the purpose of this exercise, however, the Dolphins will be given a win. The Dolphins’ offense has been slowly building up over the last couple of weeks to the point that they feel on the verge of an explosion, and facing off with a young Rams defense that is 28th in opponents yards per play so far in 2024, this is a prime spot for it. The defensive side of the ball is where the challenge emerges for the Miami Dolphins, however, as over the last two weeks they have allowed 28 points, and 30 points, respectively to the Arizona Cardinals and the Buffalo Bills. The flip side of this is that reinforcements seem to be on the way in a relative hurry, and with the likes of Kader Kohou, Jevon Holland and Zach Sieler expected to suit up on Monday night in Los Angeles, the defense will be improved just enough to allow the Dolphins to come away with the victory on Monday night. Record: 3-6

 

Week 11 vs. Los Vegas Raiders: W

Now, this is where momentum can really get going for the Dolphins, following a hypothetical win versus the Rams, they get a Raiders team at home that does not have much to play for at this point, on top of that, the return of Bradley Chubb is looming in the background, This could be a soft landing spot to bring him back into the fold. If so, the Dolphins defense could finally start to hit its stride this week to add to a Dolphins offense that would be really rolling at this point. 

Record: 4-6

 

Week 12 vs Patriots: W

In week 12, the Dolphins will face off with the Patriots at home, having already beaten New England on the road during Tagovailoa’s absence. Both of these teams will be much different come week 12, though. As Tua will be behind center for the Dolphins in this one, while Drake Maye has taken the mantle up at Quarterback for the Patriots since their last meeting, to pretty solid success thus far, if we’re being honest. However, this is a Patriots team that is not good, not defensively, not offensively, and with the Dolphins offense starting to hit its stride, as well as a defense that should be jelling with Bradley Chubb back in the lineup, the Dolphins should cruise at home versus the Patriots in this one. 

Record: 5-6

 

Week 13 @ Green Bay Packers: L

Week 13 takes the Dolphins up to Green Bay on Thanksgiving night to do battle with the Green Bay Packers in what is a double whammy of bad omens for the Dolphins, a prime time game that is also likely to be played in less than ideal weather. While I believe that this one can be made close by a Dolphins run game better equipped to succeed in games with poor weather conditions, ultimately,the Dolphins come up short as a defense that has not forced many turnovers over the course of the season are unable to turn over the turnover prone Jordan Love, and so on Thanksgiving night, the Dolphins get sent back to Miami still hungry for a victory. Record: 5-7

 

Week 14 vs. NY Jets: W

In week 14, the Dolphins have their first of two annual matchups with the New York Jets, this one coming in Miami Gardens to take on Aaron Rodgers and company. These are two teams hoping to have similar trajectories at this point, however with the Jets having a (slightly) more difficult schedule leading into this game, the Jets could be coming in with a 4-8 record, largely killing any postseason dreams for Gang Green, and with the mercurial Aaron Rodgers under center for these Jets, the landing gear may be coming off at this point. The Dolphins will need a victory in this one, with Tua continuing his strong play at this point with an offense that has its full arsenal and a line that has been much improved since mid season, as well as a defense that should only improve as they get healthier. Record: 6-7

 

Week 15 @ Houston Texans: W

Now, undoubtedly, this is the most ambitious victory of the Dolphins’ bid to save the season to this point, however, a key point: the Houston Texans play inside of a dome, this is not the Miami Dolphins going to Green Bay or Buffalo in December, this is Miami playing a team on the road in an atmosphere that benefits greatly their offense. While the defense should, and probably will struggle to contain the Texans offense, CJ Stroud has not yet been quite as sharp as he was last season to this point, and at this point I have the Dolphins track team on offense just barely eking out a victory over the Texans in Houston to get themselves back to .500 heading into a pivotal three game stretch likely to determine their playoff fate in 2024. Record: 7-7

 

Week 16 vs. San Francisco 49ers: W

Week 16 sees the San Francisco 49ers fly across the country to Miami in a sequel to 2021’s student-master matchup which saw Kyle Shanhan come up victorious in San Francisco over the Dolphins. The Niners will undoubtedly be a stronger team than they appear now after welcoming back arguably the league’s best offensive weapon in running back Christian McCaffrey and having him back in the fold for a few weeks at this point. The Niners defense, however, is not quite as sharp as the one that stifled the Dolphins offense at Levi Stadium in 2021, and combined with a flight across three time zones, the Dolphins pick up another signature victory to regain full control of their destiny. Record: 8-7

 

Week 17 @ Cleveland Browns: W

Week 17 takes Miami up to Cleveland in a game which will once again test Miami’s ability to compete in cold weather games, however, this time around they will be playing a team in the Cleveland Browns that is likely to be tanking for their next quarterback at this point with Deshaun Watson having suffered a season-ending Achilles injury earlier in the season. The Browns, having sold off Amari Cooper and Za’Darius Smith already this season, are a much lesser roster than the one that entered the 2024 season for Cleveland. While this one may present major trap game potential for Tua Tagovailoa and company, I am placing this one cautiously, but firmly in the ‘W’ column. Record: 9-7

 

Week 18 @ New York Jets: W

The Dolphins closing matchup of the 2024 season sees them head to East Rutherford, New Jersey to face their most hated rival in a potentially make or break matchup with the Jets. This is one that could potentially go either way as it is likely to be a cold weather game versus a team that would love nothing more to play spoiler for the Miami Dolphins, but this is a game in which the Dolphins run game will have to win the day for Miami behind the three headed monster at running back of De’Von Achane, Raheem Mostert, and Jaylen Wright. Defensively, the Dolphins will have to generate pressure against a Jets offensive line that has been susceptible to allowing Aaron Rodgers to be taken to the ground, if the Dolphins wish to complete the comeback, they must go through the Jets. Record: 10-7

 

As unlikely as it may be, if the Dolphins wish to make the postseason, and that is their stated goal, it will take winning eight of their last nine games to leave little doubt. While improbable, the schedule does allow for it if all breaks right for the Miami Dolphins. This is a group that believes, especially now healthier than they have been almost all season, they are better than the 2-6 record they have accrued to this point. This final nine games is where they will have to prove it if they wish to make this anything other than a lost year in a sea of lost years in the last two decades plus.

Mateo’s Hoop Diary: Heat fail to pull off comeback in Denver versus the Nuggets

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The touring Miami Heat were overmatched by the Denver Nuggets in Jamal Murray’s return, suffering its third straight loss. Nikola Jokić created overreactions for himself and his teammates. Vintage Murray torched the perimeter. And the Nuggets shot 61.7% from the field, including 51.4% from deep.

 

The Nuggets only needed four minutes of action to take a double-digit lead, thanks to multiple made threes and baskets on the break plus Nikola Jokić attacking the close-range mismatch. Then, they kept pushing the pace.

 

But Tyler Herro kept the Heat burning with a score in transition, attacking the Joker on the left side and setting up Nikola Jović and Bam Adebayo in the paint.

 

The Heat was down 27-40 after the first quarter.

 

The visitors started the second frame in the 2-2-1 press and the 2-3 zone as Jokić rested. By the time Denver’s reigning MVP came back, Herro, Adebayo Duncan Robinson, Haywood Highsmith, and Josh Richardson pulled the score to 37-40.

 

Subsequently, Murray blasted deep protections in the corner and top of the key against drop coverage plus finished up close on a post-up. Christian Braun and MPJ added three trays in the period.

 

Next, the Heat were down at halftime, 60-71. Additionally, the squad had 22 paint points, seven on the break, four via second chances and 22 from the bench.

 

The Nuggets had 26 interior marks, 16 on the break, four on extra tries and five from the reserves.

 

Then Highsmith started the third quarter instead of Jović, but it didn’t matter. The Heat went down 15 points further as the Nuggets rattled off five of six baskets at the rim and from deep, forcing Heat coach Erik Spoelstra to call a brief stoppage.

 

But the Heat kept clawing as the Nuggets took their feet off the accelerator, and eventually, the fourth quarter started with the crew down 14 points.

 

 In the last stretch, Herro, Adebayo, Robinson and Highsmith cut the deficit to seven points with four minutes left. But the team ran out of juice.

 

At the postgame presser, Spoelstra was asked about the transition defense in the first half. He said three or four of Jokić’s long passes zipped past the team’s ears.

 

Observations:

 

1. The Heat converted 47% of attempts in the first half, with just four turnovers and a lousy 115.4 defensive rating. The Heat’s defensive rating in the second half was 125.5.

 

2. Adebayo didn’t finish with the most efficient line- 20 points on 38.9% shooting-but he was anchoring the defense in the back mostly well, save for the times Murray beat him in drop coverage.  When asked about that in the locker room, he said it was about picking your poison. In that case, it was wrong because threes count for more.

 

Most of the plays Jokić went at him were defended well, but they still went in. As usual, Adebayo’s at his best when zooming to the rim on offense.

 

After the game, Adebayo was doing weighted calf raises with one of the trainers.

 

3. Nikola Jokić made easy work of the defense on 10 close-range baskets. He logged a triple-double before the third quarter ended. And he made Miami’s rookie pay. When Kel’el Ware checked in, Jokić went at him in the post and finished on the break after the novice’s ill-advised mid-range floater put the Heat in trouble.

 

4. Highsmith continues to be a bright spot for the Heat on both sides. He was perfect from the field in three tries in the fourth quarter for seven points, too.

 

5. Jimmy Butler defended Michael Porter Jr. early, giving up a curl cut through the middle and was successfully shot over on the left side. He played under seven minutes because he sprained his right ankle on a hard stop.

 

6. Jović was benched after his first stretch in the first quarter until midway through the third frame. Spoelstra didn’t give him much leash after getting scored on multiple times in the half-court and transition. After Spo decided to put him back in, the Nuggets picked on him.

 

When asked what Jović could do to stay on the court longer, Spoelstra said his forward is an easy target for blame, but that standards wouldn’t be sacrificed.

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