Tag Archive for: Jimmy Butler

5 Comments from Media Session with Spoelstra, Haslem, Butler

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The Miami Heat went through their last practice on Sunday before facing the Milwaukee Bucks in Game 1 of the second round. Udonis Haslem gave his opinion about the Heat’s chances, while Jimmy Butler spoke about the team’s current mindset. Here’s what was said…

Post-Practice Comment #1:

Udonis Haslem was asked about the Heat’s chances heading into the match-up with Milwaukee. He said, “The Miami Heat is built for anything.” And if anybody knows about how this team is built, it’s UD. He continues to be not only a major voice for serious issues, but also a guy that player’s look to during games. Even veteran point guard Goran Dragic walks up to him on the sideline during games to get input, since that seems to be his role. Udonis also is a major voice with instilling a winning mentality into the guys in the locker room. He’s played a big role in the development of (Miami’s young star) Bam Adebayo, both on and off the floor. If Udonis believes in this team, everyone believes.

Post-Practice Comment #2:

Erik Spoelstra, Miami Heat’s head coach, spoke about their recent success guarding Giannis Antetokounmpo. He said, “When you think you play him well, he’s always dancing around a triple-double.” Though this is true, stopping Giannis does not mean cutting down his numbers entirely. What the Heat do with Giannis seems to be more mental. They try to frustrate him by throwing a bunch of wing defenders on him who are physical, which consequently increased the amount of turnovers for Giannis. Another way they attacked Giannis was by using Bam on offense to try and get him in foul trouble. This means that Bam’s scoring numbers may not be high in this series, but he will have one of the biggest impacts in the series.

Post-Practice Comment #3:

Jimmy Butler seemed to have a bit of an issue with his left shoulder during last game, which led to him sitting for extended minutes in the first half. But when asked about his shoulder after practice today, he said “I’m good to go.” It sounds as if Jae Crowder will be good to go as well tomorrow, since he practiced the past two days. Jimmy Butler was also seen shooting left-handed free throws during practice, which further proves how ready his shoulder is. He may need to shoot some left-handed free throws in this series, since he gets to the line so many times a game, his right arm may be tired. And although Milwaukee uses a drop scheme, Jimmy Butler will continue to do what he does best in this series, which is attacking the basket.

Post-Practice Comment #4:

Erik Spoelstra reflected back to Miami acquiring their “perfect fits,” in Jimmy Butler and Jae Crowder. He said, “Well, they speak our language.” Everybody knew the fit of Miami and Jimmy Butler was pretty ideal, since it’s a hard wrking organization mixed with a hard-working player. But I don’t think many realized how great of a fit Jae Crowder would be. He was clearly a physical, scrappy defensive guy which was something the Heat needed at the time, but the improvement in his shooting has put Miami over the top. Not only is he able to knock down a bunch of threes a game, but’s he’s doing it at an exceptional percentage. This propelled him into the starting lineup, and will be a key piece in the second round on both sides of the ball, since he will have the assignment of Giannis Antetokounmpo and have to sustain his high-level shooting against their drop scheme.

Post-Practice Comment #5:

After a lot of people have been predicting that Miami will take down the Bucks, Jimmy Butler was asked if he’d rather be doubted or get recognition. He said, “We don’t care if you pick us to win or you pick us to lose, we’re gonna go out their and compete.” As mentioned previously, this team doesn’t care who believes in them because they believe in themselves. This is mostly because they have a locker room that is filled with experienced veterans. Also, there’s been a lot of talk about Miami’s shooters and Bam Adebayo heading into the series against Milwaukee, but not a lot of Jimmy Butler talk. This series against the Bucks is the reason Jimmy came to Miami, so he could lead the team in the postseason. This is officially Jimmy’s time.

Who is the Miami Heat’s True Key Piece for their Second Round Match-up?

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The Miami Heat are moving on to the second round, which will most likely be against the first seeded Milwaukee Bucks. Milwaukee has struggled with Miami all season, for a multitude of reasons. But who will need to step up to beat this Bucks team 4 out of 7 times?

Many think the reason Milwaukee struggles with Miami is that the Heat have so many bodies to throw at Giannis, which consequently led to some of Giannis’ worst games of the season. Jae Crowder will most likely get the first shot at Giannis early on the defensive side. Although Bam Adebayo has proved to be Giannis’ kryptonite, there is no need to risk getting Bam in foul trouble early, which has been a problem during some games in the bubble.

This means that Bam will most likely guard Giannis in the fourth quarters throughout the series. And Miami still has guys like Andre Iguodala and Derrick Jones Jr to try and stop Giannis. But is Derrick Jones Jr’s offensive package good enough to play extended minutes against the Bucks?

Since Milwaukee’s defense revolves around a drop scheme which allows a bunch of threes, it favors Miami. But with DJJ’s inability to stretch the floor, this may mean that Kendrick Nunn replaces him in the 9 man rotation in this series. Kendrick Nunn clearly isn’t the most efficient three point shooter, but he definitely is a threat.

This leads right into Miami’s true key pieces for the series. Goran Dragic, Tyler Herro, and Kelly Olynyk can all play major roles in this series with their ability to stretch the floor, but the true X-factor is Miami’s second year man Duncan Robinson.

A hand in his face can’t even slow him down at times, which is why teams have continued to try and blanket Duncan and let other players on this Heat team beat them. This is something the Bucks won’t do. They will continue to use their defensive sets, which will mean even more Duncan and Bam dribble hand offs. Duncan went 11-21 from beyond the arc in their three regular season games this year against Milwaukee. And since they pack the paint, it will limit Bam’s offensive numbers some. But since he does so many other things well, this won’t hurt their offense one bit.

Although it’s evident that Duncan is pretty much the x-factor in every game they play, since their offense basically revolves around him, it’s even more true in this series. If the Bucks continue to allow this to happen in this series, Miami will make them pay, which makes this series so interesting.

5 Post-Game Comments from Spoelstra, Butler, Adebayo

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The Miami Heat completed the sweep over the Indiana Pacers tonight, which gives Miami a couple extra days of rest. Erik Spoelstra spoke on Tyler Herro’s play and Bam Adebayo mentioned how long he has to enjoy this win. Here’s what was said…

Post-Game Comment #1:

Erik Spoelstra talked a little about the injury of Jimmy Butler. He said once again that it’s just soft tissue in his right shoulder. He than says, “What he needs more than anything is just rest.” Well, that’s exactly what Jimmy Butler will get since they will have a few days of rest before the start of the second round. Erik Spoelstra also mentioned that Jimmy Butler’s low free throw attempts may have had something to do with Jimmy being precautionary of his injury. He said that he was not trying to attack people as much today. Either way, Jimmy Butler will hopefully be back to 100% by game 1 of the second round, which will most likely be against the Milwaukee Bucks.

Post-Practice Comment #2:

Bam Adebayo was asked about enjoying this round one win over Indiana, and responded with a very Bam like answer. He said, “I got until midnight to enjoy this. And then it’s back to business in the morning.” He clearly has the Miami Heat winning mentality, especially due to his play tonight that included 14 points, 19 rebounds, and 6 assists. Spoelstra mentioned his tough play this series, which he continually reiterated the impact of Bam. He also said, “I don’t care what the stat sheet says.” But tonight, it was clear that Bam filled up the stat sheet to his liking, which translated to a big Heat win.

Post-Practice Comment #3

Bam Adebayo touched on Kendrick Nunn’s return tonight. He said, “Don’t tell him I said anything but I’m proud of him, staying ready.” Bam also talked about trying to keep him in good spirits, since he was in the same situation a few years ago. Bam also reiterates, “I’m truly proud of that kid, to stay locked in, didn’t get discouraged from the situation.” For starters, it’s a little odd for Bam to be calling Kendrick a “kid” when Bam is younger. But when you play a mentoring role in someone’s career, it must feel that way. Although Bam is so young, he’s a star on this team, which means he is a major voice for guys to look for in any situation.

Post-Practice Comment #4:

Erik Spoelstra spoke about some of the big play Tyler made down the stretch, including some huge offensive rebounds. He began saying that it clearly isn’t his job to grab those rebounds, but he has such a feel for the ball. He followed that saying, “He’s a serious weapon.” This was evident tonight since he has the confidence to make big plays in big games. It’s not very common for a 20 year old rookie to be in the closing lineup in his first playoff series, but with Tyler it’s different. He is truly a trusted piece for this team, that will continue to be looked to in tight games.

Post-Practice Comment #5:

Jimmy Butler spoke on the team’s happiness for other people’s success. He said, “We love when other guys are successful.” This was on display in the second quarter when Kendrick Nunn hit a three pointer as soon as he entered the game. The bench absolutely loved it on the sideline, which was what Jimmy was referring to. He also said, “You should have fun. You should enjoy the game. And you can see that in how we play.” This team has the ability to flip a switch in certain circumstances. They can have fun and be excited on big plays, but they also know how to get down to business and be physical. This is why this team is so dangerous.

5 Takeaways from Heat’s Series Ending Win Over Pacers

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The Miami Heat have officially completed the sweep over the Indiana Pacers with a game 4 win, 99-87. This was a pretty spread out game for Miami’s offense, while Miami’s leading scorer was Goran Dragic with 23 points. Here are some takeaways from this game 4 win…

#1: Kendrick Nunn makes impressive return.

Kenrick Nunn got his name called in the second quarter of today’s game, and he delivered. He hit a corner three on only his second offensive possession, which he showed both a smile and a bit of relief after his recent struggles. Jimmy Butler’s early injury lead to some early minutes for Nunn. This is extremely important heading into a match-up with the Milwaukee Bucks, since Miami will need some offensive talent on the floor like Kendrick Nunn, due to Milwaukee’s defense that allows more threes. This also takes a bit of the load off of Goran’s shoulders at times, since it’s not ideal for a 34 year old Goran to play 34 minutes a game.

#2: Jimmy Butler’s early departure leads to choppy offense in first half.

Jimmy Butler exited the game after 5 minutes of play with an apparent shoulder sprain. This injury did not seem to occur in the game, since he was seen rubbing his right shoulder prior to today’s game. Jimmy’s early departure led to a stagnant Miami offense in the first half. Although Jimmy is not a threat shooting the ball, his presence causes Miami’s offense to run smoothly. Jimmy returned in the second half, and Miami seemed to return to its usual dynamic offense. One thing that this showcased was Jimmy’s elite facilitating ability, plus his ability to attack the basket which is a given.

#3: Bam Adebayo hunting to dominate Myles Turner match-up early.

Bam Adebayo seemed to have some fire in his eyes on the offensive side of the ball early in today’s game. Almost as if he planned to be aggressive and attack Myles Turner. This led to a Bam Adebayo mid-range jumper and a couple floaters in the paint, which none of those shots even hit the rim. Just net. Jimmy Butler’s early departure may have impacted his aggressiveness early as well, since he realized he would need to step up. This was just another snippet of Bam’s game that has yet to be unlocked yet. Everyone can see it’s there, but he does everything else so well that he doesn’t always utilize it. Bam ended the game with 14 points, 19 rebounds, and 6 assists.

#4: Tyler Herro continually shows he can be “that guy.”

Tyler Herro has continually proven that he is immune to pressure. He’s shown this throughout the entire series, but today he showed that he’s going to play the same way no matter if it’s practice, a regular season game, and now a playoff game. And as talked about before, although he has improved his ball-handling and play-making, he will always primarily be a scorer. He has the ability to not only hurt you from three, but also control the mid-range which is something that Miami hasn’t done a lot of. He showed off yet another big fourth quarter tonight, with some impressive drives to the basket and tough passes down the stretch. When you watch him in these games, it truly slips your mind that this guy is a rookie.

#5: Miami’s 4-0 sweep against Indiana is a warning to the top East teams.

The Miami Heat completed the sweep against the Indiana Pacers on Monday night, which means they move on to the second round to likely face the Milwaukee Bucks. This first round showcased Miami’s number one strength, which is their unique mix of solid veterans and young talent. Goran Dragic and Tyler Herro were clear representaions of this, since they both stepped up in this series on the offensive side of the ball, especially during tough stretches. Erik Spoelstra also deserves major credit in this series for his ability to adjust so perfectly in this unique situation. And don’t forget about their elite two-way stars on the roster in Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo, who have both been huge in fourth quarters, which is when they are needed most. Teams are recognizing the toughness in this current Miami Heat team, which makes them such a threat.

5 Takeaways from Heat’s Nail-Biting Win Over Pacers

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The Miami Heat played yet another tough game against the Indiana Pacers in game 3, but came away with the win 124-115. This game was clearly a tale of two halves, since Miami dominated in the first half, but let the game get away from them in the second. Here are five takeaways from the game…

#1: If Miami shoots the way they did in the first half, they’re a tough team to beat.

Miami had one of those halves that Heat fans have seen quite a lot this season, which was an absolute three point shooting display. They’re clearly one of the best teams when they are hitting their shots, but when their shots aren’t falling, they struggle getting their offense going. The second half was a perfect example of this, when it seemed to be the complete opposite of the first half. Dragic had 4 first half threes, while Crowder, Herro, and Robinson each had two first half threes. This led Miami to 74 first half points, which was a playoff record. If Miami can withhold their elite shooting for 48 minutes, they’ll be tough to beat.

#2: Goran Dragic hot streak continues.

It feels like Goran is included in every one of these takeaway piece, because he has been. He continues to be an elite offensive presence for Miami, while scoring from all three levels. And though he has a great connection with teammate Jimmy Butler, his best play has come with the second unit. This is obviously because they’ve built up a great amount of chemistry throughout the season when he came off the bench. Goran played 14 of the first 17 minutes of the game, which is interesting considering his age. It seems as if Spo is giving him these minutes, so he can bring Jimmy back in mid-way through the second quarter for him. Miami needs one of either Goran or Jimmy on the floor at all times, and it seems as if Spo has recognized this as well.

#3: Bam Adebayo obviously isn’t a natural scorer, but his on-court impact is crucial.

Bam Adebayo has struggled scoring the ball through the first few playoff games, but that’s because he hasn’t gone to his strengths on offense. Bam displayed it in the first quarter, taking Myles Turner off the dribble. He has continued to struggle with his back to the basket, but when he gets a full head of steam, he’s hard to stop. But what makes Bam so impactful is everything else. His back-door passing, screen setting, and defensive presence was on full display. He may not give you a bunch of blocks, but he will force a bunch of missed shots, both around the rim and on the perimeter. And his ability to take the center out of the paint and make tight back door passes off of cuts may have won them this game. As of right now, this side of his game seems to translate more to wins than his scoring, which is why Spoelstra is so supportive of the way he plays.

#4: Miami will need to clean up turnovers in order to beat a team like Milwaukee.

Miami had more turnovers than field goals made in the third quarter. Let that sink in. Part of it is due to the scrappiness of Indiana on the defensive end. But another part of it is some costly errors from Miami’s stars, Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo. Obviously turnovers will occur since both of these guys have major play-making tasks, but it is essential to clean this up a bit. Jimmy seems to try and force passes out to the three when he drives to the basket, and Bam seems to pick up his dribble on the perimeter at times. But, this is definitely something that can be fixed, especially since Coach Spo has mentioned taking care of the ball a lot over the past week.

#5: Tyler Herro clearly doesn’t shy away from big moments.

Tyler Herro scored 20 points in only his third playoff game, shooting 6-12 from the field. Although he seemed to be taking the role of a play-maker in the eight regular season games, he has now reverted back to the natural scorer he was mid-season. And as of right now, Miami needs the offensively hungry Tyler Herro. Although he’s a threat from beyond the arc, his ability to control the mid-range adds another aspect to their offense. He has led the team in fourth quarter minutes this season, and there’s been no change for the playoffs since he’s apart of the team’s closing lineup with Dragic, Butler, Iguodala, and Adebayo. And even with Jimmy Butler on the floor, Tyler seems to be Miami’s biggest threat late in games.

5 Takeaways from Heat’s Game 2 Win Over Pacers

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The Miami Heat had their fair share of ups and downs in today’s game against the Indiana Pacers, but came away with the win 109-100. Consequently, Miami takes a 2-0 lead over Indiana, but instead of flying back home to Miami for game 3, they will be staying in Orlando. Here are five takeaways from this game…

#1: Bam Adebayo’s early foul trouble showcases his importance.

Bam Adebayo got called for two early fouls in the first quarter. He was consequently subbed out of the game, right after the Heat went on a huge offensive run to start the game. This seemed to put a huge halt on Miami’s offense, which is weird since Bam doesn’t seem to be an offensive powerhouse. The thing is that Bam does all of the small things for their offense. Picks, spaces the floor, etc. He had 0 points until mid-way through the third quarter, but made himself useful through his elite play-making skills. This also forced Miami to go small for an extended amount of time, since Derrick Jones Jr subbed in for Bam. These early foul troubles for Bam in the bubble is definitely something to keep your eye on, since you can’t risk not having Bam on the floor in a match-up against Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Milwaukee Bucks.

#2: Heat’s offense seems to revolve solely around the shooting of Duncan Robinson.

Miami’s offense has clearly revolved around Duncan all season, and looks to be even more true in the bubble. This is what caused a huge Heat run to start the game, when Duncan hit three triples in the first two minutes. But once Indiana’s defense picked up on it, the offense became stagnant. Especially since a bunch of Miami’s usual go to scorers struggled early in the game. Duncan ended up hitting a fourth three in the second quarter, which was the start of another Miami run. He ended the game with seven three pointers, which gives Duncan a great amount of confidence after last game’s struggles. This just further proves the amount of pressure Duncan has to elevate this offense. But if anyone is capable of doing it, it’s Duncan Robinson.

#3: Miami’s supporting cast steps up during tough stretches.

As talked about previously, Miami’s usual scorers struggled in the first half of today’s game. But, Kelly Olynyk and Andre Iguodala hit some much needed shots in the first half, to get them out of this drought. Kelly Olynyk had 7 points and 6 rebounds in the first half, while Andre Iguodala did his part on the defensive end. The depth of this Heat team is one of Miami’s biggest advantages, which is why they will need guys like Kelly and Andre to elevate the team when things aren’t going their way. And as Spoelstra said about Kendrick Nunn and Meyers Leonard, these guys will be much needed down the line.

#4: The Heat’s crisp ball movement may have won them this game.

Jimmy Butler said before today’s game that although he scored 28 in game 1, he wants to be better in game 2 with getting the other guys involved. This seemed to be the goal for every player on the team though. Miami played some of the most unselfish basketball that they’ve played all season, which at times seemed a bit excessive. For example, Duncan forced a pass down low though he had an open three, and Jimmy passed out to Herro for a three though he had a wide open layup. The point is that this type of play could win them many tight games, since most teams don’t play this way. Most teams have a go to scorer that they look to in close playoff games. Miami’s primary play-makers, in Bam Adebayo and Jimmy Butler, are going to play this way no matter what, since they continually say this is the way to win.

#5: Goran Dragic is officially the second half killer.

It seemed to be a repeat of game 1 for Goran Dragic. A slow start in the first half, followed by a second half scoring display. It may be because a 34 year old needs some time to get going. Or maybe he saves himself for the second half. Either way, Goran continues to be a huge offensive spark for this team. He’s one of the only players on the team who can consistently create their own shot, and hit it consistently. It also seems as if the hiatus has helped Goran as much as anybody in the bubble. This time off has made Goran much more explosive for playoff time than he would have been normally. Goran finished the game with 20 points, while playing as good as ever.

5 Post-Game Comments from Herro, Adebayo, Butler, and Others

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The Miami Heat played a tough and scrappy game against the Indiana Pacers, but came out with the win. This was behind the elite play of Jimmy Butler and Goran Dragic. Here’s what was said post-game…

Post-Game Comment #1:

Erik Spoelstra spoke a little about the topic of the afternoon, Jimmy Butler. He said, “Make or miss he wants the responsibility.” He then mentions that this is obviously why they acquired him. The reason he takes responsibility make or miss is because he’s one of the most mentally tough players in the league. This was showcased today. We’ve also seen Jimmy take over games all season without scoring the ball. But that wasn’t the case today since he was on a mission to score the ball. No matter what he does to win, Spoelstra has the utmost trust in this team’s leader.

Post-Game Comment #2:

Tyler Herro talked about the team cleaning up the turnover problem in the second half. He mentions that they made adjustments at halftime and adds that Spoelstra is amazing at that. He also says that playoff games are supposed to be sloppy and that they’re “not afraid to win games in the mud.” Spoelstra expected this to be that type of game yesterday, when he mentioned that this team is top 3 in steals and points off turnovers in the bubble. He consequently was prepared to make these adjustments at the half, which led to a Miami Heat win.

Post-Game Comment #3:

Bam Adebayo talked about this team’s eagerness to win. He said, “That’s the big thing I like about this team. We don’t care who scores as long as we win.” The best example of that is Andre Iguodala. He scored 4 points but was one of Miami’s most important players in this game. Bam also talked about the communication of him and Jimmy Butler. He said, “If you heard us, you’d think we were mad at each other.” This is just another example of their willingness to win. This team listens when Jimmy Butler talks, which makes such a tough and scrappy team.

Post-Game Comment #4:

Jimmy Butler mentions that one of Indiana’s silly coaches was yapping at him throughout the game. This led to Jimmy making a talking gesture after a steal and dunk. It seems pretty evident that the one thing you don’t want to do is anger Jimmy. This led to a 28 point game to kick off the playoffs. Meyers Leonard doesn’t seem to think it was a good for this coach to do this either, when he tweeted after the game “Bad idea.”

Post-Game Comment #5:

Jimmy Butler joked around about Goran Dragic a little bit saying he was “stinky” in the first half, but says Goran admitted that to him. He then started talking about how great he was in the second half. He also mentioned Tyler Herro and Duncan Robinson being key offensive guys. He kept reiterating that his role is to make sure all of these other guys are comfortable. He says that he constantly tells the young guys about the playoffs, “Just play basketball.” He mentions that these guys have been playing their whole lives, and that the term playoffs shouldn’t change anything.

5 Takeaways from Heat’s Game 1 Victory Over the Indiana Pacers

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The Miami Heat had their hands full with a scrappy Indiana Pacers team, but came away with the victory 113-101. Indiana’s offense was led by their bench unit throughout, including Justin Holiday and JaKarr Sampson. But, Miami overcame this behind Jimmy Butler and Goran Dragic’s big games. Here are my five takeaways from the game…

#1: Playoff Jimmy Butler was in full effect today.

The entire Heat team knows that this is Jimmy’s time. The playoffs is when you get the ball to your best player on the floor. Jimmy came out with that mindset right away and did what he does best, which is draw fouls. He ended the game with 28 points and went 10-12 from the free throw line. He seemed to have fire in his eyes whenever he had the ball in his hands, trying to put a spark in this Heat team. This did seem to light up the rest of the team and get everybody else on the level of Jimmy. But, it’s pretty clear that Jimmy will need another part of his offensive game to step up in order for this team to go far, since driving to the basket to draw fouls can’t be your only offensive threat. And that’s exactly what Jimmy did. He had a pair of clutch threes down the stretch of the game, and iced the game with a mid-range bank shot in the final minute. This is the Jimmy Butler we’ve been waiting for.

#2: Goran Dragic’s scoring barrage late elevates team.

Goran Dragic got the start on Tuesday afternoon over Kendrick Nunn. Goran has been a key piece for this Heat team all season due to the chemistry he had with the second unit. And well, he didn’t seem to be a big part of their offense in the first quarter with the starting lineup. But, Spoelstra only ran a nine man rotation, which lead to Dragic getting minutes with the second unit as well. This was a big part in Miami’s second quarter run. Goran became more comfortable on the floor, which lead to Tyler Herro threes and Andre Iguodala lobs. Goran picked it back up on offense in the second half with the starters, and hit clutch basket after clutch basket in the fourth quarter. And since Kendrick Nunn went from starter to out of the rotation in today’s game, it seems as if Goran will need to play an extended amount of minutes in this post-season at 34 years old, which could be a problem.

#3: Bam Adebayo showcases his ability to be an aggressor with the ball.

There was an aggressive Bam Adebayo siting in today’s game, beginning in the second quarter. It’s pretty evident that Bam isn’t the best offensive player with his back to the basket. But when he gets a full head of steam on his way to the basket, he’s tough to stop. He’s just plainly a huge spurt of energy for this Heat offense, since he plays hard on every possession. He also showcased his play-making today, especially with the off-ball movement from Jimmy Butler. Bam ended up with 17 points on 50% shooting, along with 6 assists and 10 rebounds. It seems as if second and third options will be huge in these playoffs after guys like Jamal Murray, Fred VanVleet, and Jaylen Brown all had big games yesterday, which just further proves the offensive importance of Bam Adebayo.

#4: Andre Iguodala gives more quality bench minutes.

Playoff Iggy seemed to be in full effect in game 1 today. He entered the game with Tyler Herro in the first quarter and did what he does best. Make plays. If you looked at the stat sheet from today’s game, you’d see 4 points, 1 rebound, 0 assists, and 0 steals from Andre. But if you watched the game, you’d know that he was one of the biggest reasons for Miami’s second quarter run. His off-ball movement, active hands, and of course his on court leadership. Andre told media yesterday that his most important moments with this team come in between timeouts, since he can talk with the young guys. This is why Spoelstra will use him in lineups down the stretches of close games in the playoffs, as he did today.

#5: Miami’s death lineup showed up big in today’s game.

When I wrote about different playoff lineups back in June, it included the death lineup of Herro-Duncan-Butler-Crowder-Adebayo. Spoelstra seemed to role with this lineup throughout the third quarter, which gave Miami a 10 point lead before he made a substitution. This lineup seems to be one of Miami’s deadliest lineups due to the mix of shooting and defense. This lineup hasn’t shared the court much as well, other than the last few bubble games. But, they seem to have great on court chemistry together on both sides of the ball. This is a lineup that Spoelstra will probably roll with a bunch throughout the first round of the playoffs, and seems to be a very positive thing for the Heat.

5 Post-Practice Comments from Spoelstra, Butler, Crowder

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The Miami Heat had another media session after another early morning practice today. Jimmy Butler spoke on the Indiana match-up and the chances of this current Heat team. Here’s what was said…

Post-Practice Comment #1:

Jimmy Butler got asked once again about the TJ Warren match-up. He said, “I’m going to go out there and be the best player on the floor.” He also mentions that he’s not worried about anybody’s match-up. Jimmy seems to only be worried about one thing and one thing only which is to win. He has the utmost confidence in himself and this team in this playoff setting. He finishes his answer regarding the TJ Warren beef, saying “We can kill that. That’s something of the past.”

Post-Practice Comment #2:

Jae Crowder seems to have the utmost confidence in his former college teammate Jimmy Butler in a playoff series. He says, “This is when he comes alive.” Jimmy Butler has always been a guy that saves himself for the playoffs, and explodes. He was shooting 15 shots a game in last years playoffs, which was more than he attempted during the season. This is because your best player has to show up in the post-season in order for you to win. And even though people have doubted his jump shot all season, he knows he doesn’t need it to win since he has the confidence in himself to attack the basket and score or get to the line every play.

Post-Practice Comment #3:

Jimmy Butler spoke about the first round of the playoffs against Indiana, and likes the chances of this team going forward. He said, “The tougher team is gonna end up winning in the end, and I think we have that in our corner.” This team is obviously full of a bunch of gritty and tough guys. This always seems to be the case for a Miami Heat team, but this one is much different. Every single player has talked about winning in their media sessions, which shows the amount of focus on this roster. Jimmy finishes with “It’s gonna be a dog fight, but I think we got some dogs.”

Post-Practice Comment #4:

Jae Crowder touched on their defensive tweaks as of late. He says, “I think it has definitely put pressure on our communication.” He continually reiterates the fact that he’s been pushing communication all season, since he think it’s the biggest thing with this team. Jae Crowder was clearly a big reason for these defensive tweaks, since he was put into the starting lineup over Meyers Leonard for more versatility. And with Meyers out of the rotation, this hurts their defensive communication since he was one of their biggest on court voices. Jae definitely isn’t stressing this too much since it’s an easy fix.

Post-Practice Comment #5:

Jimmy Butler was asked about this team’s recent success over Indiana and what they should make of it. He responds, “None of it.” He wants to make sure his team is completely focused and that they don’t get complacent with that mindset. He also mentions, “It’s a different style of basketball now.” This is obviously true since the two games played earlier in the season will be nothing like they are now. This also goes back to his previous comment of this team having a bunch of dogs. Although it’s a different style of play, it seems like it may benefit Miami even more.

5 Overall Takeaways from Miami Heat’s Eight Seeding Games

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The Miami Heat fell to 3-5 during their seeding games in the bubble, but this record does not show the amount of positive signs that was shown from their young players. As we now approach the beginning of the NBA playoffs, here’s a look back at what I took away from the regular season games in the bubble…

#1: Duncan Robinson clearly elevates the offense to another level.

It was pretty obvious that Duncan Robinson was an elite shooter before the NBA got postponed, but these bubble games showcased another side of him. He was a sensational catch and shoot guy all season, but now that he’s such an offensive problem for other defenses, they throw everyone they can at him. This allowed Duncan to develop things such as a shot-fake, off-balance threes, and even some drives to the basket. This consequently takes the offense to another level. If Duncan becomes even more comfortable with his abilities to penetrate once teams are flying out on him, this opens up the floor for everybody else, especially Bam Adebayo.

#2: Goran Dragic may be the starter by game 1 of the playoffs.

Goran Dragic has clearly been on point over his time in the bubble, since he’s had absolutely zero problems scoring the ball. And with Kendrick Nunn’s recent struggles, it’s looking more and more like Goran Dragic will be the starter by game 1. Goran got some run in with the starting lineup when Kendrick was out, and the lineup absolutely thrived. The problem was that there was no veteran Goran off of the bench. This clearly hurt their second unit, since guys like Tyler Herro and Derrick Jones Jr both flourish with Goran on the floor. It’s also been clear that Miami needs Goran or Jimmy on the floor at all times to be successful, and with this starting lineup, there will be stretches without them on the floor. If Goran continues this hot streak in the playoffs, this will definitely be a tough offense to stop.

#3: Tyler Herro takes huge leap in the bubble.

There seemed to be quite a lot of doubt on Heat’s rookie Tyler Herro when he struggled in the three scrimmage games. But, he completely turned this around once the games started to count, especially on the back stretch of these games. He came into the league with the idea that he’d be a catch and shoot guy. But this isn’t even close to being his best overall attribute. During the hiatus, he worked on his ball-handing skills a lot, which is very important since he’s become one of Miami’s primary play-makers. And speaking of play-making, his display of passing during this time has clearly shown he will be the starting point guard of this team very soon. His biggest problem has been on the defensive side, and he’s even had a bunch of great defensive stretches. His quick feet, active hands, and great instincts have given this team even more hope on the future of Tyler Herro.

#4: Bam Adebayo saving himself for the post-season.

Bam Adebayo has been pretty solid for this team statistically in the bubble, but this team knows he has another level. It’s up to Bam if he can shift gears in a playoff series, and take over on offense at times when they need him. He’s begun to get more and more comfortable with that elbow jump shot, but they just haven’t been falling. The coaching staff, his teammates, and the fans all want him to continue to be comfortable taking it, since they will begin to fall eventually. His defense is never in question, since he seems to bring that every single night he plays. Bam has seemed to be pacing himself a bit over this stretch of games, which it appears to be him saving himself for a post-season breakout.

#5: Jimmy Butler got some time off, but now this is his time.

Jimmy Butler has not looked to be a primary scorer on this team all season. He instead uses his elite play-making and leadership to his advantage, which is definitely needed. But, in order for this team to make a playoff run, they’ll need Jimmy Butler to become the star that he is. The reason lower level teams always shrink in the playoffs is because they don’t have a go to guy when thing get rough. Miami has one, but he needs to know he is one. It seems as if Jimmy could drive to the basket and get a bucket or a foul on every possession, but he chooses to be the unselfish teammate that he is. In a playoff series though, he will need to be selfish at times, because that will translate to wins in close games. If Jimmy could step up as “the guy,” this team will be as tough as any other.