Tag Archive for: Jimmy Butler

5 Takeaways from Heat’s Victory Over Boston in Game Two

/0 Comments/in /by

The Miami Heat trailed early in game two once again, but came back and got the win, 106-101. It happened after they increased their intensity in the second half, led by Bam Adebayo. Here are some takeaways…

#1: Duncan Robinson comes out firing.

If there was anything positive to takeaway from this game, it’d be the hot start of Duncan Robinson. He’s been struggling throughout these playoffs, and needed a game where he could come out the gate getting shots up. I’ve mentioned previously, Boston’s defensive game-plan is not the same as Milwaukee’s or Indiana’s. Although Duncan wasn’t hitting in game one, he was getting a bunch of good looks. Duncan will hold a bit of pressure heading into game three, since Miami’s offense runs so much smoother when he’s scoring. But that pressure is nothing for Duncan, since he’s one of the most confident shooters in today’s league.

#2: Bam Adebayo struggles early, but takes over in third quarter.

Bam Adebayo struggled early, not having the same success that he usually has around the rim. But that turned around late once again, since Bam got busy in the third quarter, absolutely taking over the game. Some of Bam’s early struggle may have had something to do with having to chase Kemba Walker around on defense, while he absolutely had it going. But he seemed to have gotten his usual energy back after halftime, being the vertical spacer that he always is. The team made it a virtue to run the pick and roll and find Bam, while Bam sustained the confidence in himself that everyone else has in him.

#3: The Erik Spoelstra and Brad Stevens match-up was on full effect.

Miami had problems all season defending the perimeter, but tonight they got attacked in the paint. Even Enes Kanter came in getting busy down low, since Miami doesn’t have a true big that can eliminate post defenders. Bam is clearly a terrific defender, but since he had a lot of assignments with Kemba Walker on the perimeter, this allowed them to thrive. This seemed to be an adjustment by Brad Stevens, since Bam isn’t in the paint, that’s what they decided to attack. But Spo’s adjustments in the second half proved his coaching excellence. He implemented more of the zone defense, gave Derrick Jones Jr minutes, and increased the intensity of the team. This win goes to Erik Spoelstra.

#4: Derrick Jones Jr gives another stint of quality minutes.

Kendrick Nunn currently is the 9th man in the rotation, but it seems as if he’s slowly playing himself out of it. Not only does he continue to struggle, but Derrick Jones Jr gave some quality second half minutes on the defensive end. He matches up perfectly with this Boston team, since they’re full of perimeter wings. Not only can he defend guys one on one, but he’s such a disruptor with team defense. This is a big reason they use him at the top of the zone defense, due to his length and quickness. If he can give Miami some quality offensive minutes, he will 100% secure a spot in the rotation.

#5: When Boston’s scorers get going, they’re hard to slow down, but Miami found a way.

Kemba Walker struggled in game one scoring the ball, but their adjustments opened up the floor for him today, which led to his breakout performance. He torched Miami’s defense to start the game, which led to them getting comfortable down low. Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum still seemed as confident as ever with the ball in their hands, putting on a display of their unique pull-up games. But once again, Miami utilized their unique way of gaining momentum. They intensified the game through Bam’s activeness, and overcame Boston’s first half scoring display. This team is hungry, and they’re up 2-0.

Jimmy Butler All-NBA Third Team, Kendrick Nunn and Tyler Herro All-Rookie Team

/0 Comments/in /by

Jimmy Butler was named to the All-NBA third team on Wednesday afternoon, while Bam Adebayo did not make it.

Some may raise an eyebrow at Paschal Siakam on the All-NBA second team, but this is a regular season award. He led Toronto to the two seed in the Eastern Conference, which is why Jimmy Butler does not care about these awards. Jimmy is so locked in on the post-season and winning, that he’s more focused on the Larry O’Brien trophy. He would’ve liked Bam Adebayo to probably take his spot on the third team, but ultimately Bam isn’t fazed by that award either.

Especially right now, with Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo on an incredible playoff run, they are not taking any time to reflect back on their regular season play. But either way, it’s a great honor to be atop of the league’s best players.

Jimmy Butler has earned this spot with not only his on-court play, but more importantly his leadership. He took the reigns of this Miami Heat team, and received much doubt for “coming to Miami to retire.” And now here he is, in the Eastern Conference Finals, on an All-NBA third team, with the much doubted Miami Heat team. That’s a winner and a leader.

And now to the All-Rookie team results. Kendrick Nunn was named to the All-Rookie first team, while Tyler Herro was named to the All-Rookie Second team.

Tyler Herro talked about his spot with media today, saying “I felt I could have been on the first team.” And that’s just the pure competitor in Tyler Herro. He did miss some time towards the end of the season, and ultimately he’s on to much bigger and better things.

But Kendrick Nunn, on the other hand, deserves this more than anyone. He hasn’t had a traditional route, going from un-drafted all the way to a starter on the Miami Heat. And although many are currently focusing on his postseason struggles, he had an outstanding regular season, which got Miami to their current position. For him to be third in voting behind the number one and number two is truly something to be proud of, since he’s earned it.

This Miami Heat team has been full of guys that are possible award winners, but ultimately, as mentioned before, they’re focused on a championship. Bam doesn’t need a Most Improved Player award to prove himself, since a championship ring will cap off his season just right.

5 Takeaways from Heat’s Comeback Win over Boston in Game One

/1 Comment/in /by

The Miami Heat once again displayed their pure will and grittiness tonight, battling back to win in overtime, 117-114. A corner Jimmy Butler three late in the fourth, led to an overtime finish, which was a Jimmy Butler layup with the foul to give them the lead. Bam Adebayo’s game saving block on Jayson Tatum won Miami the game though. Here are some takeaways…

#1: First half fluctuates, Boston begins and Miami ends.

The Boston Celtics came out to start the game at their absolute best, while Miami played their worst. Marcus Smart was the clear hot hand for Boston, while Jayson Tatum followed close behind. And while it seemed that Boston would blow the doors off, Miami battled back. The score was tied at halftime, which it didn’t seem it was heading that was throughout. This is a clear representation of these two teams. Both Boston and Miami are streaky teams, that go through the highest of highs and lowest of lows. They each had their quarter, but ultimately the second half was the true test, which Boston controlled but Miami rallied back.

#2: Goran Dragic single-handedly brings Miami back.

It seems as if it’s the same story with Goran Dragic every game, an absolute offensive display. When it seemed as if Miami would never get back into an offensive flow, Goran fixed that per usual. He attacked the basket and controlled the mid-range, which is what is needed when trying to get your team out of the mud. He continually shows he’s the offensive engine, since he’s Miami’s most consistent scorer. But he can’t carry the while offensive load for 35 minutes a game. That’s why Jimmy Butler is looked to in the second half usually and down the stretch. It’s up to Jimmy to take control of that, which he did hitting a corner three pointer late in the fourth quarter.

#3: Bam Adebayo once again proves that he does everything on the floor.

It was talked about that Bam Adebayo would need to be the guy for Miami to win this series. But that doesn’t always mean scoring, it means impact. Bam Adebayo was flying across the court tonight, making Boston’s offense choppy. Kemba Walker was held to 2 first half points, which was mostly due to the constant energy of Bam on the pick and rolls. He also was huge for Miami with his play-making abilities, pulling Daniel Theis out of the paint and setting up others. This is something he brings to the table every single game, due to his guard-like play. This is Bam’s series, it’s up to him to bring that constant energy. And obviously the game winning block on Jayson Tatum, which describes Bam Adebayo.

#4: Tyler Herro and Jimmy Butler bounce off others.

It was clear that Tyler Herro got into an offensive rhythm once Goran Dragic got going. It was also because Tyler needed a little bit to settle in, and once he does, it’s trouble for Boston. Tyler mostly made himself useful with his ball-handling and passing, with 6 assists in the first half. Tyler’s ability to set up others during tough stretches is key. Jimmy also needed a boost to bounce off others, which is what he usually does in the fourth quarters of games. He’s a player that needs others to play good in order to thrive scoring the ball, but once Jimmy gets going, he’s hard to stop. This is just another evident representation of how Goran impacts others, and it’s needed more than ever right now.

#5: Miami’s scrappiness late on both sides of the ball wins them the game.

Once again it seemed as if the game was over, but with Miami the game is never over. Small plays win you playoff games. That includes the play that could’ve been an open Jae Crowder three, but he makes the high IQ play, assisting to Jimmy Butler for a dunk. Those are Miami Heat type plays. Another play that stands out was a Jimmy Butler kick out to Tyler Herro for an open three. These guys trust one another late in games, which isn’t common. But lastly, a late Jimmy Butler corner three forces overtime, and he finishes them off in overtime with an and 1 layup. But more importantly, a Bam Adebayo game saving block on a Jayson Tatum dunk attempt wins Miami the game.

 

5 Post-Practice Comments from Jimmy Butler and Goran Dragic

/0 Comments/in /by

The Miami Heat are officially playing the Boston Celtics in the Eastern Conference Finals starting Tuesday, after Boston took down the Toronto Raptors in game seven. Jimmy Butler and Goran Dragic spoke about the match-up with the Boston Celtics with media today after practice. Here’s what was said…

Post-Practice Comment #1:

Goran Dragic discussed Miami’s defensive match-ups with the Boston Celtics. He said, “We have a lot of guys who can guard multiple positions and I think we have the right guys who can defend their guys.” This mainly has to do with the amount of two-way wings that are on this current Heat roster, especially since they acquired Jae Crowder and Andre Iguodala at the trade deadline. Boston’s biggest strength is the amount of versatile wings as well, but with Gordon Hayward out, it hurts that depth slightly. Goran also mentioned that he thinks they can still improve on the defensive side of the ball, which is something that Bam talked about yesterday.

Post-Practice Comment #2:

Goran also touched on the planning for Jayson Tatum, as they did for Giannis Antetokounmpo. He said, “We cannot just throw the whole defense at him and forget about the other guys.” And that’s what they did against Milwaukee, since the Bucks role guys are not as offensively sound as Boston’s roster is. He also said, “They have a lot of guys who feed off of him and he’s proved he’s an all around player. It’s gonna have to be team defense.” And a lot of that is going to start with the defense of Goran. He is someone who struggles on the defensive end, which will allow Kemba Walker to attack and do what he does best. But since Boston runs a lot of stuff through a high pick and roll, it’ll allow Bam to step up on different guards, which is where he thrives. This is what Goran means when mentioning “team defense.”

Post-Practice Comment #3:

Jimmy Butler got asked about the talent on the Celtics roster, and he gave a very Jimmy like answer. He said, “They’ve got some really good players, as do we.” But not only does Miami have talent, they have dogs. Hard work beats talent when talent fails to work hard. That’s where Miami gains their advantage. Jimmy also mentioned that “We damn sure have to take it a game at a time.” This is what they’ve done all throughout the playoffs, which has led them to an 8-1 record, but now it’s even more important. Game one will be a clear indication on how Miami must play the rest of the series, but ultimately their going to try and prepare the same way they have all season.

Post-Practice Comment #4:

Jimmy Butler also talked about the Eastern Conference Finals from a larger perspective. He said, “We all think that we’re the better team, we all think that we’re supposed to be here.” Many players say this about their own teams, but Jimmy actually means it sincerely. He has the ultimate amount of trust and confidence in himself and his teammates. He also said, “Going into these games, it’s about us. We control our destiny right now.” This is basically what Jae Crowder said yesterday, when he said the only way they can be stopped is from within. Jimmy knows they control their own destiny, and now it’s up to him to step up against Boston.

Post-Practice Comment #5:

Jimmy Butler capped off his media session today talking about being underdogs. He said, “That’s a term that everyone else uses. I think we can have a chip on our shoulder…We’re supposed to be here. We’re not underdogs, we’re competitors.” Every player on this team likes to find an edge to give them a mental advantage, but ultimately Jimmy and others hold themselves to a higher standard. They’re “not embracing underdogs,” since they knew they’d be here. And this isn’t the final destination. A finals appearance isn’t the ultimate goal either. Winning an NBA championship is what they are aiming for, and they won’t be satisfied otherwise.

5 Takeaways from Heat’s Series Ending Game 5 Win

/0 Comments/in /by

The Miami Heat faced off against the Giannis-less Milwaukee Bucks in game 5, and came away with the win 103-94. This was behind the outstanding play of Tyler Herro and Kelly Olynyk, surprisingly on both sides of the ball. Here are my five takeaways…

#1: Turnovers early became problematic for Heat’s starting lineup.

Miami’s starting lineup had issues to start the game, since their offense was very choppy. This led to six turnovers to start the game, and three of them coming from Jimmy Butler. Miami has continued to pride themselves in their efficient and smooth ball-movement and passing throughout the season. But this was not the case for Jimmy Butler and company in the first quarter. Luckily, Miami’s second unit stepped up to bring Miami all the way back, which will be discussed further down the line. The Heat will need to take care of these turnover issues, since if you do that against a team like the Boston Celtics, they will indeed make you pay. But ultimately, this is the reason Miami plays their veteran guys so much in these situations, since they can settle Miami down.

#2: Jimmy Butler uncomfortable early, Andre Iguodala steps up as on court leader.

As talked about previously, Jimmy Butler was very careless with the ball in his hands early, which gave him three turnovers out the gate. But, veteran Andre Iguodala came in and took control of Miami’s offense. He’s continually been a guy that has made a major impact on the defensive side of the ball when he enters, but he was clearly more of a floor general tonight. His ability to slow the game down against a Milwaukee team that wants to run the break was fully on display. Another thing that stood out was that he’s able to slow the offense down, with rookie’s Tyler Herro and Kendrick Nunn on the floor, which is not easy to do.

#3: Miami’s second unit brings the intensity that they needed.

When discussing Miami’s issues to start the game, I mentioned that the second unit stepped up majorly on offense. Well, that’s exactly what happened. For starters, Kendrick Nunn appeared to be in mid-season form with the ball in his hands, attacking the rim with fire in his eyes. Kelly Olynyk played a great game shooting the ball from deep, but actually stood out with his defensive disruption in the paint. Tyler Herro was scoring the ball at will, and displayed more of that outstanding play-making abilities throughout, especially on the break. This is something Duncan Robinson mentioned yesterday, when he said that his passing stands out more than his scoring. And of course, Andre Iguodala. As I described before, Andre’s ability to provide veteran on-court leadership is a major attribute for this team right now. And his ability to disrupt Khris Middleton proved to be important as well. If Miami gets this bench unit every game, they’ll be a tough team to compete with.

#4: Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo seemed scared to score the ball.

It clearly wasn’t the same Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo that we’ve seen throughout this series. And it’s not that they were off, it’s that they aren’t searching to score the ball. Neither player prioritizes their scoring abilities, but when things are getting rough on offense, they need to step up. Jimmy has the ability every play to attack the basket and get a foul or a bucket. Bam, on the other hand, has been given the open mid-range that he’s taken advantage of in prior games. These two guys will need to be more assertive in the next series with the ball in their hands, especially in games that guys like Duncan Robinson are blanketed.

#5: As Miami heads to the Eastern Conference Finals, they need to put these past two games behind them.

The Miami Heat clearly haven’t played to the best of their abilities in the past two games. But although that is true, they must put these two games behind them to be totally focused for Boston or Toronto. I don’t have much doubt that this team of mentally tough players will be totally locked in, but they must press a total reset. For one, their offense should be able to go back to normal, using the roaming Duncan Robinson as they did all season. And obviously Miami’s defensive scheme will change, since both Boston and Toronto spread the floor tremendously. But now, it’s time for Miami to both physically and mentally reset, to get back to their early series play.

5 Takeaways from Heat’s Late Loss to Milwaukee in Game Four

/0 Comments/in /by

The Miami Heat came up short against the Milwaukee Bucks in overtime, with a score of 118-115. After Giannis Antetokounmpo went out with an injury, Khris Middleton stepped up and ultimately led the Bucks to a win. Here are five takeaways from the game…

#1: Giannis Antetokounmpo comes out the gate hungry, but ultimately goes out with injury.

Giannis Antetokounmpo was playing with a purpose out the gate, scoring 19 points in only 11 minutes. But eventually, stepped awkwardly on his injured right ankle, which put him out for the remainder of the game. This consequently fell on the supporting cast of the Milwaukee Bucks. As I’ve mentioned during the series, the only way for the Bucks to compete is if the rest of the team shows up. And after Giannis went out, George Hill and Eric Bledsoe stepped up to finish the second quarter, which put them up 2 at the half. Khris Middleton also stepped up for Milwaukee in the third quarter, scoring 21 in that stretch. He iced the game with a late three to put the game away.

#2: Jae Crowder doesn’t get enough credit for his elite shooting abilties.

Jae Crowder has clearly been a key piece for this Heat team all season, but especially in the bubble. First off, he deserves major credit for his ability to guard Giannis the whole series, which is a tough task in itself. He brings physicality on the defensive end on every possession, which further proves the fact that he’s a Miami Heat type player. And now to his offense. He has continued to be one of Miami’s most consistent and trusted offensive players in the postseason, especially with his shooting. Milwaukee is basically daring Jae to shoot threes for some reason, which definitely benefits Miami. And his on-court chemistry with Jimmy Butler has been clear in this series, since they constantly bounce off each other for offensive sparks.

#3: Miami’s bench unit struggles on the offensive end.

One of Miami’s biggest strengths and advantages this season has been their talented depth on the roster. Tyler Herro, Kelly Olynyk, Andre Iguodala, and others usually give Miami a huge offensive spark, but that wasn’t the case today. Miami’s bench scored 5 points in the first half, which ultimately led to Miami trailing by two at the half. What sets the Heat apart from others is that there is no drop off when their bench enters the game. With others, that’s not the case. But the problem is that if Miami’s bench doesn’t totally show up, they usually struggle. Today, their bench ended up scoring 17 points, with most coming from Tyler Herro at the end of the fourth quarter.

#4: Bam Adebayo is special. Very special.

It’s evident that Bam is the most impactful player on the floor at all times, due to all of the small things he does so well. He’s proved to be an absolute force throughout this whole series around the rim, but what everyone has been waiting for is his mid-range jump shot. And well, not only was he attempting these shots, he was making them. His confidence with the ball in his hands seems to be getting better and better. And with Giannis going out, this also opened up Miami’s offense for Bam inside. And once the defense began to key on him, this led to him utilizing his unique play-making ability, which is clearly his biggest strength. Bam’s ability to take over a game in so many ways was on full display today.

#5: Although a tough outcome, Miami’s in good shape.

The Miami Heat may have lost this game in a tough fashion, but it definitely wasn’t their best performance. Other than Bam Adebayo, Duncan Robinson, and Jae Crowder’s good games, there’s wasn’t much contribution from anybody else on the offensive end. As mentioned before, Miami’s bench didn’t show up today, scoring fourteen points. And most importantly, Jimmy Butler wasn’t able to get in a rhythm with the ball in his hands. Although all of this seems problematic, Miami won’t have these scoring issues many times, which means their shouldn’t be much worry heading into game five. And there’s just not much you can do with a scorching hot Khris Middleton.

5 Takeaways from Heat’s Comeback Win in Game Three over Bucks

/3 Comments/in /by

The Milwaukee Bucks seemed to pull away late in the third quarter, but Miami stormed back to win, 115-100. Once again, this was led by the Miami Heat’s superstar Jimmy Butler. Here are my five takeaways from the game…

#1: Bam Adebayo gets busy offensively, but it results in early foul trouble.

Bam Adebayo was searching for baskets on the offensive end tonight, which was much needed for Miami. He was very active around the rim throughout, especially on second chance points. The problem with this aggression though, is that it results in offensive fouls. This is very similar to the offensive play style of Giannis Antetokounmpo, since his aggressiveness results in Miami drawing charges as well. Either way, Bam does so many things without the ball in his hands, that it doesn’t matter much. But he has the capability of making big plays offensively, as he did in the fourth quarter in the paint.

#2: Tyler Herro showcases his importance once again.

Tyler Herro clearly hasn’t been shy of the moment throughout the playoffs, and this continued tonight. It’s obvious that he’s an outstanding player scoring the ball, since he can both shoot and attack the rim. He displayed this with his ability to hit big shots, like the one with the shot clock expiring. It truly is amazing that Coach Erik Spoelstra has this amount of trust in his rookie Tyler Herro, to play major minutes in a playoff series. This is because he has the ability to make smart, veteran passes late in games, along with his elite scoring. But as many have said, Tyler Herro is not viewed as a rookie. He has a veteran mindset to make winning plays, which is why he’s the future of this team.

#3: Derrick Jones Jr steps up again off the bench, but in a different way. 

Derrick Jones Jr got some playing time once again, since Kelly Olynyk didn’t play tonight. It was clear that he’d give quality minutes on the defensive end, which he did, but he actually inserted himself on the offensive end. The reason he’s had issues offensively is because he’s unable to stretch the floor with a respected jump shot. But his jumper was respected tonight, since he hit two first-half threes with zero hesitation. And back to the defensive side, he not only made Giannis uncomfortable in many instances, he made everyone uncomfortable. This is because his defensive instincts allow him to make quick decisions, which disrupt different jump shooters. Although he only got first half minutes, those minutes were a huge contribution to this Heat win.

#4: Brook Lopez becomes a problem for Miami.

Brook Lopez played pretty similarly to the way he played in the first half of game one. Not only a threat from beyond the arc, but also a threat around the rim. This may have a little something to do with the absence of Kelly Olynyk and Bam Adebayo’s foul count, which is why Brook got aggressive. Either way, Miami will need to stop role players, like Brook, in this series, since Miami earned an advantage over Milwaukee in games one and two by stopping their supporting cast. Coach Spo seemed to adjust at halftime, which led to Miami shutting these guys down once again. Erik Spoelstra may be one of the biggest reasons for this Heat win.

#5: Jimmy Butler comes alive in the second half once again.

Jimmy Butler was 1 of 3 from the field mid-way through the third quarter, but then he turned the switch. He went on an 8-0 run, including two tough three pointers. When people talk about Jimmy Butler, they think he’s a pure scorer. But he’s not, he’s an important scorer. He knows when he needs to step up and score, and he also knows when to get his teammates involved and play his role. This was displayed when he made a huge pass to Jae Crowder late in the fourth. But most importantly, he has the ability to attack the basket at will, which usually results in a trip to the free throw line. This is what he got back to in the fourth quarter, which brought Miami all the way back, and ultimately led them to a win. Ladies and gentleman, this is Jimmy Butler.

5 Takeaways from Heat’s Victory over Bucks in Game Two

/0 Comments/in /by

It was a bit of a choppy game for both the Heat and the Bucks throughout, but Miami rallied through to get the win, 116-114. A couple of late game foul calls, resulted in two free throws for Jimmy Butler to win the game. Here are five takeaways from the game…

#1: Once again, Goran Dragic too much for Milwaukee back-court.

It’s pretty clear that you have to mention Goran Dragic after every one of these games, since he truly hasn’t had a bad game. Some talked about Goran possibly having a tougher time with Eric Bledsoe matched up with him, but that was not the case. He pretty much did whatever he wanted to do on the court, since he was an absolute threat from deep, and also got to the basket at will using his usual backboard floater. Goran is the piece on this team that is looked to during tough stretches, since he always delivers. Hopefully he’s on these takeaway pieces for many games to come, and I have a feeling he will be.

#2: Heat’s bench group comes up big throughout, as they did in regular season.

The Miami Heat’s bench group struggled a bit shooting the ball in game one, which is very unusual. But, this wasn’t the case today since Tyler Herro, Kendrick Nunn, and Kelly Olynyk made huge contributions offensively. This is what I mentioned previously about this team. The team does not run on the fact of Jimmy Butler’s scoring, it runs on the shooting of their supporting cast. Tyler Herro’s outstanding ability to score the ball during tough stretches was on full effect tonight. If the bench can continue to take the offensive load off of Jimmy, this will consequently make a much more effective Jimmy Butler.

#3: Jimmy reverts back to his usual role.

Jimmy Butler got a bit of a wrap, after game one against Milwaukee, that he is an unstoppable scorer. And well, that’s exactly what Jimmy wants people to think. He definitely has the ability to step up as a scorer for this team late, but he truly wants to be a facilitator that can get his teammates going. As he said before the game, “I hope it’s Goran tonight, I hope it’s Tyler, I hope it’s Duncan.” The reason he says that is because he knows the key to winning these games is to get those types of guys going, which is what he did. Jimmy also likes to let everyone know that he has his teammates back, when he pushed Wesley Matthews after a hard foul on Bam in the third quarter. That was and will always be Jimmy’s role, especially on this current Heat team.

#4: Miami slows down Giannis Antetokounmpo, but he powered through with the help of the officials.

It’s clear Giannis Antetokounmpo can not be fully stopped, since he’s an absolute offensive force. But, he can definitely be slowed down. He may get his points, but he has to work for them majorly. And by work for them, I mean running through the lane to constantly draw a foul. The officials were definitely generous for Giannis Antetokounmpo and others throughout, since there was zero leeway for Miami defenders to be physical. Giannis was able to thrive a bit more in the fourth quarter once Derrick Jones Jr entered the game for an injured Andre Iguodala. DJJ clearly isn’t big enough to guard Giannis, but made some scrappy plays which is what he usually does. If Miami is able to be a bit more physical with Giannis the rest of the series, it definitely favors the Heat. The officials ended up giving one call back to Jimmy Butler and the Miami Heat, which resulted in Jimmy Butler’s game winning free throws.

#5: Bam Adebayo’s impacted the game off the ball as much as he possibly could.

Bam Adebayo was such a presence throughout this game around the rim. On both sides of the ball, he was as scrappy as ever with his rebounding efforts. This may have a little something to do with the fact that he has been watching film and working on his rebounding with Heat’s veteran Udonis Haslem. But that’s not the only part of his game that he made an impact on. He was an outstanding screen setter throughout, as he usually is, but his ability to get guys free against this drop scheme proved to be very essential. It would be great for this Heat team if he’d be aggressive with the ball in his hands throughout, but Spo constantly reiterates that he wants Bam to play to his strengths instead.

 

5 Post-Practice Comments from Milwaukee Bucks

/0 Comments/in /by

As we’ve been diving into a bunch of post-practice comments from the Miami Heat as of late, here’s a glimpse at some comments from the Milwaukee Buck’s Khris Middleton, Kyle Korver, and Mike Budenholzer. They all pretty much shared a mutual feeling about yesterday’s game, which all began with Miami’s star Jimmy Butler. Here’s what was said…

Post-Practice Comment #1:

Kyle Korver gave Miami major props for yesterday’s win, saying “A healthy respect and a healthy fear of our opponent.” Kyle got his shooting going in the second half a bit, but the respect mechanism had to have come on the defensive side. Since Miami runs lineups late in games with a bunch of two-way guys, Kyle would have to face some tough match-ups. Also, it’s been pretty obvious that Milwaukee has had a bit of a “fear” against Miami, since they were the only team to slow down their star, Giannis Antetokounmpo, in the regular season. And well, that carried over into game one, which Miami held Giannis to 18 points. In my opinion, the “fear” was displayed throughout the night on Giannis’ free throws, which it showed that Miami was truly in his head.

Post-Practice Comment #2:

The Khris Middleton and Giannis Antetokounmpo pick and role combo has worked pretty well this season, but Miami made sure to pounce on that early. Khris said, “Me and Giannis have seen this before…They know what we like to do.” That was led by Miami’s Jimmy Butler, since his defensive IQ kicked in throughout, which led to Miami shutting Khris Middleton down in the second half. You could also tell they got away from their pick and roll stuff early, when Khris began to get his one-on-one stuff going. As mentioned before, not only does Miami’s defensive success come from their physicality, it’s also the fact that they are slowly wearing down Milwaukee mentally.

Post-Practice Comment #3:

Khris Middleton talked a little about trying to stop Jimmy Butler. He said, “He’s a great one-on-one player, and we allowed him to play one-on-one.” This was especially displayed down the stretch of the fourth quarter, when Jimmy told his teammates “I’m not passing.” He also mentioned that their team defense must be better to try and stop Jimmy. But, this is not Jimmy’s priority in these games. His first option will be to get his shooters going early, as he’s continually said all season, and if they aren’t hitting their shots then he will take over. If Milwaukee prioritizes stopping Jimmy Butler, he will have a field day by using his strength all game, which is his elite play-making abilities.

Post-Practice Comments #4:

Mike Budenholzer quickly mentioned after practice today that Eric Bledsoe practiced a bit today. And since Milwaukee’s supporting cast struggled in game one, they will need Eric Bledose to add some scoring to their team upon his return. He will have a winnable match-up on the offensive side of the ball, since he will be able to take Goran Dragic off the dribble a lot. But, if Eric sits out game 2 as well, they will need yet another huge game for Khris Middleton, which seems like a lot to hope for.

Post-Practice Comment #5:

Mike Budenholzer also mentioned their defensive assignment of Jimmy Butler. He said, “I think being better on both Butler and Dragic is probably where it starts.” If you were looking at the stat sheet from game one, you would definitely agree. But if you watched the Heat all season, you may disagree. Although Duncan Robinson didn’t have a great game yesterday, that won’t last long. He has not had bad back-to-back games all season. And if Milwaukee keys on both Jimmy and Goran tomorrow, Duncan will likely explode like he usually does after a tough shooting game.

5 Takeaways from Heat’s Game 1 Win over Milwaukee

/0 Comments/in /by

The Miami Heat played a much anticipated game 1 against the Milwaukee Bucks, and came away with the win, 115-104. Miami definitely didn’t have a great shooting night, but Miami’s toughness overcame it behind Goran Dragic and Jimmy Butler. Here are my five takeaways…

#1:Goran Dragic begins, Jimmy Butler finishes. 

Goran Dragic has pretty much been the Miami Heat’s bubble MVP thus far, since it seems as if he can’t have a bad game scoring the ball. Goran played a huge first half role for Miami, scoring 19 points on 75% shooting. And what was so special about this was that he was able to score at all three levels. He clearly is a three point threat, but really thrived in the mid-range area using his bank-shot floaters. Jimmy Butler, on the other hand, struggled in the first half with the ball in his hands, but got back to Playoff Jimmy status in the second half when he hit big shot after big shot in the fourth quarter. He finished the game with 40 points, and went 2 for 2 from beyond the arc. Like I said before, this is officially Jimmy’s time.

#2: Miami forces Milwaukee turnovers, which led to fast-break opportunities.

Miami has been the one team in the NBA that was able to disrupt Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Milwaukee Bucks this season. And though they were unable to disrupt them in the first quarter, they began to force turnover after turnover in the second quarter. Not only did they get a bunch of steals, but every one of those led to a basket on the other end. Some have talked about Miami slowing the game down a bit against this team, but on a night that their offense is struggling, it seemed essential to get the ball and run on the break.

#3: Surprisingly, Miami’s paint work against Milwaukee was utilized more than their perimeter shooting tonight, which will ultimately lead to more threes.

It’s been talked about over and over that Miami’s shooting would look to expose Milwaukee’s drop scheme in the series, since it allows so may threes. But it was actually the complete opposite. Guys like Bam Adebayo, Jimmy Butler, and Goran Dragic were able to attack the basket pretty effectively, which was a great sign for Miami. It did seem as if Milwaukee didn’t drop as much as usual, since they were very aware of Miami’s dribble hand-off scheme, which resulted in Duncan Robinson attempting one shot in the first half. If Miami can get their usual elite shooting going for the rest of the series, along with their penetration abilities, it makes an interesting series.

#4: Bam Adebayo plays much different role than he did in Indiana series.

Bam Adebayo didn’t have much of a scoring role against the Indiana Pacers in the first round, but he had such a huge impact in the series through his play-making and defensive abilities. Today though, he seemed to have a major role on offense around the rim, which as mentioned previously, was not expected since they pack the paint. Bam Adebayo also had the task of guarding (MVP candidate) Giannis Antetokounmpo, which he did as good of a job as you could possibly do against him. Bam also attempted some mid-range jumpers that were given to him, but they didn’t fall. Except for a clutch late game jumper after an exceptional jab step on Marvin Williams. If he can get some jumpers to fall, that not only opens up the floor for him, but also the rest of the team.

#5: Miami must prioritize slowing down Buck’s primary players, including Antetokounmpo, Middleton, Lopez.

Giannis Antetokounmpo, Khris Middleton, and Brook Lopez seemed to be Milwaukee’s only source of offense. Their supporting cast didn’t provide much offense, but they didn’t seem to need to at times, since their stars took the whole offensive load and thrived. Brook Lopez was a plus-30 in their three regular season games against Miami this season, and today he provided his scoring side. It’s pretty clear you’re not going to totally stop Giannis, which means it may be of their best interest to shut down Khris Middleton. This is something we saw Miami start to do in the second half, which ultimately helped them. It’ll be interesting to see some other schemes Coach Erik Spoelstra uses against this Milwaukee Bucks team.

Tag Archive for: Jimmy Butler

Nothing Found

Sorry, no posts matched your criteria