Tag Archive for: Bam Adebayo

A Look into the Miami Heat’s Start to the Season

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The Miami Heat are currently 13-7 to start the season, and it’s been throughout a period of their schedule that was known to be one of the hardest stretches of the season. 13 of the first 20 games have been on the road, and the theme of this Heat team so far this season, is that they’re undoubtedly much better at home.

There have been plenty of team trends that have declined or increased over this span in comparison to prior expectations, but the focus of this piece, as we address everything up to this point, will be surrounded more by schematics. And more specifically, individual players in that area.

So, let’s hop right into what has been seen to begin the year.

Tyler Herro’s mid-range carving, spot-up leap, and separation avenue

Starting an early season wrap up with this Heat team and not mentioning Tyler Herro out the gate would be a terrible way to start. Not because he’s the team’s headliner or best player, but because he’s shifted the outlook on him, plus provided some on-court additions to this offense that have been absolutely necessary.

For one, we’re talking about a guy that is averaging slightly over 21 points a game through this opening stretch of games, but sometimes that can be misconstrued. The reasoning is that many players can come out hot right out the gate then come back down to earth.

But the difference here is that the way he’s doing it is 100% sustainable.

He has slowly mastered every spot of the floor, and what I mean by that is nothing is one-dimensional.

For starters, his mid-range game is by far his biggest strength on the basketball court, just due to the combination of difficult shot-making and improved ways of getting to his spots.

So much talk about if he could change his shot creation in a way where more separation can be created, and he’s done that by adding muscle to his legs in particular, allowing him to rise over the top of any defender in an unblockable fashion.

Three-point shooting has been an issue with this group from a team sense, but Herro has risen in that category as well. After shooting under 40% on catch and shoot threes last season, that has now shot up to 43% at the moment.

Obviously spot-up shooting shifts things for him and this team, but his demanding presence on the ball has made him an even bigger off the dribble three-point threat.

He has put in the work, and it’s paying off on the floor. Drop coverage was always a sign that a big Herro game could be in play, but he’s found ways to make switching defenses pay just as often.

And that’s the true tell between a young player who got hot early in a season, and a young player in the middle of that leap.

Mid-post killers: Jimmy Butler finds his home base, Bam Adebayo still searching for his

The only time we’ve been able to bundle up Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo in the same conversation in recent years has been on the defensive end. Both can take over on the end of the floor, and have similar reactions to passing lanes, rotations, and pure perimeter hounding.

But to begin the season, another common thread has been found among these two: offensive positioning.

The Heat have skyrocketed in their post-play, and it’s not the Pat Riley coaching days “post-play” that I’m talking about. Miami occupies that mid-post right inside the wing on almost every possession as a way to get everybody into their spots.

Markieff Morris has found himself there, Kyle Lowry has found his way there once or twice, among others. But clearly, Butler and Adebayo are the sticking points of that section.

Butler has taken off in this new “role,” which hasn’t included much changing. The only offensive shift for him in this spot is less of an urge to play-make, consequently elevating his play to another level immediately.

There’s a reason Butler is top 5 in the MVP race at this time, and it has a lot to do with the spread out floor for him to play in isolation, get to the rim, get to the free throw line, and well, knock down that mid-range jumper that’s been falling all season so far.

For Butler, that is his home-base.

Adebayo, on the other hand, has caused many discussions about his offensive role with this new team, and I think that speaks volume. When in that mid-post spot, should it be more inside post-play scores? Should he face-up into that jumper? Should he rely on play-making for others?

In many ways, the simplification for him hasn’t been as seamless as that for Herro in his bench role.

For what it’s worth, Adebayo has had a great start to the season numbers wise, and continues to be that defensive glue for Miami’s top 4 defensive rating. But as we know, there’s still much more to untap with him.

With all of that said, Adebayo must find his home-base in that mid-post. In my personal opinion, he looks most comfortable in that face-up game where he can pick his spots and utilize his biggest offensive strength against bigger defenders: his speed.

Both of Miami’s top dogs are mid-post killers, but only one of them has totally felt right at home. It’s coming for Adebayo, since not everything just works out perfectly through 20 games of basketball in this league.

Kyle Lowry and Duncan Robinson simply awaiting for 3’s to fall, but could new perimeter spotting be on the way?

The shooting of Duncan Robinson has probably been the biggest worry among Heat observers to begin the season, and Kyle Lowry is right behind him. The team has transformed into a fully three-point shooting team to a group that has a “good shooting night” when they shoot above 30% from beyond the arc.

Herro’s kept them afloat. PJ Tucker’s kept them afloat. But Robinson and Lowry have been the anchored forces to them being a middle of the pack 3 point shooting team.

So much has been discussed about this specific topic, but now that we’re 20 games in, some slight changes in exact offensive positioning should be on the way. Lowry and Robinson each shot 42% on catch and shoot threes last season, which is now at 29% and 32% respectively.

Yes, things will come back to normal sooner or later, which has already come into fruition in the 20th game in Chicago, but in the meantime, weak-side operation can’t continually be the answer. Through a quarter of the season, it’s been a ton of Robinson awaiting the ball to fall into his lap, which has not been him at any point of his NBA career.

He needs to seek that ball out, receive more high pick and roll reps which transformed his shooting last season, and continually make that pocket pass as defenders continue to double out at him no matter his shooting percentages.

Lowry, on the other hand, needs to get back to his usual ways. More transition pull-ups like his days in Toronto, more quick pulls after sliding across the pick at the top of the key, and more corner spotting.

Could it almost mean Robinson and Lowry switching roles at times?

Lowry in the corner should be used more down the stretch of games, which have been a struggle. The reasoning is that no defender is dipping far off Lowry on that baseline, and Robinson on the strong-side of plays have shown to be a cheat code over the years.

Up to this point, those two have almost been flipped in that type of usage.

Either way, it all comes down to making open shots. And if the team’s biggest problem through 20 games of basketball is Duncan Robinson and Kyle Lowry consistently making an open gym triple, then they’re sitting in a great spot.

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Defensively: soft switching worries, individual match-up dominance, and additional creative options

This has been pretty offensive centric so far in this piece, but with this Heat team, I don’t know if that’s very fair to initially project. The Heat are currently 4th in defensive rating so far this season, and as you scroll through your favorite social media app, you would probably think it was the exact opposite.

A main reason is that when it comes to defense, poor defensive possessions stick out more than good ones. So Robinson or Herro getting picked on in isolation may immediately jump off the screen, but their positioning on the weak-side on the play before isn’t mentioned once.

I bring this up because that’s been the case with the Heat’s soft switching so far. It’s 100% problematic many nights when the opposing team has talented perimeter players who can pick out mismatches, meaning Lowry, Robinson, or Herro is fighting for their hypothetical life down on the block against 7 foot monsters.

It’s also why they allow so many threes, since the soft switch basically gives ball-handlers a half-second to pull when a screen comes, or allows a screener to slip to cause mayhem defensively. And when teams capitalize like the Wizards did in Miami’s loss, it just plainly stands out.

There are solutions to anything that is thrown at you at the NBA level, but it’s why Spo has so many things up his sleeve. Guys like Gabe Vincent and Caleb Martin have played their roles even better than originally expected, just due to the defensive strategy based around them.

A 2-2-1 press backed into a 2-3 zone has been the cure for fast offensive teams many nights. But what do you think gets discussed more, those adjustments or the soft switching?

Like I said before, they’re definitely going to have to tweak it slightly though, just because this is a team that won’t fully die-out on screens and can handle most individual match-ups. PJ Tucker can essentially guard 1 through 5, Butler’s playing some of the best weak-side defense of his career, and Adebayo is still up there for DPOY.

The point is that this team has been a major defensive force in this early span of games, and more flaws have been recognized than strengths. That’s the formula for a team with true elite defensive potential.

PJ Tucker’s short roll and corner worries shifting the offense

Herro has exceeded expectations for sure, but not to the level that PJ Tucker has to kick off the season. Usually young players are the only ones that can truly shift a pre-season projection, but Tucker has taken that to another level.

We know who he is as a player. A major defensive threat, which as I said, can defend positions 1-5. He plays bigger than his 6 foot 5 height, mostly through rebounding by becoming one of the best box-out guys in the league. But with all that said, the reason the number on his deal was a bit slimmer than you’d expect is due to the offensive limitations.

But those have quickly vanished.

After shooting 32% on catch and shoot threes last season, it has spiked to 45% to begin the year.

As I stated earlier, he has essentially leveled off the poor shooting of Miami’s starting back-court, which was in no way an expectation coming in. The thing about that though is it’s not just about that high percentage or the number of attempts he’s putting up.

But it’s actually the pull he currently has on defenses. When you’re best players thrive off open lane drives, and isolation frequency rises, you need that corner defender to think twice before going for the tag. And that has been the case many plays up to this point.

He’s also making them pay in a totally off the wall position of the floor on the offensive end: a roll and float. Running hand-offs and setting screens is no surprise in his role with the way Coach Spoelstra describes him as one of the league’s best screeners, but it’s what comes next.

Two flash to Robinson, he hits Tucker in the pocket, and you worry about what comes next. Do you want a limited power forward running the 4 on 3 on the back-side? Well, now you do.

Tucker gets to the middle of the floor, rises with two feet off the floor, and flicks up a right handed floater. Bucket.

That’s become his staple, and it’s gotten Miami out of a bunch of sticky situations. A 36 year old veteran should not be adding to his bag in this way, but he truly has in this not-so-similar role around this stable group.

Exceeding expectations is one thing. But taking over games in more than just the rebounding column or defensive metrics is another.

 

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Five Takeaways from Heat’s Loss to Minnesota

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The Heat fell short against the Minnesota Timberwolves on Wednesday night, in a pretty physical match to say the least.

Emotional highs to on-court lows, here are five takeaways from this one…

#1: An attacking Bam Adebayo to start, but a struggling Bam Adebayo to finish.

Bam Adebayo was a hot topic on social media prior to this game, and it was for some slightly different reasons. Much of it was discussing the current placements of him as an offensive threat, and my feelings on this have always stayed consistent: getting to the rim should be number one. He’s faster than most bigs he matches up with, and he’s stronger than most guards that switch onto him. Early tonight, we saw a driving Adebayo. Minnesota couldn’t stop fouling him, which usually is a great thing for Bam, but for some reason he couldn’t get his free throws to drop. And those misses ended up hurting this Heat team in the end. After that attacking mindset early on, Minnesota quickly made him uncomfortable in the fourth down low, which ultimately put Miami in the biggest hole of the night.

#2: Welcome, Gabe Vincent.

Max Strus being knocked out of Miami’s nine man rotation right now is not something I expected at all, especially considering Markieff Morris has still yet to return. Caleb Martin has basically been the Morris replacer, and he’s done that extremely well. The replacer for Strus, on the other hand, has been Gabe Vincent, and he’s making his minutes felt. For one, there’s essentially an entire defensive scheme that is aligned with his minutes, with the 2-3 zone. But secondly, his three ball was finally falling, which leads to a completely different player. He has the role player qualities, he has strong defensive capabilities, but shooting off the catch when the defense is rotating has been the one missing piece. Yet, it was filled in tonight’s game, continuing to justify his trust for Vincent off the bench in this stretch.

#3: Tyler Herro pushing aside rough starts: the number one year to year change.

I’ve done a ton of Tyler Herro talk recently, both on paper and audibly, but there’s one thing that must be mentioned aside from the X’s and O’s. Herro hasn’t had many “rough starts,” but there is a common denominator to that when he does: he finds a way to shoot his way out of it and bounce back. It’s something many young players struggle with, and it’s something he’s struggled with specifically in recent years. But this year, he just keeps fighting to get to his spots, keeps putting the ball up, and keeps hoping for a positive result. Since ultimately, when you’re as talented as he is, there’s a certain amount of confidence it will return. Not that it has to jump off the stat-sheet as an efficient night, but mentally that corner must be turned. It wasn’t fully turned tonight in that way, but at least there’s more trust in him late even with those odd starts.

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#4: Whistles, technical fouls, and well, Udonis Haslem.

One of my takeaways have to be looked at from a wide lens: this game was pretty weird for a while there. A stretched out third quarter with technical fouls flying toward Udonis Haslem on the sideline, Kyle Lowry receiving his 5th foul, and Jimmy Butler-fan interactions. There was just absolutely no flow whatsoever, including long stoppages as the officials evaluated the positioning of Karl Anthony Towns and Gabe Vincent on a foul call. Usually games like this are a wake up call to this gritty Heat team immediately, but the Timberwolves have a dawg themselves in Anthony Edwards who thrives in the environment as well. Both teams weren’t backing down from a player on player perspective, but on the floor, Miami lost that battle.

#5: Kyle Lowry and Jimmy Butler switching on and off in the second half.

Kyle Lowry is watching from the sideline as one of the longest quarters continues to drag out in the third. With 5 fouls next to his name, he wasn’t going to see the floor until the fourth quarter. And after a horrible offensive quarter with that “in the mud” play-style due to constant whistles, he changed things to begin the 4th. Miami was down 88-82 at the beginning of the quarter, but by next timeout, the Heat led 89-88. That was thanks to Lowry settling the guys around him in an emotional game. But while Butler is the one on the bench now, Minnesota came right back with back-to-back threes of their own, leaving Miami in a frenzy for that other guy. Bam Adebayo couldn’t play his game down low with the swarming defenders, and it leaves a major takeaway for the need of Lowry and Butler to be out there together. It’s not possible most nights due to staggering, but that’s the changing factor. And yet, shortly after Butler entered, Lowry exited with his 6th foul.

 

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Five Takeaways from Heat’s Loss to Wizards

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The Miami Heat fell short in Washington on Saturday night, even alongside another big time Jimmy Butler night. The threes couldn’t fall once again, and it ultimately lost them a close one.

So, here are five takeaways from this one, mostly highlighting some individual takeaways from Miami’s core…

#1: Miami’s first half sums up the team’s new look theme.

1 for 14. That’s the Heat’s stat-line from three in the first half tonight. It feels like I start these pieces the same way every night, but that’s just because Miami keeps starting their games in the same way every night. Aside from an immediate Tyler Herro three when he came in, the team just couldn’t get a shot to fall from the outside for that entire 24 minutes. 43 points in that stretch of time tells you that as well, but there’s one more thing to keep in mind: the Heat were winning at that point. They have a very gritty group of guys who just battle when the game is in the mud, and if we’re talking about the first half specifically, Caleb Martin and PJ Tucker were huge reasons for that. When you can embody this new defensive team theme, role players are much more valuable in this setting. But as we saw, when there’s a scoring drop-off on the roster, it puts you in a very tough spot to win.

#2: Jimmy Butler spamming moves and getting buckets.

Jimmy Butler has been in the MVP race to begin this season, and it’s not just because of big numbers in the scoring column and fun post-game comments. For one, he’s been terrific on the defensive end per usual. Doubling when he chooses, handling his specific match-up, and getting pick sixes like another corner-back in town. But his offensive efficiency and impact has been incredible. He’s basically spammed one move for the past 3 games of the season, and it just couldn’t be stopped. Post position, get to the mid-range, and turn-around and fire. That shot has been falling, but the difficulty of those shots is the more important part to note. It’s a new team around him, which means new spots to operate.

#3: A big time Bam Adebayo addition: the usage of his shoulder in the post.

Bam Adebayo has made some pretty intriguing minor improvements this season. Overall feel, pursuing certain spots on the floor in the half-court, and now, a post gadget. A hot topic with Adebayo recently has been about him getting in the post more often, taking advantage of smaller defenders. But what about when he’s being defended by guys his size? That shouldn’t always equate to just shooting the mid-range jumper, so Adebayo’s beginning to put that added muscle to use. He’s utilizing the shoulder to create just enough space for quick hooks under the basket, or space to fire over the top. That stuff jumped right off the screen tonight, and his engagement in actually being aggressive allows it to shine even more.

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#4: PJ Tucker, a steal, literally and figuratively.

Describing PJ Tucker as a steal is fitting just through his defensive presence on a night to night basis, but it completely transcends that. In terms of off-season pick-ups, Tucker had to be one of the best this past season, just through the lens of outplaying the money on the deal. For starters, the first half can be viewed in many different ways, but Tucker kept it close in a stretch where the game shouldn’t have been close. Fighting on the offensive boards and providing extra possessions was the major element, just continuing to do the dirty work like he always does. Then in the second half, Tucker’s scoring returned, including back to back possessions with corner threes from the same spot. When offense gets rolling and the primary scorers do what they do, defenders almost have to dip off Tucker in his spots. But well, he’s made them pay every single night.

#5: Tyler Herro flipping the script in terms of counteracting his scoring.

The catch and shoot three really plummeted for Tyler Herro last season in comparison to his rookie year. That led to him expanding his scoring inside the arc little by little, which has totally exploded to begin this season. But the interesting thing about a returning Herro on Saturday night against the Wizards, is that he did exactly the opposite in this one. He began the game 3 for 10 from the field, and just looked a little flat with all of his shots coming up short in the middle of the floor. That led to him firing from deep shortly after, and well, that got him going. Two above the break triples set him off in the second half, and everything just stemmed from there offensively. He’s doing some really veteran-like things just through his scoring reads against different coverages, and it isn’t going anywhere. But down the stretch of the game, he was being picked on defensively as the Wizards were taking him off the dribble each and every possession.

 

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Five Takeaways from Heat’s Win Over the Wizards

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The Miami Heat beat the Washington Wizards on Thursday night, and it was another big night for Jimmy Butler. Even with Tyler Herro out due to a wrist injury, others stepped up off the bench.

So, here are five takeaways from another Heat win…

#1: Jimmy Butler playing his own game, with a different speed.

Scoring mode Jimmy Butler has taken the floor for most of Miami’s games this season. Much of that has to do with Kyle Lowry stripping some of the play-making duties from him, while it’s also just him taking advantage of match-ups and spots of the floor. Tonight, he was playing his usual offensive game, but it was at a different speed. Even when Lowry isn’t on the floor, Butler has made it a part of his routine to grab it and go, which really fits the supporting cast on this team, more specifically the bench. But if that mid-range jumper continues to fall, and he continues to draw that whistle and get to the line, MVP ladder Jimmy Butler isn’t going anywhere.

#2: Tyler Herro out. Gabe Vincent in. And he was ready for the offensive load.

With Tyler Herro out, it was clear they were going to need one or two scoring threats to step up off the bench. Gabe Vincent has been that guy before, but he hasn’t really been that at all recently. But there’s a difference between being inserted into Lowry’s role and Herro’s role. We saw the difference in that tonight. He actually saw quite some time next to Lowry, which enhances his scoring skill even more. He was driving with authority to eventually open up the jumper, and that looks to be the formula for success. If he has match-ups that are around his size and he can play his physical game, he’s in a good spot.

#3: The halftime takeaway: three-point shooting struggles, yet 7 point lead.

The three-point shooting watch has been much different for the Miami Heat this season than previous years. Previously, their percentage in that category could tell you if they were winning or losing at a certain point. Yet, this isn’t a “three-point shooting” team anymore. The Heat were up 47-40 at the half, while shooting 14% from three at that point. Like I said: different. The reason they’re able to still be in a winning spot is due to the efficiency of their two-point shots. Mid-ranges drop on this team, they can get to the rim, and frankly, they had 14 free throw attempts at the half to the Wizards’ 7. They can win in different ways, which is just simply something new.

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#4: Bam Adebayo picking his spots perfectly as an inside threat. An inside the 3 point line threat.

One thing was clear when this game started, and it was that Bam Adebayo was going to get shots up tonight. They weren’t really falling right out the gate, but that changed rather quickly. The main reason for that is he’s picking his spots at such a high level right now, and isn’t afraid to pull-up for that interior jumper. That exact type of play is how he creates gravity for his team. Once that occurred and Miami got a switch down low, the Wizards’ defense had to think twice. It’s not that they were full-out doubling him, but they dipped off the corner shooters just enough. That led to an absolute zip pass from Adebayo in the post one possession to an awaiting PJ Tucker in the corner. And that’s the whole story with Adebayo on the offensive end this season.

#5: Caleb Martin: a two-way steal, but not a two-way for long.

Speaking of guys stepping up off the bench with Tyler Herro out, Caleb Martin’s name must come up since he’s been doing that all season. A power forward goes down, here is Caleb Martin entering. Jimmy Butler goes down, here is Caleb Martin entering. Kyle Lowry goes down, here is Caleb Martin entering. The only knock that can be found against him right now is that he has a 50 game limit, and he could be used in many more. But well, that contract could always be tweaked, and it feels like we’re rapidly approaching that point. Swarming defense, effective offense, and tons and tons of athleticism is the type of guy you need to lock up with the thinness of this bench.

 

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Five Takeaways from Heat’s Win Over Jazz

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The Miami Heat had a very rough start to the road trip, but they got it back on track in probably the most unexpected matchup. They beat the Utah Jazz on Saturday night, and it wasn’t just one guy.

And well, to win without Jimmy Butler, you must have full contribution from the squad, which Miami did.

Anyway, here are five takeaways from this game tonight…

#1: Duncan Robinson. That’s my takeaway.

Seeing the ball go through the hoop for Duncan Robinson was not only important for Heat fans, but Robinson himself. Once one dropped early, it led to a flurry that quickly followed, which is exactly the type of stretch so many have been awaiting. As I’ve been saying all season, it wasn’t anything mechanical that has changed. And it wasn’t anything schematically that changed majorly either. It was just all in his head, and a two-game stretch where he shoots the ball well is all he needs. Some may say that one game will do the job, but him building on that confidence to do it two straight will be key for what’s to come. And well, it’s coming.

#2: PJ Tucker deserves some love.

We all know PJ Tucker is a good basketball player, and an important one at that for this team. But I truly don’t think he gets enough credit for all the small stuff he does on a nightly basis. Bail out wing threes with the shot clock expiring aside, the dude just does the dirty work. For his size, his rebounding is just so absolutely impressive, and it begins with his high level box-outs on guys who are much lengthier than him. Another element to this is his ability to step up into roles on this team that you wouldn’t expect. One of those was his offensive filler for Jimmy Butler, leaving him crossing half-court with the ball in his hands, and play-making from the mid-post position inside the wing. That’s not PJ Tucker, but it is when he’s called to do a task. And that’s why he deserves some love.

#3: The need for a back-up point guard is harped on, but it’s actually not the biggest hole.

Switching into some transactional/roster construction talk, there’s a common theme about this Heat team whenever guys go out. The need for a back-up point guard. Seeing Gabe Vincent continue to struggle offensively in that role upon being inserted may have put that on blast a bit more, but there’s a position that is needed so much more: front-court depth. Two guys get injured and what’s the plan for Miami? Just substitute Duncan Robinson, Max Strus, and Caleb Martin in for each other at the 4. We’re overlooking the element that Miami’s utilizing their guard depth to fill front-court holes, which is the bigger issue. It’s clear this team doesn’t trust Omer Yurtseven or KZ Okpala at this time, and Udonis Haslem is just unable to play for extended stretches. Hence, the bigger issue at hand in the big picture.

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#4: Bam Adebayo had a good game, but one skill shined through.

Bam Adebayo is one of those guys who just does everything well on the basketball court. He can score in a multitude of ways, lock up your best player, and rebound at a high level. The one thing I didn’t mention: his passing. In my opinion, this was by far his best passing game of the season. Not in terms of assists in the box score, but through pure vision. His head was on a swivel, he was finding back-door cutters, and really taking matters into his own hands in that department without Butler, and even Kyle Lowry for a stretch. We know how good of a passer/play-maker he really is, but sometimes it needs to be reminded how much of it is just pure talent for his size and position.

#5: Kyle Lowry the scorer returns. As Bam says, “I like that aggressive Kyle.”

Much like Bam Adebayo, many Heat observers “like that aggressive Kyle.” That’s even more important to see when Jimmy Butler is out, but as we took away from the loss against the Clippers, waiting until the fourth quarter for Lowry time just won’t do the job. And it doesn’t always have to be the three-ball that allows him to be that guy. Actually, it’s preferably just the opposite. When he’s getting to that elbow pull-up and taking opposing bigs in isolation seems to be when he’s at his best as a scorer. Even fluctuating from that transition passing threat to transition scoring threat. Bam Adebayo loves aggressive Kyle. Jimmy Butler loves aggressive Kyle. Everybody loves aggressive Kyle. Why is that? It almost always translates to a W in the win column.

 

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The Importance of the Miami Heat’s Mismatch Hunting

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When you’re without Jimmy Butler, you’re best players have to do Jimmy Butler things. Not just by picking up his usual points per game or defensive role, but sustaining the things that allow the offense to work on a nightly basis.

One of those things is applying rim pressure, since although guys like Kyle Lowry are highly capable of doing so, he just hasn’t been as regularly active in that department as he once was. That’s not a huge deal since it hasn’t been a major role of his, but it is necessary when Butler isn’t on the floor on a specific night.

(Enter Lowry’s fourth quarter vs the Clippers)

The switch flipped when Miami went down in the fourth, as Lowry was doing anything he wanted with the ball in his hands from deep heaves to easy blow-bys at the rim.

As much as Lowry showed out in the fourth, Bam Adebayo did so in the first quarter. He came out with an offensive purpose, which is something many of us want to see even when Butler is on the floor. He was showcasing mid-range jumpers, sliding into specific slots as the roll man, and much more.

But the common denominator between the first quarter from Adebayo and the fourth quarter from Lowry: mismatch hunting. That was when Miami’s offense was at its’ best, but the issue with that sentiment is that it never seems to be sustained throughout 48 minutes of basketball.

Lowry just didn’t have it going for about 3 and a half quarters against the Clippers. A lot of that had to do with the overarching reliance on the three-ball falling, which probably shouldn’t be the element that is harped on in these spots.

Instead, the part of his game that should be the fall-back plan is what he resorted to in the fourth quarter: picking on the bigs.

Against a team that heavily switches like the Clippers, that has Kyle Lowry written all over it. Tyler Herro had a decent game as well, but the ball would’ve most likely been in his hands more often if they were facing drop coverage all night.

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Looking at the clips above, he does one thing so well in these spots, and it’s getting big guys on their heels once he gets the full commitment on the switch. Jimmy Butler, on the other hand, usually puts together a full back dive to the rim before utilizing close to 10 pump-fakes, but Lowry does quite the opposite.

After seeing it work to perfection in the fourth, it raises an interesting question: why did it take that long?

It felt like that would be the initial read in a close game like this without Butler, and ultimately, the length of time it took for Miami to get to it kind of hurt them.

Bam Adebayo, though, knew the plan coming in with that specifically. But sticking to it was the problem there.

A hot topic with Adebayo for quite some time is punishing smaller defenders in the post. It’s something Lowry has helped with a ton through his re-insertions whenever Bam would try to pass it back out to Lowry on the perimeter.

Last night, he was going to find guards on him down there frequently, and he didn’t waste any time.

An early back-down on Batum was a great sign to start out the game, turning around with zero hesitation to shoot right over the top of him. A little later, Adebayo did something a little similar by backing down Reggie Jackson, which although the whistles were flying all over the place, he ended up getting the bucket to further the theme.

But something to make note of is this was all the first quarter.

As I said before, he exploded in that quarter, but the most important thing about it was that he adjusted to what the defense was giving him and made the most of it. But when that second adjustment came in throughout the game to double Adebayo on the catch, they just resorted to simple kick-outs and spot-up threes.

Which frankly is not their game this season.

No Jimmy Butler means the minor things he provides are magnified. One of those things is the way he can slow down the game down the stretch once it gets choppy. And the second thing is finding mismatches and attacking them against teams like this.

Miami did it for two quarters with two different players, but finding the balance to slowly sustain it throughout 48 minutes is the key element. This doesn’t need to be put on blast with Butler on the floor, but without him, it jumps off the screen.

 

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Five Takeaways from Heat’s Loss to Clippers

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This was a pretty up and down game for the Miami Heat. Hot first quarter generated from Bam Adebayo to a poor second quarter to a worse third quarter to a Kyle Lowry fourth quarter explosion.

Through that roller coaster of a game, Miami fell just short at the end in a game that they missed Jimmy Butler.

Anyway, here are five takeaways from this game…

#1: Bam Adebayo comes out with a purpose offensively: breathing the Brooklyn air.

One lob from Kyle Lowry was the starting point for a hugely dominant first quarter for Bam Adebayo. Following that sole enhancement, he was creating shots all by himself inside the arc. Mid-range jumper to strong drives to more mid-range jumpers. 19 points through that span left me thinking of one specific night: that game in Barclays Center. No Jimmy Butler meant it was his time to score, and deja vu had arrived. Now, the interesting thing about this topic is the way the defense can quickly shift to take that away. One less option on that end meant the Clippers could begin to double Adebayo on the catch down low, especially considering Lowry couldn’t buy a bucket to start.

#2: Can Miami Heat consistency be coming?

There are a lot of things that can be seen from that first half specifically in a positive or negative light. Aside from the positive light of Adebayo and Tyler Herro, the negative light is more team oriented. One of those things is the overall three-point shooting that just can’t get going no matter what, but another thing is team consistency. Not from one night to the next, but from one quarter to the next. Miami came out firing in that first quarter and swarming on the defensive end, but the second quarter flipped the coin. Miami’s thin depth means that was kind of expected, but not being able to shut down the opposing team’s three-point opportunities can be problematic. They went to that 2-3 zone for a bit which had it’s moments, but having some type of game rhythm from quarter to quarter in this league is going to be absolutely crucial.

#3: Tyler Herro can make things happen out of any scenario.

Early sixth man of the year candidate, Tyler Herro, was going to need to get it going once again on Thursday night against the Los Angeles Clippers. The reason for that: well, no Butler and a carrying Adebayo needed that extra guy on that end. Adebayo and Herro combined for 38 points at the half, while the rest of the team scored 20, but it’s actually the way that he’s doing it. Continuing to shift East to West in quick maneuvers to fire over his defender, but also turning the corner in a way he hasn’t done so in past years. His downhill bag is so much broader than it once was, just due to that half-a-second extra speed on those quick dives on the ball. Herro will be a takeaway most nights this season, which is exactly my big picture takeaway tonight.

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#4: Kyle Lowry’s rough 3 and a half quarters, plus the strong 1/2 quarter.

For starters, the Duncan Robinson three-point struggles is something I’ve discussed for quite some time now, but something interesting is that Kyle Lowry has been right there with him for many spurts this year. And yet, Lowry would agree with that sentiment, as he proclaims himself in many post-game press conferences. The reason it isn’t as loud as the Robinson conversation is that he does so many other things, beginning with setting everybody else up on offense. Those struggles were the case again tonight for the first 3 and a half quarters, but that stuff got thrown out the window real quick. While it lasted for much of the game, he came alive late by scoring 11 straight points in the fourth. Drive-bys, pull-up threes, free throw line trips, plus and-1 finishes with under 1 minute and 30 seconds to go. One of the best individual quarters of the season.

#5: Big picture, Max Strus will be a major piece this season.

Max Strus enters the game for the first time in some time, and buries his first two threes on back to back possessions. After that, he quickly tailed off and missed his next six. Aside from that, there’s no doubt that he changes a lot of things for this team, and even more than originally expected. He’s not just a bench piece that can hit some threes, but he’s a rotational wild card. Duncan Robinson is struggling? Throw in Strus. Multiple rotational players are out? Utilize Strus even more. Need more spacing in a lineup? Strus enters. The point is that he’s more versatile on this team than expected, not just from an on-court perspective, but from a utilization perspective. And in the big picture, with a fully healthy squad, he’s going to be quite the threat for this offense.

 

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Five Takeaways from Heat’s Win Over Hornets

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The Miami Heat took down the Charlotte Hornets on Friday night to improve to 4-1 on the season. Miami took care of business on both ends early, through scoring domination from Butler, Adebayo, and Herro, plus a continuation of that swarming defense against the league’s best offense.

Charlotte did make a run in the second half, but Miami held them off. So, here are five takeaways from this game…

#1: The help Lowry is providing for Butler is different from the rest. 

I’m not just going to discuss the help Kyle Lowry is providing to those around him after every night like this, but it’s actually quite necessary. We may be wondering what the difference is specifically in Jimmy Butler’s urge to score right out the gate each night, and the answer is simply Lowry. Why is that? Well, Butler had a lot on his plate last season. Go-to scorer, go-to facilitator, etc. Not that he can’t handle that, but handing out roles like their name tags to begin the year has allowed Lowry to be that passer who doesn’t have to worry about scoring, and vice versa for Butler. Jimmy may be a natural play-maker, but it not being needed from him allows him to be this strong attacker that we essentially haven’t seen since the bubble with the number of attempts.

#2: Tyler Herro continues to “Heat up,” allowing veterans to “cool down.”

Tyler Herro is another topic that we will probably end up discussing most nights. He entered the game off the bench per usual, and continued to put the ball in the basket at a high level per usual. Oh, and the key word: efficiently. 18 points in 14 first half minutes on 7 of 8 shooting is pretty good in my opinion. The three was falling, he was getting to the rim, and that mid-range/floater go-to is still his number one skill on that end. It isn’t just about the ball falling through the hoop, it’s that he’s getting to his spots at a completely different level. Step-backs, step-throughs, and no hesitance on the pull. As this scoring continued, Butler sat on the bench without the need for him to make eye contact with Spo to go back in. This is a new team. They can survive without him for stretches, which is huge for this squad, yet it wasn’t possible last season.

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#3: Rebounding domination continues, uniting Spo and Riley’s play-styles.

I can’t say that I expected Miami to dominate the boards in this way this season, and I don’t think they expected it either. There are a couple reasons for it. 1) Guys like PJ Tucker and Markieff Morris may not have that extreme lengthy build, but that doesn’t always equal good rebounding. With that broad build, the box-outs are supreme, allowing the rebounding numbers to be spread out evenly with guards like Herro and Lowry crashing the boards. 2) Bam Adebayo is a clear-cut rebounding threat. It’s not that he wasn’t in the past, but the defensive schematics allow him to actually be in position for them more often this season. Since he’s not defending a guard on the perimeter every single play anymore, he finds himself down low on the box, awaiting the ball to fly off the rim. And well, that’s the formula.

#4: Miami’s role player run ends.

This may not be a stand-out takeaway, but it’s an interesting trend to keep track of. It’s not just about Miami’s role players basically carrying them against Brooklyn on Wednesday night, but there’s been one role player in every Heat win that stepped up when needed. Tonight, they didn’t have that big time game from a role player. To counter that, Miami just had Butler, Adebayo, and Herro rolling on the same night, which means the role players like Morris and Tucker can just do what they usually do on the floor aside from scoring. But if the shooting from Duncan Robinson and Lowry continues, they’re going to need somebody to shine if one of the main guys have an off night, and from what I’ve seen, I’m confident they will.

#5: At some point, shots will need to fall for Robinson-Lowry.

Kyle Lowry’s shot is going to need to fall sooner or later, since it hasn’t yet this season, but all of the other stuff he provides basically hides the poor shooting. Duncan Robinson, on the other hand, is right in that spotlight, due to the fact there were high expectations on him as one of the league’s premier three-point shooters. But to start the season, it’s been real ugly in that area. There’s still a certain level of focus on Robinson on the offensive end, but open shots are being generated for him quite regularly, and it’s almost as if he’s better with a hand in his face. Yet, with Herro’s name flying higher and higher up the scouting report, Robinson will have to get real comfortable in wide open spot-up threes. And aside from that recency bias, he clearly will.

 

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Five Takeaways from Heat’s Overtime Loss in Indiana

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The Miami Heat fell short in OT to the Indiana Pacers, in a game that was the basketball definition of “in the mid.” Jimmy Butler just couldn’t put the ball in the basket, and without Kyle Lowry, it became the Tyler Herro show late.

On a very rough offensive night, here are some takeaways walking away from this game…

#1: Bam Adebayo’s aggression stays consistent early on, but unfortunately fades late in terms of offensive set-ups.

The Heat are 8 minutes into a pretty uneven start to this game. Bam Adebayo with 6 shot attempts, rest of Miami with 7 total shot attempts. This wasn’t just an abnormal aggressive start from Adebayo. This is just him now. Pulling up with zero hesitance on that inner wing, attacking the basket right at Myles Turner and Damantas Sabonis like he always does against this team for some odd reason, and getting to the line due to that driving urge. The point is this: if it can get to a point where it’s expected instead of hopeful, then that’s a fantastic starting point. Nobody will question an inefficient night at this stage of his career, the same way many will question an unwillingness to shoot. The issue with that is he faded late. When offense grew more and more stagnant in overtime, it was forced jumpers from Butler and double teams flying to Herro. In a game like this, Adebayo must be set-up late the way he was set-up early.

#2: Kyle Lowry out, Gabe Vincent in. What does that mean for the rotation status?

Kyle Lowry was a game time decision for this game and ended up sitting out, which I don’t think was a bad choice considering it’s only game two. As I expected, Gabe Vincent stepped into the starting lineup, since well, that’s the Erik Spoelstra way. But after a slow start from Vincent, it may lead to some questioning the insertion, but let me just say that move is even more necessary in a game like this. Things clearly fell apart in the non-Butler and Adebayo minutes like they did last season, and starting Tyler Herro means you’re making the minute distribution even worse. Vincent looked very predictable in his minutes, since his defender seemed to always know exactly what he was doing before he even did it. But a major point of emphasis in a game without Lowry is to put Herro in the right spots, which they did…

#3: The growth of Tyler Herro is real…and it’s not just one thing.

When walking away from the first half, the primary takeaways were all negative: lacking full-on engagement, Butler’s shots weren’t falling, Dewayne Dedmon looked a step slow with that ankle injury, etc. But a positive element somehow outshined those other things: Tyler Herro. A 16 point performance in the first half through 16 minutes doesn’t do his evaluation justice. Movement shots on the baseline, carving up the mid-range with ease, and utilizing that added muscle by embracing contact on the attack. That stuff is brand new. We can sit here and breakdown the “growth” from Herro to begin this season, but it truly isn’t one thing. He’s just comfortable, and combining that with an immense amount of confidence to lead the team in shots in the first half by 5 attempts is pretty interesting. And then capping it off with clutch shot after clutch shot late in the fourth is a completely different story. The emergence is here.

#4: Miami’s third quarter fight finds an offensive set that is quite intriguing.

Jimmy Butler had a rough game shooting the basketball, but he did find other ways to chip away with this team. One way of doing that was defensively, and the other was trying new things on the offensive end. Early in the third, Butler found himself on another isolation on the inner wing, which hasn’t worked all night. Duncan Robinson makes his way around the wing instead, Butler hands it off to him, and two Indiana defenders fly at him. Robinson dumps it down to Butler on the short roll: easy score. A few possessions later, the same thing is seen again. Robinson draws attention on the hand-off, Butler gets it in the middle of the floor and lays it in. But is it just that simple? Well it is, until Robinson adds that dribbling element like he did late in the third. The third Butler DHO for Robinson was seen, but they were ready for the roll this time. Robinson gets to his right, finds space inside, and banks it in. This offensive wrinkle sparked them tonight, and could be a base moving forward.

#5: This team is going to play in the mud a ton.

When I say that this Heat team will find themselves playing in the mud frequently this season, that isn’t a knock on their offense. It’s putting this defensive structure on a pedestal. Miami had trouble scoring as well, but holding this Pacers team to 8 points in the third quarter after the way they came out shooting wasn’t accidental. Even without Lowry and using plenty of Robinson-Herro lineups, this team stayed true to their identity. Not because of pure athleticism or defensive abilities, but through perfect positioning on that end. The number of charges drawn in this one should tell you enough about how this game went, but even on rotations, this team found themselves in the right spot time and time again. Many may look at a stat sheet from the second half and say Indiana had an off shooting stretch, but it was actually the pressure Miami put on them on that end when the offensive stuff wasn’t clicking. But after the team offense truly never “clicked,” the defense finally broke down late, leading to an overtime loss.

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Breaking Down the Shifting Role of Butler, Adebayo, and Herro

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EDITOR’S NOTE: FIVE REASONS SPORTS IS PARTNERING WITH OUR GOOD FRIENDS OVER AT PICKUP TO GIVE AWAY FANATICS ($20 VALUE) TO 3 LUCKY WINNERS. ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS MAKE YOUR PICK ON THE PICKUP PROP IN THIS ARTICLE AND FOLLOW THE STEPS TO VERIFY YOUR PICK FOR A CHANCE TO WIN.
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In many ways, Kyle Lowry doesn’t have a true weakness at this stage of his career.

He can still hold his own at the point of attack, sets others up in a way that Miami hasn’t had in forever, and can win a game by 42 points with only 1 field goal made.

In that all-around role, it has shown an incredible expansion for the players around him. The 27 points from Tyler Herro, 21 points from Jimmy Butler, and 20 points from Bam Adebayo isn’t the only reason I say that after beating a Bucks team without key players, but instead it’s the way they’re generating these looks and scoring 137 points in a game.

This is a super talented defensive team, but the descriptions don’t end there: this team can put up points…

Bam Adebayo:

Kyle Lowry Forcing Him into More and More Shot Attempts

How is Bam Adebayo’s aggression coming together so fluidly to begin the year. Is it the natural evolution of a young player like Erik Spoelstra noted? Is Adebayo going through those motions with a purpose? Or is it just simply Kyle Lowry?

Adebayo seems to think it’s the latter.

“It’s really because of Kyle in all honesty.”

It’s one thing to just put it out there in that sense, but it’s another thing for it to be absolutely correct when watching the game film. Yes, we see Adebayo “just going” even when Lowry is on the sideline, but there’s a specific edge and confidence that Lowry is feeding into.

Just take a look at the first clip: Adebayo has Giannis Antetokounmpo in space with an empty corner, but decides to pass back out to Lowry instead.

What does Lowry do? He immediately reinserts that ball into Adebayo in the post, and clears out to the opposite side of the floor. This isn’t last year when the guard would stand at the top of the key as a safety blanket for Adebayo’s eventual kick-out. This is Lowry saying ‘you’re shooting this ball no matter what.’

Consequently, Adebayo jabs and fires away for a bucket, which he did many times in this game. Even when speaking with media post-game, he noted that’s been a point of emphasis with him during the off-season. He’s comfortable with that jab jumper, and it’s not just a space provider. It’s a rhythm shot for him.

Lastly, there’s something else to pick up on with these two Adebayo shot attempts. His point of operation.

Adebayo calls it “picking his spots more,” but I call it “not needing to be the elbow release valve every play.” Now, he’s able to work from that inner wing or baseline where he has the space to do many different things.

It’s not just about Lowry making Adebayo take those shots in clear-outs. It’s the responsibilities Lowry has stripped from Adebayo to just be himself.

Some Fast-Break Magic

The Heat finished this game with a transition frequency of 20.2%. Last season, they were 14.9% across the 72 game season.

It’s only one game, but you can tell this is a long term thing. Guys like Lowry and Herro love that style of play, but Adebayo has finally embraced it, which is a scary thing.

Nobody can truly keep up with a coast to coast Adebayo on a nightly basis, and one guy that could probably slow him down better than anybody is the guy he matched up with last night: Antetokounmpo.

Euro-steps, downhill collisions. We’re seeing it all from Adebayo on the break, and it’s not because anybody on the floor is forcing him into that. He’s just finally freed up.

This team is built to run, and they’re embodying that already. But if Adebayo is the pace initiator throughout the season like he did in this season opener, it’ll be quite the offensive agenda for defenses to try and scheme against.

Jimmy Butler:

Defensive Freelancing is Upon Us

I brought this up a ton throughout the game last night, since well, it’s something I’ve noted since the Lowry acquisition was finalized.

We knew what Lowry would do for Adebayo in terms of unlocking things offensively. We knew giving Herro a pure point guard for the first time in his career would do wonders. But it just felt like the defensive shift from Butler was more important than anything else.

Butler is obviously one of the game’s best defenders, but I wouldn’t say he does it in a way that many of the other players in his category do it. Like Adebayo for example, we see his greatness on the ball by swarming smaller guards and things of that nature.

But Butler, on the hand, does it in the shadows.

He’s an off-ball master in that sense. It’s something I’ve broken down many times leading up to this point, since the additions of PJ Tucker and Lowry meant more reps for Butler outside of the offensive actions.

Timely doubles is his specialty, and he’s going to be a looming free safety all season, sending that all-out blitz more times than not.

Looking at the clips above, you can see this all happening in the first few minutes of the game. Gambling on some cross-court doubles once Antetokounmpo turned was something I expected, but the interesting part about it was he wasn’t holding back.

Not a ton of show-and-go to say the least, it was just pure willingness to swarm these guys who weren’t his assignment. And well, that is Jimmy Butler.

That will be Jimmy Butler all season.

A Simple Game of One-On-One

Walking into the Miami Heat practice facility after they finish practicing, there’s a consistent theme.

On one side of the court, there is Jimmy Butler going one-on-one with different coaches, trainers, and players for about 30 minutes every day. Udonis Haslem was the one a few days ago getting in those defensive reps, as they went at each other in a one-on-one setting where Butler fits in best.

And going through those motions isn’t just for some extra sweat and cardio. There’s a purpose, and that was seen in this game against Milwaukee.

Lowry does take a lot of pressure off Adebayo, but he also puts Butler in better spots to score as he noted after the game. In other words, Butler finds himself playing one-on-one in the half-court a bunch, doing it as loose as he does against UD after practice.

But Butler’s game hasn’t changed at all, so why is this important to note?

Well, Butler’s game may not have changed, but the team around him has. Looking at the clips above, nobody can fully commit to the double that they always seemed to do last season with zero reluctance. No knock to guys like Kendrick Nunn, but they had certain limitations on that kick-out that Lowry just doesn’t obtain.

If they double team Butler in that fashion, you’re not only at risk of giving up a Lowry three, but you’re also giving him a 4 on 3 on the backside, which is one of his best offensive skills in terms of decision making.

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Allowing Butler to play one-on-one all day is a treat, and it gives this Heat offense a fun wrinkle that they weren’t able to fully commit to in the past. (And yes he missed in that clip, which is new after watching him go 1 on 1 last night)

Tyler Herro:

Confidence is Higher, Release Point is Higher

We’re officially at the point where a 27 point performance from Tyler Herro off the bench to kick off the season doesn’t even surprise anybody. It’s just normal now.

So many limitations that were once placed on him as a scorer with the constant necessity for a screen are no longer in place. It’s not that he added a bunch of unstoppable combos to get to his spots. It’s just a simple formula.

Confidence is higher and his release point is higher.

In many ways, those two things can go hand in hand. When a player is having an off game and confidence is lowered, you always begin to notice shots being short due to them becoming flat-footed.

But when that confidence is as high as Herro’s is at the moment, that shot is higher than any defender’s wingspan.

He’s rising over the top of defenders all over the floor, and he isn’t being fazed by contests. It’s a skill that has pretty much gone under the radar for Duncan Robinson over the years, since essentially blocking out a defenders close-out can change a scorer’s outlook.

And Herro’s outlook has completely changed.

Some may think these points are being overstated, but they absolutely aren’t: placing Herro in this simplified bench role is the reason for him emerging. Play-making and rebounding have been sprinkled in through the natural flow of the game, but he’s not being asked to do any of that.

Mostly since Butler or Lowry are lined up next to him at all times.

“I love playing with Kyle,” Herro said about Lowry. “My first two years in the league I didn’t really have a point guard who could get everyone organized, and that’s no knock on my former teammates.”

And that last part is the truth. Guys like Goran Dragic were great for the original growth of Herro, and what they brought on a regular basis, but that just wasn’t his role. Dragic was in a scoring role as a scoring guard, but now Miami has that pure point they’ve been missing.

Or should I say, that Herro’s been missing.

Inside Game Coming Along for One Reason

A three-level scorer is emerging. The mid-range game from Herro has been pretty close to unstoppable through the preseason and first regular season game, his outside shooting has been highly efficient, and the inside game in question has been tweaked now as well.

The floater has been an interesting gadget for him, since it means he isn’t one dimensional inside the paint. Instead of spamming underhand scoop layups on every pick and roll drive, he has an outlet that can be relied on.

And well, that floater has been a constant sticking point after these Heat practices.

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It isn’t just about the floater either. The added muscle that he put on has entered the equation as well, and I think we’re seeing just where he added that weight.

Going back to my earlier point of firing over the top of defenses with a high release point, the added strength in his legs is the main reason for that. But it seems like that behind the scenes work has gave him the confidence to embrace contact more and more.

Looking at the first clip above, Herro wasn’t doing that last year. Going right at that dropping big, bumping him with his shoulder, then fading away with the bank. That right there is a new Tyler Herro.

And in the big picture, nothing is better than a ‘more’ confident Herro at this stage. And who is feeding him that confidence? His teammates around him, as he’s illustrated over 20 times since camp ended.

And that is a major shift for him. It’s a major shift for this team. And that domino effect all started when Lowry landed in Miami.

 

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