Tag Archive for: Jimmy Butler

A Journey through the NBA Bubble: A Miami Heat Playoff Run

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There were a lot of question marks next to the July 30th NBA return date for multiple reasons. For one, Covid-19 is effecting lives each and every day, so players had to make a decision to pack it up and leave their families. It also felt like basketball wasn’t important at the moment, due to the social injustice that were going on in our country. And lastly, players didn’t know how safe or realistic a bubble situation really was.

There were even more question marks next to this Miami Heat team heading in. Nobody really turning their heads towards this team or giving them any credit. But that’s exactly how they wanted it.

In mid-July, this Heat team was preparing to take that 3-hour bus ride all the way up to Orlando. Only one problem. Miami was facing their own Covid issues.

Bam Adebayo and Kendrick Nunn tested positive for the Corona virus, which put even more unknown on this team. Not only about the timeline of these guys, but how the virus could affect them going forward.

They did indeed battle through, arriving to the bubble late, but just in time for the first game of their 8 regular season games.

Erik Spoelstra’s rotation decision was then put on blast in the first game of the season. He decided to take Meyers Leonard out of the rotation, even though that starting lineup was the most effective lineup in the entire NBA.

Miami ended up going 3-5 through those eight regular season games, ultimately dropping them down to the 5 spot in the East, to play the Indiana Pacers in the first round.

Many were picking the Indiana Pacers to beat Miami for a bunch of reasons. TJ Warren was just coming off an outstanding run through his first eight games, looking like he can’t be stopped. But that was before he had Jimmy Butler matched up with him.

Goran Dragic took the reigns of this Heat offense, scoring 23 points a game in the first round against Indiana, leading Miami to a 4-0 sweep against the four seed.

But then it was time to move on to play the best team in the NBA with MVP, Giannis Antetokounmpo. It was clear that Miami had some advantages over this Bucks team, since they matched up with them so well throughout the season.

Miami continued their defensive plan by throwing a bunch of guys at Giannis, and it clearly worked. Jimmy Butler set the tone early in this series with an insane game two finish, after he got fouled with zero seconds on the clock, and hit the game winning free throws. They took a 3-0 lead over the one seed, and then Giannis went down early in game four. Milwaukee battled through to give them a win behind the heroics of Khris Middleton, but Jimmy Butler and company closed it out in five.

Now Miami is on to the Eastern Conference Finals, to play a very young and talented Boston Celtics group. And thus was the emergence of Bam Adebayo. An incredible game one finish, where Bam Adebayo met Jayson Tatum at the rim on a dunk attempt to win the game. He took over the series on both ends of the floor, even though the Bam and Theis match-up was considered a “wash.” He averaged 22 points, 11 rebounds, and 5 assists a game in the Eastern Conference Finals.

And in the most pivotal game in the series, where Boston could’ve tied it up 2-2, a 20 year old rookie rose up to the occasion. Tyler Herro dropped 37 points in game four, putting this Miami Heat team up 3-1. They closed out the series in game six, getting this Heat team to an NBA finals.

Now they’re on to face a familiar face in LeBron James. Many story-lines were discussed heading into this one, but ultimately there is only one goal. After some tough sequences in game one, the Miami Heat lost both Bam Adebayo and Goran Dragic to injury. When that occurred, many said it’s an obvious sweep and there’s no point of tuning in.

And well, think again.

Jimmy Butler knew he had to step up and be the guy that he’s very capable of being. Miami went down 2-0, but never doubt the guy that’s been doubted his whole entire life. Jimmy Butler got Miami a win in game three, putting up a stat line of 40 points, 11 rebounds, and 13 assists in one of the best individual performances this league has seen. And that wasn’t the end of that hungry Jimmy Butler.

After Miami went down 3-1, Jimmy scored 35 points, along with 12 rebounds and 11 assists, to send LeBron James and the Lakers a message that they’re not going away without a fight.

Miami ended up losing the finals series in six games, which was a tough way to go out in a historical playoff run.

This run proved a lot of things for this Heat team.

Jimmy Butler is a straight up winner who hasn’t gotten the respect that he absolutely deserves.

Bam Adebayo’s ceiling is just unknown, since he seems to be getting better and better by the day.

Tyler Herro is doing things at 20 years old that many players have only dreamed of doing.

Erik Spoelstra once again proved his coaching excellence.

The players continually talk about the dogs in that locker room, and this run further proved that. The adversity that this group had to face to get to this point is second to none.

But now it’s time to look forward.

As Jimmy Butler said after their game six loss, “Now I need to win them one next year.”

And with the evolving players that he has beside him after getting this playoff experience, there’s a good chance he could win them one next year.

 

 

5 Takeaways from Heat’s Season Ending Loss in Finals

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It was a tough night for the Miami Heat in game six against the Los Angeles Lakers, which led to a loss 106-93. Nothing seemed to be clicking for Miami throughout this game, and was a tough way to go out after this incredible run. Well, here are five takeaways from this game…

#1: Bam Adebayo just clearly isn’t 100%.

One of the biggest keys for the Miami Heat to win game six was a healthy Bam Adebayo. And it was clear from the jump, that wasn’t the case. He did not have that same energy or bounce on either end of the floor and it showed. Although Jimmy Butler has had some huge games in this finals run, Bam is still the engine to the team. So when he isn’t bringing it, it’s hard for others to do so. And once again, that’s clearly because of the injury that occurred in game two, but he has tried to battle through it. It did showcase his toughness, but it took a toll on this Heat team. Without that Bam Adebayo that they had in the Eastern Conference Finals, it’s tough to close out a talented Lakers team.

#2: Miami going away from Duncan Robinson and Kendrick Nunn early was problematic.

The biggest takeaway from this game was that Erik Spoelstra made some questionable substitutions in the first half. Duncan Robinson clearly had it going and Kendrick Nunn seemed to have picked it up where he left off, but they somehow found themselves on the bench. The insertion of Goran Dragic into the game was meaningful for the Heat organization and fan base, but may have hurt them in game six. Especially since Miami’s shots weren’t falling and the spacing was off, it was interesting for Spo to go that long without subbing them back in. This isn’t to say that the Lakers wouldn’t have gone on that run if he went this route, but seemed as if it may have given them a better shot.

#3: Offensive issues led to turnovers, which led to a flowing Lakers offense.

The offensive issues that occurred in game six were pretty obvious. For one, they just weren’t hitting shots. And when this Heat team isn’t hitting shots, it’s a hard game to win. Another thing was that the spacing was completely off for Miami. That may have had something to do with the fact that the offense was stagnant, but the answer isn’t to have three guys stand in one corner. This ultimately led to a ton of Miami turnovers, and that’s one thing you can’t do against this Lakers team. Once LeBron James gets going on the open floor, it’s hard to stop, and that’s exactly what he did tonight. The Lakers took advantage of Miami’s mistakes, much like the Heat did in game five. An overall tough night for Miami led to this loss.

#4: LeBron James and Anthony Davis have been tested all series long, but that wasn’t the case in game six.

You can only go so long without two of the five best players in the world dominating. As mentioned previously, on a night where mistakes are constantly being made by Miami, these guys will take advantage of them. LeBron James and Anthony Davis were assertive throughout, taking control on both sides of the floor. Miami’s plan coming in was to double team LeBron and AD, and make the role players beat you. And well, they stepped up as well, due to Rajon Rondo and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope having huge games on the offensive end. The defense for Miami wasn’t the problem though, but the offensive issues led to defensive breakdowns. LeBron and AD made sure to pounce on a troubling Heat team in game six, and they came out with the victory.

#5: Although a tough outcome, what a run it has been.

It’s hard not to focus on the actual loss that Miami endured in game six, but you have to take a look at the big picture as well. This Miami Heat team wasn’t supposed to even be here in this situation, but their grittiness and will to win got them here. This is not a time to be down after a loss in the finals, it’s actually a time to celebrate for the development and future of this team. For Miami to beat the MVP, in Giannis Antetokounmpo, in five games, and go on to take down the highly talented Boston Celtics squad, it speaks major volume. And now in the NBA finals. Pushing LeBron James and Anthony Davis to six games, barring injuries from 2 of your 3 best players. This team may not be raising the Larry O’Brien trophy tonight, but they should be holding their pride up high.

3 Keys for the Miami Heat to Win Game Six

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The Miami Heat pushed this series to six games after a huge win on Friday night. They are now two wins away from an NBA championship, so here’s what Miami will need to do in game six to force a game seven…

#1: Bam Adebayo will need to play like Bam Adebayo.

It’s pretty obvious that Miami needs an aggressive and energized Bam Adebayo to win basketball games, but that wasn’t exactly the case in game five. It could’ve had something to do with the fact that he’s not exactly 100%. But even a 70% Bam Adebayo is useful for this Heat team right now. They don’t necessarily need him to score 25 points, but they do need him to do the small things that he has done for them all season. Even the dribble hand-off, that they’ve used so much throughout this season, wasn’t used as much as they’d like throughout game five. And since Miami was rolling with Bam as their only big, he will need to be that energetic presence. There is no doubt that he won’t be, since that is just who he is, but if Bam can bring it, there’s a good chance they will be playing another game on Tuesday night.

#2: Miami’s ball-dominant players will need to help out Jimmy Butler.

Jimmy Butler has been scoring the ball at will in this finals run, mostly since he is stepping up when it is needed, especially with Goran Dragic out. Even though Jimmy will need to continue to do that, Miami’s other ball-dominant players will be essential to take a bit of the load off of him for stretches. That starts with Tyler Herro, who has the ability to take control of the offense through his play-making and his scoring. The only problem is that the Lakers’ defense has seemed to try and eliminate Tyler offensively, which is impressive for a rookie to put that much pressure on an opponent. Kendrick Nunn stepped up in the first half, which was exactly what Jimmy needed. Since Jimmy plays both sides of the ball so hard for 47 minutes, by running the offense on one end and guarding the best player in the world on the other end, he will need help. As mentioned, Tyler will need to find a way to take back the offense during spurts.

#3: Miami will need to continue their show-and-go defensive scheme against this Lakers team.

One thing that I noticed in game five was Miami’s defensive scheme seemed a little different. When LeBron James had the ball and had somebody setting a pick, Miami would switch and have Jimmy run over to double. This meant that a guy like Danny Green or Alex Caruso would be left open around the free throw area, with Bam Adebayo or Jae Crowder standing between the player at the basket and him. This is exactly what Miami needs to do, since you want to put the ball in the hands of the Lakers role players as much as possible, just like they did on the final possession in game five. Duncan Robinson has been quite a defensive liability, but this allows him to play more free. The only time it’s a little harder to do this is when Rajon Rondo is in the game, since if he gets the ball at the free throw line with one defender in front of him and a lengthy Anthony Davis by the rim, he will most likely make the right read. If Miami continues this defensive scheme to try and throw LeBron and Anthony off, Miami will just need to capitalize on their offense.

Miami Heat on to Game Six: “Bunch of dogs in that locker room”

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“We gotta bunch of dogs in that locker room that love competing.”

That’s what Duncan Robinson had to say following Miami’s big game five win over the Lakers. It’s obvious that motto begins with the Heat’s leader Jimmy Butler, who had 35 points, 12 rebounds, 11 assists, and 5 steals in 47 minutes.

Those numbers mean nothing to Jimmy though, since the only numbers that mattered to him were 111-108 when the clock hit zero. Jimmy knows that he can step up when it matters, but more importantly he has been trying to instill in others that they need to be ready as well.

Jimmy Butler has had a message for Duncan Robinson for a while now, which he tried to instill in him more following the game two loss. They had a little meeting in Jimmy’s room, which he was just letting him know that he needs to continue to shoot no matter what.

Jimmy said after game five, “You can’t shoot the ball if you don’t have the ball.”

This game five win just showed once again that it can be any player on any given night. Jimmy will do his thing no matter what, but having a bunch of guys that can explode out of nowhere.

Last night, that guy was clearly Duncan Robinson who hit seven three pointers, but he wasn’t the only one who stepped up. Kendrick Nunn took control of the game at one point, mostly since he had confidence in himself with the ball in his hands. And that all starts with the support of Erik Spoelstra. Even after a tough game four performance, he showed that he believes in Kendrick and he delivered. When Kendrick plays with confidence, he’s a totally different player. His play-making and defensive abilities begin to shine, which is why this game will be important for the rest of the series.

They won this game without huge performances from Bam Adebayo and Tyler Herro. Bam struggled with finding that offensive aggression and intensity that he usually has, but it may have something to do with not being 100%. Tyler on the other hand is being targeted by the Lakers defense constantly, which consequently opens up the game for others. That won’t be the case for long though, since a breakout Tyler Herro game is coming, and it could be tomorrow night.

This team just continues to show their resilience and fight to the finish. This team truly believes that they can win a title right now, especially since they see their leader leaving everything he possibly has on the floor.

This team truly is just a “bunch of dogs,” that are hungry to finally achieve what they have wanted their whole lives.

They are now two wins away from holding up that Larry O’Brien trophy.

It’s time to get what is yours.

5 Takeaways from Heat’s Late Win Over Lakers

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The Miami Heat came away with the win in an intense battle with the Los Angeles Lakers in game six, 111-108. Late free throws from Jimmy Butler iced the game for Miami, after a great attack to the basket. A late defensive stance on LeBron James and company officially iced it. Here are my five takeaways…

#1: Kendrick Nunn steps up early offensively for Miami.

It wasn’t even expected that Kendrick Nunn would be inserted back into the rotation, yet he was and absolutely shined. I’ve always said that a confident Kendrick is a productive Kendrick, and that proved true once again. That falls onto the trust that Erik Spoelstra put into him though. Even when nobody else believed he could be a viable option to help out in game five, he still threw him right in. He scored an impressive 11 first half points, but the scoring wasn’t even the most noticed trait. The play-making abilities were on display tonight as well, which is something else that comes along with confidence. 0 first half turnovers was another huge stat for him. He proved throughout the season that he can play, and that didn’t just disappear over time.

#2: Yet again, Jimmy Butler puts on a show in the first half.

This may be the story line for every Heat game in the first half, but he showed up once again. This time putting up 22/6/6 and 7 for 10 from the field in 23 out of 24 minutes. His will to win was going to be needed in game five, and that’s exactly what was shown. He truly does everything on the floor that you need. Lead, defend, play-make. His two-way abilities are very special, and they clearly improve in a playoff setting. Adjustments were going to be necessary as well, due to the fact that he would have Anthony Davis guarding him. Instead of just attacking the paint against that defensive specialist, he began to utilize pull-ups in the mid-range area and three point shots to make AD have to worry about more than just attacking the rim. Once again, he proved that there’s not many guys that you’d want as the leader of your team over him.

#3: Andre Iguodala has trouble impacting offensively, but finds other ways.

If you took a look at the stat line in the first half that showed 0 points for Andre Iguodala, you may think he didn’t impact the game. But well, that wasn’t the case. He was a team best plus-10 in the first half, even when going scoreless. That’s because he found other ways to contribute, mostly on the defensive side of the ball. It has been obvious that Andre’s quick hands on the defensive end have been great throughout the season, and it was shown once again in game five. He has some tough defensive match-ups with this Lakers team, and he showed he can utilize his high IQ play to his advantage. Andre has been in this position before, and it is showing.

#4: Bam Adebayo had a tough time getting going on both sides of the floor.

It was obvious that this wasn’t the same Bam Adebayo that Heat fans are used to. There was a lack of that offensive firepower that he always seems to bring. When his activity around the rim increases, the offensive production increases. He also didn’t seem to have that same aggression when attacking Anthony Davis. He was very reluctant and hesitant when being guarded by AD, which is unlike Bam to do so. He also lacked a bit of intensity, which may have something to do with him not being totally 100%. He seemed to become energized in the fourth quarter, once he realized he was needed to step up. Either way, Bam knows that he could’ve played much better throughout.

#5: One game at a time.

One game at a time. That’s the best way to describe the Miami Heat’s current situation. They all believe there’s no need to look at this series full picture, but instead focus at the task at hand. As talked about previously, Jimmy Butler clearly did his part with an incredible all around game. Duncan Robinson also stepped up, not only by his shooting, but through his winning plays. Kendrick Nunn was also huge by the way that he stepped up as the scorer he has been all season. But instead of looking at individual performances, this was a team effort. A team that bought into each other, and stayed focused no matter the situation. Now the next focus is game six on Sunday night.

NBA Finals Game 5: One Year, One Goal, One Winner

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Not many people expected the Miami Heat to be in this position right now. Well, except the Miami Heat.

How could a five seed with no perceived superstar take the crown of the East?

And there’s not one answer for that question.

For starters, it begins with the confidence from your locker room. Just a bunch of dogs that have continually been doubted and are here to prove people wrong.

That’s led by the leader of this team, Jimmy Butler. He hasn’t lacked an ounce of confidence throughout this playoff run, so what makes you think he’ll stop now. Even being down 3-1 doesn’t seem to faze him, because when you have confidence in both yourself and your locker room, that’s all you really need to win.

Another reason they’ve gotten to this point is because they have a bunch of guys who accepted their role on this team. That goes to the guys who were promoted and demoted in this rotation. Meyers Leonard and Kendrick Nunn going from starter to the borderline of the rotation, while Tyler Herro and Goran Dragic had to adjust to their new role quick. Not only is that not an easy thing to do, it’s not an easy thing for players to buy into.

Winning isn’t always about on-court stats and numbers. It’s also about decisions that are made off of the court, that’ll lead to guys putting up those numbers.

Erik Spoelstra made it clear that was necessary heading in, making sure this team was on the same page for the much needed adjustments that lied ahead. That’s because of the trust factor with this team.

When many believed Bam’s offensive aggression needed to improve or that Jimmy’s unselfishness may be a bad trait, Coach Spo knew his personnel, and denied it all.

The final and most important answer to that question is hungriness.

This team is hungry and will not be satisfied until they hold up that Larry O’Brien trophy. No matter if that time comes in a week, in a year, or in a few years, this team won’t let up on the ultimate goal.

As Gary Payton said in his latest piece for The Players’ Tribune, “Y’all are still here- and y-all belong here.”

One year. One goal. One winner.

 

Brady Hawk can be found at @BradyHawk305

Down 3-1: “It’s Not Like It Has Never Been Done Before”

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“It’s not like it has never been done before.” That’s what Bam Adebayo had to say about being down 3-1 in the series against the Los Angeles Lakers.

If there were ever a team that can sustain a confident mindset of winning three straight games, it would definitely be this Heat team.

Jimmy Butler made sure to say that their confidence will stay high over the next few days, saying “I know we can do it.”

The reason that they know they can do it is because the issues that they’ve endured are fairly obvious. They have done a pretty good job defensively, but ultimately open shots will need to be made to beat a team like the Lakers.

It was also clear that the role players had a tough time in game four, especially since the rotation changed once again. Meyers Leonard went back to the role of getting no playing time, while Kendrick Nunn played a rough 25 minutes. When your offensive engine, in Goran Dragic, is not playing, somebody will have to step up and replicate some of the things that he usually does.

“The series is not over.” That is what Tyler Herro had to say about their current situation. Once again, there was a mutual theme between players after the game, which was that they know what they need to fix. And that ultimately falls on everybody on this roster.

Jae Crowder has mentioned many times that they need to take it game by game. And now that they’re focused on just getting a win in game five, it’ll make for an interesting Friday night.

This team led by Jimmy Butler will not just lay down after getting this far. They will battle and compete in game five since it’s just yet another testament of that Heat culture.

Jimmy Butler has thrived in these types of situations, not only in basketball but in life. He’s endured the feeling of being down 3-1 since he was 13. He has been doubted and counted out his whole entire life, and he will get to display some more of that will to win on Friday.

5 Takeaways from Heat’s Tough Game Four Loss

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The Miami Heat fell short in game four against the Lakers, 102-96. Miami once again displayed their toughness and grittiness, but ultimately couldn’t pull out a win. Here are my five takeaways…

#1: Miami’s defense looked strong once again.

Miami decided to switch over to play more man in the last game, and stuck with that in game four. This caused disruption against both Anthony Davis and LeBron James. For starters, Miami’s ability to throw a bunch of guys at AD, especially with Bam Adebayo back, holds much importance. Jae Crowder and Andre Iguodala continue to try and play physical with Davis, which is needed when you can’t match his length. LeBron James on the other hand also had a tough time against Miami’s defense. They forced LeBron to have 5 first half turnovers, and only score 8 points. For Miami, that was a huge plus going into halftime, since they did what they had to do on that end of the floor. The shooting is actually what seemed to hurt them early.

#2: Jae Crowder’s impact was on full display, even when he isn’t scoring.

When taking a look at the impressive first halves from Bam Adebayo and Jimmy Butler, Jae Crowder’s impact may have been lost. But ultimately, this was a huge reason for their defensive success. He went scoreless through 17 minutes in the first half, but somehow they missed him when he went to the bench. Anthony Davis began to gain confidence offensively once he didn’t have the physical Crowder matched up with him. This was yet another representation of these role players impact, which hold much value in an NBA finals game against LeBron James and company. He also brings an element of intensity when on the floor, which is always a spark to the team, especially the young guys. Jae’s defensive performance in game four should not be overshadowed, since it played a huge part in only going into the half down by two.

#3: Bam Adebayo’s injury doesn’t seem to be an issue.

Bam Adebayo returned to play in game four of the finals, but there were question marks if he would be 100%. And well, it was clear right out of the gate that he was. He hit the floor two times in the first quarter, and continued to play through it like nothing happened. Once again proving the toughness of Bam Adebayo. He also took initiative to be offensively involved early for Miami, which was much needed. But ultimately, his true impact came by doing everything else on the floor. His defense, passing, and rebounding abilities continued to shine in game four. And more importantly, the level of comfort he brings for teammates when on the floor. Even though this team has Jimmy Butler, Bam is the engine of this Heat team.

#4: Three-point shooting woes continue for Miami.

The Miami Heat have harped on their outstanding three-point shooting all season, but these NBA finals games haven’t proved that to be true. It was discussed that Miami were in need of a bounce back shooting game in game four, but that wasn’t exactly the case. Jae Crowder and Tyler Herro had a tough night shooting the three ball, which is needed with Goran Dragic out. The problem wasn’t only that they weren’t hitting these shots, but they were missing open shots. And when you are in an NBA finals game against a team like the Lakers, you must capitalize on those open jumpers. Miami will need to clean this issue up going forward, after shooting 11 for 32 from beyond the arc.

#5: The lack of role player production hurt Miami.

Miami has been a team all year that has thrived on the production of their bench unit and role guys. But ultimately, they didn’t show up in game four, since Kendrick Nunn, Kelly Olynyk, and Andre Iguodala had a tough time being offensive factors. Even though I mentioned the impact of Jae Crowder throughout as well, he wasn’t able to be the scoring factor that he usually is. And without Goran Dragic, there was a need for somebody to fill the shoes offensively. Kelly Olynyk did it in game three, which was a huge reason for their win. But once again, this Heat team missed Goran Dragic in game four. There were many instances in the fourth quarter where Goran would usually step up and get a bucket in a time of need. When you don’t have that offensive engine, it’s a tough game to win.

Game Three Heroics to Game Four Adjustments

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After a huge win that the Miami Heat capitalized on in game three over the Los Angeles Lakers, you may not expect many changes. But there will be.

For starters, there may be yet another rotational change in game four, since there is a chance that Bam Adebayo could return. But what does this mean for Miami’s starting lineup?

Many would probably expect Bam to enter the lineup in the place of Meyers Leonard, but I’m not sure that’s the route Coach Erik Spoelstra will go. It has clearly been effective when using Meyers Leonard or Kelly Olynyk when Dwight Howard is in the game, which means they will probably give Meyers the first 6 minutes to take that match-up.

So if it’s not Meyers, who will Bam Adebayo start in front of if he plays?

I believe the move will be to put Tyler Herro back into a bench role. Now, he’s clearly one of their most effective scorers, but just because he’s not starting, doesn’t mean he won’t play 35+ minutes.

This means that Jimmy Butler will play the one, which matches up well with the Lakers since LeBron James has been playing the point for them. And obviously with an adjustable coach like Erik Spoelstra, he can make a switch at any time.

If Miami doesn’t decide to go this route, they will probably decide to just put Bam Adebayo back at the five as they did in game one. This means that their starting lineup will be the death lineup that I’ve talked about prior to the NBA bubble. Tyler Herro, Duncan Robinson, Jimmy Butler, Jae Crowder, and Bam Adebayo would look to try and blow the doors off early in the first quarter, which is usually when they throw their strongest punch.

Miami also will have to keep some strategic things that they used in game three.

For one, they will need to continue to be physical with Anthony Davis and other bigs. Since their offense runs on the production of AD, it’ll be crucial to try and slow him down. This also means to continue to be energetic and emphatic on grabbing rebounds. Miami made it clear that they were going to make sure to dominate in that area, since the film showed that’s what lost them game two.

Another thing they will have to continue defensively is going away from the zone. That adjustment in game three gave them the defensive edge that they needed. The zone may have got them here in some instances, but it ultimately isn’t effective against this team, which was a huge adjustment on Erik Spoelstra’s part.

As much as the Lakers have been talking about watching film and making adjustments for game four, so is Miami. They will be physically prepared, and more importantly mentally prepared.

It is that next man up mentality, but as Jae Crowder said after game three, it is also that “next game up mentality.” Jimmy Butler and others will be ready for the challenge.

 

5 Takeaways from Heat’s Incredible Game Three Win

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The Miami Heat pulled out an incredible win in game three against the Lakers, 115-104. This was behind the incredible performance of Jimmy Butler. Here are five takeaways…

#1: Jimmy Butler plays with fire in first half explosion.

Jimmy Butler came out in game two looking to score, but game three was even better. He had 19 points, 6 assists, and 6 rebounds at the half, but stats cannot explain what Jimmy was doing on the floor. Constant energy and intensity on both sides of the floor, which is contagious for his teammates. He made sure to let everybody know that if they grab rebounds, they can win. That message seemed to be fresh in everyone’s minds since there was an eagerness to be aggressive on the boards. Jimmy’s leadership was also on full display tonight as well. Not only with the ball in his hands, but also his voice after plays. He constantly would let the young guys know when they did something wrong, which is much needed at this point in the finals. Jimmy further proved that he has the ability to flip a switch, not just scoring, but doing everything on the basketball court.

#2: Early turnovers for Lakers turn into Heat offense.

Turnovers for the Lakers were the story of the first quarter, since it seemed they just could not get into a rhythm. The Lakers had 14 turnovers at the half, LeBron James and Anthony Davis combining for 9 of them. Miami’s defensive plan going in was to make these guys uncomfortable, which is exactly what they did. Jimmy Butler, Jae Crowder, and Andre Iguodala were at the forefront of that, utilizing their defensive IQ. This ultimately allowed Jimmy Butler and others to get more possessions on the offensive end, which they were capitalizing on. Anthony Davis had some rough first half minutes due to Miami’s intensity, which was key for this team going into game three down 0-2.

#3: Duncan Robinson and Tyler Herro early struggles, still gave Miami a 4 point halftime lead.

Not many would’ve believed that the Heat would lead by four at the half with Tyler Herro shooting 1 for 8 from the field and Duncan Robinson shooting 1 for 5 from deep. But well, it happened. Tyler Herro was going to be a key piece heading in, since he’s a guy that can replicate some things that Goran Dragic brings offensively. Duncan also had a tough time since the shots were not falling. This led to him penetrating and utilizing the other parts of his game, and when Duncan attacks, good things usually happen. These shooting struggles clearly were temporary, since both Tyler and Duncan hit a three to start the third quarter.

#4: Kelly Olynyk and Meyers Leonard give quality minutes in the absence of Bam Adebayo.

Meyers Leonard obviously only played for some short spurts, and they were some quality minutes. 7 points going 3 for 3 from the field definitely was a boost to this team. Also he obviously brings the vocal side of things when on the floor, which makes the young guys more comfortable on the defensive end. Kelly Olynyk on the other hand didn’t have a great start to the game, but bounced back in the third quarter. His ability to be such a threat from beyond the arc was crucial for Miami tonight, especially since it forces the Lakers bigs to go out to the perimeter. This was a big reason Jimmy Butler was able to attack so well, since he thrives when he plays with a floor spacer like Kelly.

#5: The Miami Heat’s statement game fully displayed Heat culture.

This is the ultimate takeaway: A statement game. That’s exactly what this Jimmy Butler led team did in game three. When everyone doubted, this team didn’t lack an ounce of confidence. That’s because of two words: Heat culture. This was the ultimate representation of this. A coaching adjustment when two of your starters get injured, your star player showing he can flip the switch, and the role players stepping up to play their new roles. If that doesn’t prove Heat culture, I don’t know what does. This game three win means more than both of the Lakers wins. Now, the momentum has completely shifted. And Bam Adebayo could possibly return in game four. As Jimmy Butler said during the game, “They are in trouble.”