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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https://www.fivereasonssports.com/wp-content/uploads/IMG_1750.jpeg12902174Mateo Mayorgahttps://www.fivereasonssports.com/wp-content/uploads/FiveReasonsWebsiteLogo.svgMateo Mayorga2024-11-13 18:44:062024-11-13 18:44:06Mateo’s Hoop Diary: Heat notes in week four of the season
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 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.
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.
Stuff like this not encouraging to the Dolphins hoping & praying Tua will stop being reckless with how he puts his head down while delivering the blow.
He’s done a magnificent job avoiding helmet to ground contact when being taken down. But he’s still too aggressive. pic.twitter.com/Lqkyt3nRdv
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).
This is easily Liam Eichenberg’s most elite trait as a football player. He consistently drives opposing DLs so crazy they get caught retaliating on him. It’s one of those weird things about his career.
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.
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.
https://www.fivereasonssports.com/wp-content/uploads/IMG_1743-scaled.jpeg14962560Mateo Mayorgahttps://www.fivereasonssports.com/wp-content/uploads/FiveReasonsWebsiteLogo.svgMateo Mayorga2024-11-10 23:47:302024-11-10 23:47:30Mateo’s Hoop Diary: Heat’s misfits come out of the Wolves’ den with the win
The Miami Dolphins made the decision this week to stand pat during Tuesday’s trade deadline, ultimately opting neither to trade for or away impact players. If one were to listen to the team, however, one thing would be clear: This is a roster and a coaching staff that believes they are still competing for a spot in the playoffs this season. As unrealistic as that may seem to the fanbase-embittered by a 2-6 start, or an outside observer, this is the path they have chosen, and no amount of complaining about said path will change it. The path to the postseason, however, is a slim one, like tightrope suspended in the air between skyscrapers, slim. There are a couple facts that the Dolphins can take solace in, in undertaking this perilous journey, though, like the fact that the AFC is in a very weak position this year featuring a wild card race that contains the Steelers, who are very likely in barring a surprising collapse, but two remaining spots to be fought over featuring the likes of the Broncos, the Chargers, the Bengals, the Colts and the Jets. As well as the fact that the Dolphins have the second easiest strength of schedule remaining with opponents’ combined win percentage reaching a paltry .405. Let’s take a dive into that schedule, shall we?
Week 10 @ Los Angeles Rams: W
The first test for the playoff push will come on Monday night in Los Angeles versus the Rams, a team that is no stranger to overcoming slow starts, as in 2023, they started 3-6 before finishing 7-1 over their remaining eight games and making the postseason at 10-7, and in 2024 are now 4-4, and winners of three straight following a 1-4 start through their first five games. The Rams feature a dynamic offense headed up by a still borderline elite Matthew Stafford at Quarterback and a trio of skill position players that can match the top three of any offense in Cooper Kupp, Puka Nacua and Kyren Williams. For the purpose of this exercise, however, the Dolphins will be given a win. The Dolphins’ offense has been slowly building up over the last couple of weeks to the point that they feel on the verge of an explosion, and facing off with a young Rams defense that is 28th in opponents yards per play so far in 2024, this is a prime spot for it. The defensive side of the ball is where the challenge emerges for the Miami Dolphins, however, as over the last two weeks they have allowed 28 points, and 30 points, respectively to the Arizona Cardinals and the Buffalo Bills. The flip side of this is that reinforcements seem to be on the way in a relative hurry, and with the likes of Kader Kohou, Jevon Holland and Zach Sieler expected to suit up on Monday night in Los Angeles, the defense will be improved just enough to allow the Dolphins to come away with the victory on Monday night. Record: 3-6
Week 11 vs. Los Vegas Raiders: W
Now, this is where momentum can really get going for the Dolphins, following a hypothetical win versus the Rams, they get a Raiders team at home that does not have much to play for at this point, on top of that, the return of Bradley Chubb is looming in the background, This could be a soft landing spot to bring him back into the fold. If so, the Dolphins defense could finally start to hit its stride this week to add to a Dolphins offense that would be really rolling at this point.
Record: 4-6
Week 12 vs Patriots: W
In week 12, the Dolphins will face off with the Patriots at home, having already beaten New England on the road during Tagovailoa’s absence. Both of these teams will be much different come week 12, though. As Tua will be behind center for the Dolphins in this one, while Drake Maye has taken the mantle up at Quarterback for the Patriots since their last meeting, to pretty solid success thus far, if we’re being honest. However, this is a Patriots team that is not good, not defensively, not offensively, and with the Dolphins offense starting to hit its stride, as well as a defense that should be jelling with Bradley Chubb back in the lineup, the Dolphins should cruise at home versus the Patriots in this one.
Record: 5-6
Week 13 @ Green Bay Packers: L
Week 13 takes the Dolphins up to Green Bay on Thanksgiving night to do battle with the Green Bay Packers in what is a double whammy of bad omens for the Dolphins, a prime time game that is also likely to be played in less than ideal weather. While I believe that this one can be made close by a Dolphins run game better equipped to succeed in games with poor weather conditions, ultimately,the Dolphins come up short as a defense that has not forced many turnovers over the course of the season are unable to turn over the turnover prone Jordan Love, and so on Thanksgiving night, the Dolphins get sent back to Miami still hungry for a victory. Record: 5-7
Week 14 vs. NY Jets: W
In week 14, the Dolphins have their first of two annual matchups with the New York Jets, this one coming in Miami Gardens to take on Aaron Rodgers and company. These are two teams hoping to have similar trajectories at this point, however with the Jets having a (slightly) more difficult schedule leading into this game, the Jets could be coming in with a 4-8 record, largely killing any postseason dreams for Gang Green, and with the mercurial Aaron Rodgers under center for these Jets, the landing gear may be coming off at this point. The Dolphins will need a victory in this one, with Tua continuing his strong play at this point with an offense that has its full arsenal and a line that has been much improved since mid season, as well as a defense that should only improve as they get healthier. Record: 6-7
Week 15 @ Houston Texans: W
Now, undoubtedly, this is the most ambitious victory of the Dolphins’ bid to save the season to this point, however, a key point: the Houston Texans play inside of a dome, this is not the Miami Dolphins going to Green Bay or Buffalo in December, this is Miami playing a team on the road in an atmosphere that benefits greatly their offense. While the defense should, and probably will struggle to contain the Texans offense, CJ Stroud has not yet been quite as sharp as he was last season to this point, and at this point I have the Dolphins track team on offense just barely eking out a victory over the Texans in Houston to get themselves back to .500 heading into a pivotal three game stretch likely to determine their playoff fate in 2024. Record: 7-7
Week 16 vs. San Francisco 49ers: W
Week 16 sees the San Francisco 49ers fly across the country to Miami in a sequel to 2021’s student-master matchup which saw Kyle Shanhan come up victorious in San Francisco over the Dolphins. The Niners will undoubtedly be a stronger team than they appear now after welcoming back arguably the league’s best offensive weapon in running back Christian McCaffrey and having him back in the fold for a few weeks at this point. The Niners defense, however, is not quite as sharp as the one that stifled the Dolphins offense at Levi Stadium in 2021, and combined with a flight across three time zones, the Dolphins pick up another signature victory to regain full control of their destiny. Record: 8-7
Week 17 @ Cleveland Browns: W
Week 17 takes Miami up to Cleveland in a game which will once again test Miami’s ability to compete in cold weather games, however, this time around they will be playing a team in the Cleveland Browns that is likely to be tanking for their next quarterback at this point with Deshaun Watson having suffered a season-ending Achilles injury earlier in the season. The Browns, having sold off Amari Cooper and Za’Darius Smith already this season, are a much lesser roster than the one that entered the 2024 season for Cleveland. While this one may present major trap game potential for Tua Tagovailoa and company, I am placing this one cautiously, but firmly in the ‘W’ column. Record: 9-7
Week 18 @ New York Jets: W
The Dolphins closing matchup of the 2024 season sees them head to East Rutherford, New Jersey to face their most hated rival in a potentially make or break matchup with the Jets. This is one that could potentially go either way as it is likely to be a cold weather game versus a team that would love nothing more to play spoiler for the Miami Dolphins, but this is a game in which the Dolphins run game will have to win the day for Miami behind the three headed monster at running back of De’Von Achane, Raheem Mostert, and Jaylen Wright. Defensively, the Dolphins will have to generate pressure against a Jets offensive line that has been susceptible to allowing Aaron Rodgers to be taken to the ground, if the Dolphins wish to complete the comeback, they must go through the Jets. Record: 10-7
As unlikely as it may be, if the Dolphins wish to make the postseason, and that is their stated goal, it will take winning eight of their last nine games to leave little doubt. While improbable, the schedule does allow for it if all breaks right for the Miami Dolphins. This is a group that believes, especially now healthier than they have been almost all season, they are better than the 2-6 record they have accrued to this point. This final nine games is where they will have to prove it if they wish to make this anything other than a lost year in a sea of lost years in the last two decades plus.
https://www.fivereasonssports.com/wp-content/uploads/image0-2024-11-10T115704.706.jpeg422640Eric Wiedekehttps://www.fivereasonssports.com/wp-content/uploads/FiveReasonsWebsiteLogo.svgEric Wiedeke2024-11-10 11:58:132024-11-10 11:58:13Mission Impossible: Breaking Down the Dolphins’ Path to the Postseason
The touring Miami Heat were overmatched by the Denver Nuggets in Jamal Murray’s return, suffering its third straight loss. Nikola Jokić created overreactions for himself and his teammates. Vintage Murray torched the perimeter. And the Nuggets shot 61.7% from the field, including 51.4% from deep.
The Nuggets only needed four minutes of action to take a double-digit lead, thanks to multiple made threes and baskets on the break plus Nikola Jokić attacking the close-range mismatch. Then, they kept pushing the pace.
But Tyler Herro kept the Heat burning with a score in transition, attacking the Joker on the left side and setting up Nikola Jović and Bam Adebayo in the paint.
The Heat was down 27-40 after the first quarter.
The visitors started the second frame in the 2-2-1 press and the 2-3 zone as Jokić rested. By the time Denver’s reigning MVP came back, Herro, Adebayo Duncan Robinson, Haywood Highsmith, and Josh Richardson pulled the score to 37-40.
Subsequently, Murray blasted deep protections in the corner and top of the key against drop coverage plus finished up close on a post-up. Christian Braun and MPJ added three trays in the period.
Next, the Heat were down at halftime, 60-71. Additionally, the squad had 22 paint points, seven on the break, four via second chances and 22 from the bench.
The Nuggets had 26 interior marks, 16 on the break, four on extra tries and five from the reserves.
Then Highsmith started the third quarter instead of Jović, but it didn’t matter. The Heat went down 15 points further as the Nuggets rattled off five of six baskets at the rim and from deep, forcing Heat coach Erik Spoelstra to call a brief stoppage.
But the Heat kept clawing as the Nuggets took their feet off the accelerator, and eventually, the fourth quarter started with the crew down 14 points.
In the last stretch, Herro, Adebayo, Robinson and Highsmith cut the deficit to seven points with four minutes left. But the team ran out of juice.
At the postgame presser, Spoelstra was asked about the transition defense in the first half. He said three or four of Jokić’s long passes zipped past the team’s ears.
Observations:
1. The Heat converted 47% of attempts in the first half, with just four turnovers and a lousy 115.4 defensive rating. The Heat’s defensive rating in the second half was 125.5.
2. Adebayo didn’t finish with the most efficient line- 20 points on 38.9% shooting-but he was anchoring the defense in the back mostly well, save for the times Murray beat him in drop coverage. When asked about that in the locker room, he said it was about picking your poison. In that case, it was wrong because threes count for more.
Most of the plays Jokić went at him were defended well, but they still went in. As usual, Adebayo’s at his best when zooming to the rim on offense.
After the game, Adebayo was doing weighted calf raises with one of the trainers.
3. Nikola Jokić made easy work of the defense on 10 close-range baskets. He logged a triple-double before the third quarter ended. And he made Miami’s rookie pay. When Kel’el Ware checked in, Jokić went at him in the post and finished on the break after the novice’s ill-advised mid-range floater put the Heat in trouble.
4. Highsmith continues to be a bright spot for the Heat on both sides. He was perfect from the field in three tries in the fourth quarter for seven points, too.
5. Jimmy Butler defended Michael Porter Jr. early, giving up a curl cut through the middle and was successfully shot over on the left side. He played under seven minutes because he sprained his right ankle on a hard stop.
6. Jović was benched after his first stretch in the first quarter until midway through the third frame. Spoelstra didn’t give him much leash after getting scored on multiple times in the half-court and transition. After Spo decided to put him back in, the Nuggets picked on him.
When asked what Jović could do to stay on the court longer, Spoelstra said his forward is an easy target for blame, but that standards wouldn’t be sacrificed.
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https://www.fivereasonssports.com/wp-content/uploads/IMG_1722.jpeg9591057Mateo Mayorgahttps://www.fivereasonssports.com/wp-content/uploads/FiveReasonsWebsiteLogo.svgMateo Mayorga2024-11-09 03:12:422024-11-09 03:12:42Mateo’s Hoop Diary: Heat fail to pull off comeback in Denver versus the Nuggets
The Heat are 3-4 after soiling themselves in Phoenix. Each of the losses was versus a quality opponent, and the wins were against the bottom of the league. The squads that have beat the Heat (Orlando, New York, Sacramento, Phoenix) amass an 18-14 record. The teams the Heat defeated this season (Charlotte, Detroit, Washington) have a combined record of 8-15.
The team’s next outing is Friday in Denver, facing off with the Nuggets.
Let’s review what stands out through week three.
Observations:
1. Jimmy Butler’s free-throw shooting and close-range finishing have fallen off a cliff. He converts 12.6% less freebies and 15.3% less makes at the rim while decreasing his tries in that zone by five percent.
Additionally, he is 10th in the NBA in drives to the basket (15.9), attempting five field goals nightly on the go. He averaged 5.26 shots per game on drives in the five past seasons with the Heat, but he isn’t taking over like he used to.
Butler was a no-show against the Magic and was missing in action versus the Knicks. He was excellent in the second half of the Heat’s last-moment loss to the Kings. And his production was insufficient in Phoenix while also passing out of the last play, letting time expire.
Unless he and Bam Adebayo rediscover their abilities, the Heat’s season is toast.
2. Adebayo has lost his touch from his favorite spot, the paint non-restricted area. His efficiency has dropped 18.2 percent at the zone. To boot, most of his attempts have been guarded tightly, per the NBA’s tracking data, and he’s making 40% of those. The league defines guarded tightly as a defender within 2-4 feet of the player. Notably, in 2023-24, most of Adebayo’s tries were guarded tightly, but he made 55.2%.
3. Nikola Jović is not ready to be a starter. He doesn’t provide much in the half-court besides waiting for the kick out and scoring on the occasional cut. Defensively, players of comparable size or larger can take advantage of him. Wednesday’s match was the second consecutive game he was benched early after 12 minutes.
Consider this: the starting lineup of Terry Rozier, Tyler Herro, Butler, Jović and Adebayo, only averages 39.9% of attempted field goals and has a hopeless 119.5 defensive rating.
Haywood Highsmith should start over him while keeping his seven fourth-quarter minutes. Despite being five inches shorter, Highsmith is a stricter defender and more impactful offensive player.
4. Another Heat problem: Terry Rozier hasn’t been a good fit for the starting lineup because quick or bigger ball handlers can expose him. Also, his shot selection is suspect, and he’s logging only 38.4% of tries, including 39.6% from deep.
5. Tyler Herro has been the Heat’s best player through seven outings. He and Highsmith kept the team afloat in Phoenix on Wednesday until the end of the fourth. Herro was also the strongest player in the loss against the Kings.
He has the highest effective field goal percentage (63) and true shooting percentage (66.1) of the starting lineup while taking the most shots on the team. This year, he is taking three fewer two-pointers and nearly one more triple nightly while providing the best off-ball work of his career.
Additionally, the Heat have been dependent on him carrying the offense early. Only four players who have logged at least six games- Jayson Tatum (12.3), Anthony Edwards (9.8), Damian Lillard (9.4) and Anthony Davis (8.9)- score more in the first quarter than Herro. But Miami’s guard records a higher field goal percentage in the frame (67.6) than all.
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https://www.fivereasonssports.com/wp-content/uploads/IMG_1672.jpeg10511691Mateo Mayorgahttps://www.fivereasonssports.com/wp-content/uploads/FiveReasonsWebsiteLogo.svgMateo Mayorga2024-11-08 00:25:542024-11-08 00:25:54Mateo’s Hoop Diary: Heat notes in week three of the season
Best-on-best international hockey is soon to return and one Florida Panther is making his case to be there for it.
Sam Bennett has been an instrumental piece to the Panthers’ success over the past few years — especially come playoff time.
After helping the Panthers win the Stanley Cup last season, the 28-year-old forward is off to the best start of his 10-year NHL career, scoring 8 goals and 13 points through 13 games.
Bennett’s early regular season hot streak couldn’t come at a better time. He’s in the final year of a four-year contract and is sure to garner a lot of interest if he hits the open market this summer.
But being a top pending UFA isn’t the only reason why eyes could be on Bennett this season.
Florida’s high-octane second-line center may be playing himself into a roster spot on Canada’s 4 Nations Face-Off.
All four teams: Canada, USA, Finland and Sweden, will need to have their 23-man rosters submitted by Dec. 2 for the international tournament that is set to run from Feb. 12-20 next year.
In their latest roster projections, The Athletic has Bennett making Team Canada — alongside his Panther teammate Sam Reinhart.
Before last postseason, Bennett probably wouldn’t have been in too many mock rosters for this tournament — but the success of the Panthers has certainly put more eyes on the defending Cup champions’ players.
Bennett had 14 points (7-7-14) in 19 playoff games during Florida’s Cup run last season — with 12 of them coming after injuring his hand in Game 2 of the first-round.
Bennett is currently on pace to score 52 goals and 82 points in an 82 game season — which would shatter his career highs. It’s unlikely that Bennett will sustain that offensive production but scoring isn’t his entire game.
While he can produce offensively, Canada’s front office will have a plethora of scoring options to choose from. Bennett’s chance of making the team will largely be due to his physical, 200-foot game
For these short, best-on-best tournaments, there’s no time for trial and error. Bennett has the resume of performing well on the biggest stages and the aggressive play style he’s known for only hits another gear in elimination settings.
The Canadian roster will be filled to the brim with exceptional superstar forwards, like Connor McDavid, Nathan MacKinnon, Sidney Crosby and Brayden Point. Scoring goals won’t be an issue, however they will need a hard hitting, physical line — that’s where Bennett’s services could be used.
Bruins forward Brad Marchand is one of the few skilled Canadian forwards that fits the “physical forward” mold that they’ll need for this tournament. The Bruins captain is already on the team and Bennett would be another great option if Canada wants to have a ‘heavy’ line.
The 4 Nations Face-Off won’t have any semi-final matchups, they’ll go from round-robin play straight to the final. Each team plays each other once — with the best two making the final in Boston.
Looking at how teams could line up, the Americans will certainly have a heavy roster, with the Tkachuk brothers there to lead the charge in the pesky play department. It wouldn’t be a bad idea if Canada had Bennett there to counteract someone like his Panther linemate Matthew Tkachuk’s style of play.
Three Panthers were already named to their respective countries’ rosters — with Aleksander Barkov (Finland), Gustav Forsling (Sweden) and Matthew Tkachuk (USA) all being part of their nation’s first six names called back in June.
Florida will more than likely be represented by every nation at the tournament as Sam Reinhart is expected to be one of the 20 skaters that Canada takes with them to Montreal and Boston next February.
There’s less than a month before rosters are finalized for the 4 Nations. If Bennett keeps up his current play, the Holland Landing, ON. native could see himself dawning the maple leaf come February.
https://www.fivereasonssports.com/wp-content/uploads/Bennett-Canada.png9001600Alex Baumgartnerhttps://www.fivereasonssports.com/wp-content/uploads/FiveReasonsWebsiteLogo.svgAlex Baumgartner2024-11-05 22:56:192024-12-04 16:25:23Panthers’ Sam Bennett Could Be In Contention To Make Canada’s 4 Nations Face-Off Roster
Jimmy Butler, Bam Adebayo and the crew failed to stop the Kings from their second-half flurry.
Tyler Herro initiated the offense with 13 first-quarter points. Adebayo finished a lob through the lane and made a putback over Domantas Sabonis. Yet, the squad made the remaining two of 12 shots in the frame and led by three points going into the second quarter.
For the Kings, Sabonis was the only one who made multiple first-quarter field goals.
Subsequently, DeMar DeRozan ascended for the visitors, nailing mid-range baskets and slashing through the paint to score, making five of eight shots. And Trey Lyles added five points on four looks.
The Heat countered with Larson hitting three trays and dribbling into the lane for a layup off the catch; Duncan Robinson splashed two 3-pointers; and Adebayo hit a 15-footer over Sabonis, made a hook via pick and pop in the paint and downed a step-back jumper on the left side over Alex Len.
At halftime, the Heatles led 61-48. Additionally, they had 16 paint points, one on the break, five via second chances, six off turnovers and 25 from the bench.
In the first half, the Kings put up 22 interior marks, three in the open court, nine on extra tries, six off turnovers and 10 from the reserves
During intermission, Adebayo was honored with a second Olympic banner as he stood watching next to Spoelstra and his mother, Marilyn Blount. And Jović got a video tribute for his bronze medal.
Then the Heat came out of the break, getting massacred in the turd quarter, 37-17. Butler and Herro were the only Heatles to make multiple shots. For the Kings, De’Aaron Fox butchered the defense with his speed, and the rest of his team logged eight of 12 shots in the period.
The fourth quarter started with the hosts down 78-85. DeRozan inflicted extra baskets on the Heat from mid and long-range. And Sabonis tallied seven points, including the putback floater off Fox’s miss to win the game.
And a strong final stretch from Butler and Herro could not save the unit.
The Heat lost 110-111. The team had 38 paint points, five on the break, 13 on extra tries, 16 off turnovers and 26 from the bench.
The Kings had 54 interior marks, five in the open court, 15 via second chances, 12 off turnovers and 20 from the reserves.
At the postgame presser, Herro said, “We’ve been winning every quarter but the third.”
Spoelstra said, “At some point you have to take a stand in these third quarters. Enough is enough.”
Observations:
Fox got anything he wanted, attacking the lane and shooting from mid and long distance in the third quarter for 16 of his 28 digits. His best play of the game was when he accelerated into close range, bumped Rozier out of the picture, hesitated to throw off the help defense and made a four-foot jumper.
Rozier was powerless to stop Fox’s dribble and from scoring on other possessions, too. Rozier was a dud on defense overall. Plus he failed to supply enough on offense (three of six makes).
DeRozan’s three-pointer in crunch time came with a bonus point from the line because Herro had his hand on the shooting arm—as soon as the King of the Fourth recognized it, he pulled up. DeRozan’s previous shot a minute earlier was more impressive—isolating Adebayo on the right side and canning a step-back two-pointer in his face.
Sabonis was boxed out by Adebayo in the last seconds of the game, but Miami’s center jumped too early for the miss. To most people’s horror in the building, Sabonis recovered the ball in a loaded lane and shot back the dagger.
Jović didn’t look fluid. He started the game unable to take advantage of Keon Ellis, who is six inches shorter and 30 pounds less, in the post. He also bricked an open shot at the rim on the break, was forcefully denied by Keegan Murray under the basket, and he missed a makeable tray over DeRozan. He was benched after 12 minutes.
Coach Erik Spoelstra can’t ignore Pelle Larson in the rotation. He gave the Heat impactful defense and connected on four of six attempts. His best possession was guarding Fox and forcing him to pass out to the perimeter on a drive in the first half.
The Kings were merciless in the paint, registering 27 of 41 attempts. The Heat were ordinary in that space, tallying 19 of 40 tries.
https://www.fivereasonssports.com/wp-content/uploads/IMG_1632.jpeg6941290Mateo Mayorgahttps://www.fivereasonssports.com/wp-content/uploads/FiveReasonsWebsiteLogo.svgMateo Mayorga2024-11-05 07:54:522024-11-06 20:07:21Mateo’s Hoop Diary: Kings seize Kaseya Center after halftime ceremony honoring Bam Adebayo, Nikola Jović and Erik Spoelstra
The detached view is the Miami Dolphins engaged the Buffalo Bills in just about the most entertaining afternoon of football one could hope to see.
Predictably, the Dolphins strung their fans along Sunday long enough to leave them gutted and heartbroken by yet another brutal defeat in the final seconds for the second week in a row.
Even after the Dolphins rallied for a tying touchdown in the final two minutes the outcome felt inevitable. The question was how would the Bills deliver the knockout punch?
Did anyone have a 61-yard field goal by struggling Bills kicker Tyler Bass on their parlay card?
Bass had not only been a sore spot for weeks, in this game he had missed one extra-point kick and banked another in off an upright.
But his long-range kick was javelin straight and true for a 30-27 Bills victory that was like a dagger to the heart for the Dolphins, who have lost six of eight.
Dolphins fall to 2-12 vs. Bills’ Josh Allen
Nobody could point to the outcome as any sort of surprise. The Bills have simply owned the Dolphins in the Josh Allen era.
The Bills’ quarterback is now 12-2 against Miami. With three touchdown passes Sunday, Allen has thrown 37 against the Fins, while they have intercepted him only eight times in those 14 games.
This one was different, though. Unlike the 13 previous encounters, when the Bills outscored them 443-248, the Dolphins went toe-to-toe with their tormentors all day.
Tua Tagovailoa was superb, completing 25 of 28 passes for 231 yards and two touchdowns. They rushed for 149 yards, averaging 4.8 yards on 31 attempts. Overall, Miami had the edge in total yards 373-325 and time of possession.
They just couldn’t stop Allen, who led the Bills to three touchdowns and two field goals on Buffalo’s final five possessions.
Which left Miami buried deep in the AFC playoff pecking order.
Tua postgame: “We’re worried about the next opponent. We aren’t worried about playoffs. We’re trying to win out. #finsuppic.twitter.com/t5bwRXdBLS
Yet, coach Mike McDaniel and the Dolphins will take heart in their improved play against their biggest nemesis.
Because, well, they still must play nine games in a season that is on life support. And also because they have plenty of company among sub-par teams.
Of the Dolphins’ eight remaining opponents (including the Jets twice), only the Green Bay Packers and Houston Texans currently have records above .500.
“We have to win out from here on out. That’s what it takes. I know all the guys are up for the task,” Dolphins receiver Tyreek Hill said.
Pardon their fans if nobody is running out to wager on an upcoming Dolphins nine-game winning streak. They’ve been watching a Dolphins team this season that has a knack for finding various agonizing ways to lose.
On the final drive Sunday, safety Jordan Poyer, who played seven seasons for the Bills, got called for a helmet-to-helmet hit on Keon Coleman while breaking up a pass on third-and-long. That gave the Bills fresh downs near midfield.
Poyer’s mistake followed a neutral zone infraction on Dolphins rookie pass rusher Chop Robinson, who just a couple plays earlier recorded his first career sack.
With the Dolphins, it’s often one step forward and two steps back.
Running back Raheem Mostert had his best game of the season with 56 yards rushing on 10 carries and two receptions for 32 yards. But he scuttled a promising drive to open the second half with yet another fumble, his fifth of the season (second lost).
The Bills followed the turnover with a 64-yard touchdown drive to regain the lead.
It was Mostert’s sixth fumble in his past 16 games.
“He’s got to fix that. … We can’t turn the ball over, especially to that team, and expect to win the football game,” McDaniel said.”
The Dolphins have fumbled seven times in the past three games, losing three of them.
Meanwhile, the Dolphins defense has struggled to create takeaways of their own. Cornerback Jalen Ramsey pulled off a timely one with an interception off a bobble by Coleman at the Miami 3 in the first half.
Tagovailoa then led a 93-yard touchdown drive, capped by 14-yard catch and run by De’Von Achane.
According to the CBS announcers, it was the longest touchdown drive by the Dolphins since 2018.
Tagovailoa superb since returning from concussion
Unfortunately, Ramsey’s interception was the only significant stop by the Miami defense, which was missing three starters. The Bills scored on six of their eight possessions.
Tagovailoa has revitalized the Miami offense in the two games since returning from the concussion that knocked him out of the first encounter with the Bills in Miami.
He completed four passes to Tyreek Hill for 80 yards Sunday. His best two throws of the game were to Jaylen Waddle on the Dolphins’ final touchdown drive — a pinpoint sideline pass on third-and-long and then for the tying touchdown while scrambling out of the pocket.
Overall, Tua’s performance was one of the most efficient of his career. He finished with a passer rating of 124.9.
In two games since returning from injured reserve, Tagovailoa has completed 80 percent of his passes for 465 yards, three touchdown, no interceptions and a passer rating of 111.2.
All of which is uplifting for an offense that was moribund in his absence. But is there reason to believe Tua can lead the Dolphins out of a deep hole and into playoff contention with the defense headed in the opposite direction?
“We’re worried about the next opponent. We aren’t worried about playoffs,” Tagovailoa said after the game. “We’re trying to win out.”
The next opponent is the Rams in Los Angeles. Can’t afford to fall to 2-7.
“Our margin for error is zero,” defensive tackle Calais Campbell said.
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.
https://www.fivereasonssports.com/wp-content/uploads/tua-at-bills.jpg367499Craig Davishttps://www.fivereasonssports.com/wp-content/uploads/FiveReasonsWebsiteLogo.svgCraig Davis2024-11-03 19:07:122024-11-03 19:07:12Pressure Point: Dolphins cling to shrinking hopes after latest loss to Bills
Bam Adebayo snapped out of his early-season funk against the Washington Wizards in Mexico City, leading the team to its third win in five outings. His jumper was falling, and he was dynamite at close range. The rival was 2-2 before that, but it was a tune-up game that he must build on going forward and likely will.
But there’s still a more significant concern: the Heat have only beat low-level outfits and aren’t getting enough from Jimmy Butler. Before Paolo Banchero hurt his oblique against the Bulls, the Heat was drawn and quartered by his Magic squad on Pat Riley appreciation night. Then the Knicks derailed them in the second half of the game on Oct. 30.
Butler, age 35, underwhelmed both nights, looking more like a JAG than a franchise player.
Perhaps they’ll atone with a convincing win in Phoenix. And maybe, they’ll finish above the Magic in the standings as their 1A is out indefinitely. But the Heatles don’t stand a chance against the Celtics and Cavaliers because they are too small, not as talented and Butler has presumably slowed down.
The reality of the build is that too many things had to go right for Butler and Adebayo to win a championship. Perhaps the former had the juice to be the kingpin on a title squad, but Josh Hart jumped into his ankle in 2023, then the Trail Blazers refused to swap Damian Lillard for Miami’s background players months later, and Goran Dragic plus Adebayo were wounded in 2020, so we’ll never know.
This much is clear: Adebayo is at best the third-best player on a championship unit. Management has failed to bring in someone with extra polish offensively for over a half-decade as rival execs were not and are not wowed by the trade bait. Adebayo is unqualified for the Robin role because his offensive arsenal isn’t diverse enough and his effective field goal percentage and true shooting decrease with higher usage.
Adebayo has added a hook and mid-range jumper, but those moves aren’t reliable enough, and the deep shot is still in its elementary stages. He is best as a rim roller due to his supreme athleticism.
Consider this: he’d be the sixth offensive option on Pat Riley’s Lakers behind Magic Johnson, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, James Worthy, Bob McAdoo and Byron Scott.
Adebayo’s defense is far superior and is rarely equaled. Most players around him can guard well as a team, but the Heat needs stricter pests to maximize him. The group finally got size around him with Nikola Jović, but he plays just 23 of 48 minutes nightly and can get exposed by speed.
After five seasons into the Butler and Adebayo mold, the team shouldn’t have any untouchables. They overachieved by making two Finals appearances and winning at least four series they weren’t favored before it tipped off. That’s a special run those who lived it will never forget. But there isn’t extra fuel to burn.
Where is Pat Riley? Can’t he see that no gut check will save them or that his successor, Erik Spoelstra, has expended every ounce of gas from the club? If only it were as simple as Spo lining up his troops, Full Metal Jacket-style, and having Riley and Alonzo Mourning stand face-to-face with them, sizing them up and demanding more.
Bearing in mind Butler’s age and decreased impact during the last year of his contract, management would get something decent back in return for trading him, but they have until Feb. 6.
Adebayo is the top trade chip for the team, but he can’t be moved until mid-December. If a real white whale whale becomes available, he along with a couple of role players and multiple first-round picks, turns into an attractive package. In that hypothetical scenario, snagging the star and figuring it out later, like the team has done before, is the way.
Sure, the team could move Butler and proceed with Adebayo as the top dog, but it’s too hard to build around an offensively limited player. Don’t forget how the Heat resists the tank, so they’re not drafting a stud unless the teams above them blow it with their scouting evaluations. If this is the route chosen, the only salvation is if a star successfully demands a trade to Miami at the expense of their reputation.
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https://www.fivereasonssports.com/wp-content/uploads/IMG_1605.jpeg533948Mateo Mayorgahttps://www.fivereasonssports.com/wp-content/uploads/FiveReasonsWebsiteLogo.svgMateo Mayorga2024-11-03 13:08:432024-11-03 13:08:43Mateo’s Hoop Diary: The reality of the build
