Alabama QB Tua Tagovialoa has officially declared for the 2020 NFL Draft and the Dolphins should draft him-NO MATTER WHAT.
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Now that Tua Tagovialoa has officially declared for the 2020 NFL draft, we can all start fighting over whether or not he’s worthy of a top-5 draft pick. Truth is, if Tagovailoa is cleared medically, there will be several teams interested in trading up for his services. Which not only means the Dolphins will have to draft him at #5, it means Miami could very well have to trade up to guarantee their chance at the Alabama QB.
So, what should the Dolphins do with an important decision looming?
For twenty years, the Dolphins have been searching for their next Dan Marino. And no, there won’t ever be a QB in the history of the world quite like him. But drafting prospects like Ryan Tannehill proved to be a failure. John Beck, Chad Henne, and Pat White were too. Signing Daunte Culpepper didn’t work out and neither did trading for A.J Feeley. The cold hard truth is that Miami has been incapable of finding its next great signal-caller for nearly two decades.
So again, Tua Tagovailoa, no matter what.
Now don’t get me wrong, there’s plenty to be worried about. For starters, good things don’t happen to the Dolphins. Next, there’s a possibility that Tagovailoa could never be the same again. But I’d much rather Chris Grier take a risk on greatness than sit idle as this franchise has done in the past. IF, Tua is the quarterback this team has truly coveted since the beginning of the year. IF, he’s the QB that this front office-assembled with some of the top GMs in all of football-believe is the guy, then you do whatever it takes to make it happen.
I can’t pretend to predict what a trade might cost. After all, in 2012 the Redskins gave up 3 first-round draft picks and a second, to move up four spots to draft RG3. And according to Jimmy Johnson’s prehistoric trade chart, Miami would only have to give up the #39th-overall pick in 2020. I hate to the bearer of bad news, but it is going to cost a whole lot more than a second-round draft pick.
But what if Tagovailoa isn’t their guy? What if the team prefers Jordan Love, Justin Herbert, or one of the immensely talented QBs in the 2021 class? Personally, I couldn’t fault Miami, if they truly felt that strongly about one of those prospects. However, for a guy that has watched all of these QBs play. For a guy, that thinks he knows what the Dolphins covet in a franchise QB. I think Tua Tagovailoa is their guy.
In the end, one of the 32 NFL teams will take a risk on Tagovailoa. Whichever team does, will be getting a player that completed 474/684, 7,442 yards, 87 touchdowns, and 11 interceptions over his collegiate career. A player that has proven time and time again to be everything a franchise is looking for in a QB. Prior to the injury, Tagovailoa appeared to be the frontrunner for the Heisman and the best QB in college football. He may not have won the Heisman, but I still believe he is the best QB in the country. And for a team in dire need of a franchise QB, you do whatever it takes to get your guy, no matter what!
This article was written by Josh Houtz (@Houtz) and he thinks the Dolphins should complete the Tank for Tua. Photo Credit Matt Smith @TheYea
https://www.fivereasonssports.com/wp-content/uploads/left-arm-of-god.jpg7241300Josh Houtzhttps://www.fivereasonssports.com/wp-content/uploads/FiveReasonsWebsiteLogo.svgJosh Houtz2020-01-07 09:30:032020-01-07 12:15:23Houtz Special: Tua Tagovailoa, No Matter What
Welcome to The Launching Pad, a weekly roundup of Miami Heat basketball. Who’s playing well, and who should pick it up? What numbers should you be watching? What was that beautiful play Miami ran in the second quarter? You can find all of it here, every Monday.
First off, it quite literally is an odd number (sorry, had to). To narrow it down a bit, it’s especially odd in reference to James Johnson.
He logged roughly 22 minutes in Sunday’s not-as-close-as-it-looked victory over the Portland Trail Blazers. It was the first time Johnson had eclipsed the 20-minute mark since November 3rd, 63 days ago. Heck, it was the first time Johnson had played at all since November 27th — eight throwaway minutes during the Heat’s fake-comeback in their loss to the Houston Rockets.
Johnson and Dion Waiters have been in the proverbial doghouse all season long. Waiters has a laundry list of reasons explaining his absence in the rotation; Johnson’s case is a bit more peculiar. Not only has not been in trouble as much, he’s been a great teammate and locker room guy by most accounts. On top of that, you’d think he’d have the clearest path to a role considering …
[waves wildly at the non-Bam Adebayo true bigs on the depth chart]
But alas, Johnson has been more myth than match-up piece.
If his outing proved anything (12-6-2 with two blocks), it’s that he can still bring some positives if he’s given the opportunity. It might be time for that to happen more often.
Weekly Trends
1. Derrick Jones Jr. is expanding
It feels like I’m writing about Jones Jr. every week at this point.
He’s doing his usual work as the Venus fly trap of Miami’s 2-3 zone. Erik Spoelstra has given him more reps against elite perimeter scorers as of late — peep his work against Damian Lillard on Sunday. His discipline has gotten much better, on and off the ball. It’s why he’s pretty much match-up proof at this point.
The offensive fit has always been the bigger question. Entering the year, he wasn’t a good enough shooter to be a mismatch-4, nor did he have the ball skills necessary to provide plus-value at the 3. Within that lens, he looked more like a “sell high” candidate rather than a core young piece.
Let’s just say the tides may be changing.
The biggest development of the season might just be Jones Jr. being able to dribble. It’s an admittedly simple thing — dribbling shouldn’t be hard — but it’s unlocking his potential as a finisher.
Jumping out of the building is a fun trait, but that trait doesn’t matter if you can’t get to the rim without traveling or dribbling off of your knee. Being able to chain together two or three-dribble drives is wildly important for him, particularly because it doesn’t take much for him to explode at the rim.
Via Synergy, Jones Jr. is converting 65.4 percent of his shots at the rim in half-court situations. That’s a sizable bump from last season’s mark (60.9 percent).
The shooting absolutely has to bounce back, though. In addition to converting just 22.6 percent of his threes, he’s somehow shooting 19 percent from the corners. That just can’t happen. He does seem much more comfortable taking them in rhythm, which can’t be said about certain All-Stars in Philadelphia.
Good on Jones Jr. for stretching himself – and likely making himself quite a bit of money this summer.
2. Goran Dragic: Droppin’ Dimes
It’s hard to overstate how good the bench role has been for Dragic. He’s averaging 16 points, 5th in the NBA among reserves (min. 20 games). His 41.5 percent clip from deep isn’t just efficient, it’s quite impressive once you consider the volume (5.7 attempts) and the difficulty of the looks. The rim-finishing has bounced back in a major way, giving him some equity as a 2.5 level scorer.
That kind of thing shouldn’t be shocking. A lower burden against lesser competition can explain some of the juice. Dragic essentially reinventing himself as a (pick-and-roll) passer is … confusing. The comfort he has tossing lobs is a bit jarring.
When he’s in a groove, Dragic gets a bit … flashy? He gets a bit flashy!
Via Synergy, Dragic is generating over 1.12 points per pick-and-roll pass, placing him in the 68th percentile. That number goes up to nearly 1.2 points when he’s hitting a big on the roll. His chemistry with Bam Adebayo in particular has been a joy to watch.
I’m old enough to remember a time when Dragic was getting slandered for not threading the needle on pocket passes. He’s doing that — and more — with relative ease this season.
3. It’s about *that time* for Kelly Olynyk
Remember the note from, like, two minutes and 48 seconds ago about James Johnson playing 22 minutes on Sunday? Let’s put that number into further context: Kelly Olynyk played 18 minutes this week.
Three games. Six minutes per. The math is as clean as it is ugly.
Olynyk has done his usual screening goodness. The improv in dribble-handoffs (DHOs) was a bit off to start the season, but gained some steam in November. He’s shooting a career-high from three (41.5 percent), which seems to have been largely ignored in discussions of Miami’s offensive renaissance.
But, good lord, has the defense been capital-A awful this season.
He’s an eye sore in space, mostly “meh” on the glass, and can get bullied at the rim. Positioning only matters if you can get to spots before the offensive player does; Olynyk has not been able to do that consistently.
In light of Meyers Leonard being better this season, Bam Adebayo playing like a star, Jones Jr. soaking up minutes at the 4, Chris Silva doing stuff*, and Johnson getting dusted off on Sunday … what exactly is the path for Olynyk to regain his place in the rotation?
If the defense doesn’t pick up to “below average”, Olynyk may make more sense as a trade candidate than a match-up dependent piece.
Set Play of the Week
Rolling to Spain
If you’ve followed me or my work for any amount of time, you know that there isn’t anything I love more than a well-executed Spain pick-and-roll.
For those who aren’t familiar with the action, it kicks off with a traditional pick-and-roll. As the big transitions from screener to roller, a second player — normally a shooter — sets a screen on the big man’s defender before flaring out to the three-point line.
The benefits are obvious. The guard clearing out the big man’s defender will give the big a clear lane to the basket, or a mismatch against a guard, assuming he drops or switches to help. If the guard is stuck trying to defend the rim, that either means the big that got screened is stuck guarding the shooter who screened him, or he’s in No Man’s Land, which means the shooter is open.
This is what option one looks like.
Tyler is the Herro on this play. Not only does he make solid contact on the screen, he also holds it long enough to stonewall Hassan Whiteside and freeze his defender () in the process. Adebayo is able to rumble down the lane unimpeded. No help comes from the corner, which makes the Dragic lob to Adebayo an easy one to make.
Plenty changed throughout the season, except Miami’s focus on Tagovailoa. Joe Burrow became the focus of the 2020 draft class. The Dolphins fell to the fifth pick of the draft. Tagovailoa suffered a season-ending injury.
However, Miami seemed unfazed. In fact, Miami’s front office was on the sideline of Alabama’s bowl game.
In the foreground, Dolphins owner Stephen Ross and CEO Tom Garfinkel.
I think back to the Citrus Bowl, with the Dolphins' owner, CEO and GM milling around Sark just feet away from Tua pre-game. Somebody let him know that he would be a top 10/15 pick. And probably a top 5. https://t.co/RG49cv9stR
— Five Reasons Sports Network (@5ReasonsSports) January 6, 2020
Another positive was that his hip was looking like it should heal.
One reason #Bama QB Tua Tagovailoa declared for the NFL Draft: I’m told his visit to NY to get an update on his medical situation was all positive. He has more tests at 12 and 16 weeks, but he got a solid 👍👍👍 before saying he was NFL bound.
The question has changed. Instead of asking if Tua will declare, will a team leapfrog Miami to draft Tua?
Despite having Matthew Stafford, the Lions could pick him at four. Washington, at 3-13, could take Tua at three even after drafting a quarterback in the first round of last year’s draft. New Washington head coach Ron Rivera may decide that Dwayne Haskins isn’t the guy and want to move on.
On the other hand, the Giants don’t seem to be willing to move on from Daniel Jones after one season.
A team may try to use Miami’s war chest of picks against them. However, the Dolphins should have no problem absorbing the hit of the jump of two-to-three picks.
Unless Patricia and Flores had a falling out, the Lions would obviously give the Dolphins final say because they can offer more than literally any other team in the NFL and the Lions would still probably end up with the player at 5 they would have taken at 3.
With a culture in place, 2020 could be the year that the Miami Dolphins turn the page on years of mediocracy.
Miami has the cap space, the war chest of draft capital and will now have the chance to acquire the quarterback of the future.
https://www.fivereasonssports.com/wp-content/uploads/grier-mug-2.jpg15742200Jake Mendelhttps://www.fivereasonssports.com/wp-content/uploads/FiveReasonsWebsiteLogo.svgJake Mendel2020-01-06 13:23:332020-01-06 13:23:33Jake’s Take: Time for Miami to complete the process and draft Tua Tagovailoa
Hassan Whiteside’s polarizing return to Miami perfectly symbolized where the Heat stand since they dealt him last summer.
Try and remember Fall 2014. A few months after LeBron James’ sudden departure. The Miami Heat are off to a shaky start to the post-LeBron era, and early in November end up cutting former high-flyer Shannon Brown in order to sign Hassan Whiteside, a relative unknown. Heat fans and NBA fans alike had no idea what was coming thereafter.
Whiteside, after putting together a few positive games, including multiple triple doubles with blocks as well as a few national TV moments, to then a few positive weeks, to, eventually, three-fourths of a positive season, became a per-36 darling and was playing like a seriously impactful big man.
After being out of the league and playing on multiple different continents as well as multiple different D-League teams, he had Heat fans extremely excited about the prospects of unearthing yet another project big man after Whiteside finished off the 2014-2015 campaign with a 14/12/3 (points/rebounds/blocks) statline post All-Star break.
A couple more seasons of playing like a giant Defensive Player of the Year candidate passed by, and Hassan Whiteside was considered to be in the crop of the top unrestricted, max-contract free agents.
A 5-team bidding war proceeded, and Whiteside remained loyal to the team that gave him a real shot at redemption, re-signing with the Heat in the infamous Summer 2016 to a near-$100 million deal that would keep him as the highest paid player on the roster after the Chris Bosh debacle went down, and after having traded (and re-signed) Goran Dragic that year.
No one could’ve known then that he’d be getting consistently booed in his return to the Miami Heat in his last season of the four-year contract he inked.
Heat fans boo Hassan Whiteside in his return to Miami
The reality was, after a gradual athletic and subsequent performance decline, as well as a couple of public spats regarding his role and playing time, Hassan’s time in Miami was dwindling, and came to a climax last summer when they dealt him to Portland in return for Meyers Leonard, in order to help facilitate the Jimmy Butler sign-and-trade.
Now, in the early days of 2020, the Miami Heat have gotten off to a strong 25-10 start, playing at about the level of a top 10 team on both ends since the season tipped off, coming into this game. In the summer, Hassan Whiteside subtly went at the Heat with his now-infamous “We got shooters” line.
Then, a perceived shot at Hassan came around after the Heat’s last game before Whiteside’s return to Miami, when Head Coach Erik Spoelstra was talking up all the things Jimmy does on the floor, even while not shooting well.
Spo, after being asked about Jimmy’s weird shooting and them winning despite it, cites Jimmy as the model for young players coming in who want to be stars. Not about the “2k stats.” @5ReasonsSportspic.twitter.com/ciCZohbdWb
During the introduction and throughout the game, Whiteside was getting booed in every second he was involved in. There were also plenty of “We got shooters” chants meant to mock Whiteside going on as well. He made it known post-game that he never meant to send shots at the Miami Heat, reiterating his intended message.
Hassan looking back fondly on his time with the Heat, says that his “we got shooters” comment was never meant as a diss.
Although I’m getting serious walk-back vibes there, (Hassan forgot to mention the part where he said something to the effect of “We got shooters that can actually dribble”), Hassan Whiteside doesn’t deserve the amount of ire he continues to receive from Heat fans.
He deserved every bit of the boos. He disrespected the Heat organization and quit on his teammates multiple times.
While myself and many others were chirping for the team to trade him since the start of his decline, he was still a very productive player all throughout his tenure in Miami, finishing with just about a 15/14/3 statline in that span.
We shouldn’t forget just how much of a fan favorite he was those first few years, with many expecting him to be a perennial All-Star and DPOY candidate for years to come.
It just…. Went the opposite direction when we least expected it to, something that happened more than a few times throughout the post-LeBron era.
It’s fitting then that, in the same game, his former partner-in-crime Goran Dragic went off for 29 points and 13 assists off the bench, (11/17 from the field, 7/10 from three), while the man who ended up taking his place, the younger Bam Adebayo, put up a 20/8/6/1/1 statline, with his sole block in the game coming on Whiteside and the player he was traded for, sunk three threes, further emphasizing what Whiteside never brought to the table.
The Heat were up double digits and in the twenties for a good chunk of the game, and ending up with a relatively easy win, despite playing without Jimmy Butler. In a game where CJ McCollum did not play due to [South Beach] sickness, despite Damian Lillard shooting 50% from both the field and from three, as well as Whiteside going 9-of-12 from the field, putting up a gaudy 21/18/2 statline, the Blazers never really put up a fight in this game.
Maybe that’s all we really need to know about who ended up being on the right side of winning.
We saw more indicators of where the 26-10 Miami Heat stand: a relevant, playoff-level team that is showing the signs of being a team that could go on a prolonged run in the Playoffs.
Meanwhile, the Portland Trail Blazers, after reaching the Western Conference Finals last spring, now stand at 15-22 for the season, after dealing some longtime wings and acquiring Whiteside as the fill-in for the injured Jusuf Nurkic.
Things don’t always turn out the way we want them to, check: ‘Dwyane Wade, Chicago Bulls. So, to properly contextualize this timeline, Wade’s departure led to Jimmy’s arrival and subsequently, the return to national relevance, just like the Whiteside trade did.
In that case, was Hassan Whiteside just the purgatory, or rather, the symbol for the transitional period the Heat were in post-LeBron and, eventually, post-Bosh, to lead us directly into this newfound Jimmy-Bam era? Life can be funny that way, huh?
Alex Toledo (@TropicalBlanket) appears regularly on the Five on the Floor podcast on Five Reasons Sports Network.
https://www.fivereasonssports.com/wp-content/uploads/Bam-and-Leonard-photo-scaled.jpg17092560Alexander Toledohttps://www.fivereasonssports.com/wp-content/uploads/FiveReasonsWebsiteLogo.svgAlexander Toledo2020-01-06 01:08:072020-01-06 01:11:18What Hassan Whiteside means to where Miami Heat stand now
Earlier this week, the Miami Dolphins announced the hiring of 67-year-old Chan Gailey as the team’s new offensive coordinator.
Chan Gailey is so old, he invented the spread offense.
No really, I think he did.
Truth is, the last time Chan Gailey roamed the Dolphins sideline, the team played in back to back playoff games. And although a lot has changed between now and then, this team is still in dire need of a spark offensively. So, after cutting ties with long-time friend Chad O’Shea, Brian Flores immediately turned his attention to a guy that has a ton of familiarity with Ryan Fitzpatrick. And made a signing that would completely shock Dolphins Twitter. The signing of 67-year-old Chan Gailey.
Now, not to discredit the successful career Gailey had, but many hoped for a young up-and-coming offensive coordinator. That is not who he is. Perhaps, this signing shows that Miami hopes to use a ton of 3-4 WR sets–much as he did with Buffalo and New York alongside FitzMagic. One thing it does show, however, is that Miami plans to give Fitzpatrick an encore in 2020. He will have a chance to help groom the future QB, in addition to Gailey.
We will dive into what this means for Miami’s offense later in the offseason. But for now, to ring in the New Year, let’s take a look at 50 things that were relevant the last time Gailey was the Dolphins’ offensive coordinator.
The Gailey signing will significantly impact how the Dolphins approach the draft and free agency–primarily at the running back position. Heck, maybe it’s a bigger need than QB? One thing we do know is this change in offensive philosophy will impact the type of players Miami has an interest in–primarily at the running back position. The last time Gailey was with the Dolphins, the team went 11-5 and won the AFC East, in addition to a Wildcard game vs Indianapolis. The following season in 2001, Miami went 11-5 and played in the Wildcard game. Unfortunately, the team lost to the Baltimore Ravens 20-3.
I’m no mathematician, but the Dolphins have only been to the playoffs twice since Gailey departed South Florida. Couple that with his experience and familiarity with Fitzpatrick, and maybe there’s a lot more to love about the Gailey signing then we originally anticipated. One thing we do know is Miami’s offense ranked 27th under O’ Shea. Not good enough.
“Save us Chan Gailey, you’re our only hope.”
Tyler Herro was born the same week that Chan Gailey last took over as Dolphins offensive coordinator
This article was written by Josh Houtz (@Houtz) #InChanGaileyWeTrust
https://www.fivereasonssports.com/wp-content/uploads/395E933E-AF03-4BF7-A3EA-DC28FCE986BD-scaled.jpeg17112560Josh Houtzhttps://www.fivereasonssports.com/wp-content/uploads/FiveReasonsWebsiteLogo.svgJosh Houtz2020-01-03 09:30:322020-01-03 18:28:4150 Things that were relevant the last time Chan Gailey coached the Dolphins
It was a week ago when I revealed a conversation I had with somebody familiar with the Miami Dolphins’ front office thinking.
In that conversation, I got around to asking about the running back room and was surprised with what was revealed. The Dolphins believe Ohio State back J.K. Dobbins to be the “best of the RB group.” This was odd to me in some respects, because Dobbins is a more instinctive runner, and not the north-south type runner better suited to run Chad O’Shea’s designed runs.
Now is as good a time as any to reveal this….spoke with somebody familiar with Miami's Front Office, and after asking about this years' RB class, considers this class best in a while, and believes Miami would have J.K. Dobbins as the best of the group. @Alf_Arteaga
Then Chad O’Shea got fired. Strange. Then all the whispers started as to why he got let go, and it became much more understandable. Then 67-year old Chan Gailey got hired to fill the offensive coordinator position, and things began to clear up.
This was/is a 180 degree philosophy change on how to approach the run game.
If you want to understand what the RUN GAME is gonna look like now, this is a staple of a Chan Gailey Play Sheet. This is a very BIG shift in philosophy. They are no longer in the design run business, and are now in on Daylight runners. @Alf_Arteaga https://t.co/InIEEMYpaZ
So what do these changes to the run game entail? You have to go back to Chan Gailey’s history to see what his run calls look like, and something is immediately clear. The man loves Lead ISO runs. In short, Lead ISO was a way for spread concept teams to gain a bit of that “power” look from more conventional run offenses. They almost always entail a double team at the point of attack, with the “ISO” part being an emphasis on isolating an opposing LB with a lead block. The run is either called to the right side of the center (the 2 hole) or the right side of the guard (the 4 hole), or to the left, conversely, the 1 and 3 hole.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9iUT7-kdSIc&t=87s
This is a change from what the New England Patriots, and what the Miami Dolphins did for this one year. Miami had a designed run game, built around counters, use of wham blocks, straight lead runs, and “power” run concepts. This type of run offense is quickly becoming a NFL dinosaur. What they are switching too now, in theory simplifies the run game, but puts a larger emphasis on the running back position, and a runner with good instincts to find the correct cuts on each play to find the proper run lane, especially to the back side, which lead ISO plays tend to produce.
Having said that, which players fit the bill the best?
The Free Agents
Melvin Gordon
Adept at pressing the hole, and sliding past the double team to find the cutback lane is his specialty. His work at Wisconsin was as impressive as any on lead Iso runs.
Derrick Henry
The consummate one cut runner, but figures to be really expensive, while Melvin Gordon has a more “affordable look” to him.
Kenyan Drake
Speed. Drake has shown one cut ability, especially in his great run of 2017 toward season’s end, and his time in Arizona this year. But has that ship sailed?
Draft Prospects
J.K. Dobbins (Ohio State)
Dobbins has been in this type of offense his whole college career, and has a knack for finding the correct cut back lane a remarkable amount of time.
Travis Etienne (Clemson)
Classic home run hitter, who finds the cut back and goes. The distance. Etienne in many respects is a do-over on Kenyan Drake, although Etienne is a much more accomplished (in college) and cheap option than Drake.
Jonathan Taylor (Wisconsin)
It’s everywhere in his film. See JT press the hole. See JT quickly change direction and find the crease. See JT find 8 yards where there was probably 3 playside.
Alfredo Arteaga (@Alf_Arteaga) is one-third of the trio of the hosts of the Three Yards Per Carry (@3YardsPerCarry) podcast.
https://www.fivereasonssports.com/wp-content/uploads/FiveReasonsWebsiteLogo.svg00Alfredo Arteagahttps://www.fivereasonssports.com/wp-content/uploads/FiveReasonsWebsiteLogo.svgAlfredo Arteaga2020-01-02 10:21:372020-01-02 10:21:37Chan Gailey to the Dolphins: A New Look at Running Backs
We’ve been here before. The empire is crumbling – the blueprints are in place. This wasn’t supposed to happen. The Dolphins were on track to be the NFL’s worse team.
However, they started winning.
“I mean, every win, and any win is a big one to me,” coach Brian Flores said after Sunday’s win. “[The Patriots are a] very good football team. Great coaches, great players. This is a tough environment. It’s hard to win on the road in this league. So, our guys played hard, they competed for 60 minutes. It took all 60 minutes. And I’m proud of that group, I am proud of that group.”
Flores accomplished what no Dolphins coach has done since 2008 — win in New England.
Not only did the the Dolphins win a game New England, but the Patriots prepared for the game like the playoffs had already begun. Not only were the Dolphins 16-point underdogs, but the Patriots entered the game with a 61-0 record at home against AFC teams with a losing record.
DeVante Parker and Eric Rowe signed one-year prove it deals. Rowe established himself as a physical safety after struggling at cornerback for roughly half the season. Not only did he shut down top-tier tight ends like Zach Ertiz, but he returned to Massachusetts with a present for the Patriots faithful — a pick-six of Tom Brady.
Parker was left-for-dead after four subpar seasons in which he didn’t play a full season and had a total of nine career touchdowns. Coach Flores shipped out plenty of players who didn’t fit his vision. He was focused on players who were team oriented and worked on their craft each and every day. Despite rumors of Parker not fitting the model, coach Flores brought Parker back to Miami.
1,202 yards and nine touchdowns later, Parker has leaped into the conversation as one of the league’s best receivers. The Parker “games” that were once flashes in the plans turned into a consistent showing from the receiver. He finished with 13 games with at least 50 yards or more. Parker’s coming out party came on Dec. 1 against the Philadelphia Eagles. He showcased his ability to not only be a consistent receiver for whomever Miami’s signal caller may be moving forward, but to flat out take over a game with the two-touchdown and 159-yard performance.
We’ve been here before. The Dolphins finished the season on a good note — why should we believe the Dolphins are headed in the right direction?
Optimism has been just that surrounding the Miami Dolphins in past years, but the growth the roster, especially Parker and Rowe, shows that the hope and potential surrounding this team can manifest itself into a franchise that can take down the Patriots as the class of the AFC East.
I understand what you’re thinking. It was one season. It is crazy to even discuss a 5-11 team upending the empire that has controlled the AFC for two decades. Of course, it is up to Chris Grier and the Dolphins organization to continue to get better and continue to make the right moves. However, Sunday’s victory in New England provided the Dolphins with the best-ammunition possible — hope.
With a new decade comes new possibilities. The Dolphins are locked and loaded with the opportunity to make every and any move they want to this off season.
With a new year and a new decade, its time to view the Miami Dolphins with a fresh perspective.
Miami’s way is the “right” way
With the season over there is nothing holding back the waves of mock drafts that will come crushing through timelines, web searches and your daily programming.
The Ravens are entering the postseason as the NFL’s best team. The last pick of the first round in 2019 is leading the way.
Patrick Mahomes, the league’s reigning MVP, is a member of the Kansas City Chiefs because the franchise moved up in the draft to take him.
Russell Wilson, the cornerstone of the Seattle Seahawks and Super Bowl champion, was drafted in the third round of NFL draft. That Brady guy I mentioned earlier — sixth round.
The San Francisco 49ers traded a second round pick for a quarterback with two career starts. After finishing the regular season with a 7-1 record on the road and a 13-3 record overall, San Fran and Jimmy Garoppolo are playoff bound.
There is one thing each of these quarterbacks have in common. The front office and coaching staff have built strong football teams around the quarterback. The Dolphins, based on the 2019 season, are working to put together the best football team possible. So whether they draft a rookie, trade for a vet, or even ride with some Fitzmagic, it is important to let the team establish itself in 2020 before rushing to judgement.
It isn’t how you get your quarterback, it’s building a successful offense around the signal caller — whomever that may be.
Don’t fall in love with a specific player or pick
The Dolphins have actually had some success in the early rounds of the draft lately.
The Dolphins have only missed once in the first round since 2014. Ja’Wuan James, Devante Parker, Laremy Tunsil, and Minkah Fitzpatrick have all had pro bowl caliber years at one point. It’s poor form to say Miami haven’t drafted well, they’ve done just fine. https://t.co/XiZfLyzqbw
Miami’s worst pick since 2014 is Charles Harris. The Dolphins took Harris because they were desperate for a pass rusher. Players like Tre’Davious White and T.J. Watt, who fit Miami’s current needs quite well went shortly after. The Dolphins are need to build a roster. Grier and Flores witnessed more than 75 players suit up on game day in the search of depth and part-time starters.
Injuries happen — all the time. It is nearly impossible to fill all of Miami’s holes. Under Adam Gase the Dolphins focused on rostering a “starter” at every position. Not only did some of these players under perform, but season’s spiraled out of control after losing a few starters. With 11 starters on each side of the ball, it is nearly impossible to have a “solid” starter at every position.
Don’t panic if Miami avoids a “need,” because there are plenty. This staff has proven its ability to succeed with undrafted free agents and will likely have to showcase that skill again in 2020.
Instead of forcing a need, players like Nik Needham, Vince Biegel and Sam Eguavoen can showcase their ability to become contributing members of the franchise without siphoning the team’s salary cap and draft capital.
Enjoy the ride
Fans spent most of Sunday’s win over New England upset about Miami’s lowering draft pick. Not only did the Dolphins celebrate the team’s biggest win in recent years, but Miami remained in the fifth spot of the 2020 draft.
The results are out until the games are played. The Dolphins picked an unconventional route in 2019 by not tanking, but moving plenty of players who were cornerstones of the franchise. Brian Flores is looking like the right guy to lead the Miami Dolphins after his first season at head coach. Of course, so did Joe Philbin and Adam Gase.
Despite the “no days off” mentality, a kid named Ferris offered some great advice on his day off.
“Life moves pretty fast. If you don’t stop and look around once in a while you could miss it.”
The Dolphins are in the middle of the process and there is plenty of work to do. However, if you don’t enjoy the highlights, even if its a win over the quarterback-less Colts, you’ll miss out on some remarkable games. Potentially some of the biggest upsets of all time.
The Dolphins winning as 17.5-point underdogs was the biggest upset in the final week of the season in NFL history, at least as far back as I can find accurate point spreads. Previous record was the Lions, who were 2-13, beating 14-point favorite Cowboys, who were 9-6, in 2006.
A new decade is upon us, but hopefully the no-quit Dolphins aren’t changing too much.
Here is to 2020.
https://www.fivereasonssports.com/wp-content/uploads/flores-closeup-minicamp.jpg16012445Jake Mendelhttps://www.fivereasonssports.com/wp-content/uploads/FiveReasonsWebsiteLogo.svgJake Mendel2020-01-01 13:00:542020-01-01 12:59:19Jake’s Take: A New Year should bring new perspective surrounding the Miami Dolphins
As we officially head into a brand new decade, it’s time to look back at the best movies of the last ten years. The 2010s had a SHITTON of good-to-great films and, sure enough, since this list is limited to 20, we had to leave out a few.
The list of movies that didn’t make the final cut includes a couple of really good Marvel movies — Black Panther (the last scene of the final battle is some heart wrenching shit) and Captain America: Winter Soldier (a movie starring Robert Redford that’s an homage to 1970s conspiracy thrillers starring Robert Redford) — are seriously great flicks, even if you don’t watch any other Marvel movie. Then there were good films elevated by great performances, such as Birdman (MICHEAL KEATON IS AN AMERICAN TREASURE) and The Revenant (man, fuck that bear!). Ultimately, the 20 movies below beat out the rest.
Here are the 20 best movies of the 2010s. DIVE IN AND AGREE OR TWEET ANGRY THINGS AT ME LET’S GO!:
20-11
20. DJANGO UNCHAINED (2012): Quentin Tarantino rolls out another alternative history story where the bad guys get their comeuppance good and proper (following 2009’s Inglourious Basterds) — this time at the hands of an escaped slave named Django (The D is silent). Leonardo DiCaprio was absolutely robbed of an Oscar for his portrayal as a vile plantation owner, and Jamie Foxx is awesomely roguish and dangerous as the titular Django. “I like the way you die, boy.”
19. LINCOLN (2012):Lincoln is more a movie about the complicated passing of the 13th Amendment than a biopic of the 16th President, but it works as a dramatic chronicling of a pivotal moment in U.S. history. Meticulously researched, the movie shows us just how hard so many racist old farts fought against freeing the slaves, and all the maneuvering — shady and otherwise — Lincoln and his “team of rivals” cabinet had to do to get the amendment passed. Daniel Day-Lewis turns in one the best performances of his career, going all methody with his high-pitched Honest Abe voice (The voice is the fingerprint of the soul, according to God). Day-Lewis won his record-breaking third Best Actor Oscar for his portrayal of a worn down melancholic Lincoln, grappling with the soul of America. “I am the President of the United States of America, clothed IN IMMENSE POWER.”
18. SPOTLIGHT (2015): An important movie and a great real-life telling of journalists up against the seemingly untouchable machine that is the Catholic Church. Spotlight is the riveting tale of a team of dogged Boston Globe reporters (led by an editor from Miami!) uncovering the great scandal that rocked the Vatican, and the lengths the church went to in order to protect child predators and cover up their crimes. The film moves along almost like a murder mystery as the reporters uncover some shocking truths, and are stonewalled at every turn by those in power trying to brush the evils of the Church under the proverbial rug.
17. THE SOCIAL NETWORK (2010): It’s Aaron Sorkin and David Fincher at their finest. A lot of the story is bullshit, but it’s an entertaining look at how Mark Zuckerberg became a gazillionaire and how Facebook went from a small college dorm idea to social media giant where your family members post racist memes and dumb MAGA shit in droves.
16. BLACKKKLANSMAN (2018): A movie for our times if there ever was one. This is Spike Lee yet again showcasing what he’s best at: making a fun, funny, entertaining flick that doubles as serious social commentary. Blackkklansman is based on real events, and has some harrowingly scary moments, as well as some hilarious ones. Overall, it’s a disturbing portrait of neo-Nazis being total assholes, and the way their leaders oftentimes break into the mainstream to spread their vile beliefs. *SPOILER ALERT* David Duke is a real piece of shit.
15. GRAND BUDAPEST HOTEL (2014): Nobody frames a movie quite as quaintly beautiful as Wes Anderson. Funny, quirky, and tender, Grand Budapest Hotel is why Wes remains one of the best, most thought-provoking filmmakers in cinema.
14. SICARIO (2015): Denis Villeneuve’s dark story about drug dealers and the cops out to stop them is a slick, smartly paced thriller. It’s tense, it’s gorgeously shot, and it’s Benicio Del Toro being a total badass.
13. BRIDGE OF SPIES (2015): What happens when you get Steven Spielberg, Tom Hanks and the Coen Brothers to make a movie? A fantastic telling of largely unknown historical events. Bridge of Spies is a taut Cold War espionage thriller with unmistakable commentary on modern times dressed as classic film noir. SO MANY TRENCH COATS AND FEDORAS.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_z5LXyWn3-w 12. DRIVE (2011)
Quiet, cool, violent as fuck. Beautifully shot and scored, Drive moves languidly for most of its runtime, only to be interrupted by flashes of action sequences and people having their heads explode like watermelons dropped from a rooftop by shotgun-wielding bad dudes and Ryan Gosling stabbing said-bad dudes to death with a curtain rod. Drive also has Oscar Isaac nearly stealing the movie from Gosling, and an evil Albert Brooks — which is weird but also works really well. The opening chase scene and the elevator scene are pieces of pure cinematic badassery.
11. 12 YEARS A SLAVE (2013) 12 Years A Slave is the kind of movie that will make you simultaneously cry in sorrow and want to put a fist through a wall in anger (the slave auction scene with Paul Giammati is a perfectly constructed, rage-inducing showcase on the banality of evil that was America’s slave trade). Director Steve McQueen’s quiet framing and the cast’s poignant performances make you all at once feel the pain of those in bondage and real, visceral anger at the entire heinous and malignant institution that was slavery in America. It’s the closest thing in cinema to show the naked unvarnished truth of all its horrors. It’s beautifully shot, perfectly acted, and a film that sticks with you forever.
10-6:
10. WHIPLASH (2014)
WERE YOU RUSHING OR WERE YOU DRAGGING?!?! Set in an elite music school in New York, Whiplash is a meditation on the raw and brutal realities of artistic ambition gone horribly, horribly askew. Miles Teller stars as the cocky but talented jazz drummer looking to prove that he’s the best, beating his drums into the ground. A jacked-to-the-tits JK Simmons is the sadistic and tyrannical music instructor drunk on power, beating his students into submission through expletive-filled outbursts and verbal abuse. The story moves at breakneck speed (NOT QUITE MY TEMPO!) as Teller’s drummer boy is pushed to his absolute limits by Simmons’ batshit sociopathic instructor. Simmons won a well-deserved Oscar for yelling at Miles Teller for two hours. Yet for all the kinetic energy and anger in his performance, it’s Simmons’ subdued monologue on how mediocrity chokes out excellence that shows the movie’s heart — for good or for bad. It’s also got a hell of a jazz score.
9. PHANTOM THREAD (2017)
My favorite story behind the making of Phantom Thread is about how Paul Thomas Anderson and Daniel Day-Lewis crafted Day-Lewis’ fashion designer character. At one point in the exchange, the story goes, Day-Lewis told Anderson that his character has to be named Woodcock and then he laughed and laughed. Anderson acquiesced, and so Daniel Day-Lewis’ Oscar nominated performance of Reynolds Woodcock was born. The fact that such a brilliant and elegant piece of cinema that examines the flawed, yet unshakeable, romantic relationship between a tortured artist and his beautiful muse is built on one of the greatest actors to ever live making a dickjoke is just amazing.
8. THE BIG SHORT (2015)
So what the hell was up with the 2008 financial crisis that nearly broke America and wrecked millions of lives while allowing the gazillionaires responsible for the meltdown to get off scot free? The Big Short answers that question. Charles Randolph and Adam McKay’s near-perfect script is laced with sardonic wit and helpful exposition, laying out exactly how everything went to shit in the housing market (where Florida was ground-zero weeeeeeee!) and just how unbelievably easy it is for rich greedy assholes to fuck things up for everybody else. The Big Short features a ridiculously talented cast (Steve Carell, Ryan Gosling, Christian Bale, Brad Pitt) and is accessible, hilarious and exacerbating. Also, MARGOT ROBBIE IN A BATHTUB EXPLAINING FINANCIAL TERMS, WOO HOO.
7. MAD MAX: FURY ROAD (2015)
An absolute perfect action flick in every way. From its blow your head clean off crazy practical effects, to its subversion of the classic protagonist archetype; the movie is called Mad Max (Tom Hardy) but it’s actually all about Furiosa (Charlize Theron), the badass desert bitch who saves women from a life of sex slavery and wars against a weird tyranical patriarch who drives around the desert with his own personal heavy metal guitarist. Hardy was perfectly cast to play the titular Max — the stoic leather-clad wasteland wandering hero made famous by Mel Sugartits Gibson in the 80s. Hardy manages to grunt his way through the entire movie while helping Furiosa fight against the usual Mad Max Movie Baddies (i.e.: weird mutated dudes who are probably riddled with fallout cancer and are gross and smelly). Director George Miller practically invented the post apocalypse genre with his Mad Max films and fills Fury Road with even more balls-out crazy shit like flaming guitars, exploding catapults, human blood bags, deadly sandstorms, and the awesomest chase scenes ever put on film. Fury Road is his masterpiece. I LIVE. I DIE. I LIVE AGAIN.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XPWTMAJbmyQ 6. ONCE UPON A TIME… IN HOLLYWOOD (2019)
Here’s what I wrote in my 5 Reasons review for Once Upon A Time… In Hollywood back in July: “It hits most of the Tarantino sweet spots: It’s funny, it’s irreverent, it’s violent, it’s nostalgic, it’s stylized and it’s cool. And it’s going to be a movie that, in ten years or so, will be considered one of his best. This Tarantino film, more than most, is about the journey more than the destination. And, much like Jackie Brown — Tarantino’s third movie and a masterpiece in its own right — it leans heavy on an amalgam of interesting hapless low-rent characters you can’t help but like and root for. And, like Jackie Brown, Once Upon A Time… In Hollywood is a film you’ll need to see again and again to truly grasp how good of a movie it really is.”
Top 5:
5. BLADE RUNNER 2049 (2017)
Man, it’s hard to make a good sequel, let alone a great one. Especially when the sequel is wholly unnecessary. But if anyone was up to the task of making a sequel to one of the greatest science fiction movies of all time, it’s Denis Villeneuve. Just as its predecessor did, Blade Runner 2049 explores the duality of being human and non-human (or, more human than human). It’s Philip K. Dickian philosophy wrapped in sci-fi action and uses the major parts and characters of the original film not as fan-service prop pieces, but as important plot devices. It’s beautiful to look at and listen to, and it’s right up there with The Godfather Part 2 as a movie that challenges the greatness of the original.
4. GET OUT (2017)
An instant classic as soon as it hit theaters, Get Out is a smart piece of political commentary wrapped in a brilliant horror film. Jordan Peele stepped out of the sketch comedy world and announced himself as a filmmaker to be taken seriously with this flick — a modern day version of Guess Who’s Coming To Dinner in scary movie form that uses humor, suspense, and horror to sharply critique white liberalism, cultural appropriation, and the bullshit narrative that we live in a post-racial America.
3. MOONLIGHT (2016)
Based on a script by Miami native Tarell Alvin McCraney, and directed by Barry Jenkins, Moonlight hits the trifecta of great drama — it’s excellently written, excellently acted, and gorgeously shot. It’s a film that examines the life of Chiron, an African American kid living in the projects in Miami grappling with his family, his sexuality, his identity. It’s brutally honest in its depiction of African American life, and the life of an African American boy coming of age, discovering his sexuality, and taking a life-long journey of self discovery. Moonlight is a perfect film.
2. THE MASTER (2012)
“If you leave me now, in the next life you will be my sworn enemy. And I will show you no mercy.” Paul Thomas Anderson has denied any connection between Lancaster Dodd (Phillip Seymour Hoffman) and L. Ron Hubbard, the founder of the Church of Scientology. But man is that denial hard to believe, especially if you know a little of the history of Hubbard and his weird Tom Cruise outerspace boat cult. Either way, The Master is simply a perfect piece of filmmaking. It’s a meticulous character-driven exploration of a grand American tradition: religion and the wonderful world of manipulating the vulnerable. The film is a psychological immersion of the senses, a PTA trademark — beautifully shot with an unsettling score from Radiohead’s Jonny Greenwood. Joaquin Phoenix is getting a lot of praise for his portrayal as the Joker this year, but it’s his turn as the wayward World War II vet Freddie Quell that will go down as his finest ever performance. Paul Thomas Anderson is the GOAT filmmaker of the current century, fight your mother.
1. INSIDE LLEWYN DAVIS (2013)
Set during the rise of the folk music scene in the early 1960s, Inside Llewyn Davis tells the melancholy tale of ill-fated troubadour Llewyn Davis (Oscar Isaac) and his cold winding odyssey with an orange tabby cat. It’s an existential exploration of how we don’t all make it, how the Universe is indifferent, how the gatekeepers of art and commerce don’t always know the difference between good art and dog shit. It’s also an exploration of how art is vital, even when life kicks you in the balls over and over again. Davis keeps reaching for the stars but can’t quite grasp them, either because he sabotages himself, or from sheer bad luck. Even on the biggest night of his career, he puts on his greatest performance in front of a crowd filled with star making critics, only to be followed by a certain then-unknown folk singer from Minnesota. The film is shot in dark shades, imbuing it with a cold dirty Greenwich Village winter vibe, and features a fantastic soundtrack showcasing Isaac’s versatility as an actor and musician. It’s sharply written with the trademark Coen Bros. wit, and has great performances from an impeccable cast — including Carey Mulligan, John Goodman, Justin Timberlake, F. Murray Abraham and Adam Driver (seeing Kylo Ren and Poe Dameron singing a song about outer space together is an unintentionally funny little moment in movie history). The Coen Brothers’ love of dark comedy, mythology and Shakespearian themes are on full display in Inside Llewyn Davis, yet another masterpiece in their ingenious filmography.
Chris Joseph (@ByChrisJoseph) is a host of Five Reasons comedy podcast, Ballscast. He’s written about sports and movies for Deadspin, Miami New Times, CBS Sports, and several other outlets.
https://www.fivereasonssports.com/wp-content/uploads/FiveReasonsWebsiteLogo.svg00Chris Josephhttps://www.fivereasonssports.com/wp-content/uploads/FiveReasonsWebsiteLogo.svgChris Joseph2019-12-31 12:28:442019-12-31 15:07:3020 Best Movies of the 2010s
Welcome to Guts Check by Greg Sylvander. A weekly Miami Heat column aimed at bringing readers my perspective on all the hot topics surrounding the team. You can expect a regular balance of sourced information, analysis and feeling the Heat down in my soul. In the name of Trusting the Spocess, let’s call these weekly columns position-less.
Since we last touched base:
Won at Philadelphia 108-104
Won vs New York 129-114
Won vs Utah 107-104
Won vs Indiana 113-112
Won in OT vs Philadelphia 117-116
Lost at Washington 123-105
Record to date: 24-9, 3rd in the Eastern Conference, 4th best record in the league.
Happy New Year!
As 2019 winds down and we turn the page to 2020, this week’s edition of #GutsCheck will be focused on my personal Top 5 Miami Heat moments of 2019. A stroll down memory lane and reflection upon what has proven to be a significant year for the Miami Heat.
1. Wade’s Final Home Game – April 9th, 2019
Heat 122 – 76ers 99
What a way to send Dwyane off! The crowd was emotional, the Heat got a win & all was right in the world.
2. Dwyane Wade’s triple double in his final NBA game – April 10, 2019
Nets 113 – Heat 94
Most lovable Heat loss in franchise history. Dwyane Wade said his final good bye in dramatic fashion, ending his career with a triple double (25 points, 11 rebounds, 10 assists) – and punctuated it all with an assist to best friend and Heat Lifer Udonis Haslem.
3. Jimmy Butler’s introductory press conference – September 27th, 2019
This press conference was a Heat Culture Classic. This was the day Heat fans fell in love with Jimmy.
4. Dwyane Wade’s buzzer beater vs Golden State – February 27th, 2019
The game that produced a half dozen Court Culture Moments T-shirts will forever live near and dear to Heat fan hearts.
5. The final moment that rounds out my Top 5 of 2019 – was exemplified in a single Woj bomb:
Miami is finalizing a trade to send center Hassan Whiteside to Portland for Mo Harkless and Meyers Leonard, league sources tell ESPN.
Short and sweet this week folks, make sure to check out recent collaborative column with Brian Goins on the Heat’s new years resolutions that came early.
Wishing all of Heat Nation health and happiness in 2020.
https://www.fivereasonssports.com/wp-content/uploads/O1dOWxis-scaled.jpeg17072560Greg Sylvanderhttps://www.fivereasonssports.com/wp-content/uploads/FiveReasonsWebsiteLogo.svgGreg Sylvander2019-12-31 11:27:382019-12-31 11:29:06Guts Check: Top 5 Miami Heat Moments of 2019
Welcome to The Launching Pad, a weekly roundup of Miami Heat basketball. Who’s playing well, and who should pick it up? What numbers should you be watching? What was that beautiful play Miami ran in the second quarter? You can find all of it here, every Monday.
The Stats (Weekly stats in parentheses)
• Record: 24-8 (3-0, 2nd in the East)
• Offensive Rating: 110.8 (111.6)
• Defensive Rating: 106.3 (110.3)
• Net Rating: plus-4.5 (plus-1.3)
• True-Shooting Percentage: 58.6 (55.1)
• Pace: 99.59 (97.13)
• Time of Possession: 14.7 seconds (14.9)
Lineup of the Week (min. 10 minutes)
Goran Dragic, Tyler Herro, Jimmy Butler, Derrick Jones Jr., Meyers Leonard
• Minutes: 12
• Offensive Rating: 103.4
• Defensive Rating: 86.2
• Net Rating: plus-17.2
• True-Shooting Percentage: 57.1
• Pace: 97.8
The Big Number: 12.3
It’s easy to scoff at the importance of role-players, particularly when their contributions aren’t sparkly on the stat sheet. Cliches are boring — we want highlights and arbitrary benchmarks that put you in the air with legends!
There’s still value in doing your job. The #LittleThings, if you will. Meyers Leonard does exactly that.
He’s the Heat’s most valuable screener, consistently springing guards free with smart angles. His reads have become better in that regard. He still pops more than he dives to the rim, but his ability to find those pockets of space allow the Heat offense to flow.
Defensively, Leonard is comfortable as the “Drop” big or the backbone of the zone. Bad things can happen when he’s forced to defend in space, but his size and spatial awareness make him effective at the rim. Opponent shot just 50 percent at the rim against Leonard this week, per Second Spectrum.
Absolutely none of what I described is conventionally exciting. Leonard’s averages from the week — 6.0 points, 6.7 rebounds in 23.5 minutes — don’t call for Player of the Week chants. But the Heat were 12.3 points better per 100 possessions with him on the court.
That is Tyler Herro, allegedly a rookie, calling his own number with a stepback three facing a two-point deficit. Clearly he’s a descendant of Stonehenge.
Not even two minutes later, Herro takes — and makes — an even more difficult shot.
Initial action breaks down. Improv. Herro receives a pitch, then steps back into another triple to give the Heat a one-point lead.
In both cases, Herro is sharing the court with a perennial All-Star (Jimmy Butler) and a former All-Star (Goran Dragic). He’s still confident enough to say “Nah, I got this.”
Herro isn’t scared of anything. This is something we collectively knew, even if it was something I undersold. Not only is he fearless in big moments, he’s pretty darn good in them.
Per 36 clutch minutes, Herro is averaging 25-8-2 with a 53-54-100 shooting split. Only Butler is averaging more clutch points for the Heat, though that’s because he’s averaging more free throw attempts than Herro is averaging shot attempts.
As usual, the “how” matters more than the “what” here. Herro’s feel for the game really shines through, particularly in 2-on-2 scenarios. Playing “Drop” coverage against him is an invitation of death. Though he’s a two-level scorer at this stage, he’s able to compensate for his rim-finishing woes with cotton-soft floaters and timely passes when the big commits.
Very loudly, Herro is showing the kind of secondary creator chops needed to raise the Heat’s playoff ceiling. Him becoming a pull-up artist isn’t necessarily a surprise; doing it against elite defenses, and this soon, is almost absurd.
2. Is Jimmy Broken?
On the other end of the spectrum … it’s time to talk about it.
Jimmy Butler has mostly been a godsend for the Heat. He’s been all about empowerment, on and off the floor.
Butler has made a point to blend in with teammates; his relationships with Bam Adebayo, Tyler Herro, and Goran Dragic have been well-documented to this point. He’s sharing the ball, posting a career-high in assists (6.7). When the time comes, he can still take games over with shoulder-checking drives to the basket.
But good lord, man, what is going on with his shot?
Per Synergy, Butler’s 28.5 percent clip on jumpers rank 162nd among 168 players that have taken at least 100 of them. His 0.703 point-per-possession mark on those shots rank 165th.
He’s been a mess on guarded catch-and-shoot jumpers (23.1 percent), unguarded looks (33.3 percent), and jumpers off the dribble (30.8 percent). The latter is especially important because of how often he operates in pick-and-roll.
Teams ducking under picks against Butler isn’t a new strategy, but it’s one that has particularly bothered him against the Sixers this season. You need pull-up shooting to neutralize their size and length; Butler hasn’t been able to do so.
Butler’s been able to to compensate from an efficiency standpoint because of his forays to the rim. He’s still driving like a madman, and ranks third in the NBA in free attempts per game (9.4).
But those kind of windows close in the postseason. Butler’s career postseason free throw rate (39.3) is nearly 10 percentage points lower than his regular season clip (49.2). Defenses will get more blatant with their give-him-space strategy. He’s going to need to prove he can make defenses respect him off the bounce.
3. Gettin’ Pitchy With It
On a recent episode of Five On The Floor, my colleague Alex Toledo talked about Bam Adebayo and the gap defense he faced against the Sixers. He noted that there were three ways for Adebayo to counter that: attack the basket (#FloaterGang), take open jumpers, or use the defender’s space against him by flowing into handoffs.
The latter point is especially key, because it was a huge part of Miami’s offensive success this past week.
Adebayo ranks in the top five of screen assists (5.1) and points via screen assists (11.8) this season, per Second Spectrum. Those numbers skyrocketed to 7.3 and 17.7 respectively during Miami’s 3-0 stretch.
Take these plays from the Utah game for example. Watch how far back Rudy Gobert is from Adebayo. Conversely, watch how quickly Adebayo is able to generate these looks:
Shockingly, the Heat lead the NBA in points via dribble-handoffs (289 total, 9.0 per game) and are second in points per possession (1.062)
They’re essentially condensed pick-and-rolls that don’t give the big time to recover. Having shooters like Herro and Duncan Robinson that can fling off-movement triples give the Heat’s offense a layer of unpredictability that teams can’t really account for.
Set Play of the Week
Post-Split Pandemonium
There is a lottttttt going on in this train reaction of an opening set.
Before digging into what happens — and why it works — it’s important to understand what Philadelphia wants to do. It’s easy to point out their scheme with the big (Joel Embiid) — they want to drop back and close off lanes to the rim. But that also affects they way they defend the perimeter.
The Sixers don’t just want to run shooters off the line, they want to funnel everything inside to Embiid specifically. Within that lens, peep how high Josh Richardson plays Kendrick Nunn, and the positioning used to force him left. On the other side, it’s notable that Tobias Harris is basically face-guarding Robinson.
Now, this is why it works for Miami.
After Nunn enters the ball into Butler, he wraps around Butler and cuts baseline. Because Richardson is trailing him in an effort to funnel him inside, Ben Simmons stunts to disrupt Nunn’s cut. On top of that, Embiid drops further down to cut off that path.
Robinson and Leonard are reading all of this, and kick off their action right as Nunn begins his cut. With Embiid occupied with Nunn, there’s no path to him to disrupt any sort of pindown. Al Horford is technically in position to help, but that opportunity disappears when Leonard dives.
Robinson essentially fakes a flex screen (down-screen for Leonard) before flying off a screen from Adebayo. Harris has no chance of tracking Robinson, and there’s nobody up top to help him out either.
This is a fantastic example of the Heat using opponent tendencies against them.
