Tag Archive for: Jimmy Butler

5 Takeaways from Heat’s Loss in Final Scrimmage Game

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The Miami Heat had quite a rough showing in their final scrimmage game against the Memphis Grizzlies. Miami lost 128-110, which left the team with a negative note heading into the regular season games. Here are my five takeaways from this game…

#1: Defense continues to look problematic.

Miami’s defense has been one of the biggest questions for the Heat heading into the bubble. And well, this still stands. Perimeter defense has been the biggest problem since there’s a lack of defensive guards on this Heat team. Jimmy Butler and Derrick Jones Jr will definitely get a load of opposing team’s back-courts due to the lack of point of attack defense. There was also some trouble with interior defense since there was a physical big on the court in Jonas Valanciunas. But the biggest takeaway is something that Duncan Robinson said after the game, “defensive connection.” This seemed to be the major defensive issue in today’s performance.

#2: Turnovers are Miami’s biggest downfall.

Turnovers are just one of the issues in tonight’s performance, but it’s something we’ve seen in all three scrimmages. Most of these turnovers seem to come from costly and forced passes. This may be due to the fact that guys like Jimmy are trying to get everyone back in rhythm, since he had 5 turnovers in today’s scrimmage. It also may be due to the increased speed in these games in the bubble. These games are much like summer league games, which is a constant display of pushing the ball. More offensive possessions means more turnovers. Either way, this is something the Heat will need to touch up while they get closer and closer to the postseason.

#3: Veterans hold the Heat’s key to success.

There was a lot of discussion before play began in the bubble on whether veterans or young guys would benefit more. Well, these scrimmages have proved that its veterans definitely benefit much more. Many believe this is just an experience thing, but I think it may be due to no fans in the stands. These young guys are so used to feeding off of the crowd. One example would be Tyler Herro. Most of his impressive scoring stretches this year have been at home games, and at times when the crowd is into the game. This just proves that their should never be a time when one of Jimmy Butler, Andre Igyuodala, and Goran Dragic are not on the court.

#4: Spoelstra is still finding lineups with chemistry.

During these three scrimmage games, there’s been certain lineups that just don’t fit well together. Guys like Jae Crowder and Kelly Olynyk, or Duncan Robinson and Bam Adebayo, have proved to have natural chemistry and efficiency when on the court together. But, it’s been obvious that Goran Dragic and Kendrick Nunn don’t have the best of numbers when they share the court. This is definitely something that Coach Spo has kept track of. Also, the zone defense is definitely impressive at times, but should only be used with certain lineups. There’s been many times where they put their defensive wings up top, but leave Tyler Herro and Goran Dragic down low. This lead to many points in the paint, and will continue to be problematic if not utilized correctly.

#5: Jimmy Butler looked smooth on offense.

Although Jimmy Butler only played 22 minutes today, he put on one of his best offensive showings in a while. But the most essential part about it was the efficiency. Efficiency has been in question when talking abut Jimmy Butler, especially since he’s become more of a play-maker than a scorer with the Heat. This may be due to Bam Adebayo returning to the lineup alongside Jimmy, which they played most of their minutes together on the floor today. If Jimmy could keep this up on the offensive side of the ball and the Heat can polish up on defense, they will be a tough out come playoff time.

5 Takeaways from Heat’s Second Scrimmage Game

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The Miami Heat had an evening scrimmage game on Saturday, and they fell short, 101-99. The Heat were without Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo in this game, which was due to rest in preparation for the counting regular season games. Well, here’s what was seen in this game…

#1: Kelly Olynyk solidifying big minutes off the bench.

Kelly Olynyk’s spot in the rotation has been in question due to the Heat’s major depth. Well, Kelly proved he can definitely be utilized after he put up 27 points in today’s scrimmage. This was one of the major factors that the Heat were in this game, since the Heat’s starters struggled early. Kelly was a threat at all three levels on the offensive side of the ball, which then opened up the floor for guys like Jae Crowder. We know Kelly is capable of doing this on offense, but the question is consistency. If he can do this on a regular basis, he will be a major part of this Heat rotation.

#2: Tyler Herro bounces back after tough shooting game.

Tyler Herro was coming off of a game that struggled from beyond the arc. His shooting seemed to be back to mid-season form, but that’s not what stood out. What stood out was his play-making improvements. He seems to be getting much more comfortable with running the point, which is a role the Heat would love him to play. This has especially been the case at ends of games, when Tyler runs the offense and is the go to scorer. This is just a glimpse of what we can expect from Tyler in the next three years, where he may be the primary play-maker on the roster.

#3: Heat’s offense is choppy without Jimmy Butler.

Jimmy Butler took the day off on Saturday, after a hard practice the night prior. Something I mentioned after the first scrimmage game was how much more fluid the offense was when Jimmy was on the floor. This seemed pretty evident in this game since the offense was very choppy throughout, especially with the first unit. Though Tyler and Iguodala did a good job running the offense today, it just isn’t the same without Butler on the floor. Guys like Duncan Robinson and Meyers Leonard benefit when Jimmy is playing, since he constantly draws people in, which forces wide open threes. Don’t be alarmed by the tough scoring night by Miami, since this will be fixed quickly upon both Jimmy and Bam’s return.

#4: Turnovers become problematic for Heat rhythm.

The Heat seemed to make some mistakes throughout this game on both sides of the ball, but turnovers seemed to be a big one. We know the defensive mistakes that were made due to the lack of a defensively strong back-court. But, the offense will need to clean themselves up, especially in games that are tight down the stretch. This may be something else that falls under the Jimmy category without him running the offense, but there will be times without him on the floor, and they need to be trusted. This also may be due to the fact that most of the guys are trying to get back to their pre-hiatus form, but hopefully this won’t carry over into the regular season games.

#5: Heat’s bench unit seems to be Miami’s biggest advantage.

To end on a positive note, Miami’s bench unit seems to grow stronger and stronger every time they play. Between the Kelly Olynyk display, Jae Crowder shooting, and Tyler Herro play-making, it seems as if this will be the biggest match-up for other teams. At times it feels like the team is getting better once the bench enters, which is not the case for many other teams. Goran Dragic and Andre Iguodala are two other names off the bench that will impact this team, especially when the playoffs get going. Even Soloman Hill had good stretches throughout the game with his perimeter defense. As repeated over and over about this team, their depth is going to be a huge problem for opposing teams.

5 Takeaways from Heat’s First Scrimmage Game

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The Miami Heat got the win against the Sacrament Kings in their first scrimmage game in the bubble, 104-98. There were a lot of positives from this team throughout the game, especially the amount of talented depth on the roster. Here’s five takeaways on the Heat from this scrimmage game, heading into the regular season and playoffs.

#1: Duncan Robinson hasn’t skipped a beat.

Duncan Robinson apparently wasn’t fazed by a four month layoff with no basketball. He started the first quarter with four threes. This is something that is expected from Duncan, but not many expected it to happen this fast. Especially since Duncan didn’t have his running mate, Bam Adebayo, who usually sets him up for his three point attempts. This shooting display eventually impacted the rest of the team, which usually happens once Duncan gets going. It opens up the floor for the rest of the team. If he’s doing this after not picking up a basketball for 1/3 of a year, it’s a scary sight on what he will be doing in the next few weeks.

#2: Andre Iguodala is positioning himself for major playoff minutes.

If there was one guy that was a surprise in this game, it was Andre Iguodala. He seemed to be comfortable running the point throughout the game, and definitely slows the game down. He has a natural feel for the game, most likely due to the fact that he’s had plenty of playoff experience. He seems to have a pretty good on court connection with Heat rookie Tyler Herro. This seems to be a connection on and off the court, since Andre spoke about this relationship with media on Friday. Andre seems to fit right in with every lineup, which subsequently means he will be one of the first guys looked to off the bench when Spo is in a tough spot.

#3: Jimmy Butler forces a smooth running offense.

The Jimmy Butler narrative has seemed to be the same all season. Shooting struggles, but major play-making improvements. This was shown in the first quarter of the scrimmage when Jimmy couldn’t get in a rhythm shooting the basketball. But, once he went to the bench, the team looked kind of lost. He has such control of the offense with passing, leadership, and spacing off of the ball. Which when Jimmy checked back in the game in the second, the team looked much more under control. This isn’t too much of a shock since it’s always tough to get in a groove with your leader off the floor, but will need to be fixed in order to beat teams like Milwaukee or Boston.

#4: Miami’s defensive lineup looked effective.

One of the most intriguing lineups on this heat team is the defensive lineup of Jimmy-Crowder-Iguodala-DJJ-Bam. We got a slight glimpse at this lineup in the scrimmage, of couse excluding Bam, and it seemed pretty productive. The defensive veratilities of this lineup gave the Kings major trouble. One of the biggest questions with this lineup was the offense. And there seemed to be no problem there since Jae Crowder, Andre Iguodala, and Derrick Jones Jr looked pretty offensively sound. Now, adding Bam Adebayo to this lineup only makes it scarier, which means there’s a big possibility we will see Coach Spo pull this card in the postseason.

#5: Tyler Herro dusting off the rust.

Tyler Herro had to get through some rough patches in the first game back after a couple of months. Though he ended the game with 15 points, he had some trouble shooting the ball, going 0/7 from three. One of the only positives of his struggles, is that it’s a learning curve. Coach Spo left Tyler in the game throughout his difficult stretches, which seemed like Spo wanted him to figure it out. This is the only way for a young guy to get better of course. He continued to fight through his shooting problems, which caused him to attack the basket and play make. He began to draw fouls and get in a bit of a rhythm. These struggles in games like this, will only make Tyler more comfortable in a playoff setting.

Spoelstra

5 Comments from Spoelstra, Butler, Robinson

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Erik Spoelstra hopped on another zoom call with media after practice tonight, along with Jimmy Butler and Duncan Robinson. The Heat had a bit of a break in tonight’s practice after an intense scrimmage yesterday. And with Kendrick Nunn and Bam Adebayo nearing return, this team is ready to get back at it on a regular basis.

Anyways, here’s what they had to say after practice today…

Comment #1: Spoelstra

One of the big question marks around this team heading into the postseason was their defense. Though it seemed as good as any at times early in the season, it began to tail off. This Heat team has a bunch of guys that are elite perimeter defenders, but most of their offensive talents lack in such areas. But, Erik Spoelstra seems to be confident in fixing that, saying “I see great potential in our defense.” And this is definitely true, but they will need a bit more from their guards on the defensive side of the ball if they want to take that next step.

Comment #2:

Jimmy Butler seems ready to go for the scrimmage on Wednesday night and has a few things in mind for the game.  For one, he says he wants to “Just get comfortable hooping again.” This seems like the clear task for everyone since most players haven’t picked up a basketball since early March. He also says another plan for the scrimmage is “Making sure we are still playing for one another.” This is one of the main factors of a winning Heat team, which is why it’s great that their leader, and Spoelstra, is keeping this a priority.

Comment #3:

Jimmy Butler got asked about the news that got released late last week about a noise complaint being reported on him. He responded to it with, “I get a lot of knocks on my door…None of it really surprises me.” He also says that most of the knocks are his teammates, except this particular one of course when it was a security guard. Jimmy seems to actually like the notion of people knowing his working saying “To know my work is being noticed is not such a bad thing.” That right there defines Jimmy Butler. He knows he will outwork any competitor, and he wants them to know.

Comment #4:

There’s been a lot of discussion about some players needing some time to get back in to their prior selves. Well, Duncan doesn’t seemed to worried about it when talking about his shooting, saying “I don’t feel like it goes anywhere. That didn’t disappear over quarantine.” The most important attribute to a consistent shooter is confidence. This is something that Duncan has which is why he won’t have any problems getting back into the swing of things. He also says that you have to build synergy with your teammates and “that’s a process.” This basically reiterates what Jimmy said earlier when talking about the scrimmage games. This seems to be the most essential part of getting back to their prior selves.

Comment #5:

Jimmy Butler got asked about his shooting struggles throughout this season and responded “I’m just fine with how my game was…If we win a championship, I guarantee no one will be talking about my jumper.” There seems to be a current notion that you need to be able to shoot to be successful. Jimmy has shown that he’d rather put most of his efforts into defense, play-making, and attacking the rim, and leave the shooting for the rest of the team. This style of play seemed to be pretty productive all season, which is why Jimmy has no worries about changing his game now. And if the Heat were to win a championship, I’m sure there’d be a lot of things people won’t be talking about when discussing Jimmy Butler.

Butler, Spoelstra and DJJ interviews

5 Takeaways from Jimmy Butler, Spoelstra, DJJ Interviews

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The Miami Heat are slowly making their way into more intense practices this week after taking the day off yesterday to watch film. Here’s some post-practice comments from the Butler, Spoelstra and DJJ Interviews.

Post-Practice Comment #1:

There has been a lot of questions about KZ Okpala after the Heat drafted him in the second round this past year. He’s been going back and forth between Sioux Falls and the Heat roster all season. And it seems too familiar. No matter if it’s an un-drafted guy or a second round pick, the Heat always has a young prodigy flying under the radar. Coach Spoelstra also says “He’s learning how to do things at a more intense level with detail…and I like it.” It seems as if Spoelstra is just as intrigued with him as Heat fans are.

Post-Practice Comment #2:

Jimmy Butler starts off the interview with his Social Justice message on his jersey. He chose to not put a message on his jersey, just as LeBron James said he would do a couple days prior. But he also wants to not include his name on the back of his jersey, saying “I am no different than anyone of color. I want that to be my message.” He also says later in the interview that he sees a lot of talking on Social Justice topics, but he wants to see more action. Jimmy is still working on getting the approval to have no name on the back of his jersey.

Post-Practice Comment #3:

The NBA world has been waiting for the match-up of Jimmy Butler and TJ Warren after the altercation early in the season. And it seems as if Jimmy Butler still hasn’t forgotten about it. Jimmy says “I’m pretty sure you can’t see the smile that’s on my face,” when thinking about that TJ Warren match-up. He gives the Indiana Pacers credit by saying they’re a very good team, but closes the topic with “I’m taking the Miami Heat twice.” Which pretty much sums up this whole teams confidence in each other.

Post-Practice Comment #4:

With Derrick Jones Jr’s contract up after this season, there has been a lot of question marks about his decision. The salary cap may be a little tight with other players including Goran Dragic, Jae Crowder, and Meyers Leonards having their contracts up as well. But though there may be more money thrown at Derrick from other teams. He says, “I never want to be on another team.” He love everything about this team including the style of play, which is defense. Derrick said, “I’m gonna just keep doing exactly what I do. Guard the best player, make his life miserable.” This quote right here proves that the Heat don’t want him on another team as well.

Post-Practice Comment #5:

There has been a lot of complaints and comments inside the bubble over the last week about food, rooms, and more. But this doesn’t include one Heat player. Jimmy sums it up for the rest of the team. “We do get to eat, we do get a roof over our heads. For a lot of people, it could be worse. For a lot of us, it has been worse.” He adds that he is speaking for the team. But some of the others have expressed the same idea over the last few days. This type of answer shows this team is ready. They’re not here for a vacation, it’s a business trip. And like Jimmy said earlier in the interview, “I think you can count on this Miami Heat team.”

One View of Where Miami Heat Players Rank

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Bleacher Report has been ranking the top 15 players at each position throughout this week. And it’s pretty promising for Heat fans. The Miami Heat players placed three times on these top 15 lists.

Having two starters be placed as small forwards might not make much sense, but this is their list not ours.

Either way, here’s where the Heat players were placed…

#14 Small Forward: Duncan Robinson

Duncan Robinson has been one of the most surprising players in the NBA this season. Coming into the season, nobody even thought he’d be getting playing time, let alone start. As mentioned by Bleacher Report, Stephen Curry and Steve Novak are the only players in league history to match his volume and efficiency from three.

His importance to this team as a Heat player by his outstanding shooting ability is what catapulted him to 14 on this list. As seen throughout the season, even if he’s not helping the offense with his shooting, he helps by opening up the floor for others once he begins to get double teamed out on the perimeter. It should also make Heat fans happy that he was ranked one spot higher than a familiar opponent, TJ Warren.

#3 Small Forward: Jimmy Butler

Jimmy Butler has been one of the most consistent stars on these lists throughout the last few years. He ranked three on this list, only behind LeBron James and Kawhi Leonard. This makes Jimmy the number one small forward in the East this season. It’s great that they acknowledge how great he’s been this season without just viewing stats.

Though he’s had a pretty great stat line this season other than his shooting, his defense and leadership is what puts him in this elite category. The playoffs is what will truly separates him from others since the player ranked one spot behind him, Khris Middleton, seems to shrink in playoff games. And Jimmy being 12 spots higher than TJ Warren truly proves “he’s not in his league.”

#5 Center Bam Adebayo

Bam Adebayo edging his way into the top 5 centers in only his third season is truly remarkable, especially because he doesn’t really start at center when Meyers Leonard is healthy. The players who ranked above him were Nikola Jokic, Joel Embiid, Karl-Anthony Towns, and Rudy Gobert. When they did this same exact list at the start of the season, these were the top four centers.

But Bam wasn’t ranked in the top 5. He wasn’t even ranked in the top 15. The jump he made in a matter of months is something you don’t see very often. What makes Bam so intriguing is that he has the ability of being an offensive guy like Joel Embiid or Nikola Jokic. And he also has the defensive capabilities of Rudy Gobert. His ceiling is a mixture of the four players listed above him. This has the team, fans, and the league all excited about his future.

 

Who Gets Last Spot on All-NBA Team, Butler or Adebayo?

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When looking at the All-NBA teams for this 2020 season, it seems as if the final forward spot will either go to Bam Adebayo or Jimmy Butler. The two have been one of the better duos in the league this season. They both have been equally important to this Miami Heat team, but who gets the edge?

First off, the position placings are a big unknown when discussing the All-NBA teams. For example, is Bam Adebayo a Center or a Forward. Well, Bam has played 58% of his minutes at forward this season which is why I’m leaning towards that.

Now, to get the five forwards ahead of them out of the way, those players will most likely be: LeBron James, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Kawhi Leonard, Anthony Davis, and Jayson Tatum. This is another instance where position becomes a factor since there’s question around Anthony Davis being a Power Forward or Center. But, he played 64% of his minutes at forward for the Los Angelas Lakers this season.

But who has the portfolio advantage between Bam Adebayo and Jimmy Butler for the last slot?

The Last All-NBA Slot

Jimmy Butler averaged over 20 points per game this year, even with the shooting struggles he had throughout the season. He also displayed his play-making ability at an elite level this year, averaging six assists per game which was a career high. And of course, he has all of the things that are not shown in a stat sheet. The leadership, the unselfishness. With all of these factors, he’s no question an All-NBA team level player.

And now, Bam Adebayo. Bam has had an incredible breakout year, leading the way for the most improved player award. He averages 16 points per game and over 10 rebounds a game. But even with these amazing stats, this isn’t his most noticed attribute. It’s his defense. Bam has shown that he is an elite level defender, especially on the perimeter. A definite boost to his all NBA case was his impact against some of the best teams and players this season. He shut down key players including Giannis Antetokounmpo, Pascal Siakam and Joel Embiid. Which is always going to be a strong case.

With all of this information, it seems as if Bam Adebayo will end up getting the edge. For one, if you asked Jimmy Butler who he thinks should get it, he would no doubt say Bam. Also, there’s always a couple of players in the league who have that likable personality that media and coaches lean towards. Bam is that guy. Coaches like him, players like him, and the league likes him. When discussing the two, everyone seems to lean Bam.

This will be great to top off Bam Adebayo’s outstanding regular season play.

 

ESPN Ranks the Miami Heat Below a Familiar Opponent

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ESPN ranks came out with a new NBA power rankings list late last night that included a questionable placing: the Philadelphia 76ers over the Miami Heat.

For starters, a good portion of this ESPN ranks list was mainly placed based on the team’s record. Except this particular team. A 6th seed 76ers team was ranked two spots higher than the 4th seed Miami Heat.

Maybe this was because Philadelphia was better head to head. Oh wait, the Heat were 3-1 against them this year.

Maybe it’s because Philadelphia has the best player on the floor between these two teams. Oh wait, the Miami Heat have Jimmy Butler.

This could go on and on but the truth is, there’s no reason to have them higher as of right now. The only true argument would be that they are healthier. But so is Miami.

And how could a team be ranked 7th in the NBA when the team’s two best players play better when the other is off of the floor?

But at least we know now, ESPN is “trusting the process.”

For the record, here’s what ESPN’s Nick Friedell said about the Heat:

Is the bubble atmosphere perfect for the Heat?
Jimmy Butler has always believed that he could be the face of a championship-caliber team, despite some doubts across the league that his game is better suited for a secondary role. He has his chance now, as the Heat — who have cultivated a basketball-centric culture for years — believe they come into the bubble with a competitive advantage, given how business-like their mindset is. Heat coach Erik Spoelstra believes the bubble environment can bring the best out of Butler. — Nick Friedell

Remaining schedule: DEN, TOR, BOS, MIL, PHX, IND, OKC, IND

5 Changes Miami Heat Players Must Make

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Five, so the Miami Heat stay alive for a while, after the NBA season resumes in Orlando on June 30:

 

  1. Jimmy Butler gets his jump shot back 

Jimmy Butler is the pulse of the Miami Heat team. His defensive tenacity and fearless  motor has greatly helped Miami to its 41-24 record. On offense, Butler relies on getting  into the paint where he can body defenders and draw contact in the lane. Butler is  currently shooting 83% from the free throw line at 9.1 attempts per game.

Jimmy sacrifices his body a lot during the game to get to the line, especially when Miami is in a  scoring drought. Although Butler is averaging 20.2 points per game his shooting percentages have suffered. He is currently shooting 24.8% from the three and 33.2% from 10 feet out to the three point line.

However, with the newly acquired additions of  Jae Crowder and Andre Iguodala to take some of the defensive burden off of Butler, we might see a more efficient shooter in Jimmy. It appeared that his shot suffered when he was forced to play major minutes or take on too much of a burden. In addition to initiating the offense Butler was usually seen guarding the best perimeter player on the other team.

Hopefully with the unprecedented Covid-19 break, Butler’s legs got some rejuvenation. If a fresh Butler can improve his jump shot, he might save himself from getting injured, his drive will be more effective, offensive spacing will improve, and he can become a more impactful, energetic player at the end of games. Keeping Jimmy, who is Miami’s closer, fresh during crunch time is key to Miami’s playoff chances.

 

  1. Bam Adebayo becomes more aggressive on offense 

Bam is a top candidate in the Most Improved Player race. This year he played his way to becoming a first time all star and his game is now known in and around the NBA. He is growing his resume game after game, whether that is dishing out 10 assists, grabbing 15 rebounds, or holding Giannis Antetokounmpo to a season low 13 points in a game.

Bam has become a larger threat every game in all aspects. Yet, if Bam can take some confidence he gains on defense to use when he has the ball, it can unleash a whole new Bam. If defenders have to come out to the perimeter to guard Bam because he can knock down a mid range jumper without hesitation, it will also open the court up more for his passing and it brings the big man out of the paint. This will further space the floor and open the offense for the rest of the Heat’s shooters and playmakers.

 

  1. Duncan Robinson stops getting in foul trouble

Robinson is definitely one of the best surprises of the 2019-2020 season. After a rocky preseason performance, Robinson came out hot and actually never cooled down. Robinson shot a scorching 44.8% from the three with 3.7 makes per game on 8.4 attempts. Robinson is a huge threat on offense and a valuable weapon for the Heat.

With his ability to catch fire and stay on fire, it forces defenses to closely guard him and sometimes even deny him the ball. In turn, this spreads the court for other players to drive to the basket and get open shots. However, Duncan gets targeted on defense frequently and gets into foul trouble. Opposing players take him to the basket because first they know he’s a vulnerable defender, and secondly, to get him out of the game. For some reason, referees tend to call very close touch fouls on Robinson which gets him quickly into foul trouble. When he stays on the court and gets minutes, he performs at a higher level. If Robinson can avoid getting into foul trouble, Erik Spoelstra will always have his shooter available at crunch time.

 

  1. Tyler Herro improves defensively 

Everyone is aware of Tyler Herro’s scoring ability. As a rookie, Herro is torching opposing players with pick and roll reads, catch and shoot threes, and stepback jumpers.

But on defense, he often defends like a rookie. In playoff games there is significantly less room for defensive breakdowns and mistakes in general. If Herro can keep his player in front of him, this will help Bam and Meyers Leonard stay out of foul trouble by having to help from the weak side. If Herro can gain Spolestra’s defensive trust, it will greatly improve the Heat’s rotation options for the playoffs.

 

  1. Kendrick Nunn emphasizes his playmaking 

The Miami Heat unfortunately don’t have a true point guard, unless you count Goran Dragic as one. With Kendrick Nunn as the starting point guard he had a lot of ball handling responsibilities. This year we have seen Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo take over much of that burden.

Nunn has been an excellent scorer. However, he has gone through some cold spells where it’s hard to keep him on the court because he is simply shooting the Heat out of the game. If Nunn can become more of a playmaking guard, it will fill a big void for the Heat. This will also give Dragic, Bam, and Jimmy a break from ball handling duties and save them for the end of games. Getting more players involved on offense makes for a more efficient and dangerous team because defenses can’t focus on one player. Contending teams always have a complete roster with valuable role players.

 

5 Most Interesting Miami Heat Player Stats for this Season

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The Miami Heat have had their ups and downs throughout this shortened season. They started out the season hot, but took a bit of a dive post-all star break after some unfortunate injuries.

They played great against the top teams including Milwaukee, Toronto, Philadelphia, and more. But they also struggled against many bottom tier teams which seemed to be their downfall. Playing down to their competition is the best way to explain it.

They also had a major trade before the trade deadline that added two veteran talents in Jae Crowder and Andre Iguodala. This definitely takes some time to find the right chemistry and camaraderie both on and off the floor.

Through all of this, they managed to reach the four seed in the East with a 41-24 record. Well, these are some of the stats that may have lead to this winning record.

1. The Miami Heat were 28-12 when Bam Adebayo scored 15 or more.

It’s been said over and over throughout the season, Bam needs to trust himself as much as his teammates and fans do. He has proven he can score above the rim, in the paint, and has even showed flashes of a mid-range. But at the end of the day, he’s a born play-maker. He’s a point guard in a centers body with his passing and court vision skills, which is why he feels much more comfortable with that part of his game than with a jump-shot. But in many instances, we need Bam to be the aggressive offensive player that we all know he can be. When Bam scores 15 points or more, they have a 70% win percentage, which shows his offensive game is second to none.

2. Miami is 13-3 when Tyler Herro hits 3 or more threes.

Tyler Herro was drafted first and foremost for his outstanding shooting abilities, but the question was how long it take for him to translate his game to the NBA. That didn’t take long after he put on a shooting display in both Summer League and preseason. He’s also one of those players that once he gets going, he’s hard to stop. This is because of the confidence that he has every time he steps out on the floor. Once he hits 3 triples in a game, the opposing teams defense changes to make sure they double team and close out when he has the ball. This opens up the offense to others to attack the basket which then translates to many good team wins.

3. When Jimmy Butler distributes 6 or more assists, the Heat are 24-9.

It’s pretty clear that Jimmy Butler is the heart and soul of this Miami Heat team. He proved his leadership in Miami that was deemed cockiness and arrogance in his last few teams. The difference is that the Heat guys get it. They want to win just as bad as Jimmy does, which leads to Jimmy’s belief in his teammates. He has shown time and time again that his first offensive option is to get his teammates involved as much as he can. This obviously translates to wins since the Heat have a 73% win percentage when Butler plays as the outstanding play-maker that he is.

4. The Heat are 34-15 when Meyers Leonard starts.

It seems as if Meyers Leonard doesn’t get the credit that he should for this Heat team’s success. He has proven to be one of the team’s most important leaders for his voice on and off of the court. And as said before, his ability to stretch the floor against other bigs, gives Bam the spacing he needs to attack the rim. He also helps Bam with big defensive assignments since Bam thrives on perimeter defense. Meyers Leonard is the perfect fit for this team and continues to showcase his winning mentality that he’s had his whole career.

5. Miami is 14-3 when Duncan Robinson shots over 60% from three. 

Duncan Robinson is one of the best three point shooters in the NBA and is number 5 in three point percentage. He seems to shoot the three ball at a high clip almost every night, but when he’s hitting 60% of his threes, the team is far from easy to contain. Especially with the off ball movement that Duncan displays seems to tire out defenses much faster. It’s pretty hard to be shooting the percentage that Duncan does since he’s shooting about 8 threes a game. The Heat will need him to uphold this three point dominance, since it seems to be pretty effective with winning Miami Heat basketball.

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