Mateo’s Hoop Diary: Heat Poach Shorthanded Grizzlies at Home

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The Heat earned its third-largest win of the season (19 points) while hosting the Grizzlies minus Ja Morant, Steven Adams and Brandon Clarke.

Through the first half, Miami pierced the heart of Memphis’ defense 13 times and unexpectedly shot 40% (6/15) from 3-point range. On the other side, the Heatles forced eight turnovers, held the visitors to 18 long-range misfires (7/25), and only allowed three free throw attempts in the first 24 minutes.

Jimmy Butler scored easily against single coverage and couldn’t be restrained from getting to the line. Defenders couldn’t stop the ball when he drove left or beat him down the court when he picked off a pass.

Bam Adebayo had a dozen points coming from transition, pick and pop, putbacks, and a bailout jumper, and Herro had nine points with four dimes in the first half.

Coach Erik Spoelstra stashed Victor Oladipo on his bench and rolled with Kyle Lowry and Haywood Highsmith as his second-quarter substitutes. Lowry hit a triple in the left corner when the ball swung back to him after Memphis sent two at Herro at the key. He also beat David Roddy off the dribble from the top to the inside for a three-foot bank shot. Highsmith defended well in his four minutes and picked up two rebounds.

Despite the absence of Morant’s speed in the last six games for Memphis, the outfit’s pace has dropped from seventh in the league to ninth with Tyus Jones at point guard. On Wednesday, the Grizzlies tried to outrun the slower Heat but got beat in fastbreak points 16-10.

Without two solid backline defenders in Adams and Clarke, Memphis was exposed in the interior when point-of-attack defenders were caught on the ball handler’s back hip. The visitors gave up 62 paint points and 16 second-chance points to Miami.

Adebayo didn’t encounter much difficulty matching up with Jarren Jackson Jr. and Xavier Tillman. #13 logged his first basket from six-feet away in front of both of them when they doubled him after the catch. His next three field goals came against Tillman, and he finished the night with two more scores with Jackson as his defender, hitting a floater over him in the lane and dunking past him on the break.

At the intermission, Miami was up 63-51. In the second half, the Heat’s defense was not as strong, allowing 68 points, but the squad put 75 on its scorecard. In the third quarter, the hosts logged 42 points, making it the second-best 12-minute stretch of its season behind the 45 points scored in the third quarter of a win at home versus Charlotte on Nov. 12.

In the third frame, Herro shook Dillon Brooks on the baseline, hitting a 15-foot jumper. Against drop coverage, #14 sliced into the paint and nailed a floater over Jackson.

Adebayo, Gabe Vincent and Caleb Martin didn’t miss from the field in quarter three either, combining on impeccable six baskets.

At the start of the fourth, the Heat had a 28-point advantage. Butler didn’t play a minute of this stretch, but Spo kept Adebayo in until there were over five minutes left while the lead was at 26. Max Strus and Martin were the only team members to stay on the court all of the fourth quarter.

In his new role as the second-string point guard, Lowry put up eight points with four boards and four assists in 20 minutes. Spo is still tinkering with lineups as the season nears its closing, but the win over Memphis was the second straight game Kyle’s minutes have been that low. If the Heat’s offense continues to blossom with this experiment, it may be worth keeping in action long term.

At the postgame presser, Spo joked that he had to look at the scoreboard 10 times during the fourth quarter to confirm the lead.

“It does feel good to have one of these kind of games where a lot of guys play well,” Spo said.

Over the last eight matches, the Heat averages 121.1 points a night. The offense being more intentional and the team getting to its “strike zones” is what Spo said pleased him most about the plan of attack.

Mateo’s Hoop Diary: Raining Jimmy Buckets

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Miami’s persistent turnovers from Wednesday’s loss to the Cavaliers continued through the first half, accumulating 10.  Any sign of a deep shot vanished as well.

Before the intermission, nobody could restrain Donovan Mitchell from slashing into the paint or force a miss on his contested 3-point makes. Through this period, he logged 25 points, making nine out of 12 shots.

The only other Cavalier with at least three converted field goals in the first half was Caris LeVert (3). He scored on a one-on-one break against Gabe Vincent, hit a four-foot fadeaway over Herro, and a right-wing triple when his defender sagged off thanks to the extra help on Spida’s dribble penetration.

In the first half, Miami made 41.5% of its tries from the field. The role players dropped nine out of 27 baskets, while Bam Adebayo and Jimmy Butler carried the team offensively. Adebayo glided down the court in transition for two points, swished two fadeaways from the baseline and paint, plus he slammed two dunks running pick and roll with Victor Oladipo and Tyler Herro.

Butler scored on a coast-to-coast layup, he logged two more in transition, hitting a six-footer with Lamar Stevens in front of him, and he finished a soft bank-in under the rim when the defense doubled Adebayo.

In various half-court sets, the Cavaliers sagged off the corners in man-to-man coverage to help on Miami’s rim attacks. As a result, the Heat shot 19.9% below league average at the rim and 5.5% under in the lane non-restricted area in the first half.

Entering the third quarter, Miami was down 59-50. Butler only had 10 points so far, but he quickly became possessed, notching five out of seven baskets in quarter three and recording an untarnished four in the fourth quarter. He attacked Mitchell for multiple baskets and scored at the rim and low post against Jarrett Allen too.

In the last minute of the third quarter, Butler made a triple in the right corner, his lone attempt from deep. His jab step created separation between him and Stevens for the jumper. On Miami’s next possession, he dribbled into the arc, guarded again by Stevens for a long two-pointer.

The Heat was up one point at the start of crunch time. A pick by Adebayo at both wings blocked Mobley from disrupting Butler’s successful drive past Allen and Mitchell. JB also rejected #13’s screen on the left side, defended by Mobley, and got a floater off in the low post over his man. With under 25 seconds left and Miami up one, Caleb Martin’s ghost screen helped Butler get down the elbow for a pull-up jumper in Stevens’ face.

Subsequently, Mitchell was fouled on his next rim gash by Adebayo and made both his free throws. Miami’s turn to the stripe followed, Martin’s first trip of the night. Unemotionally, he made both.

Butler then intentionally fouled Mitchell at midcourt to prevent an opportunity for Cleveland to tie. Spida logged one out of two.  Butler took his last free throw attempts of the night, closing the deal after the purposeful foul.

At the postgame presser, coach Erik Spoelstra said his team usually doesn’t foul when up three points and the opponent has the last shot. This occasion was different because Butler mentioned Miami got burned by Boston and Cleveland, facing the same situation earlier in the season.

Spo said, “It’s a philosophical thing, but when a team doesn’t have a timeout, and then you have the smartest, quickest player making those decisions, you feel comfortable with it. I felt fully comfortable with Jimmy making that decision…”

 

 

Mateo’s Hoop Diary: Turnovers Bury Miami in Game 1 of Miniseries With Cleveland

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With one game remaining on the Heat’s six-game homestand, the club is 2-3 for the stretch after a close loss to the Cavaliers on Wednesday. Even if Miami beats Cleveland to go .500 in its building, two lost opportunities have made it more challenging to catch the sixth seed.

In Game 67 of the lost season, Miami’s close-range attack against a top-three paint defense was in sync, scoring 18 of its first-quarter points in the interior. Backdoor cuts and screens opened up the baseline, ball handlers made it downhill in transition, mismatches were found under the basket, and Miami was blowing by Cleveland’s point of attack.

On the other end, Cleveland got what it wanted whenever. The Cavaliers created space behind the 3-point line on the overhelp on dribble penetration in the mid-post or by attracting a blitz on the wings to find the openings in the middle and swinging the ball actively in the half-court.

Through 12 minutes, Miami held a 30-26 lead and a 25.6% advantage in field goal efficiency (70.6%-45%). The score was close because the visitors blew up the Heat’s offense and forced six turnovers. Jarrett Allen created two takeaways by trailing Jimmy Butler and Tyler Herro on the baseline and eliminating an angle for the entry pass. On another transition play, Allen and Evan Mobley overwhelmed Bam Adebayo on a paint drive. For the subsequent three turnovers, a Heat player stepped out of bounds plus threw a poor outlet and entry pass.

The poor ball protection continued for the hosts throughout the game, but by the end of the first half, the Cavaliers had 12 recoveries. This allowed the Heat only seven made field goals in contrast to the 12 it converted in the opening period with a third of the possession losses.

In the first 24 minutes, Butler had 13 points on 50% shooting with seven out of eight made freebies. On and off the ball, he got into the lane with ease for a lay-in under the cup, a turnaround jumper over Lamar Stevens, and a 10-foot hook over Mobley.

Adebayo was immaculate on his five attempts, but he had no rebounds, despite switching to the perimeter. Three first-half fouls restrained him to nine minutes in the period. Under the rim, Mobley bit on his fake and flew by as #13 went up for the slam. Again, with Mobley matched up, Adebayo faced up at the mid-post to maneuver in the lane for a clean fadeaway jumper.

Herro had nine points on 50% field goal efficiency in the first half too. He broke into the middle of Cleveland’s 2-3 zone, hitting a floating bank shot over Darius Garland and Stevens. Butler set up his second basket by drawing multiple defenders on a baseline drive. Herro then strolled into the middle for the catch and reverse layup after faking out Allen. Next, he splashed a pull-up triple on the break over Donovan Mitchell to give Miami a two-point lead with over six minutes left before the intermission.

Defensively, the third quarter was a failure. Within 90 seconds, Cleveland’s four-point lead was in double digits. The Heatles’ offense kept hope in the arena alive as it logged 61.1% of attempts, but it coughed the ball up an additional seven times. Miami was lucky its chronic butterfingers only let them get outscored by one to head into the fourth quarter down five, still with a chance.

In the final frame, Miami lost the ball over three more times. A moving screen by Adebayo, Herro getting caught extending his legs on a jumper, and Oladipo accidentally smacking Caris LeVert in the face while looking for a shooting foul brought the total to 22 turnovers.

In the last 12 minutes, Miami’s offense crashed and burned, dropping only 29.1% of its tries and 20% from 3-point range. Adebayo, Herro and Caleb Martin were the only Heat players to register a field goal. Here, Victor Oladipo was playing for the Cavs.

Quick Vic took five shots and bricked all of them. Two of his triples were open because Cleveland didn’t respect him. The shot selection on his last miss was so poor it was enough to make Nick Young shake his head. He killed the clock by not passing out when Mobley matched up with him, attempting a trifecta at the top of the key.

Isaac Okoro’s hooking bank shot, covered by Adebayo, extended Cleveland’s lead to five with 49 seconds left. Herro then cut the deficit to two points off a cross-court sideline inbound from Martin to the left wing for a deep jumper.

The free throw game was the next action following Adebayo’s suspect foul on Allen, sending him to the stripe. Allen clanked the second, keeping the Heat on life support.

The Cavaliers elected not to foul with Miami in the bonus. Max Strus managed to get a shot over Mitchell on the right wing, but it rolled off the rim and into the mitts of Allen. As a formality, the Heat sent Mobley to the line when he got the ball, but there were 2.1 seconds remaining.

The Cavaliers won 104-100.

At the postgame presser, coach Erik Spoelstra credited the opponents for neutralizing the offense and increasing their disruptiveness while already being a strong defensive team. He also said, “It is extremely tough to win in this league when you have [22] turnovers.”

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Mateo’s Hoop Diary: Heat Go 2-0 in Miniseries With Hawks

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In the Heat’s 36th game decided by five points or fewer, Miami narrowly skated by the Atlanta Hawks at home. Atypical of its season, the hosts couldn’t miss from beyond the arc. Of course, for this type of uncommon production, there needed to be a trade-off: the ability to defend for most of the game. 

 

The Hawks seized control of the first half by scoring a few fastbreak buckets, and slicing up the point of attack, converting 19 out of 24 shots in the paint.  Dejounte Murray logged his first four baskets- three maneuvering around Adebayo for pull-up jumpers after the switch and another 15-footer over Gabe Vincent off the dribble.

 

The rest of the Hawks were soaring through the first quarter too.  The visitors recorded 76% of their attempts in the frame and led by 15 points eight minutes into the game.

 

Offensively, Miami was in sync, dropping five triples out of seven tries on both wings in the opening quarter.  Max Strus nailed the Heat’s first off a flare screen by Bam Adebayo.  Butler set up the second with Murray momentarily over-helping in the low post, uncovering Vincent at the top of the key. Victor Oladipo canned another when his defender went under Cody Zeller’s pick.  And Tyler Herro and Duncan Robinson were both left open when Atlanta sent two at the ball.

 

After one half, Miami had given up 68 points but shot back into the match, only down five.  Adebayo took charge with 10 points on 80% field goal efficiency, plus four boards and a block.  Butler had eight points, with five dimes and four rebounds. Victor Oladipo also had seven on his scorecard. 

 

In the third quarter, the Heat had its strongest defensive run, holding the Hawks to 41.7% of its attempts from the floor.  The hosts were quicker to get the ball out of Murray’s hands in half-court sets, and defenders closed out quickly and did a finer job staying in front of their man.  

 

In response, Butler finished at the cup three times in the third quarter, getting free off a fake handoff and scoring twice in transition. Against Atlanta’s 2-3 zone, Herro drove to the middle and found Strus open at the top for a trifecta.  Facing man-to-man coverage, Oladipo broke down De’Andre Hunter with his dribble in the strongside corner for a banger.  

 

Heading into the fourth quarter, Miami’s bench was outdoing its rivals’ reserves 41-31 on the stat sheet.  Caleb Martin and Oladipo combined for 28 bench points through 36 minutes.  With three minutes left in the third quarter, Vic challenged three Hawks on the break and hit a reverse layup.  

 

In the final period, Oladipo stayed hot.  He hit a jumper from the left corner when Atlanta iced Herro’s roll to the rim, splashed another triple over Murray and Hunter on the wing, and then caught a fastbreak lob from Robinson to cap off a vintage night.  He came one-second shy of playing the entire fourth quarter.  The only players who got that credit for Miami were Adebayo, Butler and Martin.  

 

In the last stretch, the Hawks made 54.5% of its attempts. Murray hit two runners over Martin and a break layup against Herro. Bogdan Bogdanović boxed out Robinson for a tip-in.  Saddiq Bey caught Herro in a mismatch seven feet from the cup. And Young hit a 3-pointer and gashed Miami inside three times. 

 

But Atlanta went cold for a pivotal stretch late in the game.  With the Heat up five points and fewer than four minutes left, Hunter misfired an open triple behind a pindown on the right wing, and Murray air-balled a three-foot finger roll, horrifying his newly appointed instructor Quin Snyder on the sideline.

 

The Hawks had a chance to tie with 25 seconds left, but Martin stripped Young on a drive.  Butler got the ball and was sent to the free-throw line, where he made both.  The Heat would take two more trips to the line, knocking down three to close the match with a W, pushing Miami to four wins above .500 and two games behind the Brooklyn Nets for sixth place in the east.

 

At the postgame presser, Oladipo said he was trying to catch a lob all year and gave props to Robinson for the precise pass.  

 

On the topic of his efficiency, Oladipo said, “I’m just going to keep shooting.  I’m not really concerned about the past and what the years [have] been and the up and downs. I’m just going to hoop like I know I can… I’m just going to continue to make the most of it and be aggressive.”

Mateo’s Hoop Diary: Heat Embarrassed at Home by 76ers

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The Miami Heat followed up one of its strongest wins of the year in Philadelphia on Monday with a stinker. It’s easily a candidate for the worst loss of the season, but the squad finds a new nominee about every 10 days. On Wednesday evening, It was like “payback for what happened to Billy Batts.”

It was so bad Joel Embiid was cackling as he cavalierly sat on the bench with the 76ers up 20 points on the hosts midway through the third quarter. The Heat kicked off the night blazing from deep (by this team’s standards), converting three out of seven trays in the opening period.

In transition, Jimmy Butler caught a hit-ahead pass from Kevin Love in the paint and passed it to Tyler Herro on the right wing for a triple. Herro then set up the ensuing basket by breaking down Paul Reed on the left side and having Shake Milton overhelp in the middle. Next, he skipped the pass to Max Strus to his right for a trifecta. Victor Oladipo canned the last one of the first quarter, attacking Reed in drop coverage and getting open with Cody Zeller’s screen up top.

The Heat had 38 points in the first frame but gave up 34. Without its MVP candidate, Philadelphia was shooting 63.6% from the field in that span. The scoring of the initial quarter tied its second-best of the season for Miami. What followed was like a Greek tragedy; the fall was rude, humbling and a gross spectacle. It came after Miami’s peak. In the second quarter, the Heatles made 26.3% of its attempts.

Herro just hit a reverse layup between two defenders, and Strus splashed a fast break triple in the left corner to give Miami a four-point advantage. Subsequently, in four minutes, the Heat missed its next seven shots as the 76ers jumped ahead by 13 points with over five minutes left in the half.

At the intermission, the visitors claimed an 18-point lead. That’s with Bam Adebayo and Butler combining for 24 points on nine out of 13 shots. The rest of the squad logged 32% of its tries.

The third quarter was a waste of time. Although the hosts recorded half of its attempts, it nearly gave up as much to Philly and was outscored by one. Tyrese Maxey, as he did two nights prior, extinguished the Heat in this period with 10 points on four out of six shots. James Harden also had five points with two dimes- an under-the-basket inbound to PJ Tucker and a lob to Tobias Harris on a three-on-one break against Gabe Vincent.

Hope faded within 90 seconds of play into the fourth quarter for Miami as it missed its first four field goals. The Heat ended the night with a loss and a 23-point difference on the scorecard.  The defeat concluded the sixth miniseries the Heat has played this season. Its record in those games is 9-3. Miami went 2-0 against Charlotte, Washington and Milwaukee and split both matches versus Toronto, Boston and Philadelphia.

After the smackdown, coach Erik Spoelstra said the team needs a mindset shift in order “to be able to sustain a game [it] can win.

“We’ve shown that we can be the best against anybody, anywhere,” said Spo. “And then we’ve also shown this…”

A meltdown of this proportion, this late in the season, should be enough for everyone to completely panic sell all stocks owned on the club. With five consecutive home games remaining before the next trip on tour, the Heat must rack up some dubs because it is only a game and a half out of the sixth seed. Brooklyn, currently holding that spot, has lost four in a row.

Although, the Heat has won a game out of four since its eight-day break. The surging New York Knicks come into Miami on Friday with seven straight victories since Feb.11.

There is not much time left for the Heat to salvage its season.

Mateo’s Hoop Diary: Heat Snap Losing Streak in Philadelphia

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If only Paul Revere could’ve warned Philadelphia that Jimmy Butler was coming. Word didn’t get out, and on Monday, the Miami Heat landed a devastating blow to Joel Embiid’s MVP chances.

On Saturday, Butler said he was tired of losing while facing reporters after Miami was overpowered in Charlotte. It was the club’s fourth consecutive defeat, triggering movement across sportsbook lines. That night, DraftKings lowered the odds of the Atlanta Hawks winning the southeast division from +360 to +240.

As has been the case all season, whenever the Heatles start getting serious, the squad takes multiple steps backward. Entering the match against Philadelphia, Miami was back at only three games over .500 (32-29). Over its poor four-game stretch, the Heat converted 29% of its attempts from 3-point range while failing to contain its perimeter.

To the horror of the Philadelphians, Miami was uncharacteristically shooting well from deep in the first half. Gabe Vincent splashed Miami’s first long-distance make off a dribble handoff by Butler on the left wing. JB hit the next one from the opposite wing as Embiid over-helped on Bam Adebayo in the low post, creating the opening. The following trifectas came from Butler’s offensive rebound, then finding Vincent at the top of the key, and again, Butler, attracting a second defender at the nail against the 2-3 zone, uncovering Kevin Love on the left side.

Through 24 minutes, Miami had forced 10 turnovers, three of them steals belonging to #22 as he terrorized Embiid. While Philly’s main man matched up with Cody Zeller at the free throw line, Butler was the spy in the low post, intercepting the pass to De’Anthony Melton. When Embiid fell in the post with the ball, JB slapped it from his grasp. Trying to pass out of a wall at the elbow, Embiid didn’t see Butler on the right side and threw a pick, resulting in a fastbreak slam.

At halftime, the Heat held a 58-50 lead with 14 assists to four turnovers. The reserve crew contributed 19 points in the period. Victor Oladipo was finishing at the rim and hitting outside jumpers. Zeller scored twice in Embiid’s face, and Max Strus and Caleb Martin each splashed a triple and kept the ball moving.

In the second half, the Heat struggled to score, logging 39.4% of attempts. Yet, the 76ers had no counters for Butler and Strus. Each had 10 points on a combined six out of 10 shots. JB dissected the drop coverage for two scores and made one corkscrew layup between PJ Tucker and Embiid. Strus hit a right-wing 3-pointer, courtesy of the dribble penetration provided by Tyler Herro, and canned another triple in the same spot over four arms. He also seized the baseline on a backdoor cut.

On the other end, Miami shut down James Harden, holding him to two of eight made baskets in the second half. He couldn’t dribble past Adebayo on two plays, getting forced to a well-contested elbow jumper and way off miss on the baseline. He also smoked a layup at the rim against #13 too.

The Heat did not have the same success guarding Tyrese Maxey. He torched Miami for 14 of his 23 points in the third quarter. He only had four at halftime but rattled off his next six out of eight. Maxey was first down the court in transition and getting into the lane with two feet in the half-court. In the fourth quarter, Miami slowed him down by closing out quickly to the perimeter when he received the pass, allowing one out of four buckets.

In the fourth, Miami was outscored by a point, but it held Philadelphia to 20.8% shooting in the frame. The Heat recorded four field goals down the stretch, and Butler finished the game with 23 points on 64% efficiency with 11 rebounds and nine dimes.

At the postgame presser, coach Erik Spoelstra said, “Things don’t always go your way in this league, but it’s about how you respond to those moments collectively when you have some disappointments…”

In the locker room, Butler wasn’t too concerned with how the win materialized or excited about beating down on former teammates, but he said, “We got to start stringing these [wins] together. We got them again in 48 hours, and we want to do the same thing.”

 

 

 

 

Mateo’s Hoop Diary: In Miami With Love

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Elvis sang about Burning Love. The Heat made it a reality.

After clearing waivers, Kevin Love found a new landing spot in Miami, followed by 10-year veteran Cody Zeller. The outfit desperately needed aid for the last 23 games on the calendar. Through the first three-quarters of the campaign, marksmen have lost their outside touch, and the group is the third worst of 30 teams in long-range efficiency. The backup center spot has been a problem too.

A season removed from being the runner-up to the sixth man of the year crown, Love’s playing time lessened after his comeback from a hairline fracture in the thumb of his shooting hand. He was inaccurate and a minus defender in man-to-man or zone coverage. The Cavaliers also had less use for him, with the focus of the frontcourt aimed at the development of Jarrett Allen and Evan Mobley.

With a pen stroke, the last remnant of the 2016 championship team for the Land was gone.

Perhaps the Cleveland op was too swift to pass the executioner’s sword on his contract. Any player with street cred would be frustrated with a lack of minutes. But injuries happen, and someone stashed on the bench could be the right counter for a matchup or scheme.

The Heat wanted/needed another option at power forward. Caleb Martin is a serviceable player at that spot, but he’s a natural wing. Not that positions matter to coach Erik Spoelstra, but Love’s signing allows Martin to strengthen the second unit while staying in the instructor’s trusted eight.

Love is still a decent rebounder, plus an effective passer, but he doesn’t move well laterally on defense. At worst, he can call out screens and instructions from the backline of the zone. Open shots on the perimeter will be there on the other end for him as a result of Jimmy Butler’s dribble penetration and the extra attention on Bam Adebayo in the paint. Yet, where he could give the Heat an immediate jolt is with his hit-ahead dimes.

Miami is 28th in pace of 30 teams. One of Love’s signature plays in Minnesota and Cleveland was recovering a defensive rebound and outletting the rock to a cutter past midcourt with a defender on his back hip. In lineups with him and Kyle Lowry, Miami will have two weapons capable of executing that pass.

Love’s last game as a Cavalier came on Jan. 24, only logging 12 minutes and an assist in a two-point loss in New York. Clearly, he wasn’t himself. Distinguished sharpshooters don’t forget how to shoot from one season to the next. The near month he’s been off the court should have provided additional time for him to rediscover his range and for his thumb to feel better.

In the worst-case scenario, if Love is completely fried on offense, which is doubtable, it doesn’t hurt the Heat. He was a buyout signee. The only thing wasted in that event is time.

The Heat choosing to fill the hole at the backup five spot with Zeller signifies the front office wasn’t as worried about the point guard rotation, first reported by Five Reasons huncho Ethan Skolnick.

In the moments Adebayo sat, the Heatles would deploy Dewayne Dedmon (gone via trade) and Orlando Robinson. The highlight of D-Mac’s season was tossing a massage gun onto the floor. His favor among team supporters would likely be higher if he had sent the tool as a gift to Deshaun Watson in Cleveland on his way out instead.

Robinson is too raw and a weak defender against pick and roll as well. The Heat should not convert his two-way contract into a regular deal so that he can play in the postseason because he is not ready.

Zeller hasn’t logged a minute since Jan. 10, 2022. He is at least a nice insurance policy as a backup big man if Ömer Yurtseven doesn’t get his legs under him when he makes his season debut.

The starting point guard, Lowry, has been absent since Feb. 2, but there is optimism he could return before the month concludes.

Gabe Vincent has played well as the lead guard, recording 15.9 points per game, and making 43.9% of his field goals in his starts. Victor Oladipo is expected to be a solid contributor after missing the last seven games for the Heat, although he was reasonably close to suiting up for the All-Star break.

If the Heat hit on both new players, it may have temporarily solved its weaknesses around Adebayo, Butler and Tyler Herro.

 

 

Mateo’s Hoop Diary: The Miami Heat Fall to the Seventh Seed in Brooklyn

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The fans and the Miami Heat, except for Bam Adebayo and Tyler Herro, have eight days off courtesy of the All-Star festivities. It’s the break the outfit needs badly. The team’s closing performance over the last two games was as pathetic as an Amy Schumer stand-up special.

Some key cogs have performed below standards in areas where they once excelled too. And the head instructor is stubborn- he’s keeping Jimmy Butler at a minutes cap in the fourth quarter when the team is running on empty as he watches from the bench. Through 71% of the season, the squad is five games over .500 and a half-game behind the New York Knicks for sixth place.

Brooklyn’s Mikal Bridges sent them on a brief vacation by piecing them up for 45 points on Wednesday. At the start of the fourth quarter, he had 28 on the scorecard. When Butler came in, Bridges wasn’t fazed, hitting two shots matched up with him and seven out of nine times against Miami in the period.

As expected, the Heat’s snipers were neutered by the Nets’ length. After missing its first four attempts from deep, Max Strus and Gabe Vincent splashed three. The combustion was short-lived, however. The Heatles shot 24% from 3-point range the rest of the way. Seven of the misses were open-enough looks; the rest were well contested by Brooklyn, beating the screeners to the closeout and staying home on matchups.

Adebayo played all of the fourth quarter and logged 14 points on 67% efficiency, but it wasn’t enough. When he switched from the middle to guard the top and corners, Brooklyn attacked from the opposite sides for access to the lane and a runway on the baseline.

It’s a shame Butler left Adebayo hanging in the fourth quarter. JB finished the frame in seven minutes without recording a field goal attempt, but he did make two free throws. When he checked in, the Heat was down by one possession. Within 59 seconds, Brooklyn’s lead was at nine.

Butler looked as disinterested as the United States is with the poor. If only everyone got the memo that he’d started his recess after halftime.

From behind the arc, the Nets were as deadly as the White Feather sniper, Carlos Hathcock. Even on solid closeouts, the hosts were undaunted and launched over the defense. Cam Johnson buried a triple in Butler’s eye two minutes into the game. Bridges canned one with Caleb Martin’s hand in his space and another over the much smaller Vincent running by in the right corner.

The differential from 3-point land was so vast, Brooklyn made 11 more than Miami in a match the visitors took six more field goal attempts, had five more rebounds and three fewer turnovers.

Following the game, coach Erik Spoelstra credited Brooklyn’s switching defenders on the perimeter as the tactic to limit attempts and efficiency, plus create over-dribbling.

“Throughout the course of the game, I thought there were windows that were open at the point of the pick against the switches,” Spo said. “But we just weren’t able to make the plays in order to keep them honest…”

 

Mateo’s Hoop Diary: Gabe Vincent Should be Miami’s Starting Point Guard for the Rest of the Season

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On Saturday night, the undermanned Miami Heat completed its eighth set of back-to-back games for the season, winning both- at home versus Houston and on the road in Orlando, matched up with a group that had won 18 of its last 31 before tipoff.  

 

The Magic’s unorthodox, lengthy lineup swarmed the passing lanes, forcing six turnovers in the first quarter.  The Heat was also off-target on shots against drop coverage and inaccurate defended by the 2-3 zone.  Through the first half, the visitors could only pierce the lane and convert seven out of 13 times.  The hosts’ backline defenders forced Miami into taking most of the attempts from the outside.

 

Guarding the other end was problematic early too.  Miami was carved up by ball movement, resulting in late closeouts in transition and in the half-court with the occasional mismatch hunting.  Multiple times when the Magic’s bigs attacked the middle, the Heat collapsed too hard, giving up the baseline to Paolo Banchero and Jalen Suggs for various buckets.

 

With over a few minutes left in the second quarter, the Heatles went down by 17 points.  They cut the deficit to eight going into the intermission by drawing cheap fouls in the bonus, earning them six made free throws, Jimmy Butler using his size over Suggs in the post, an elbow jumper from Bam Adebayo, and Max Strus hitting a right-wing triple behind #13’s pin down.

 

Coming out of halftime, Kyle Lowry’s understudy, Gabe Vincent, had seven points on 40% efficiency.  Defensively, he forced Orlando’s Gary Harris to pick up his dribble from 21 feet out and take a well-contested shot. Against Markelle Fultz, Vincent got a hand up to bother an elbow fadeaway that missed.  In those 24 minutes, he also had two deflections and contested six shots.

 

In the third quarter, Vincent hit a left-wing 3-pointer off an offensive rebound by Caleb Martin.  Setting up Tyler Herro from the left corner, #2 broke into the paint and passed to his man.  The hard closeout by Fultz and screen assist by Adebayo allowed Herro to penetrate the interior for a floater over Carter.  

 

Gabe’s heat check occurred with under eight minutes left.  He sized up Franz Wagner in the left corner, breaking his defensive stance with a jab step.  Suddenly, he burst left and slit the lane for a reverse layup with his man on his back hip.

 

In the fourth, he scored seven points, but none greater than his pair of free throws with Miami down two and 12.9 seconds left. Without emotion, he tied the game.

 

Vincent then opened the extra period with a top of the key trifecta.  As he turned the corner of  Butler’s screen, he swiftly noticed Banchero didn’t switch as Carter got to JB. The rookie was too late.

 

The Heatles’ decision to defend the last possession while up three points instead of fouling to send the opponent to the line was a head-scratcher, but it didn’t hurt them.  The Magic was able to hoist off a look; Harris’ right corner 3-pointer was defended in textbook fashion by Strus.  Banchero recovered the miss, but on his way to the arc, he stepped out of bounds. 

 

Next, Herro subbed in for Martin and was take-fouled by Banchero for a freebie.  Miami won 107-103.

 

At the postgame presser, an elated Spo said his team is must-see TV “because it’s always going to be a close game.”

 

Adebayo, Strus and Vincent played all of the fourth quarter and overtime.  Spo said he knew his team wouldn’t feel great, but they needed to do whatever it took to win.  

 

“We burned the boats and figured we just have to go for it,” Spo said.

 

The dub pushed Miami to seven wins above .500 for the first time this season.  The Heat’s long-range bombardment cooled down as the game went on, but Vincent finished with four out 10 makes and 20 points in his fourth consecutive game starting for Lowry.  

 

It was his ninth start of the season.  In those games, Vincent is averaging 15.4 points on 47% efficiency, while Miami is 7-2.

 

This is no shot at Lowry.  He’s had a hall-of-fame career and has logged 37,769 minutes in the regular season and playoffs.  But the burst he had in his first step is gone.  The only way Lowry would get into the lane was with the help of a screen or when he was driving downhill on the break.  

 

In the half-court, if he wasn’t hitting trays off a pick, he’d turn exclusively into a passer.  It wouldn’t take long for the opponent to figure it out as Miami was playing four on five.  Father Time matured #7 into an outside-only guard that can’t stop the point of attack. 

 

Lowry is out indefinitely, but if he were to come back before the season is kaput, he should play behind Vincent.  The Heat needs to build on #2’s performances with the other four main guys or, at the very least, evaluate what is has with him.

  

 

The Miami Heat Are Still Worth Watching. Here’s Why….

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Let’s cut right to the chase. I’m frustrated. You are frustrated. The Miami Heat’s activity – or lack thereof – over the last two seasons has been perplexing. I’ve been a passionate fan since 2004 (I’m 28 years old), and I cannot remember a time when the fanbase felt this defeated. And that’s saying something because I was around for the Stephane Lasme days. (Shoutout to him).

 

As taxing of a season as this has been, it’s not where most of the disappointment lies. Actually, it’s quite the contrary. The frustration mostly lies with the front offices’ unwillingness (or inability) to maximize this build.

 

Since Jimmy Butler was traded to Miami back in 2019, we’ve enjoyed two trips to the Conference Finals and fell one shot short of a second NBA Finals appearance last Spring. Championship pedigree was evident with this core. And success in the postseason gave this city a glimpse of what was possible with the correct additions.

 

After Butler’s shot rimmed out in Game 7 of the Conference Finals, it’s felt that this franchise has gone backward.

 

The only moves – offseason or free agency – completed in Miami have been the re-signing of Victor Oladipo and the re-signing and trade of Dewayne Dedmon. The latter was just sent to the San Antonio Spurs with a second-round pick in exchange for cash considerations and a box of fig newtons.

 

To make matters worse, we’ve had to stand by and watch other contending Eastern Conference teams make additions that move their needle. The Boston Celtics added Malcolm Brogdon, Derrick White, and Mike Muscala. The Philadelphia 76ers added James Harden, De’Anthony Melton, P.J. Tucker, and Jalen McDaniels. The New York Knicks (man I hate the Knicks) added Jalen Brunson and Josh Hart. The Milwaukee Bucks added Jae Crowder. You get the point.

 

This all culminated on Thursday at 3:01 PM ET. The trade deadline came and went. And just like that, Miami stood pat (pun very much intended).

 

So where do we go from here?

 

First, I’ll tell you where we’re not going to go. We’re not going to dwell on the past. This isn’t the Sixers franchise. I’m not going to sit here and revoke your right to disappointment because this roster has overachieved in two of the last three postseasons. I’m not going to type some overused “In Pat we trust” slogan and expect everyone to put on a happy face and accept the current circumstance.

 

On the same token, I’m not going to bash the front office either. As of the time of this writing (Friday afternoon), there are 27 games remaining. And this team deserves our full focus as they push for a top 5 seed.

 

Despite not acquiring another piece, here are a few notable things to watch for moving forward.

What Kind Of Spark Can Omer Yurtseven Provide?

 

Last season, Victor Oladipo made his return to the lineup shortly after the trade deadline. His presence gave a huge boost to Miami’s depth and ultimately paid large dividends during the postseason.

 

Can Yurtseven have the same impact?

 

Yurt hasn’t played a minute this season and underwent ankle surgery in November. When asked Thursday about the timeline to return to the court, Erik Spoelstra said, “I don’t have an answer, I just like the progress. Things in our center position are trending in a much better direction.”

 

Despite Spo not having a direct answer, by all accounts, his return to the lineup is drawing near. It was just last week that he was cleared for “high-impact work”.

 

The big question will be if/how he can coexist with Bam Adebayo. Looking at last season, the two big men only shared the court for a total of 34 possessions. It wasn’t pretty.

 

While a small sample, Miami was a minus 27.5 points per 100 possessions.

 

Interestingly enough, a quote from Yurtseven during the Heat’s media day is worth delving into. In explaining why he should play alongside Bam more, his response was this:

 

“I can put Bam in his more natural position… Which would also allow him to be more aggressive.”

 

 

 

Bam and aggressive. Those two words together will make every Heat fan perk up.

 

With Bam now a bonafide threat from midrange, opening him up to catch the ball outside the paint could unlock an entire brand of offense for Miami. Giving him room to attack his defender off the dribble will surely open things up along the perimeter.

 

Defensively, it could bring a whole new persona. If Yurt is down low manning the paint, Bam now has the freedom to stay up top and switch everything. Simply having a non-negative big on the court alongside Bam allows Miami to utilize Bam’s defensive versatility to their advantage.

 

At the very least, Yurtseven’s presence should bolster the Heat’s frontcourt depth. It was clear that Dedmon was just a walking talking negative every single time he stepped on the floor. Miami was getting obliterated in non Bam minutes as a result. The hope here is that Yurt can step in and be the bridge down low that keeps Miami afloat when Bam is on the bench.

 

Bam was asked earlier this season what it’s like playing alongside some of his teammates, and he specifically brought up playing with Yurt:

“But Big 77 [Yurtseven], I’ve got to be aware of where I’m at, just to keep the spacing and keep us in sync, to where if he’s spacing, I’m in the paint. Or if he’s in the dunker’s [spot], I’m in the corner.”

 

It remains to be seen how often Spoeltra will employ the two at the same time – especially with Yurt getting back into the swing of things. But simply having him available is a huge positive for Miami’s offensive and defensive versatility.

 

How Can Nikola Jovic Contribute This Season?

 

Miami’s only acquisition this season has been Nikola Jovic. While only 19 years old, he’s shown flashes of high-level play during Summer League and the preseason. He’s currently out with a back injury but should be re-evaluated any day.

 

The first question here is *can* Jovic be of value this season? After all, he’s young and his growing pains were on full display during the 15 games in which he saw the court.

 

One way I would like to see Miami utilize him when healthy is in a PnR scenario with Bam. Jovic is 6-foot-10 but has mostly guard skills. With him on the ball and Bam screening, it could create some mismatches for opposing defenses. The Denver Nuggets do a great job at this with Nikola Jokic and Aaron Gordon. The 4 screening for the 5 or vice versa is something that not a lot of teams like to deal with. And Jovic has a better jump shot than Gordon.

 

If Bam screens and defenses switch, Jovic can use his ball handling and speed to attack a bigger, slower defender. It also puts a smaller defender on Bam. If defenses play drop, Jovic has shown he is comfortable enough to take the shot. And if defenses fight through, Jovic could force a 2-on-1.

 

If the latter happens, Jovic has already proved himself to be a talented and willing passer. Especially on lobs. Just check out some of these passes from the preseason:

 

 

 

 

 

There will be growing pains. I’m not expecting Jovic to heal and become prime Kevin Durant overnight. But his playmaking skills and length could create some mismatches for opposing defenses.

 

Duncan Robinson’s Confidence Needs Rebuilding

 

In his heyday, Robinson was one of the deadliest sharpshooters in the league. Unfortunately, that heyday lasted only a season. Since then, it’s been a grind. Teams have caught on and when he’s not making threes, his shortcomings on defense make him a liability on the floor. As a result, his role has diminished and his confidence has noticeably declined.

 

With that said, Miami needs to be shining the proverbial batman symbol in the sky. Except instead of batman’s logo it looks like Sheen from Jimmy Neutron. Only real ones will get it.

 

Miami was the best three-point shooting team last season. They are 27th at the time of this writing. By all accounts, Robinson is needed now more than ever.

 

His game has always seemed mental and Ethan Skolnick brought up a good point on Thursday’s show. Duncan actually played better last season after the trade deadline. It’s been no secret that he’s been mentioned in every trade rumor for the past two seasons and that has to mess with you – simply on a human level.

 

With the trade deadline behind us and Robinson on the roster at least until the offseason, could that alleviate some pressure when he’s healthy? Could it also take some of the 3pt weight off of Max Strus’s shoulders? Possibly.

 

At the very least, having a career 40% 3pt shooter on high volume available has to be a good thing for the Heat simply by the law of averages, right?

 

Gabe Vincent Should Start Regardless Of Kyle Lowry’s Health

 

This has been debated ad nauseum for much of the last month, but the answer is quite simple. Miami’s starting core is better with Vincent than with Lowry. With Vincent, they are putting up 132.5 points per 100 possessions. Good enough for the 90th percentile. With Lowry, that number dips all the way down to 111.0 points per 100 possessions. That’s the 33rd percentile for those wondering.

 

Lowry’s presence also affects Tyler Herro. His numbers and efficiency from three improve with Lowry off the court. My theory is that they each feel more comfortable with the ball in their hands. After Herro was inserted into the starting lineup this season, there were one too many ball handlers on the floor. With Vincent in over Lowry, this frees up Herro to play make while also letting Vincent function off the ball – a role he plays well.

 

But the main reason why Vincent needs to start is that the Heat need to know what they have. This offseason brings with it a very interesting dilemma for the front office. With Strus and Vincent up for extensions, it’s unlikely they’ll be able to afford both. Giving Vincent ample time with this starting unit can help them when it comes time to decide their route.

 

Do Any Buyout Options Move The Needle This Season?

 

This is tough to say at the time of this writing, as there will surely be more names bought out over the next two weeks. But looking at the current slate of guys, there are a few options who could help the Heat.

 

Russell Westbrook

 

My mom could have told you that Westbrook wasn’t a good fit in Los Angeles. If Miami can get him at a cheap number, he could offer some much-needed juice to Miami’s offense. The turnovers will be there, but the rim pressure he provides could open things up.

 

Terrance Ross

 

Ross is my favorite buyout candidate for Miami should he become available. Outside of the fact that he’s been a #RandomHeatKiller more often than not, his offensive game is what Miami needs. He’s only a few years removed from putting up 15.6 points and two threes a game in less than 30 minutes. I would expect him to provide a “Joe Johnson-esque” scoring boost to Miami, which could come up big during postseason dry spells.

 

Danny Green

 

This is a risk, given he’s only played three games this season. But the reward could be huge. Green has championship DNA. He can defend and knock down threes at a 40% clip. Those are things Strus and Robinson cannot do simultaneously. It’s likely that Green prefers a squad with better title odds, but he’s an intriguing target.

 

Ultimately, the Heat is in this pickle due to past mistakes. Bloated contracts and an over-reliance on developing undrafted players with low ceilings will catch up to you sooner than later. Hindsight is 2020. It’s easy to clown moves now when you know the outcome.

 

The reality is this:

 

Jimmy Butler will be 34 years old before next season. It feels like Miami’s window to win a ring with him is closing fast. It’s clear that this team cannot keep relying on his Herculean efforts every postseason. It’s unsustainable.

 

Miami finds itself at a fork in the road this offseason. The direction they go will determine the future of this build. If Miami finds itself watching from home in May, I wouldn’t be surprised to see something drastic take place. After all, it’s becoming clearer and clearer that the future of this team belongs to Bam.

*****
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