Tag Archive for: Miami Heat

Five Takeaways from Heat’s Loss to Bulls

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The Miami Heat faced the Chicago Bulls in their season opener, and well, it didn’t go as expected.

They came out playing well out the gate, but that stalled quickly. The defensive lapses began to add up, as DeMar DeRozan continued to “heat” up.

So, here are some takeaways…

#1: Tyler Herro kicks off his new role with a scoring punch…with a changing profile.

There was no doubt that Tyler Herro would be a focal point of the starting group’s offensive flow, but his usage was peaking to an even further degree early. An immediate pull-up three to kick things off will always be a good sign, but the next possession spoke volume. Herro pick and roll, Chicago Bulls blitz. He showed patience, waited it out, flowed downhill, snaked insane, and put up the floater. Bucket. Shortly after, as Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo created, the ball ended up swinging to Herro in the corner for a spot-up three. The point is that his shot profile looks much different, while simultaneously looking much better. Pull-ups, spot-ups, blitzes: you know the deal. He’s just confident against all of it to start the season off.

#2: The rotation at the moment…

The starting lineup wasn’t much of a surprise heading in, (Lowry-Herro-Butler-Martin-Bam) but the questions were pointed at the bench unit without Victor Oladipo suiting up. Gabe Vincent, Max Strus, and Dewayne Dedmon were going to form the 8, but how would they regulate the rest? Well, the answer was quite simple. They went the Duncan Robinson route, and played him next to Strus for long stretches. Yet the key about the rotation is that they are matching good combinations. For example, they want to mirror the minutes of Herro and Bam as much as possible. So, they sub Butler out first, to then have him anchor the bench unit shortly after. It’s a solid philosophy to split up on-ball threats, but the next evaluation period will include how Butler and Oladipo look together once he returns.

#3: Caleb Martin isn’t PJ Tucker, and they won’t treat him like so.

Who will be the PJ Tucker replacement? That’s a question that has been asked all off-season, and the answer to that question has been Caleb Martin. Yes, he’s subbing into the position that he filled, but he’s not truly filling his role. Martin is surprising people with his growth at the moment, since he’s doing things that we’ve yet to see from him. Step 1 was the ability to size up defensively. Miami placed him on DeMar DeRozan early for the sole reason of predicting the switch, ending with him trying to hold his own on Nikola Vucevic. He had some good possessions early, but they continued to post him up a punch in the second half, proving the difference between PJ Tucker and himself. But the offensive stuff is a change of pace as well: rim pressure, tighter handle, better shooting, and constant movement. For an unexpected example. the dude literally ran a pick and roll for a tough mid-range pull-up early on. This is a different player right now, and there’s more to explore in my personal opinion.

#4: Bam Adebayo and Kyle Lowry struggling.

When looking at the stat sheet at halftime, two things would’ve caught you by surprise. Bam Adebayo was 1 for 10 from the field and Kyle Lowry had 0 points on two attempts. On the Bam front, he was just missing easy buckets at the rim time and time again. Bunnies, dunks, etc. I mean he was aggressive, but he didn’t have that usual focused flare from the jump. Lowry, on the other hand, wasn’t even looking for his shot. There weren’t many actions I can recall that he was heavily involved. Most of the offense included Bam or Jimmy post-splits, or Herro created buckets off pick and rolls or curls. I truly believe the Bam element is just one of those nights where easy ones don’t drop, but the Lowry part of it is about engagement level. Herro and Butler can only do so much to keep this group afloat. They’re going to need some type of punch on nights like this from Lowry and/or Bam.

#5: A step too slow defensively?

As the Bulls continued to pull away in the third quarter, there was a consistent theme: DeMar DeRozan tough buckets and sleepy Heat defensive possessions. This Heat team goes through shooting/scoring slumps all the time, but their energy and defensive rotations, specifically, usually carry them. That wasn’t the case for long periods in this one. Bulls were getting easy buckets at the rim and simple back-cuts were end results, which is far from a Miami Heat product. If there’s one thing this Heat team can’t afford to lose this season, it’s those crispy rotations on the defensive side of the ball night in and night out.

The Heat’s Offensive Checkpoint: Tyler Herro-Bam Adebayo PnR

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The hot topic surrounding the Miami Heat this week, with Media Day kicking off the week of training camp, has been all about starting lineups. There are three guys locked into their station, while the rest of the roster battles it out for those last two spots.

But it’s not just about being out there for opening tip-off, or having the ability to tell the world your a starter in this league. The most important element when having this discussion is overall fits, and maximizing this roster within that.

To that point, that walks us right into an area that I love to discuss: the basketball side of this.

When Bam Adebayo was asked about the way this roster can truly take the next step, his exact words were “it starts with me and Tyler.”

And that phrase is exactly how I view Miami’s offensive mold to begin the season: starting with Bam Adebayo and Tyler Herro.

Heading back to last season, we began to see the two of them emerge as not only the two young faces of this organization, but an upticking two-man game on the offensive side of the ball.

A high level offensive scorer when flowing downhill and a dominant rolling big man who’s as athletic as any big in this league. What’s not to love there?

The pick and roll showed to be a dominant pairing slightly passed the halfway mark of the regular season, leading to coach Erik Spoelstra thinking of ways to tinker.

As we all know, late in the season the team had to shake some things up with the rotation. The main one that gets brought up is Max Strus inserting into the starting lineup for Duncan Robinson, but there was an even larger adjustment behind the curatins.

The substitution pattern was altered. Herro would enter for Jimmy Butler much sooner, so that he could share the floor for added minutes next to Adebayo. Trust me, that was intentional.

Fast forward to the post-season, Herro had some challenges on his hands with different coverages. But one thing that popped off the screen, particularly in games 1 and 2 of the second round against Philadelphia, was that the pick and roll between these two guys couldn’t be stopped.

So they did just that: they didn’t stop going to it.

That got them to a 2-0 lead in the series, as we saw it sprinkled in a bit the rest of the series and into the Eastern Conference Finals against Boston.

But the point is this: that was just the precursor. We’re just scratching the surface on this two-man game to say the least. Not only will the frequency of reps be rising with Herro possibly slotting into that starting 2 spot, but their games are rising simultaneously.

So let’s take a dip into the different stages of a Herro-Bam pick and roll, and how it can evolve this year…

Step one of this process is the base blend. Noticing Herro’s favorite defensive coverage of drop, they begin to flow downhill. Jayson Tatum fights over the screen, which is exactly why I label this the base blend.

The last thing you want is for these two guys to get you on a 2-on-1. Bam stays linear with Herro in the pocket, Grant Williams must play middle man, and Herro floats right into his coveted pull-up jumper that simply can’t be altered once he begins to rise up.

The primary goal of this action is for him to find that pull-up, but the secondary goal is to play the mental game of the off-ball defenders. The thing to watch this season is the gravity on the weak-side, since if guys like Gabe Vincent, Caleb Martin, and others can make their defenders second guess, it’ll have Herro and Bam dominating with ease.

As seen in that clip above, Robert Williams is just trying to muck up the action by playing much lower than the nail. He’s a different kind of beast since he has the leisure to dip off far with his elite recovery speeds, but the point remains the same.

As much as they’re manipulating in the action, they’re also playing the long game to manipulate outside of the action.

So now, here will be the next adjustment.

Okay so we learned not to go over on this duo to create the 2-on-1 opportunity, so let’s try going under that screen. Well, Tyler Herro learned pretty quickly this season he has one option when seeing that while the big settles in deep drop: Pull. Up. Immediately.

He began finding himself as that instinctive shooter, but as seen in the clip above, this is the most common iteration of a team that prepares to go under. They’ll just play much higher in drop, eliminating that pull-up shot from him when rounding the screen.

{Bam Adebayo enters}

Now that 4 eyes and 2 bodies are on the wing next to Herro, the pocket pass quickly follows to a momentum filled Bam Adebayo.

When I asked Tyler Herro about this evolving two-man game, he said: “I love getting Bam the ball. He loves setting screens and getting to the basket for a lob or a pocket pass. Not many 5’s can stay in front of Bam, especially when he’s running downhill…Not many guys can stop him.”

That’s something that we know for a fact. Going back to the clip I’m describing above, take a look at the end result. What kind of weak-side help can do anything with that?

I’ll wait.

If his man is the one on the perimeter for the blitz, it’s like an open lane for a running back from there.

So what’s the next coverage to throw at them? We’ve hit on the normal drop when going over a screen. We’ve hit on the high version of drop when going under a screen. So how about we blend those two coverages together.

Herro flows left with a very solid screen from Bam that trips up Korkmaz a bit as he fights over. As we see from here, Joel Embiid is playing at the level of the screen to counteract the pull-up out of the 2-on-1, as I showcased earlier in this piece.

Instead, Herro keeps his dribble alive to force Embiid to drop into his slot on the rolling Bam, leading to an easy left handed lay-up.

The key to all of this is that these two guys have options. It’s just about manipulating those around them enough, while utilizing all the tools at their disposal. Too often we see them settle with simply the pull-up or pocket pass time and time again.

But as shown here, there are multiple options within the action depending on the coverage that they see. And the funniest part of this: I’m not even accounting for the off-ball stuff with the other three guys on the floor.

Options. Options. Options.

To play off the last coverage I displayed, there’s also the ability to play at a much higher speed than the slow-paced half-court set. We all know both of these guys have a tendency to play into the rhythm of the game, which most of the time deals with overall game speed.

For example, a drag screen from Bam on this occasion forces the defense into making quicker decisions with quicker feet. Maxey doesn’t see the screen and decides to fight over, Embiid scrambles to a driving Herro, and he easily slips right by for the crafty finish around the rim.

It’s one thing to bring up pace when discussing more transition opportunities, which both Bam and Herro have the capability of doing, but it just as much points to the authority of speeding up half-court sets.

You may be thinking that this has been very Tyler Herro centric for a piece that’s talking about a two-man game, but all of the plays I’ve displayed have been a 50/50 split in terms of effort.

Bam Adebayo’s screening, rolling gravity, and perfect positioning allows Herro to get many of those good looks out of this set.

But to focus a bit more on his scoring ability out of it, there are pretty much two primary steps for it to be successful.

Number one has a lot to do with the way teams decide to guard Herro as we went through, but more specifically, the blitzes will create non-stop opportunities for Bam as a scorer and play-maker.

In that clip above, he catches in space after Herro drew two, leading to a 1-on-1 at the rim against James Harden. (I like those odds)

The play-making part of the blitzing stuff is all about playing into the numbers. Two fly out on Tyler and Bam catches in space, you now have your athletic play-maker controlling a 4-on-3. (I like those odds too)

But back to the original point, the second step to Bam’s process is the expansion to come. We’ve gotten glimpses of the pocket pass into the elbow jumper, but that frequency rising bends this PnR duo to new heights.

Herro already provides the necessary mid-range gravity, yet if Bam is doing it similarly, even on a lower clip, it changes the outlook of defensive planning on the opposite side.

To finish this off, I’m pretty sure a lot of you may know where I’m going next. If I’m talking Bam, I’m talking inverted pick and roll.

It’s all about finding ways to put the ball in his hands as a scorer, but this is also an outlet to create mismatches. A guy like Herro or Lowry screening for Bam creates chaos if he approaches it correctly.

As seen above, the delayed switch allowed Bam to get to his spot and rise up. We can also add in the fact that Herro’s scoring gravity can create mis-directions as well, which all lean in favor of Bam finding slots to be productive.

Herro recently revealed that he’s currently at 198 pounds and 4.5% body fat, which is the lowest on the team, meaning that he may not be the most useful screener on the roster when evaluating on paper.

But as I just stated, much of the time it’s simply about creating chaos.

And that’s what this two-man game of Tyler Herro and Bam Adebayo will look to do this year on the offensive end.

“They’ve gained a lot of confidence in their two-man actions,” Erik Spoelstra said late in the playoffs last year about the Herro-Bam PnR. “They do a lot of different things with those actions and a lot of them are unscripted.”

Well now with another full off-season logged, we’re going to get a look at these two guys with the script in hand. And that script could end up making all the difference in this team’s half-court approach from October of 2022 to potentially June of 2023.

 

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One Thing to Look for from each Heat player in the 2022-2023’ Season

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Since signing with the Miami Heat in 2019, Jimmy Butler has been one of the top all-around wings in the NBA. The single flaw to his game has been his regular season jump-shooting, with the three point shooting aspect declining the most. Butler was a career 34% three point shooter before coming to Miami and has been a 24% shooter in the three seasons he has donned a Heat uniform. If Butler can shoot slightly below league average* at around 33-34% from three, lineup construction becomes much simpler for Miami.

* NBA League Average from 3 was 35.4% in the 2021-2022 season.

While Bam Adebayo has statistically improved as a scorer each season and has increased his ability to create his own shot by a sizable margin (39.2% of made FG’s unassisted in 21-22’), his potential for a “scoring leap” was mitigated by his inability to assert himself as an efficient mid-range scorer last season. Adebayo shot 42.4% on mid-range shots in 20-21’ but regressed to a 35.3% mid-range shooter in 21-22’ on lesser per game volume. While many want to see Adebayo stretch his game out to the three point line, it is more important for him to master the mid-range and expand his face-up game from there, asserting himself as one of the league’s most efficient two-level scorers.

The low hanging fruit for Tyler Herro’s development is the ability to handle blitzes in the pick and roll. Yes, that is an important development for Herro in a playoff setting but the most urgent development is Herro increasing his efficiency as a scorer in pick and roll to the point where a Herro and Adebayo pick and roll can be the centerpiece for a good NBA offense. In 20-21’ Herro scored 228 points on 208 shots out of pick and roll, in 21-22’ he maintained similar efficiency but on a sizable increase in volume scoring 401 points on 357 shots. While we can’t project the overall volume of pick and rolls to increase, the goal is for Herro to improve his efficiency from being an above average scorer (61st percentile) in pick and roll to being one of the league’s best (75th percentile or better).

It is no secret that Kyle Lowry’s age will impact his ability to contribute in facets that might’ve been expected upon his arrival to Miami. If last season is any indicator, the ability to drive has started to decline, as Lowry recorded his fewest number of drives per game (7.2) since the NBA started tracking the stat in 2013. Lowry can counteract this decline by reshaping his game into being more of a floor spacer, who functions both as a high volume, high efficiency catch-and-shoot and pull-up threat from three. Lowry’s ability to orchestrate offense parlayed with the ability to keep defenders from helping off of him will amplify the games of Butler, Oladipo, Adebayo, Herro and Yurtseven, who like to operate inside the three point line.

When you play in a starting lineup with Kyle Lowry, PJ Tucker, Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo, it’s likely that you will be hunted in isolation by good teams in a playoff setting. Max Strus took on that test and passed with flying colors in the playoffs. Of the 16 players who defended 25 or more isolations in the playoffs, Strus allowed the 4th fewest points per possession, ranking behind only Draymond Green, Grant Williams and Tobias Harris. Strus also did this on the second highest volume at 44 isolations defended, only behind Al horford, who defended 69 isolations in the playoffs. If these defensive strides from Strus are real, and he is capable of making teams look silly for hijacking their offense simply to hunt him in isolation situations, Strus can be cemented into the Heat’s starting lineup.

After dealing with injury rehabilitation for the majority of the last year and now finally having a full offseason to train, Victor Oladipo’s entire game could look differently upon return but one of the “x-factors” for the Heat’s season will be his ability to generate rim pressure off the dribble. What Oladipo possesses in terms of a first step along with craftiness around the rim is something that has been lacking in Miami for a long time. If Oladipo can assert himself, either as a starter or off the bench, as someone who can get to the rim and make the right decisions while doing so, he will elevate any unit he plays with. Having another player outside of Jimmy Butler who is capable of not only getting into the paint but also finishing at the rim is a crucial development for the Heat’s halfcourt offense. Oladipo or Herro are the most likely bets to make that leap.

Gabe Vincent was one of the few playoff risers for the Heat as his versatility on both ends proved valuable in multiple matchups. Vincent has flashed the ability to create his own buckets at all three levels thus far; however, he now needs to find “his spot” where he can consistently be relied upon to score points. While shooting threes Vincent is primarily a catch-and-shoot threat as role players typically don’t have the freedom of routinely creating a shot that’s inherently inefficient, the pull-up three. While going to the rim, Vincent is generally taking advantage of a slower footed wing or big and being crafty to finish. Being that Vincent can attack closeouts and poses the threat of getting to the rim, pulling up from mid-range is a shot that will be available often for him. After shooting 43% on pull up twos (Regular Season and Playoffs), it’s safe to say Vincent can build upon this skill to further solidify himself as one of the league’s top backup combo guards.

Caleb Martin was probably the single biggest overperformer relative to expectation for the Miami Heat last season. After going from two-way to mid-level exception in less than a calendar year, it’s reasonable to assume that Caleb is not done improving his game. One of his most valuable skills on paper was his 41.3% shooting from three, but the question remains if he can produce similar results as the sample size continues to expand. For a player who is making a career off of “3-and-D” potential, three point shooting is always going to be the ultimate swing factor. If Caleb can prove himself as an efficient floor spacer yet again this season, his contract might be one of the better ones signed this offseason.

Most Miami Heat UDFA projects come into their own in year two of being a part of the program. After seeing flashes in both the NBA Summer League and the “dog days” of the NBA season, Omer Yurtseven has earned the right to be considered to be a part of the Heat’s rotation this season. One way he can seize that spot is by proving he’s capable of anchoring a defense via zone or drop coverage. At 7 feet tall and 275 pounds with a 7’1” wingspan, it is reasonable to say that Yurtseven has the frame to make his presence felt in the paint. With his ability to dominate on the glass and as he is likely to be surrounded by multiple plus defenders off the bench, Yurtseven is in good shape to take a step forward on the defensive end this season.

Duncan Robinson’s value as one of the league’s most respected three point specialists will remain consistent independent of how the shooting percentages fluctuate throughout the season, unless teams change the way they defend him. One thing that we are yet to see from Robinson is the ability to diversify his offensive skill set. Until Robinson is able to consistently feel comfortable attacking closeouts, take and make a mid-range shot or keep a live dribble off of a handoff, Robinson will be subjected to nothing more than the ebbs and flows of being a floor spacer off at the end of the rotation. Any development of the aforementioned skills could make any actions featuring Robinson more fruitful than they have already been.

Haywood Highsmith, like Yurtseven, is entering year two of being in the Heat’s system. With a clear need at the forward spot, Highsmith’s ability to defend multiple positions, rebound despite being undersized and shoot catch-and-shoot threes makes him a contender to earn a spot in the rotation as early as training camp. While PJ Tucker has been a comparison that has been made by some, I believe Highsmith plays more in the mold of a Jae Crowder-type, where volume 3 point shooting from all over the perimeter is his calling card on offense. If Highsmith can shoot at or above league average from three on solid volume, odds are he will find his way into the top 11 for Miami this season.

Dewayne Dedmon likely won’t be counted on much if Yurtseven’s development is going according to plan, but if Dedmon were to be called upon, the hope is that he can continue to hold down the paint defensively and bring the energy on nights where the team might be lacking. The mean streak that Dedmon plays with is one that is a bit more scarce now that PJ Tucker has moved on to Philadelphia.

While he was drafted near the end of the first round, Nikola Jovic has the offensive upside of a lottery level talent with obvious question marks on the defensive end that made him slip to 27. The fix defensively likely won’t happen overnight but if Jovic can display an ability to catch-and-shoot and make quick decisions off the catch, he can find himself on the NBA floor sooner rather than later. If he does see time in the Sioux Falls this season, it would be nice to use that as an opportunity to explore his talents as an on-ball playmaker where he can function as the “big guard” he has labeled himself as. Either way, this season will likely be the equivalent to a redshirt year for the 19-year old where repetitions should take priority over production.

Udonis Haslem is back for a 20th season with the Miami Heat. If this is Haslem’s last season, all we can hope for is that the Heat and their fans give him the proper sendoff at FTX arena.

While he played on the Spurs summer league team, Darius Days was signed to the Miami Heat on a two way contract which surprised most, including the Spurs. While UDFA’s don’t typically produce in their first season with the Heat, it could be very possible that Days could be the rare exception to that rule, given he has prototypical size (6’7 245lbs with a 7’1 wingspan) at a position of need with an offensive skill set that fits next to the Heat’s best players. After being trusted as the primary floor spacing forward for multiple years at LSU, Days could be one good defensive showing in training camp away from having the opportunity to be this season’s Caleb Martin.

While the Heat’s stacked guard rotation makes it unlikely for Marcus Garrett to see NBA minutes this season barring injury, Garrett has proven himself over the last year as someone who could be worth developing. There is no doubt Garrett would be a positive defender in an NBA game if given the opportunity but there are legitimate questions where he fits offensively. If Garrett can find a niche, preferably solidifying his game as a scorer inside the three point line, he could find himself being the prized possession of the Sioux Falls Skyforce this season.

 

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Jimmy Butler: His Area of Expansion this Season

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This Heat off-season, when viewing from the outside, has had a very clear theme to it: 1) making the necessary improvements internally within the roster, which I’ve been addressing throughout this article series, and 2) building correctly around the captain of the ship, Jimmy Butler.

After watching what he has been able to do 2 out of the last 3 years in the playoffs, it puts a lot of things in perspective when viewing this roster. But the key point to make is that Playoff Jimmy won’t get going until April, so how can he sustain his play over the next few months of a pretty crucial regular season in the packed East.

We all know his play-style varies from regular season to playoffs, but there are a few things that can be just as effective in both. It’s all about sustaining both high level play and health. Not putting too much stress on him in the first 82, since it seems that’s always what ends up happening once the “real season” begins.

Looking into his game a bit more, it’s not like other guys where we’re awaiting certain jumps in their offensive game. For veterans like Butler, it’s more about tweaking role and volume to maximize them within a system.

Speaking of that exactly, there’s one part of his game that deserves a deeper discussion, since I believe it’s utilized more than ever this upcoming season: Jimmy Butler as the roll man.

Everybody knows what he can do as an on-ball threat and pick and roll ball-handler, but this roster is absolutely full of that same exact build. Guys like Kyle Lowry, Tyler Herro, Victor Oladipo, and hopefully Bam Adebayo will need to have decent usage to be effective in their respective roles. And while it’s clear Butler will be high on that list as well, there’s also the part of this where they can shift him into different spots to be just as effective.

Butler scored 1.29 points per possession this past season as the roll man, while shooting 54% on those reps. To elevate this point even more, that mark jumped up to 1.75 points per possession in the post-season on 78% shooting.

Just an insane number.

Of course this isn’t on the same volume of the average big man, but his efficiency and effectiveness on the short roll opens up so much for him as a scorer.

The first level to utilizing him within this play-style is shown in the clips above. Simple pick and rolls, most of the time being mirrored with Kyle Lowry. It was a combo that almost guaranteed a Butler bucket at the rim. Screen, slip, float pass, lay-in. It’s a hard set to guard if the defense respects Lowry’s pull-up 3 enough, which will be a critical part of this season.

Aside from that, it creates mismatch heaven for Butler, which as seen in the first clip above, almost always ends in a post-up with Butler punishing. This is right in his wheelhouse, simultaneously representing the reasoning we saw that uptick for him in the playoffs. Teams like the Hawks could not make up for the hunting that Butler could provide.

But the reason I bring up this entire topic is that it can be branched out immensely. It’s not as simple as running pick and roll after pick and roll with him, since there’s no fluidity or diversity there. Instead, it’s the fact it can be maximized within so many of their base sets already.

After losing PJ Tucker this off-season, a specific element they lost that isn’t being talked about much is the screening decline. Tucker was probably the best overall screener on the team, really doing damage off the ball.

To bounce off of that, Butler will see an increase in that department as wild as that may sound. Not to be taking a toll on his body, but instead to create chaos with slipping, hand-offs, and more. As seen above, it’s just an initiator of movement for guys like Herro to flow off the DHO for pull-up looks.

We often bring up the word “gravity” when addressing the shooters on the floor, but do you know who is a direct definition of that word? Jimmy Butler.

The difference is that he has interior gravity even at his size. If you’ve ever watched the way defenses guard him off the attack with the ball or not, it expands the court with the collapse that follows.

Plus if his hot shooting carries over from the playoffs/off-season, a little pick and pop off these hand-offs could go a long way.

The point of all of this is finding a sound and comfortable role for Butler to be effective within the possessions that Herro and/or Oladipo are dominating the ball. Butler always enjoys being more of a play-maker during that time of year anyway, and this is a way for Miami to bridge that gap with a passer off the roll that isn’t named Bam Adebayo.

To continue through the different options they have with him in this area, I must reiterate a point I’ve been bringing up in any article or podcast you may have read or heard from me: the Miami Heat should be expanding their motion offense.

More guards, more creators, more offensive threats. This is a team that falls right into that category of non-stop movement in the half-court, since they have all 3 elements necessary: high level play-makers, spot-up shooters, and multiple shot creators.

The reason I tie Butler into this as a roller can be seen in the clip above. Bam orchestrating, Herro and Robinson moving, Butler screening and slipping. It’s clockwork, since you simply cannot prepare for that slip to come when there’s chaos with the offensive threats on the back-side.

This team’s motion actions always look better when Butler is the receiver than when he is the quarterback. That has nothing to do with his passing ability, but instead Bam drawing out the opposing big opens up the possibility of opportunities at the rim.

And speaking of Bam drawing out that big, my last point within this new look adjustment consists of just that…

This play right here is Miami Heat art.

Bam above the break running an inverted PnR, Butler as the angled screener, and a perfect feed and roll for the eventual bucket. That right there is the picture perfect set for this offense.

Why is that? Well, other than the fact you’d like your two best players to be able to spam two-man game anyway, this set working consistently takes this entire Heat offense to new levels.

When talking about Bam, the main thing we call for is finding ways that he can flow downhill with the ball in his hands. With that said, inverted PnR’s are always the area we come back to, since it creates mismatches while putting Bam in a spot he feels comfortable.

The second part of this is everything I’ve discussed in this entire article. Butler as the screener/roller for him can hypothetically be the blend each of them are looking for, instead of the repetitive Butler-Bam PnR’s that connected on less points per possession (1.03 PPP) than the Butler-Dedmon combo (1.10 PPP) and the Butler-Yurtseven combo (1.22 PPP).

Yes, a lot of this stuff isn’t much of a change from what we’re used to, since they’ve ran a lot of this stuff before. But the main point here is increasing the frequency of it. Of course Butler’s on-ball usage won’t be declining, but it’s just about shifting things to maximize the lineups around him.

And as I said before, it can simultaneously be less physical stress for him in certain pockets of the game.

Jimmy Butler is always going to be Jimmy Butler, so don’t expect much change from him. But this minor adjustment could change how effective certain lineups look with multiple creators. (For example, the Lowry-Herro-Oladipo-Butler-Adebayo lineup.)

 

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single-season Heat history

One-Year Wonders: Top 5 Single-Season Performers in Heat History

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The Miami Heat sport names long associated with the franchise. Udonis Haslem announced this offseason he’s returning for his 20th NBA season, all in Miami. Franchise cornerstones Dwayne Wade (15) and Alonzo Mourning (11) each spent more than a decade donning their Heat uniform. Guys like Keith Askins, who joined the team in 1990, and many others spent time as both a player and a coach in Miami. These players hold many of the single-season and all-time records in Heat history.

But those lengthy runs with the team aren’t the norm. At this point, only 16 players have spent more than five years with the Heat.

Over 35 seasons, the Heat have seen 274 players play at least one regular season minute for the franchise, with 153 of those spending no more than one year in Miami. But while the vast majority of those one-and-done players in did little of note, several stand out the annuls of Heat history.

Here’s a look at the Top 5 single-season performers in Miami Heat history.

Heat History Single-Season Player #5: P.J. Tucker, 2021-22

The Miami Heat signed P.J. Tucker to a two-year, $15 million deal last offseason following the forward winning an NBA Championship with the Milwaukee Bucks. Tucker looked like a seamless fit with the Heat, a player who provided defensive acumen and sniping ability from the corner three.

It was anticipated Tucker would split time at power forward with another one-year Heat player, Markieff Morris. However, the 36-year-old quickly assumed an integral space in Miami’s rotation and seemed to embody Heat culture faster than any other previous free agent addition.

Tucker helped Miami’s unlikely run to the Eastern Conference’s top seed heading into the playoffs and played a pivotal role for a team that finished mere minutes short of the NBA Finals. He averaged 7.6 points-per-game, the fourth-high output of his 11-year career, and netted a career-best 41.5 percent from three. He finished with a 11.3 Player Efficiency Rating (PER) and registered 5.0 Win Shares, fourth-most on the team.

Tucker played 71 regular season games and in all 18 playoff contests, though he was hobbled by the Eastern Conference Finals and wasn’t on the floor in the end. Tucker provided Miami with toughness and leadership through his single-season run, a notable one in Heat history.

While the Heat wanted Tucker to return, Miami wasn’t willing to use the $10.5 million non-taxpayer midlevel exception to re-sign him. Had they done so, the Heat would’ve been hard-capped, robbing them of financial flexibility to improve the roster down the line. Tucker declined a $7.4 million player option to test free agency and ultimately landed a three-year, $33.2 million deal with the Philadelphia 76ers.

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Heat History Single-Season Player #4: Rex Chapman, 1995-96

Miami’s 1995-96 roster stands out as one of the most unique single-season squads in Heat history. 22 players suited up for the Heat that year, most in one year in franchise history at that point.

During the 1995 NBA Draft, Miami traded the rights to Ed Stokes and Jeff Webster to Washington for veteran shooting guard Rex Chapman and the Bullets’ second-round selection, guard Terrence Rencher. This turned out to be the last trade prior to Pat Riley joining the organization in September.

When Riley assumed leadership as head coach and team president, he kept Chapman on, releasing other holdovers like Brad Lohaus and Ledell Eackles. For the Heat, Chapman proved to be a buy-low investment that paid immediate dividends as Riley reshaped the roster around Alonzo Mourning.

Chapman played 56 games that season, starting 50 of them, and averaged 33.3 minutes-per-game. He averaged 14 points-per-game and made 37.1 percent of his attempts from three. He netted 125 threes that season, the fifth-highest single-season figure in Heat history at the time. (The top four at that point all came from Glen Rice.) He finished with 13.0 PER and 4.2 Wins Shares, fourth-most on the team.

Chapman lands on this list largely thanks to arguably the greatest single-game shooting performance in Heat history. On February 23, 1996, the Heat faced Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls, who were 48-6 at the time. Chapman was one of only eight players on the active roster for Miami that night following a flurry of trade activity involving a then-record 10 players.

Against the Bulls, Chapman scored 39 points, making 9-of-10 three-point tries during a time in the NBA when that many attempts were hardly the norm. Chapman helped spur the 113-104 upset, one of only 10 regular season losses for the Bulls that season.

His nine threes still register as tied for the second-highest single-game total in Heat history. And the 9-for-10 shooting performance is tied for the best ever (Dan Majerle went 9-for-10 from three in Minnesota on January 11, 2000) on that volume. Chapman came up one three short of Brian Shaw’s team-record 10, a mark Shaw set with a 10-for-15 night on April 4, 1993.

 

Following his productive season, Chapman expected better treatment from the Heat in free agency. Chapman sought a multi-year deal, but felt blindsided after Riley offered a one-year deal and a multi-year one with a minimal base salary loaded with incentives. Injuries limited Chapman that season and he ultimately took a minimum deal in Phoenix, choosing the Suns over offers from Indiana and Milwaukee because of lifestyle and playing time opportunities.

The Heat replaced Chapman for the 1996-97 by signing Dan Majerle and giving the bulk of the shooting guard minutes to two second-year players, Sasha Danilovic (before trading him to Dallas with Martin Müürsepp and Kurt Thomas for Jamal Mashburn) and Voshon Lenard.

Don’t Forget Tony Smith!

Tony Smith also provided the Heat with a notable performance that night. Smith, another single-season player in Heat history, was acquired via trade the day before, coming from Phoenix for Rencher.

Smith was cleared to play and arrived about 13 hours before tip-off that night. He started the game, scoring 19 points, and was asked to guard Jordan for much of the night.

Heat History Single-Season Player #3: Anthony Mason, 2000-01

Following another crushing playoff loss to the New York Knicks, Riley shook up the roster with a major trade in 2000. Miami and the Charlotte Hornets struck a nine-player deal swapping Jamal Mashburn, P.J. Brown, Otis Thorpe, Tim James, and Rodney Buford for Eddie Jones, Anthony Mason, Dale Ellis, and Ricky Davis.

Riley saw Mason as the ideal role player for a contender, having coached him before in New York. Mason blossomed under Riley after bouncing around the NBA and overseas, winning Sixth Man of the Year in 1995. He brought his toughness and skill to Miami, envisioned as a backup. But Mourning’s kidney ailment forced Zo out and made Mason a starter.

Mason quickly became a focal point for a 50-win squad. He averaged 16.1 points, 9.6 rebounds, and 3.1 assists-per-game that season, registering a PER of 17.4. He led the team with 11.6 Wins Shares and earned the lone All-Star berth of his career.

Mason still holds single-season records in Heat history for Minutes Played (3,254) and Minutes-Per-Game (40.7). He’s also tied for first in single-season Defensive Wins Shares (5.6). Mason’s 601 Defensive Rebounds are fifth-highest one year total. His 770 Total Rebounds are eighth-most. His Defensive Rating that season (97.5) remains the ninth-best for a single-season.

That production might engender a higher spot on this list, but Mason’s failings in the playoffs that season knock him down a peg or two. The Heat started slowly that season, going 5-9, but finished 45-23 from there, earning the 6-seed. But Mason basically disappeared during Miami’s first-round matchup against the Mashburn-led Hornets. He took only 13 shots, averaging just 5.3 points and three rebounds-per-game, during the three-game sweep.

Following the disappointing finish in 2001, the Heat opted to cut payroll. Mason, a free agent that summer, wanted a long-term contract, something the Heat weren’t willing to give the then-34-year-old. Mason ultimately signed a four-year, $20 million deal with the Milwaukee Bucks and the Heat pivoted closer to the rebuild that would land them Dwyane Wade in the 2003 NBA Draft.

Heat History Single-Season Player #2: Damon Jones, 2004-05

2004-05 holds one of the biggest single-season what-ifs in Heat history. What if Wade doesn’t suffer a strained rib muscle in the Eastern Conference Finals? With Wade, Shaquille O’Neal, Udonis Haslem and veteran role players, the Heat had high expectations and likely win the franchise’s first NBA title that season had Wade not been hurt.

To supplement the roster and move Wade to his more natural shooting guard position, Miami signed both Keyon Dooling and Damon Jones to man the point. To that point in his career, Jones was a journeyman, playing for eight teams in six seasons. He was an afterthought in free agency but proved to be a perfect fit with Shaq and Wade, and provided the best statistical season of his career.

Jones set career-highs almost across the board, averaging 11.6 points-per-game. He managed a 15.5 PER, which was fifth-best amongst Heat regulars that season, and 8.7 Wins Shares, fourth-most.

His 225 three-pointers made set a new franchise record at the time, breaking Tim Hardaway’s previous mark of 203 from 1996-97 (and at the time, tied with Mitch Richmond for the ninth most ever in an NBA season). Jones’ 43.2 percent clip from three finished fifth in the league that year and was third-highest in Heat history at the time (trailing only Jon Sundvold).

Jones set new franchise marks that have since been surpassed in True Shooting percentage (62.5), Effective Field Goal percentage (61.1) and Offensive Rating (124.1). Two of those figures rank third-highest for a single-season in Heat history, with True Shooting now seventh.

That ’04-05 team posted the second-best record in franchise history (59-23, now third-best) and made it to Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Finals.

Jones, then 29, entered free agency that summer looking for the first multi-year deal of his career. It appeared like he might re-sign in Miami after Michael Finley passed on the Heat, but Cleveland offered a longer and more lucrative deal (four years, $16.1 million) to play alongside LeBron James.

The loss of Jones and Dooling to free agency helped pave the way for Miami’s next big move, though. In what’s still the biggest trade in NBA history, the Heat landed James Posey, Antoine Walker, and Jason Williams that offseason. Miami also signed veteran point guard Gary Payton in free agency.

Heat History Single-Season Player #1: Lamar Odom, 2003-04

Riley long coveted Lamar Odom, dating back to the 1999 NBA Draft when the Heat secretly brought in Odom for a workout despite their first-round pick being slotted at No. 25. But any trade in the draft’s Top 3 picks at that time would have cost Miami core players like P.J. Brown, Jamal Mashburn, or even Tim Hardaway. The Heat stood pat and selected Miami native and University of Miami alum Tim James, who proved to be a draft bust.

Riley finally landed Odom in 2003 with a compelling free agency gambit. Riley first signed Clippers forward Elton Brand to a six-year, $82.2 million offer sheet, one Los Angeles matched. But in short order, the Heat inked Odom to six-year, $65 million offer sheet. The Clippers ultimately declined, in part, because of the financial commitment to Brand and Odom’s difficulties off the court. (Odom was coming off his second drug-related suspension.)

But Odom went on to produce one of the best seasons of his career. He averaged 17.1 points, 9.7 rebounds, and 4.1 assists-per-game playing 37.5 minutes-per-game for the Heat. He posted an 18.5 PER that season to lead Miami and ranked second with 8.4 Win Shares.

His production remained steady in the postseason as a very young Miami team, featuring a rookie Dwyane Wade at point. They made an unlikely run to the second round after starting the season 0-7.

Odom’s 616 defensive rebounds were the second-most in Heat history at that point and remain the fourth-highest single-season mark. His 776 total rebounds rank seventh-most. And while the plan was never to have Odom as one of these one-year wonders, his production allowed Riley to make him the centerpiece in the trade package that landed Miami Shaq.

During the 2004 offseason, Odom, along with Caron Butler, Brian Grant, a 2006 first-round pick (which became Jordan Farmar) and a 2007 2nd round draft pick, went to the Lakers in exchange for O’Neal.

Years later, Odom almost returned to the Heat. As a free agent in 2009, after winning his first NBA title with the Lakers a season prior, Odom seriously considered a five-year, $34 million offer from the Heat. In the end, Odom returned to Los Angeles and helped the Lakers win their second-straight championship.

Honorable Mention: Rod Strickland, 2001-02

The Heat signed Rod Strickland just a week before season’s tipoff in late October of 2001, presumably to help fill the void left following the team trading now Hall of Fame guard Tim Hardaway to the Dallas Mavericks earlier that offseason. Miami went with Strickland ahead of other veteran free agents at the time. Among those were one-time Heat guard Sherman Douglas, as well as Robert Pack.

The signing of Strickland, who was 35 years old at the time, came as a surprise. Riley seemed dedicated to a younger roster, including then third-year point guard Anthony Carter. Miami made a play for Strickland during the prior season, thinking they had an agreement with the veteran in March of 2001. But Strickland opted for a deal with the Portland Trail Blazers instead.

That season the Heat stumbled out of the blocks, going 3-15 through the first 18 games, including a 12-game losing skid. Carter started each of those contests. But Riley shook up the starting lineup in early December, adding Strickland to the mix. Miami sputtered through the end of December. It bottomed out at 5-23 on December 30th, but from there, the Heat went 31-23 the rest of the way.

Miami ultimately missed the playoffs that season by six games despite being one of the East’s best teams in the second half. Strickland provided a spark, averaging 10.4 points and 6.1 assists-per-game. He finished third on the team in Win Shares that season (4.9) and third in PER (15.6).

Strickland provided the Heat with the best production from the string of one-year veteran point guards that passed through Miami, a list that includes Travis Best, John Crotty, Keyon Dooling, Erick Murdock, and Terry Porter.

Jaylen celebrates after scoring the clinching touchdown for the Miami Dolphins in the win against the New Orleans Saints.

The Most Successful Sports Teams in Florida

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In the world of sports, there are teams that are successful, and then there are teams that are simply dominant. In Florida, a few teams stand out as being some of the most successful in the country. Whether it is football, basketball, baseball, or any other sport, these teams have been able to bring home championship after championship. Here is a look at some of Florida’s most successful sports teams.

What Makes Sports So Popular in Florida?

Sports are a huge part of Florida culture. From high school football to professional baseball, there is no shortage of sporting events to attend in the Sunshine State. In addition to the many traditional sports teams, Florida is also home to a number of unique sporting venues, including spring training for Major League Baseball and NASCAR races at Daytona International Speedway. But what is it that makes sports so popular in Florida? Part of the answer may lie in the state’s climate. With an average temperature of 75 degrees and sunny weather year-round, Floridians are able to enjoy outdoor activities year-round. In addition, the sports betting tradition in Florida is popular, and it’s estimated that 44% of residents have partaken or Googled the term online sports betting Florida in their lifetimes.

Whatever the reason, it’s clear that sports play a big role in Florida culture.

Miami Dolphins

The Miami Dolphins are one of Florida’s oldest and most successful sports franchises. They have been around since 1966 and have earned a unique place in the sport’s history. They have won two Super Bowl championships and five conference championships. They are also the only NFL team to go an entire season undefeated, which they did in 1972. That season culminated in the team winning Super Bowl VII.

The Dolphins joined the NFL in 1970 when the AFL and NFL merged. In their first Super Bowl appearance, they defeated the San Francisco 49ers. In the next season, they won the AFC championship. The Dolphins went on to win three consecutive Super Bowls.

Miami Heat

The Miami Heat is a professional basketball team. The team was founded in 1988. Its first season was a loss, but it soon became relevant after Pat Riley became its head coach and president. He built a championship team by making trades that included Tim Hardaway and Alonzo Mourning.

These players helped the team win four division titles. The team also added Dwyane Wade.

The Miami Heat have a storied history and are considered one of Florida’s most popular sports teams. Fans love to watch this team during all seasons, and even during their worst seasons, they still provide fans with the thrills and excitement they crave. The team has established a foundation in South Florida, and Erik Spoelstra is set to take over the team once Pat Riley retires.

Tampa Bay Rays

The Tampa Bay Rays are a baseball team that plays in the American League’s Eastern Division. For the first decade of the team’s existence, the Rays finished last in the AL East, with the exception of 2004. The team won the AL East in 2008 and 2010 and made the World Series in both years. The team’s name was changed to Rays when Stuart Sternberg took over the team from Vince Naimoli two years later. The team’s logo features a sunburst and a manta ray.

In 1995, the Devil Rays were awarded an expansion franchise, with the Atlanta Braves former assistant general manager Chuck LaMar serving as the team’s general manager. The team’s first manager was Larry Rothschild. In 1997, the Rays acquired 35 players in the Expansion Draft, including Bobby Abreu, who would eventually become a star. In the same year, the Rays traded away Abreu to the Philadelphia Phillies.

Orlando City SC

Since 2005, Orlando City, SC, has been experiencing meteoric growth. The team has established itself as a soccer powerhouse and a magnet for soccer fans. The city’s burgeoning population and growing soccer scene have provided the perfect storm for this club. Listed below are some of the club’s many successes.

Orlando City, SC, has had a busy July. This weekend, the club will play at D.C. United for the first game under new manager Wayne Rooney. Despite the busy schedule, the team will be hopeful for a successful game against the Reds. A win would put Orlando in the top four in the Eastern Conference.

In 2013, Orlando City was announced as the 21st franchise in the MLS. In its first year of competition, the club brought in the first Designated Player in the league, Kaka, a former FIFA Player of the Year. Orlando City SC was the league’s second-highest-charting team in its second season. It also launched the Orlando Pride in the NWSL in 2016 and opened its new downtown stadium in 2017.

University of Florida Gators

The University of Florida Gators is a top college basketball program and is one of the most successful teams in the country. They have won 12 national championships since 2010, including two straight outdoors and a pair of championships indoors. They have made the NCAA Tournament finals every year except two and have won the SEC championship every year since 2006 and the National Invitation Tournament every year.

The University of Florida has had success in many sports, including basketball, football, and volleyball. They have won 30 NCAA team championships, including two in football and three in basketball. The Gators also have seven women’s tennis titles. Their alumni have also found success in professional sports, including six-time Olympic gold medalist Ryan Lochte and NFL all-time leading rusher Emmitt Smith.

Gabe Vincent: An Upcoming Shift in Shot Distribution

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When looking across the board at Miami’s evolving young role players, it seems as if a door is opening up right in front of them heading into the new season.

For Max Strus, the starting job is still ready to be taken if he continues to shoot the ball at the level he has. For Caleb Martin, there’s a massive hole at his position with PJ Tucker heading out the door. For Omer Yurtseven, he will get his first true opportunity to earn the back-up big man position for good, as Dewayne Dedmon slows down.

Yet for Gabe Vincent, there really hasn’t been that door opener right in front of his eyes. The role for him has been clear all off-season: the back-up point guard next to either Tyler Herro or Victor Oladipo off the bench.

Now I must throw in the fact that there’s a good shot he will start many games in this regular season, since the expectation is that Kyle Lowry won’t be pushing extra hard for that 82 game mark. And with that said, the team will be confident in those specific games that Vincent slides in.

Looking at this team’s past playoff run, Vincent was at the forefront of the offense as the starting point guard in 8 of their 18 games. They went 7-1 in those games.

In a recent interview with Brett Siegel of Fan Nation, Vincent was asked about his goals heading into this season, which he pretty much mirrored my current feeling on his upcoming role. “I want to increase my efficiency,” Vincent said.

The initial interpretation of that is a cliche statement in this league. Who wouldn’t want to make that jump into higher percentages when talking about their abilities as a scorer? But the reason I want to address this is that efficiency is his primary outlet to overall improvements.

When evaluating this Heat team on paper, they basically swapped PJ Tucker for Victor Oladipo when discussing regular season availabilities. What does that mean? Well those two players don’t have the same shot chart by any means. That’s a major swing in shot attempts, while simultaneously hoping for that same jump from Bam Adebayo, and even Tyler Herro.

The point is that role players like Vincent won’t have the luxury to simply “increase shot attempts.” The role they play is to counteract the primary scorers around them, while taking advantage of the smaller dose of shots given to them.

So that leads us into our next topic. Efficiency isn’t the only way to make that jump. A shift in his personal shot profile could do the trick as well.

21% of Gabe Vincent’s field goals came from less than 10 feet from the basket last season. For a player that saw a ton of pick and rolls, you would think that number would be higher when initially diving into the stats.

That ability to increase his scoring value around the basket not only helps his efficiency levels, but it allows him to obtain a much smoother shot diet when spacing out to the perimeter.

When looking into more of the specifics of his drive, I think it’s safe to say that his inside scoring will have to be branched out broader than just pick and rolls. With Tyler Herro, Victor Oladipo, Jimmy Butler, and Kyle Lowry also preparing for a heavy PnR showing, the off-ball stuff for Vincent may have to revert back to his early years.

The reason there is such confident in that is because he’s a natural off-ball player. He just became this solid ball-handler and on-ball guard in a short span, since at this time last year, the discussion was if he could become a good enough on-ball creator for this group.

Getting back to the basics, an off-ball role is more than just catching and shooting. As it pertains to this stuff as an attacker, it’s more about relying on quick bursts off the catch than the usual methodical pick and roll.

He’s physical enough to absorb contact when driving, which makes Miami comfortable with one-on-one match-ups. But once that weak-side help begins to tail over, what is the counter? He has the strong finishing. He has the pull-up, which I will get to later. So that slight in-between game is the rounded out element.

This is something many of the Heat’s guards are searching to pick-up, but for Vincent, it may be the most realistic with the role they’re preparing him for.

Speaking of that off-ball role, he got plenty of reps with it while playing heavy minutes next to Tyler Herro and even Kyle Lowry. Instead of being the creator, he can be the capitalizer.

Waiting patiently on that weak-side wing as the PnR begins, Lowry surveys Vincent’s defender just enough as he slides down to the nail, as seen in the first clip above. Lowry hits Vincent, as he pulls decisively with the defender closing out.

After shooting under 30% on spot-up threes in his sophomore season, that shot up to 39% this past year. As I noted about a year ago in training camp, Vincent was going through a mechanical adjustment on his jumper, which led to that brief period of a shooting drop-off.

Other than his shooting numbers being on the rise, it feels like the space he will have will simultaneously be increasing. As I stated earlier about the creators on the roster, the expectation is that Oladipo’s rim pressure will allow the half-court offense to operate at a much higher level for drive-and-kicks.

Vincent will have the opportunity to really earn his stay yet again in this similar, yet slightly different, role for the new year. But let me address one last part of his game: just because I believe he gets more openings off the ball, doesn’t mean his PnR stature is disappearing by any means.

Vincent will still have the ball in his hands a ton, since simply they trust him in these spots. Much like any of Miami’s guards in recent memory, they just love the sight of drop coverage forming right in front of them.

Vincent fits that mold perfectly.

He began reading PnR coverages at an extremely high level during the back-half of the regular season, as he just waiting for his defender to drop over or under that screen. He maximized his range so he could pull it immediately when the defender went under, but more often than not, that defender was chasing him over.

2-on-1’s are then created, and Vincent can try to find his sweet spot with that mid-range pull-up that just so happens to be the drop coverage not-so-secret formula.

He shot 43% on those middy pull-ups throughout the season, but what showed to be even more impressive was that he shot 46% in the post-season on the same number of attempts. During a period where coaching and coverages begin to tighten against certain player’s strengths, that was a very intriguing development.

Like I said earlier, he won’t be expecting a major jump in shot attempts this year by any means, since it just isn’t realistic at this stage. But what he can do is expand his shot profile into the areas he feels most comfortable. Possibly a slight decline in pull-up 3’s occur, which then pad his rim attempts.

The point is that his shot distribution will begin to spread, and it’s for the best.

His defensive abilities on the other hand deserve their own piece just to hit on all of the stuff he provides from fighting through screens to the 2-2-1 press to sizing up on switches. We know what we’re getting on that end of the floor which makes it not as fun to discuss, while the scoring elements are just beginning to scratch the surface.

Training camp will tell us a lot, but as for the way Erik Spoelstra and the coaching staff view him, it seems to be they believe he can be plugged in almost anywhere within this system.

 

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The Incoming Improvements for Tyler Herro in his 4th Year

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Tyler Herro has been the center of attention so far this off-season when it comes to Miami Heat talk. From trade rumors of Kevin Durant to Donovan Mitchell, his names been thrown around a ton.

Some of that is viable when it comes to the search of upgrading a team that was so close to the finish line, but that doesn’t mean the narrative of Herro on the court needs to change.

We can take both the positive and negative into account when discussing gradual improvements: the positive being his 6th man of the year regular season and the negative being his playoff decline.

It’s always crucial for a player to focus on the necessary areas of their game to maximize. But the public opinion as of late seems to vocalize what he isn’t instead of what he is.

So let’s start by addressing what he is as currently constructed.

The place to start is that he’s coming off a highly efficient three point shooting season off the catch. He shot 42% on spot-up triples, which is a great counterpart for a player who is mainly an on-ball usage guy.

Maintaining that number would be important as his shot creation expands, but it should also be noted that his spot-up attempts could increase as well. With Victor Oladipo replacing PJ Tucker in the regular season rotation in theory, that provides more usage to spread around, and more importantly, more rim pressure.

Capitalizing on those off-ball opportunities could lead to that jump in PPG.

The other main aspect of his game that has shown to be elite this past year is the pull up shooting. That’s essentially always been his bread and butter, but he took a major step this year in how he got to those pull-up spots.

The coverage formula is simple: if he sees drop, he sees a bucket at the elbow. But he expanded on that a bit in the regular season.

He gained comfort against switches, while simultaneously upping his willingness to actually accept the screen.

For a long period of time, he would refuse any screen that came his way, but well, he walked away from the off-season with that added gadget.

And now the gadget of this off-season doesn’t involve refusing or accepting the screen in the pick and roll. It’s about doing without that screener all together.

The beginning stages of that development began taking place during this season. It’s not always about a pure iso, but drawing out the big man following a screen and making them pay.

Herro’s go-to in that occurrence is to space as far as possible, and flow into a pull-up right over the top of the bigger defender.

His high release point allows him to continually get a clean look out of it. Looking at the clips above, it’s not that he’s getting open looks through this movement. But he’s getting a comfortable look since he believes in that abrupt pull-up.

The reason I bring this up is that introduction layer is what stalled him out at times in the post-season.

Every time a screen came, two defenders came. They began blitzing him over and over until he made them alter the scheme. The issue was the only counter to it was not calling for the screen in the first place.

So, is there total trust in him as an isolation player?

Well, we will see the answer to that at some point this year, but it’s not going to be a needed element for long periods of time. It’s just as a counter in his back pocket.

Getting back to his formula against big men on the switch, that will be his isolation staple as well. The talks about separation were a big conversation early in his career, but simply rising over the top became his way of getting by that.

There are three things that can take his game to the next level when exiting this off-season, and this is step 1. It’s all about finding that segue from regular season to playoffs, and he’ll benefit with this addition in both time stamps.

 

When speaking about finding a consistent base from regular season to playoffs, the ability to get to the rim is a good start. Rim attacks naturally decline for guys when entering the post-season, due to everything being much more in the half-court and teams can scheme against it.

Herro found himself in a groove in the regular season as an attacker, since his floater became a sticking point in the in-between game. He was averaging just under 12 drives per game, while generating around 6 attempts a night off those attacks.

Yet when the playoffs hit, both numbers basically sliced in half: he averaged 3.6 attempts a night on 6.8 drives.

We always have the discussion about embracing contact around the rim as that strong attacker, which coincides with added trips to the free throw line, but I’m just not sure that’s the sustainable force.

What I mean by that is it’s all about finding things that create positive outcomes in both the regular season and playoffs. And when looking at the clips above, that’s the middle ground that seems to pop.

He’s never going to fly through the lane like Ja Morant to get the foul call, yet he’s methodical enough to take those slow-footed floaters. The combination there is bump-lean-float.

That formula is why he’s so comfortable on the baseline. That out of bounds line shows there’s nobody going to come back-side, meaning he can bump and lean freely.

He seems to have gained some extra muscle as well, which helps this case even more, but there’s no doubt this subtle, and somewhat minor, movement can take his game to the next level no matter the time of year.

Breaking that specific barrier inside the lane not only gives him more options, but it can free up that mid-range pull-up base that he loves to get back to so often. If he can mirror those contact embraced baseline drives into his regular pick and roll reps, that’ll create the necessary diversity to maximize all three levels.

Now, the final improvement area isn’t as ball-centric as you may think.

To zoom out for a second into a Heat sense, I’ve mentioned a few times recently that I believe Erik Spoelstra leans heavily into their movement offense this year.

They already run a ton of motion, but with all of the guards on the roster, it should be beneficial to make defenses run and chase in the half-court at a higher rate.

What that means for Tyler Herro could be very intriguing. One of the downfalls to the playoff lineup of Jimmy Butler-Victor Oladipo-Tyler Herro was that movement was the primary factor to it working properly. If Butler was in isolation with Dipo and Herro standing around, the play was dead.

Simply, that can’t be the case this year.

I’d say that Herro is pretty good off the move, and also a very underrated screener off the ball, but it’s more about consistency and role within the offense. I wouldn’t exactly say this is something you can fully work on in the off-season, but it’s something to prepare for.

The clip above is a perfect example: a defense preparing for his next move as he looks to be shooting into a DHO, he fakes it, cuts back door, and gets an open lay-in out of it. Easy buckets were popping up often when he ran this type of stuff, but many of us forgot about that.

Why is that?

Well, we didn’t see much of this in the playoffs. Once again, part of that is defenses buckling up in a different manner, but there will still be opportunties to pounce on this upcoming year with more shooting on the floor.

The perception of Herro during the off-season always gets a bit wanky, but my perception of him as the basketball player never wavered. Yes, he’s a good enough headliner piece to get you in the conversation of a Donovan Mitchell type, but that doesn’t mean you only focus on the playoff decline now that he’s staying on the roster.

He has some things to patch up as I noted in this piece, but the only reason we focus on so many of the minor elements is due to the fact he already has so much to offer.

He grew as a creator. He grew as a play-maker. He grew as an all-around scorer. Now it’s time to grow as a player with a substancial amount of on-court attention coming his way.

I believe he will have the neccessary counters ready, and I also believe in what he is at this stage. Don’t let off-season rumors fog your view of a high level basketball player.

 

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Caleb Martin’s Simple Game Blending into a Simplified Role

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When Caleb Martin spoke after the season in his exit interview, he seemed to have two statements that stood out among the rest. The first was that he wanted to be back in Miami, which ended up coming true after he signed a multi-year contract to return to the Heat.

The second comment that stood out regarded his role. When I asked him about certain tweaks in his game moving forward, he brought up the role of guys like PJ Tucker and Draymond Green. Two guys who are guarded by bigger guys and size up, yet focus on being a “tweener” who can screen, roll, and play-make.

With him saying that on May 31st prior to the start of the off-season, Caleb Martin now finds himself in that exact position. After Tucker signed with Philly and the Heat yet to replace that starting 4 position, it’s created many conversations in this space on what’s next for Miami positionally.

Could Martin be that 4? Will Jimmy Butler bump up a position slot? Could they go big?

Those are all debatable questions that will alter depending on who is answering, but that’s not what I’m focusing on right now.

When you hear the name Martin at this time of year, many Heat fans minds immediately shoot to the hole at the 4. But how about we discuss the valued role he’s going to play instead of the starter vs bench conversation?

From the team’s perspective last year, they wanted him to focus on being Jimmy-lite in a way. He was the back-up 3, yet if Butler was out on a specific night, they handed him a bigger chunk of the load offensively to see how he would handle it.

But now that the guard room got deeper and the big man room shrunk, it leads us back to those comments I provided earlier. Instead of eyeing the Butler’s of the world, he’s going to be eyeing the role that Tucker just played this past year. Once again, that’ll be the case whether he’s a high level reserve or the starting four.

The point to make on that topic is they won’t provide a ceiling to that role. The current goal is to utilize full-on expansion heading into camp, starting with the spots they place him as a creator off the roll.

One of the things that made Tucker so great in his offensive load last year was he found his niche. Hand-off, roll, floater. After not being the greatest finisher for some time, that two foot plant and one hand push shot became a staple to keep defenses honest inside the lane.

The reason I bring this up is while Martin’s reading this blueprint, he won’t be copy and pasting by any means.

Martin’s athleticism and quick first step shouldn’t be taken lightly. He’s not the slow paced floater type of guy that a Tucker or Draymond Green might be.

Instead, as shown in the clip above, he can mix in some blow-bys against slower defenders to get to those cross-body shots that he loves to use around the basket.

But still, that type of scoring stuff isn’t the “expansion” I’m discussing. It’s actually a totally different dimension.

The Heat are going to be leaning into an even heavier motion offense this season in my personal opinion, meaning a Martin type fits that mold perfectly. While Martin is usually the open guy on the floor to make defenses pay after mishaps, he’s going to be more of the disruptor himself this season.

How is that? Well, his play-making off the roll will be watched very closely.

Like I said, Tucker was a lot of things for that Heat team last year, but I will say this wasn’t one of them. A guy with a bit more length and athletisism to keep both the ball and the defense moving will tie the bow on a lot of Miami’s movement sets.

Since they’re going to lack pure size on the roster, they will have to lean heavily into speed, and this is exactly how it’s done. You may be thinking that’s a lot on Martin’s plate to improve on as a play-maker, but they layed out the role for him a few months back. I believe he can add that dimension from what we’ve seen so far.

On the flip side of what he can add, let’s also just address what he is at this current moment. To say it simply, he’s a baseline roamer. A true corner threat who likes to operate sideline to sideline so he can maximize spacing for certain guards on the roster.

He’s a player that plays in his role and doesn’t stray off, which Miami loves.

If you want a stat that proves that statement to its core, I’ve got just that: according to NBA.com, Caleb Martin took 155 triples this past season, and 148 of them were open.

They classify “open” as the closest defender being 4 feet or beyond from him, but it still makes sense when thinking back on it. He’s the guy you’re going to help off of, but it should also be said that he made them pay for that pretty often.

Martin shot 41% from beyond the arc this past season, and even shot 43% on three-point pull-ups. He just takes what he is given, and potentially in a lineup with Jimmy Butler, Bam Adebayo, Tyler Herro, and Kyle Lowry to start the year, that’s a pretty good description to have.

Looking at the clips above, it should also be noted that he’s a very solid off-ball mover at this point in time. With his defender usually being the drifter, he has many opportunities for easy buckets after they fall asleep on the back-side.

Yet again, that’s another thing to be expanded upon in their movement sets.

After diving into what Martin is now and the realistic version of what he can become, let’s utilize this last part to address best case scenario. As I said before, he’s a role player who doesn’t stray out of that exact role. But what if they allow him to at times?

When you have pure athletes on the roster, the goal is to place them in spots to set up that inital burst. One of those places is transition, which they’ve totally allowed him to be free with. But the next step will be if he can do it in tighter spaces of the half-court.

As seen in the clip above, we’ve seen slight glimpses of flashy moves and speedy drives to the basket from either wing, but could there be consistency coming with it?

There’s been consistency with the finishing product of those moves actually, since he’s been super solid around the rim in general. Martin shot a little over 60% less than 10 feet from the basket this past year, which was actually on decent volume.

Yes most of those attempts aren’t the type of drives I just showed in that clip, but that’s something that could make him much more dangerous.

He’s already “dangerous” on one side of the floor, in a way that makes me think I don’t need to bring it up. He screams versatility with the way he can provide pressure baseline to baseline, showed to be one of their better on-ball defenders this season, and now will have that all put to the test over more minutes this upcoming year.

The only true question mark on that side of the floor for him will be about sizing up. Miami’s going to switch everything anyway, but Martin won’t be able to handle a switch onto a 5 just as Tucker did for this group. Adjustments will be made on that front from a team perspective, but the point is they have a lot of confidence in him in many areas.

Caleb Martin has a very simple game. But now they’re handing him a pretty simple role. “Versatility is huge in the playoffs,” Martin said when I asked him about his role after the season. And well, this would be a way for him to branch into that come playoff time.

 

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Max Strus: Preparing for the Overplay

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When looking for some breakout seasons in the NBA last year, the Miami Heat would be a good starting point.

Somebody like Caleb Martin, who signed on a two-way contract, earned himself a pay-day as the Heat retained him this off-season.

A guy like Gabe Vincent who has had his ups and downs, finally found himself as a high level role player in this league. After Kyle Lowry went down for extended periods in the post-season, he stepped into that starting spot, and ended up being one of few Heat players whose numbers didn’t decline.

Then there’s Max Strus.

Somebody that mid-way through the season was viewed as a fringe rotation player. Can definitely provide shooting with the best of them, but where would they find playing time for him?

Spoiler alert: they found a spot for him. A starting spot at that.

Not only did he take advantage, but he excelled through and through. Somewhat saving a declining Heat starting lineup late in the regular season.

Fast forward to present time, things are viewed much differently around the league when it comes to Strus.

In a matter of months, he became the name nobody could pronounce correctly to one of the league’s most efficient volume three point shooters.

Last season, he attempted 6.5 threes a game and knocked down 41% of them. That only trailed Desmond Bane in efficiency with a minimum of 6 and a half triples attempted.

And to that point, he’s a known figure now.

Heat fans are familiar with this storyline slightly when it comes to Duncan Robinson. Specialist that nobody knows begins hitting the scouting reports.

It’s just the name of the game.

After Robinson struggled a bit this past season, it was clear there were a mixture of issues: a lack of confidence after some rough patches and teams simply overplaying him as a deep threat.

So that gets you thinking, during a point in the off-season where every evaluation must be in the minor crevices of player’s games: how is Strus going to deal with the similar overplay?

Well, let’s start by unpacking the dribble hand-off a bit…

 

 

Robinson perfected the hand-off on this Heat team, basically until defenses decided to completely turn the water off on him. Teams won’t directly approach that the same with Strus, simply due to the fact the DHO isn’t his homebase.

He has been more of a slip screen, spot-up, shoot in the face of his defender kind of shooter. Yet it should also be stated: Robinson and Strus approach the DHO much differently.

As many of you know, Robinson’s focus was to always stay glued to his screener after the catch. Stay locked shoulder to shoulder to eliminate the defender from slipping over the top easily, but that simultaneously means there’s less ground to cover.

Strus does the exact opposite.

He expands from the screener with an escape dribble, pretty much forcing his defender to pick up more speed. Why would you want that? Well, speeding up a defender means you’re taking away their control. Now you can make your next move as a counter.

By the way, both are good options. It just comes down to the comfort of the player.

Looking at the clip above, I show this because it looks like Strus’ training reps. When he works on his hand-offs, he stays loose and takes up major space with one or two lead dribbles, since that’s his primary comfort area.

You may be thinking, why does any of this matter? The answer is that minor tweak in his hand-off dissection will be the way he deals with defensive overplays in the natural flow of the offense.

Just take a look at this shooting pattern…

Other than the extra ball-handling reps in Summer League a year ago, Strus hasn’t been asked to do much with the ball in his hands. He attempted 6.5 triples a game last season, while 5.4 of those attempts he didn’t even put the ball on the deck before shooting.

Clearly that is no surprise, but it shows that he’s been planted strictly within his own role. And more importantly, he utilizes things that get him into his shooting rhythm.

But the catch high, keep high method hasn’t been the only thing to get him into a fluid shooting motion. While on a small sample size, he shot 41% from three following a single dribble, which included 44 shot attempts.

Much like his way of exploding from the screen on a DHO, this will be his way to create separation on over-plays. And trust me, there will be plenty of those over-plays next season.

Going back to some of the clips above, it’s a comfort process that is only growing this off-season: shot-fake, one-dribble side-step, and pull.

It’s pretty simple when breaking it down in these terms, but these are the things that will break him free as he rides the outside arc. Plus there’s the added factor that he is not fazed by heavily contested shots.

At all.

Hand in his face, two defenders blitzing. It doesn’t matter. He will shoot it the same way, with the same flick and the same lift. I’m very confident that teams won’t be able to eliminate him if it becomes a focus, but like I just pointed out, he’s going to have counters in the vault waiting.

The final counter may be the one that sees the biggest increase this season. While the roster doesn’t have a true 4, it’s obvious they do have an excess of guards. The way they will utilize them is to elevate the movement offense with extra mis-directions and motion with Bam Adebayo at the helm.

Meaning the higher the frequency in Strus mixing in these back-door counters, the better. Play-makers will be surrounding him in most of these lineups, so they’ll find him more times than not.

Lineup data is never a good starting point, but it’s always a good checkpoint to back-up a specific topic. When looking through some of the Heat’s best offensive duos this past regular season, there was a not-so undercover trend. (Minimum 400 minutes logged)

The top one was Max Strus and Bam Adebayo.

We’ve seen Bam dominate with prolific shooters around him before, so maybe this is just coincidental…

Number two was Max Strus and Jimmy Butler.

Well we know they have a great relationship off the floor, but it seems Strus was a good sidekick on the floor as well. Ah, maybe it’s just another coincidence.

Moving onto number three, we have Max Strus and Tyler Herro.

Hmmm. I know we’re strictly talking offense and Strus has told me in the past his focus on the floor with Herro is just to get him as many shots as possible, but it has to end there, right?

Wrong.

Number four ended up being Max Strus and Kyle Lowry.

All jokes aside, I know it’s just lineup data being revolved around the calculated offensive ratings with them on the floor, but I wouldn’t say this is way-off analysis. When going back through game logs, it was no secret things were clicking when Strus was waiting to take advantage of a defensive mistake.

But to tie this all back together, that most likely won’t be occurring as often next year. Defenses won’t adjust off of him, he will have to force the adjustment. We can go down the slippery slope of starting lineup hypotheticals, but stuff like this will be more crucial to keep an eye on.

Every shooter sees the overplaying defense after the breakout, but it’s just how you respond. Yet after laying it out there before, I’m confident he has the necessary counters to not only level out to last year’s version, but improve even more.

 

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