Mateo’s Hoop Diary: Nuggets cool off Heat in Denver

/0 Comments/in , /by

The Denver Nuggets outlasted the Heat in the first Finals rendezvous of the season on the second night of a back-to-back. The hosts opened the game on a 9-0 run, and minutes later, they forced Heat coach Erik Spoelstra’s hand to call a timeout as the advantage reached double-digits.

Denver sharpshooter Michael Porter Jr. buried a wing triple and made a layup in transition. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope shattered outside protections with three trifectas. Nikola Jokić directed the offense as a conductor would a symphony, setting up feeds to three snipers, plus spinning past Bam Adebayo at close range. And the rest of the team converted five of 11 shots, racing out to a 36-20 lead in the first quarter.

On the Heat side, understudy Nikola Jović canned a 3-pointer and scored on the dunker spot. Caleb Martin finished two layups. But not much else happened against man-to-man coverage until Jimmy Butler logged two straight baskets at the end of the period.

Yet, six early points to start the second quarter for the guests was enough for Nuggets coach Michael Malone to call a stoppage. Two dribble handoffs for Robinson, resulting in trays followed, as well two inside baskets for Terry Rozier. No other Heat player recorded more than a field goal in the second frame, but Jaime Jaquez Jr, Adebayo, Rozier and Butler combined for 10 of 12 freebies.

Defensively, the crew held the hosts to 23.8% shooting in the sequence by contesting jump shots on time after the catch. On top of that, doubling in the post and deflecting passes in traffic, created five turnovers.

With over three minutes to go in the first half and the Nuggets’ lead cut to six points, Jamal Murray received a handoff from Aaron Gordon that initiated a pick-and-roll set with Jokić at the top. As Murray dribbled down the left side and passed to his center cutting down the middle, his left foot accidentally stepped on AG’s right shoe. KCP didn’t hesitate to foul, getting his hurt teammate out of the game. (Murray then walked to the locker room and didn’t return for the next half.)

At halftime, the Heat was behind on the scoreboard 51-56 and tied on the glass at 22. Additionally, it racked up 22 paint points, eight on the break, nine via second chances, six after turnovers and nine from the bench. Rozier led all scorers inefficiently, with 10 points on two of seven shots. Butler had nine points, followed by Adebayo, Robinson and Martin, each with eight.

The Nuggets scored 18 interior points, seven on the break, nine on second tries, 11 after turnovers and five from the reserves. MPJ was the high Nugget, registering 18 points on seven of 12 attempts. Next was KCP, with 13 on his ledger and AG’s eight.

Yet, the Heat’s offense stalled out in the third interval, thanks to the Nuggets’ length in the backline disrupting anything Adebayo tried in the paint and the outside defense permitting only 33% of hoisted triples. The Denver outfit contained last year’s first losers to 19 points in the quarter.

Inversely, Porter sprayed the Heat with five baskets- driving on the baseline for a layup after pump-faking Jović, canning two threes, attacking the middle for a five-footer and fading over Martin on the right side. Moreover, Jokić contributed four points, four dimes and four rebounds as the home squad established a 13-point lead entering the final frame.

Jokić carried the champs in fourth, connecting on a turnaround jumper between two defenders, hooking over Adebayo and making four free throws.

But, after making eight of 18 shots through nine minutes, the Heat was down by seven. Next, four consecutive baskets were logged- Adebayo shooting over Jokić twice and Rozier swishing a pair of jumpers.

With 40 seconds left and the Heat four points below, Jokić, at the nail, illegally extended his right arm, clipping Adebayo, and was called for a foul and possession changed. On the next play, Rozier and Adebayo ran a pick-and-pop set that got the former open on the right wing facing Jokić in drop coverage. Rozier airballed.

On the other end, KCP missed a corner 3-pointer, and Butler got downhill quickly for a layup the Nuggets gave him because they didn’t want any trays inflicted on them. Subsequently, the free throw formality followed.

The Heat lost 97-103. It had 48 paint points, 12 on the break, 11 via second chances, 12 after turnovers and 16 from the bench. Adebayo scored 22 points on eight of 18 looks with seven boards. Next, Butler supplied 21 on 41.2% shooting and seven rebounds. Rozier had 19 points on six of 15 attempts.

The Nuggets gathered 40 interior points, nine in the open court, 13 on extra chances, 15 after turnovers and 15 from the reserves. Porter had 30 points, making 52.2% of tries, plus 11 rebounds. Jokić had 18 points and 11 rebounds. And KCP produced 18 on his scorecard.

In the locker room, Adebayo said, “We missed a lot of shots we usually make.”

When asked about assessing the overall performance, Butler said, “They’re where we want to be in the sense of finding a way to win. [Jamal Murray] went down, and they kept at it… We’re not quite there just yet, but we have a little bit more time to get there.”

—

For exclusive Miami Heat content and chats, subscribe to Off the Floor:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mateo’s Hoop Diary: Heat win in Portland, overpowering Trail Blazers in second half

/0 Comments/in , /by

It used to be a rose garden, but now it’s just a heap of dead flowers at the Moda Center- the remains of lost hope and dreams. One can only wonder what emotions stirred in Joe Cronin’s mind when Jaime Jaquez and Nikola Jovic- two NBA younglings- boosted the Heat during its second-half comeback.

Tyler Herro was absent (knee), and so was Josh Richardson (shoulder) for the Heat. The Blazers were missing Malcolm Brogdon (elbow), Shaedon Sharpe (abdomen) and Robert Williams III (knee).

But early, even with Terry Rozier’s return from a knee injury, nothing worked for the Heat on the second night of a back-to-back as it fell to a 15-point deficit. Portland’s Deandre Ayton hit a pair of jumpers and slammed a lob. Anfernee Simons and Jerami Grant combined for five opening trays. And the Heat misfired on 15 of 21 attempts against man coverage and the 2-3 zone. At the end of the first quarter, the Trail Blazers led 28-15.

In the next frame, Ayton kept getting loose on two rim rolls, plus faced up Bam Adebayo and hooked over him in the lane. Portland’s second-round pick Toumani Camara even splashed two triples and a layup against the Heat’s zone.

But Butler retaliated, spinning past Grant and Duop Reath for consecutive finishes with contact. On the next play, he initiated the fastbreak and hit newcomer Delon Wright cutting on the baseline for a layup. And he set up Adebayo for two pick-and-pop jumpers in the paint.

Additionally, Rozier got to the cup in the open court, made a 3-pointer over drop coverage, and Wright set up two scores.

At halftime, the Heat was behind on the scoreboard 46-56 and outrebounded by six. The crew accumulated 26 paint points, six on the break, four via second chances and six after turnovers. Butler had 10 points, six assists and two steals. Adebayo and Rozier each had eight points.

The Blazers supplied 18 interior points, none on the break, nine from extra tries and 15 after turnovers. Ayton, Camara and Grant were its big three in the first half, uniting for 39 points on 14 of 23 shots.

(Ayton didn’t play the second half after hurting his hand on a collision with Kevin Love in the first. Duop Reath started in his place.)

Then the Heat kicked off the third quarter with an 8-0 run, courtesy of Robinson’s back-to-back trifectas and Butler’s dunk on the break. The guest’s avalanche followed with Butler canning a 3-pointer when left alone at the wing, Adebayo scoring in transition and Jović making two deep shots and a lob on the break. In the period, the Heat recorded 34 points on 11 of 16 ventures.

Defensively, the visitors locked up the Trail Blazers to 30.4% shooting in the third quarter with sharp man coverage and some zone. On top of that, the Heat permitted zero field goals (0 for eight) in the last four minutes of the interval, taking its first lead of the evening and going up by four heading into the fourth.

Despite the Blazers making five of 10 baskets to begin the quarter, the Heat was stronger. Martin seized the baseline for two points, Love made a top-of-the-key three, Butler connected on a baseline jumper over a double team, Rozier hit consecutive buckets, and the hosts didn’t hold on to the rope much longer.

Moreover, the Heat conceded 64% of attempts in the paint, late, but the Blazers failed on six 3-point attempts and three were open enough.

The Heat won 106-98, improving to an 18-12 road record (15-13 at Kaseya Center). The group had 40 paint points, 10 on the break, five on second chances and 11 after turnovers. Butler was the high Heatle, producing 22 on the scorecard, with four steals, two blocks, nine dimes and four boards. Rozier had 19 points, Robinson scored 17 and Adebayo contributed 13.

The Trail Blazers finished with 40 points in the square, two in the open court, 20 on additional opportunities and 23 after turnovers. Simons led the unit, scoring 26, followed by Grant’s 24 and Camara’s 17.

Rozier handled the on-court interview. He said he was anxious to suit up during the All-Star break and that he’s pleased to be healthy, providing and earning the recent win. When asked about the biggest challenge of playing with the team, he said, “Going from losing to winning.”

At the postgame presser, coach Erik Spoelstra said, “It was a challenging start to the game, but I thought this was a very good response, particularly in the second half. You could clearly see, [the Heat] were a little bit in the mud… We were playing a lot out of [Butler] and [Adebayo] in the post, and they were able to produce.”

The Heat will not practice on Wednesday.

—

For exclusive Miami Heat content and chats, subscribe to Off the Floor:

Mateo’s Hoop Diary: Bam Adebayo leads Heat to win in fourth quarter

/0 Comments/in , /by

Coming out of the All-Star break in New Orleans, the Miami Heat got away with a dub at Smoothie King Center after tensions flared in the fourth, and the refs threw two players from each side. (Nikola Jovic started for Terry Rozier (right knee sprain). Josh Richardson was also out (dislocated shoulder).

As the Heat’s lead climbed to 19 points in the first half, the shooting display was like watching Sonny Corleone ride up to the toll booth. Herro made four consecutive shots. Jimmy Butler attacked from all sides, supplying 17 points. And Duncan Robinson connected on four of nine triples.

Defensively, the Heat deployed man coverage plus used the 2-2-1 press to slow down the Pelicans dribbling upcourt and the 2-3 zone in the halfcourt. NOLA’s Zion Williamson blasted through switches, scoring a reverse layup on the baseline, and logged four more close-range finishes. Additionally, CJ McCollum was held to one of seven makes, but he played through pain after twisting his left ankle.

Nearly five minutes into the second quarter, the Heat’s advantage bloated to 49-30. Then Herb Jones splashed a corner triple when Williamson was doubled and spun past Butler in transition for a six-foot floater. Williamson rolled to the rim for a layup and the Pelicans recorded eight of its last 14 attempts to close out the half on a 28-9 run.

At halftime, the game was tied at 58, but the hosts were ahead on the glass by eight. The Heat had 20 paint points, 11 on the break, two via second chances and five after turnovers. Butler tallied 17 on his scorecard with six rebounds and four assists. And Robinson and Herro each had a dozen points.

The Pelicans racked up 34 points in the square, nine in the open court, 13 on extra tries and 11 after turnovers. Williamson and Jones had 14 points apiece, but the latter was perfect on six attempts.

Next, the home team started the third quarter with Jose Alvarado in McCollum’s place. The Puerto Rican point guard contributed a donut, missing three tries. On top of that, Williamson missed in the paint guarded by Jovic, blanked over the backline and failed on a putback. The Heat capped the Pelicans to 40% shooting in the third quarter.

On offense, Adebayo cut on the baseline for a dunk, intercepted Williamson’s pass, got loose on the break and canned a midrange jumper over Jonas Valančiūnas. Butler registered a putback and an alley-oop dunk that a Tyler Herro back screen freed Herb Jones off of. And Caleb Martin had three assists, setting up Adebayo and Herro.

The Heatles entered the fourth quarter ahead 84-80, but tensions blazed 41 seconds into the period. The cause: Williamson stole the ball from Butler in Heat territory and quickly burst into the air for a layup, but was grabbed by Kevin Love to avoid the easy bucket. Yet, Williamson flopped after the contact, throwing himself to the ground. Subsequently, NOLA’s Naji Marshall shoved Love. Butler took exception, confronting Marshall and getting his throat grabbed, which set him off. He tried to get at the Pelicans forwards, but was stopped.

Close by, at the scorer’s table, as heads were cooling, Miami’s Thomas Bryant and Alvarado were exchanging words, then hands. When that scuffle broke, Butler, Bryant, Alvarado and Marshall were ejected. Game on.

Minus the Heat’s best player and fourth-string center, Adebayo carried the unit. He swished a nine-foot jumper, nailed a turnaround hook with Valančiūnas on his back, euro-stepped to the cup on the left side for a layup, and made two fadeaways and a hook over Larry Nance Jr.. The other Heatles poured in just three of 12 buckets.

(With under two minutes left, Herro hurt his left knee, stopping on a dime next to the sideline and left the game.)

On defense, Adebayo locked Williamson up at close range and the backline swarmed his drive. Rookie Jordan Hawkins was held to one of seven makes. And the remaining Pelicans scored on 33% of tries.

The Heat won 106-95 but were outrebounded by eight. Furthermore, the Heat produced 46 paint points, 18 on the break, 11 on second chances and 18 after turnovers. Adebayo supplied 24 points on 11 of 18 shots, with seven rebounds and three blocks. Butler had 23 points, nine rebounds and six assists. And Robinson had 17 points.

The Pelicans had 60 interior points, 15 in the open court, 25 on added opportunities and 15 after turnovers. Williamson scored 23 points on nine of 22 attempts. And Herbert Jones had 19 on 80% shooting.

At the postgame presser, coach Erik Spoelstra said he thought Williamson “slipped” after Love fouled him. “It looked a lot worse than what it was… I don’t think on K. Love’s best day, he could throw [Williamson] down.”

In the locker room, Herro said his knee was sore and would see how it felt in the morning.

—

For exclusive Miami Heat content and chats, subscribe to Off the Floor:

 

 

 

Mateo’s Hoop Diary: Bam Adebayo should add the 3-point shot to his game

/0 Comments/in , /by

Did you see that?

The one possession that mattered in the All-Star Game for Heat supporters: Bam Adebayo dribbled upcourt, pulled up and swished a trifecta over Nikola Jokić. Instantly, the masses wondered how much his game could leap forward. If only TNT’s broadcast crew had the chops to quote Heat play-by-play caller Eric Reid with a well-deserved “Ka-Bam.”

Hopefully, it’s not something #13 abandons going forward. If so, it would further indict the unseriousness of the event and be a lost opportunity, too. When he came into the league, he couldn’t throw a brick into the ocean. Seven years later, his range has expanded to middle and he’s one of the top bigs in that zone. But he could do more.

In the modern NBA, barely any team knows how to cover the 3-point line. Even reputable defenders sag off the best shooters and sometimes a weak outside option is left alone behind the arc. And worse- defenders commit the cardinal sin of fouling 3-point shooters, trying to block the attempt as if many are even rejected on the perimeter.

Adebayo should punish defenses when they treat him like Draymond Green from distance. Yes, running the dribble handoff for a teammate in that spot ensures plenty of space and time if the screen is solid. But a teammate curling from the corner or baseline can take an extra second or two. He should start taking at least one triple nightly when the perimeter opens up for him. If he starts burying them, his matchup can’t play safety to trap his teammates. Eventually, an opposing player will send him to the stripe for three.

At Media Day for the 2021-22 campaign, Adebayo brazenly said he would start firing threes and wanted to be a shooter. That season, he missed all six of his deep tries, followed by one of 12 triples in 2022-23. This year, he’s logged one of 11 3-pointers through 45 outings.

Adebayo has frequently worked on outside marksmanship at the end of warmups for about three seasons. Still, he’s hardly found the nerve to attempt them in meaningful game moments, and that’s too bad. There always comes a time- no matter how badly he wants to set up his teammate- that the right move will be to take one himself.

To be clear, he should have the shot in his bag because it moves him closer to being a complete player. Yet, turning into a trigger-happy soft-big is the last thing the Heat needs. The latter would likely prevent him from setting career highs, like this year, in free throw attempts (6.3), and where he will always inflict the most pressure is in the paint.

To my knowledge, there is no incentive in Adebayo’s contract for making threes. But the Heat should consider adding it in his next extension, or coach Erik Spoelstra or anyone of rank could open up their wallets and fork out $1,600 per made triple. Club president Pay Riley used to pay his Knicks that much when taking charges. Despite NBAers being millionaires, monetary gains will still spike their interest.

—

For exclusive Miami Heat content and chats, subscribe to Off the Floor:

 

Mateo’s Hoop Diary: NBA’s All-Star Game is a waste of time

/0 Comments/in , /by

The All-Star Game was once an anticipated, star-studded spectacle that attracted casual observers, hard-core fans, and those who covered the game because of its dazzling plays, fierce competition and passionate participants. Now, it’s a sham. – an unserious, nearly three-hour lollygag fest that sedates viewers at home and players can’t wait for it to end.

Believe it or not, defense was once expected and highlight plays on that side captivated the crowd and audience at home.

For example, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar rejected six shots in the 1980 ASG. In 1987, Hakeem Olajuwon was so active on D that he fouled out. In 1990, coach Hubie Brown, working as a broadcaster, said during the first half of the game, “Guys are making shots, but the defense is right up there, challenging it, and you can feel the intensity level. People are in this game and appreciate defense.”

What changed? Players don’t have interest, and many insult the intelligence of observers with drivel: We don’t want to get hurt.

It’s gotten so bad that at last year’s postgame presser, Denver Nuggets coach Michael Malone (2023 West ASG coach) said it was the worst game ever played and that he didn’t know if it was fixable.

Then Utah forward Lauri Markkanen tried to be diplomatic, saying games with high and low RPMs are worthwhile. “It’s fun to get out there and do some dunks and stuff like that. But we’re all competitors. I think everyone would enjoy [it] if we play against each other and it gets competitive.”

And Celtics forward Jayson Tatum was asked at press if more defense is preferred. He said, “Safety first right? You don’t want anyone to get injured.” He added that the exhibition in Chicago in 2020 was the best one he’s been a part of. (Seventy 3-pointers were attempted in the 2020 ASG.)

Word. And the fans don’t want to get ripped off. Imagine forking out between $400-27,000 for some seats and/or meet and greet passes, then most of the players treat the event like a walkthrough. It wasn’t cute when Warriors guard Stephen Curry laid down as if artillery fire was blasting to the side as Giannis Antetokounmpo advanced on the break for a dunk in 2017. And LeBron James hammering the rim on uncontested lobs is boring, too.

And worst of all, the broadcasters, who in fairness are league partners, gaslighting the audience into thinking what they are watching is quality is some underhanded trash.

The reality is injuries can happen at any moment a player steps on the court- for training or competition- and that’s something reps in the NBA office will tell you themselves. The attitude adopted by current All-Stars disrespects the past entrants that busted their rears in this exhibition when the league wasn’t a billionaire-dollar empire. The OGs going hard in the ASG helped grow the game and, in turn, the league, making everyone richer and happier today.

These players don’t have a clue or are too shallow to care. In 1964, way before guaranteed contracts, undervalued NBAers, such as Oscar Robertson, Jerry Lucas, Wayne Embry, and the remaining All-Stars threatened to sit out of the game before the league’s first national TV exhibition as union leader Tommy Heinsohn and unofficial member and attorney Larry Fleisher pushed for a boycott. These ballers had something to lose.

According to Sam Smith’s Hard Labor: The Battle That Birthed the Billion-Dollar NBA, owners tried to bully the players to suit up, informing them the league would dissolve if it got humiliated on TV. But pensions and workplace rights mattered to the athletes more. Eventually, owners caved, in writing, to discussing pensions at a later time. Subsequently, the show went on, and Robertson won Most Valuable Player at Boston Garden that evening in front of 13,464 fans.

Perhaps current hoopers wouldn’t give fans the proverbial bird if more knew what it was like for the torchbearers previously. And sadly, the way things are going today, players have inadvertently diminished the significance of the ASG MVP crown to nothing. The award used to carry weight for a Hall of Fame ballot, but no mas.

The NBA’s All-Star product is so second-rate that no real basketball lover can watch it and ask for more. For reference, in 2003, the ASG generated 10.8 million viewers in the United States. In 2023, it accumulated 4.6 million observers. The NBA was lucky even that many tuned in.

–For exclusive Miami Heat content and chats, subscribe to Off the Floor:

 

 

 

Mateo’s Hoop Diary: Heat defeated by the Celtics and possibly lose Josh Richardson and Terry Rozier for some time

/1 Comment/in , /by

The Celtics rolled into Kaseya Center and pulled away from the Heat after tensions flared on Super Bowl Sunday. And of course, the setting was filled with a Playoff atmosphere on prime time TV between two rivals who have faced off in three of the last four Eastern Conference Finals.

(Jimmy Butler didn’t play because of the leave of absence following the death of a family member.)

Kristaps Porziņģis exterminated the Heat’s switches and late contests, scoring 11 in the opening frame. Jayson Tatum and Derrick White got into the lane, scoring multiple times. And Jaylen Brown schooled Jaime Jaquez Jr, losing him with his dribble for a fadeaway, pump-faking him out of the picture for a triple, then logging a putback between two defenders.

For the Heat, Caleb Martin and Jaquez were the only working options. Tyler Herro and Terry Rozier were misfiring, connecting on just one of seven looks. And Bam Adebayo went stretches without demanding the ball.

Through 12 minutes, the Celtics led 26-22.

In the second quarter, Tatum sliced the Heat’s zone through the center for a layup, recorded two pull-up left-wing trifectas and made a jumper over Herro on the baseline. Jrue Holiday contributed two trays. And the rest of Gang Green recorded 45% of attempts.

The Heatles were rolling to start the interval, making three of four baskets, but Josh Richardson hurt his right shoulder trying to strip Tatum in transition. He was done for the day.

Then Martin failed three shots and Adebayo went cold, recording one of five buckets, but he made five freebies. Rozier countered the Celtics, eluding a mismatch (Al Horford) for a midrange shot, and successfully dribbling into the paint, plus scoring on four occasions.

At halftime, the Heat was behind 50-59 and tied on the glass at 25. The hosts also had 22 paint points, two on the break, eight via second chances and three after turnovers. Rozier had 11 points on five 12 attempts. Adebayo scored 11 on 33% of looks. And the rest of the club produced 11 of 31 buckets.

The Celtics recorded 24 in the square, none on the break, seven on extra tries and five after turnovers. Porziņģis dropped 16 points on six of nine makes with eight boards and three dimes. Brown had a dozen on half of his ventures. And Tatum added 14 to the scoring ledger on 60% shooting.

Tatum followed up, splashing two fadeaways, driving left past Martin from the top to the rim for a left-handed layup and bumping Rozier, hitting a floater on the baseline. Holiday swished three left-corner trays. And the rest of the Celtics recorded 43% of attempts.

Herro discharged 10 points -catching and firing on the left wing, pulling up for a head-of-the-key triple, finishing up close against drop coverage and beating Sam Hauser from the top to the cup for a layup. And Adebayo shot over the 2-3 zone in the middle and scored a putback.

Yet, seven minutes into the sequence, Rozier dusted Horford outside, busted into the paint, but was fouled by Tatum, the help defender, and came down awkwardly on his right leg. He was then helped to the locker room and didn’t return. The team’s X (formerly Twitter) account said it was his knee, but coach Erik Spoelstra said during a stoppage in play before the fourth that it was his ankle. The Heat has not cleared this up.

The Heat began the fourth quarter down 79-86. Four minutes in, Brown and Robinson got tangled up, battling for position. While Robinson’s arm was behind Brown, he was forcefully yanked forward. The reckless act for a simple foul could have popped Robinson’s shoulder out of place, ending his season like Kevin Love’s courtesy of Kelly Olynyk in 2015. Perhaps frontier justice would have been discharged if Udonis Haslem was still captain.

The refs checked it out, penalizing Brown with a flagrant one, but it should have got him tossed. Robinson was still upset and exchanged unpleasantries with Brown. From that moment forward, the intensity of the game increased 100 degrees.

Subsequently, Adebayo powered through the baseline for a layup and hit a nine-foot jump shot over Porziņģis. Herro drove left for a deuce, made a 3-pointer in front of Horford in drop coverage and another on the right wing, facing Brown.

But the Celtics got responses from Porziņģis, Tatum and Brown.

With a minute left and the Heat down two points, Haywood Highsmith missed a triple, and Martin foolishly fouled Porziņģis instantly, sending him to the charity line for a pair. Adebayo then missed the next shot at the nail, and the club was now 99% buried. With 15 seconds left and down six points, the Heat inbounded to Herro, and instead of popping a triple to keep the team on life support, went inside for a layup.

The Heat lost 106-110. It racked up 50 paint points, eight on the break, 23 via second chances and 15 after turnovers. Herro had 24 points, five rebounds and four assists. Adebayo logged 22 points with 13 rebounds. The bench had 26 points.

The Celtics had 38 paint points, zero on the break, 19 on extra tries and 10 after turnovers. Tatum had 26 points, 10 rebounds and nine assists. Porziņģis had 25 on the scoring ledger with nine boards. Brown registered 20 points and nine rebounds. And the bench produced 18 points.

At the postgame presser, Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla said it was great that his group got into a confrontation. “We don’t go looking for stuff. But you have to man up… I told our guys at halftime, ‘Expect it to be hard.’”

On the Heat side, coach Erik Spoelstra said Richardson and Terry will get MRIs on Monday.

In the locker room, when speaking about the altercation with Brown, Robinson said, “I thought it was a dirty play. That’s how people miss whole seasons.”

—

For exclusive Miami Heat content and chats, subscribe to Off the Floor:

Mateo’s Hoop Diary: Coban Porter, brother of Nuggets forward, changes plea to guilty in vehicular homicide and vehicular assault case

/1 Comment/in , /by

Coban Porter, brother of Nuggets forward Michael Porter Jr., has changed his not guilty plea to guilty to vehicular homicide and vehicular assault for the drunken accident that killed Katharina Rothman, a mother to a then four-year-old while working for Uber on Jan. 22, 2023. He also pleaded guilty to unlawfully operating a vehicle, injuring Rothman’s passenger, in the same crash.

The night of the accident, Porter was bailed out on a $2,000 surety bond paid for by his brother. Elected DA Beth McCann told reporters in a scrum in September that her office requested a $50,000 bond for Porter but was denied. Magistrate Michelle Kline made that decision, per court documents.

Porter, 22, was crying at the stand beside his attorney Harvey Steinberg. His significant other, mother and two friends did so in the back row, too.

Porter must report to the probation office by the end of Friday. Sentencing is scheduled with a pre-sentencing report for April 19 at 8:30 AM. He faces the possibility of up to eight years in prison, per the DA’s communications office.

Eight members of Rothman’s family and Mothers Against Drunk Driving representative Jocelyn Rhymer were in attendance for Porter’s plea change. MADD is a nonprofit organization that advocates for the strictest possible sentence.

Rothman’s grandmother, Mary, was one of the family members present. She wore a black shirt with Rothman’s face on it that said, “Rest in peace, my amazing granddaughter Katharina – May 1980 – Jan. 2023.”

When leaving the courthouse, Johnson said, “I’m really happy with the outcome. But it still doesn’t bring my daughter back.”

Johnson has thought about her daughter every day and said the first anniversary of the accident was difficult to endure.

Steinberg offered no comment when asked how satisfied he was for his client. Deputy DA Austin Leighty provided none as well.

On Sept. 1, the City of Denver’s transportation and services unveiled a street sign in Rothman’s honor. “Please drive safely – In memory of Katharina Rothman,” reads the sign attached to a light pole on South University Boulevard and Buchtel Street.

During Porter’s arraignment, Judge Erika Englert permitted Porter to reside out of state and agreed to remove the GPS tracking requirement despite the DA’s objections. Porter was ordered to take a daily breathalyzer test but was no longer forced to take random urine analysis tests, per court documents.

Englert also denied a request by 9News for expanded media coverage on Oct. 17 for the Oct. 19 court date.

Initially, on Oct. 19, Porter pleaded not guilty. At that time, he had already met twice privately with the Johnson/Rothman family, apologizing for the accident, according to Johnson.

Rothman’s son occasionally still asks where his mother is.

Mateo’s Hoop Diary: Heat take care of Spurs in fourth quarter

/1 Comment/in , /by

The young and rebuilding Spurs hung around with the Heatles for three quarters but were overmatched in the last.

Early, Tyler Herro and Bam Adebayo were the only positives of the offense. The former burned drop coverage and splashed two catch-and-shoot trays. The latter obliterated paint protections, shooting over the 7-foot-4 Victor Wembanyama twice, rim rolling, attacking in transition and hoisting at the nail facing Zach Collins. The rest of the team converted five of 13 baskets.

Defensively, man coverage and the 2-3 zone offered as much resistance as now-suspended commissioner Alex Díaz de la Portilla allegedly showed to bribes. The Spurs dissected the hosts off the dribble, with pick and pop and inside cuts, while providing almost nothing from long range, registering 13 of 23 baskets to start.

Next, the Heat started the second frame, making two buckets in seven minutes. But moves from Terry Rozier, Josh Richardson Adebayo and Herro saved the crew from total disaster on offense.

On the other side, Wembanyama scored thrice in transition but bailed out the Heat, misfiring twice on the baseline. Devin Vassell dusted Duncan Robinson and Richardson from the top to the defense’s heart for two baskets, plus canned a left baseline jumper, using a stagger screen to get open. The other Spurs made 30% of tries.

At halftime, the Heat led 53-51 but were behind on the glass by one. Additionally, the group had 26 paint points, none on the break, two via second chances and eight after turnovers. Herro had 12 points on five of eight looks. Adebayo also logged a dozen on 66.7% shooting.

The Spurs had 30 interior marks, five on the break, five from extra tries and three after turnovers. Wemby accumulated 12 points on five of nine attempts. And Vassell had 11 on the scoring ledger on 41.7% shooting.

In the third frame, Butler blundered four ventures, and Rozier couldn’t connect over Wembanyama or hit deep shots when the ball kicked out. But Adebayo and Herro took over. The big man rim rolled, dunked on the break, and drove through Julian Champagnie for a layup. And Herro, swished a jumper at the nail, discharged two extra triples and dribbled past Blake Wesley from the top to the cup for a layup.

For the Spurs, Wembanyama, who was making 30.1% of 3-point tries before the match, buried two more- one in Adebayo’s eye in the left corner and a pull-up in transition behind Tre Jones’ screen. Vassell supplied eight more points. And Jones tallied two layups, beating Rozier and Caleb Martin from the outside to the rim and produced a trifecta.

Subsequently, the Heat started the fourth quarter ahead 78-77, but Butler kickstarted the flurry to the finish line. The Spurs couldn’t stop him from piercing the paint and setting up his teammates six times. Two of Jaime Jaquez Jr.’s late scores were helped by Butler and his other four dimes went to Adebayo, Martin, Robinson and Rozier.

Defensively, the Spurs struggled against the zone and provided almost nothing from deep.

The Heat won 116-104. The fourth was the group’s top offensive interval of the evening, recording 12 of 19 attempts. Besides, it accounted for 50 paint points, 10 on the break, six from extra tries and 19 after turnovers for the night.

Herro led the team in points with 24 on 10 of 15 shots. Next was Adebayo with 20, making 71.4% of looks. And Butler had 17 points and 11 rebounds.

The Spurs had 52 points in the square, 15 on the break, 14 via second chances and 13 after turnovers. Vassell and Jones each logged 19 points. And Wembanyama contributed 18 on his scoring ledger on 53.8% shooting and 13 rebounds.

At the postgame presser, coach Erik Spoelstra responded to a question about Adebayo and Herro’ connection saying, “You need firepower in this league to score against the best defenses. They’ve worked intentionally on building that collaboration between the two of them for the last two or three years. Now when they have to anchor some units, they know they have to lean on each other…”

—

For exclusive Miami Heat content and chats, subscribe to Off the Floor:

 

Mateo’s Hoop Diary: The Heat crushed the Magic

/1 Comment/in , /by

The visiting Magic got shut down, and vintage Jimmy Butler returned.

Early, the Heat’s defense swarmed the Magic in man coverage and the 2-3 zone, contesting on time and forcing the guests to seven of 20 baskets in the first quarter. Markelle Fultz and Paolo Banchero were the only mystical ones causing problems- the former splashed a corner triple and two transition layups; the latter dunked on the break and pivoted past Terry Rozier in the post for a two-handed jam.

On offense, the Heat were bothered by the Magic’s backline and committed five turnovers. But Caleb Martin hit a pair of jumpers, Bam Adebayo dunked twice, and Tyler Herro got inside the lane for two layups. Jimmy Butler recovered three boards and supplied three dimes- finding shooters in the open and half court plus passing to a cutting Jaime Jaquez Jr. for a baseline score.

The rest of the crew logged three of nine attempts, but the Heat led 26-19.

In the second quarter, the advantage bulged to 20 points through seven minutes as the Heatles registered nine of 13 baskets. Then, the group took its foot off the gas, allowing Wendell Carter Jr. and Banchero to shatter the zone with mid-range jumpers. On top of that, Banchero slammed a putback in between three defenders, Jalen Suggs buried a right corner triple and Jonathan Isaac added a tray.

Following the hot start to the second frame, the Heat made 33% of its tries. To boot, Adebayo got flagged for his third penalty with 97 seconds left in the period. After he sat, the Heat scored one point to close, and the backline was attacked twice as Fultz overpowered Rozier in the post for a bucket and Banchero got to the line, making both freebies.

At halftime, the Heat were up on the glass by three and on the scoreboard 56-19, permitting the Magic 55.6% of attempts to fall in the second after only 35% in the first. Additionally, the hosts had 30 paint points, 16 on the break, four via second chances and nine off turnovers. The scoring leader for the club was Rozier, with 11 points and four dimes.

The Magic tallied 24 in the box, eight in the open court, four from extra tries and 10 off turnovers. Banchero was its main option, producing 14 points on 55.6% shooting.

Next, the Heat dispensed 40 points in the third quarter, marking the seventh occasion of the season the club has notched at least as many for a sequence. Adebayo was in charge, logging a putback and four more close-range baskets. Martin made a top-of-the-key long-two-pointer, dunked on the break and shook Moritz Wagner on the baseline for a reverse layup. And the rest of the crew racked up half of its shots and six of eight free throws.

Defensively, the Heat lost track of Carter, allowing a pair of triples and two dunks. Banchero was another issue -hitting a pull-up triple on the break, spinning past Rozier for a jumper in the paint and returning to the line, contributing four freebies.

Despite weak inside and long-range protection in the third, the Heat started the fourth quarter ahead 96-75. The dull security continued for nearly five minutes as the Magic filed five consecutive baskets to cut the lead to 10 points.

Then Butler erupted, scoring three straight times. He canned a step-back corner triple, dropped another banger in transition, and drove into M. Wagner for a layup, catapulting the Heat back up by 18 points.

The team recorded its last six of nine baskets to end the game. Additionally, it allowed the Magic just 39.1% of its tries in the fourth quarter.

The Heat won 121-95 and collected four more rebounds than the Magic. It had 58 paint points, 27 on the break, 10 via second chances and 19 off turnovers. Butler was the high Heatle with 23 points on six of nine looks, plus eight rebounds and eight assists. Rozier was next on the scoring ledger with 18 points, and he had seven dimes and six boards.

The Magic had 44 interior points, 18 on the break, 11 from extra tries and 12 after turnovers. Banchero had 23 points, nine rebounds and seven assists.

At the postgame presser, coach Erik Spoelstra said, “That’s four games in a row now where we look a lot more consistently closer to our identity defensively.”

In the locker room, Butler was asked about his hot 3-point shooting and his goal of making half of his trays this season. He said, “I think everyone wants me to shoot more of them, honestly. I’m not going for that, though. I’m still going to run in there and hit people.”

—

For exclusive Miami Heat content and chats, subscribe to Off the Floor:

Mateo’s Hoop Diary: Kawhi Leonard and James Harden set the Heat’s house on fire in the Clippers’ win

/1 Comment/in , /by

Prodigy Jaime Jaquez Jr. hit the rookie wall. The long-range attack faltered. And the Heat were carved up by Kawhi Leonard and James Harden, enduring the 12th home loss of the season.

Josh Richardson started in Tyler Herro’s place due to a migraine, and Duncan Robinson was absent in concussion protocol.

Harden intercepted Terry Rozier’s outlet, quickly passing it to Russell Westbrook for a fastbreak dunk and tallied another fast feed to Leonard for a deuce. Yet, the hosts’ defense was mainly sharp, starting in man coverage- Jimmy Butler tagging Leonard and Haywood Highsmith guarding Paul George, but the zone was featured, too. In the frame, the Heat curbed the Clippers to 34.8% shooting and 19 points.

On offense, Bam Adebayo crushed the Clippers’ backline for a putback and took two trips to the line, not missing. And Jimmy Butler pierced the center for a layup and swished a right-corner triple. The rest of the team converted five of 13 tries.

In the second quarter, George was hounded by Highsmith and ineffective shooting from deep against the zone. However, his teammates bailed him out, deciphering the scheme with ball movement, resulting in six of 13 trifectas.

For the Heat, Adebayo registered a pick-and-pop floater and overpowered Terance Mann in the post for a dunk. Butler and Caleb Martin each added five points, but the unit made only 22.2% of attempted 3-pointers.

At halftime, the match was tied at 43. The Heat had 18 paint points, three on the break, four via second chances and 13 after turnovers. Adebayo was in charge with 10 on the scoring ledger, eight rebounds and two dimes. Butler was next with nine points on four of seven tries.

The Clippers scored 16 in the box, four on the break, six on extra tries and 11 after turnovers. Leonard was the high Clipper, tallying 11 points and five rebounds. Norman Powell’s seven followed. And Harden added five points and five assists.

Butler played all of the third quarter but was shut down. Harden and Mann denied him in transition; Harden forced him into an unsuccessful fadeaway on the baseline; And Leonard, as the low man in the zone, rejected his layup when he got by Powell on the right side and contested cleanly, causing a miss when Butler got it back.

Richardson kept the ember lit, canning a long two-pointer on the right side over George, plus making an open left-corner triple and two layups over Leonard.

For the guests, Leonard scored a putback, dunked on the break, swished a triple after a blitz and cracked the zone from the right wing. Harden set up his teammates four more times, plus dropped five points. The other Clippers made four of 11 baskets in the period.

The Heat entered the fourth quarter down 67-69. Butler rested to start the interval, but the group scored 37.5% of its ventures without him. In that stretch, the Clippers kept drawing contact on drives and jump shots, earning the bonus with over eight minutes left. Even this: Harden was fouled on a made 3-pointer.

Butler checked in with over eight minutes left and scored once when the Heat still had time. His other two field goals and free throw came after the club was behind nine points and out of reach. The other Heatles were extinguished for success on nine of 24 attempts.

In crunch time, the Beard splashed consecutive trays, isolating Butler on the left wing and going one-on-one with Rozier on the right side, getting fouled on that one, too.

The Heat lost 95-103, was beat on the glass by three and made 41.8% of shots. Its worst quarter was the last, putting up a 130.8 Defensive Rating and allowing 18 of the Clippers’ 22 hoisted free throws to come then.

On top of that, the Heat had 50 paint points, 15 on the break, six from extra tries and 19 after turnovers. Butler had 21 on the scoring ledger on 42% shooting.

Adebayo contributed 14 points and 13 rebounds. And the bench was outscored 24-31.

The Clippers registered 44.2% of attempts, with 30 paint points, six in the open court, eight on additional opportunities and 13 after turnovers.

Leonard had 25 points with 11 rebounds. Harden supplied 21 points, 11 dimes and eight boards.

At the postgame presser, coach Erik Spoelstra said, “The game really turned in the fourth quarter when we started fouling… We were just never able to really claw back into it. At that point, once we got down 10 [points], we would have needed to knock down some threes, get some relief baskets from there, but we weren’t able to do that. That was pretty much the story in the fourth [quarter].”

—

For exclusive Miami Heat content and chats, subscribe to Off the Floor: