Five Dolphins X-Factors Down the Stretch

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The Miami Dolphins won their second game in a row in week 11, beating the Los Vegas Raiders at home in convincing fashion, 34-19. The Dolphins now sit at a 4-6 record with a seemingly manageable schedule the rest of the way, despite a more competitive than expected wild card race. As the Dolphins do attempt to gear up for this upcoming stretch run, they’ll need depth pieces to step up, injured players to make triumphant returns, young players to break out, and veterans to earn their keep. With that in mind, here are five crucial x-factors down the stretch who can singlehandedly change the course of the playoff race. 

 

Chop Robinson, EDGE 

The Dolphins first round pick is coming alive, folks. Over the last three weeks, Chop has been terrorizing opposing quarterbacks to the tune of two sacks, four quarterback hits, and 15 (!) total pressures, the rookie is finally getting home. That’s not to say he was bad before, his 18.1% pressure rate overall on the season ranks 8th in the NFL among defenders with at least 100 pass rush snaps. Over the last few weeks, however, he has started to finish, and that is exactly what the defense has needed. Prior to the last two weeks, in which the defense had strung together back to back outings of three sacks or more for the first time in 2024, the Dolphins as a team had only produced a meager ten sacks in their first eight games. This ranked them 31st in the NFL, ahead of only the Atlanta Falcons. With a stretch of games upcoming that includes the likes of C.J. Stroud, Jordan Love, and Brock Purdy, the Dolphins will need their rookie edge rusher to continue his midseason breakout if the defense is to be up for the challenge of earning a wild card spot. 

 

Kendall Lamm, OT 

With Austin Jackson having season ending knee surgery ahead of week ten’s Monday night matchup versus Los Angeles, Kendall Lamm was tapped to be the blindside protector for Tua Tagovailoa down the stretch for the remainder of the season. The result? Arguably the worst performance of the season for the Dolphins offensive line. The Rams defense was able to generate pressure on Tagovailoa with regularity to the tune of a pressure rate of 25.8%. In week 11, however, the tune was starkly different. Lamm matched up with the vaunted Maxx Crosby for much of the day, and while the Dolphins still were not able to generate much success in the running game, Crosby was only able to generate a pressure on three of his 37 pass rushing snaps, for a lowly pressure rate of 8.1%. Lamm is one of the better backup tackles the league has to offer, and the Dolphins will need him to play as such, especially with a schedule that sees Will Anderson IV, Myles Garrett and Nick Bosa the rest of the way. As important as Lamm is at the tackle spot, this next player is just as important inside, maybe even more. 

 

Isaiah Wynn, IOL 

The Miami Dolphins guard play in pass protection this year has been, in a word, bad. According to PFF (controversial, I know), the Dolphins guards have combined to generate a paltry 36 grade in pass blocking sets, that’s out of 100, by the way. Enter Isaiah Wynn, who was designated to return prior to the Dolphins week 11 matchup at home versus the Raiders, opening up his three week practice window. While he remains out versus the Patriots, it is likely that Dolphins fans will be seeing Wynn on the field sooner, rather than later. The benefits of this being two fold, firstly, he will bolster the interior pass blocking on a line that sorely needs a boost in that department. Secondly, ins tepping in at Left Guard, he opens the door for Robert Jones to jump to the right side, allowing him to go back to playing his better position, while also allowing for a true competition between him and Eichenberg at that spot, giving the Dolphins a quality backup along the inside in whoever loses said position battle. If Wynn is able to regain his form, an offensive line combination of Armstead-Wynn-Brewer-Jones/Eichenberg-Lamm may be the best group the Dolphins have trot out to date this season. 

 

Jevon Holland, S 

Jevon Holland wants to get paid this offseason. Jevon Holland, at this point, at least, has not done much to help his cause in the 2024 season, as he has struggled in coverage, to the tune of allowing a 117.3 passer rating in coverage to opposing offenses when being targeted this season, a career worst for the safety to date. Now, Holland has been hampered by injuries this season, but this is a defense that sorely needs him to be the playmaker who generated 9 turnovers across his first three seasons, as this is a Dolphins defense that, while being solid all season long, has occasionally struggled in creating those plays that can change the course of a game, if he is able to reclaim his former form, the defense could have yet another level to hit down the stretch, a pretty scary thought for opposing offenses considering that the defense has been a top 10 unit to this point. 

 

Jaylen Wright, RB 

The Dolphins offense is currently in the midst of somewhat of a changing of the guard. While Wright only has had five carries each over the last two games, and has struggled to get any traction with any of those carries, though one can argue one Alec Ingold could remedy these struggles, this was significant in what it is symbolic of and the trend that the offense is moving towards. Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel has used his running back stable almost like a pitching staff to this point, with De’Von Achane operating as the starter and a combination of Jaylen Wright and Raheem Mostert operating as the “closers”, backs who are more capable of providing the physical punishing runs in the fourth quarter to wear down defenses as the game winds down. This role will seemingly become much more important down the stretch as the Dolphins go on the road in tough conditions three times in their remaining eight games (at Green Bay, at Cleveland, at New York). This is exactly where Jaylen Wright fits in, Wright leads all Dolphins running backs with at least 40 carries in yards after contact per carry at 3.6. For context, Derrick Henry averages 3.8 yards after contact per carry. Obviously, this is not to say the 5’10”, 215 pound Wright will continue to run like the 6’2”, 240 pound Henry, but his tough running style will be critical to the Dolphins run game as they play these cold weather games on the road in November/December/January. 

With the Dolphins likely needing to win at least six of their remaining seven to keep pace in the AFC, each of these players (and more, of course) will be crucial to the playoff push. In the immediate, though, each of these players will be crucial on a week to week basis, starting with the upcoming week 12 home matchup with Drake Maye and the Patriots.

 

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Follow @EricWiedeke for Dolphins and Marlins content on the Five Reasons Sports Network.

Jordan Poyer’s Struggles Are a Test of Patience for the Dolphins

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Jordan Poyer’s first season in Miami has been anything but smooth sailing. The former All-Pro safety, once celebrated for his playmaking and leadership in Buffalo, now finds himself at the center of criticism amid a challenging 2024 campaign. A lack of impactful stats, mounting mistakes, and declining coverage metrics paint a bleak picture. Yet, the Dolphins remain steadfast in their support, emphasizing his intangible contributions. This raises a compelling question: How long should Miami’s patience last?

At 33, Poyer is no stranger to scrutiny. His journey from being an overlooked prospect to an NFL standout has been built on resilience and growth. But his performance this season—highlighted by a roughing penalty that cost the Dolphins a divisional game and a blown coverage on rookie Brock Bowers—has sparked frustration. These errors stand out in a defense ranked 15th in points allowed, a unit striving to match the firepower of Miami’s elite offense.

Statistically, Poyer’s decline is stark. Opposing quarterbacks have a 144.5 passer rating when targeting him, and his 55.7 PFF grade is the lowest of his career. He’s gone 34 consecutive starts without an interception, an almost unthinkable drought for a player once known for his ball-hawking abilities. Fans’ calls for Marcus Maye, who has performed admirably in limited action, to replace Poyer in the starting lineup are not without merit.

However, head coach Mike McDaniel and defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver insist that Poyer’s value transcends what the box score reveals. They cite his veteran presence, ability to align teammates, and football IQ as reasons for keeping him on the field. “He has graduate-level honors in the cerebral part of the game,” Weaver noted, emphasizing the nuance of Poyer’s contributions.

Still, the NFL is a results-driven league. While leadership and intangibles are vital, they cannot compensate indefinitely for repeated lapses in execution. Poyer’s miscues have cost Miami crucial moments in winnable games, and the team’s willingness to bench other veterans suggests his position is not invulnerable.

If Poyer is to justify the Dolphins’ loyalty, he must adapt quickly. The margin for error shrinks as the postseason looms, and Miami cannot afford to let sentimentality cloud personnel decisions. Marcus Maye is waiting in the wings, and if Poyer’s struggles persist, the Dolphins may have no choice but to make a change.

Poyer’s story is one of perseverance, and his track record suggests he’s capable of bouncing back. But in a season defined by championship aspirations, the Dolphins must weigh his legacy against their immediate need for consistency. The time to prove his worth is now, or the next man up may soon take center stage.

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

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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






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

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

Observations:

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

Observations:

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

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

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

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

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Tight ends have given the Miami Dolphins fits for years.

Their own as well as their opponents’.

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

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

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

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

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

Dolphins can’t stop rookie TE Brock Bowers

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Dolphins adjust to ball-control attack

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

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

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

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

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

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

Sloppy performance by Dolphins defense

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

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

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

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

They topped 30 points for the first time this season.

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

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

Dolphins not giving up playoff aspirations

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

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

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

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

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

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

Observations:

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

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

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

 

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

 

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

 

-25th in rebounding percentage (48.4).

 

-23rd in paint scoring (45).

 

-12th in fastbreak points (16.4).

 

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

 

-28th in second-chance points (10.6)

 

-10th in points off turnovers (18.8).

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Dolphins schedule offers opportunity

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

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

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

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

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

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

Dolphins defense stymies Stafford

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

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

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

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

Tua overcomes his own mistakes

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Calais Campbell inspires Dolphins defense

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

 

Jimmy Butler was absent with a right ankle sprain.

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

Observations:

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

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