Tag Archive for: Miami Heat

Five Takeaways from Heat’s Loss to Bucks

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The Miami Heat faced off against the reigning champs tonight, and both sides looked quite different. No Giannis Antetokounmpo, no Jimmy Butler, no Bam Adebayo.

With that said, many short term takeaways can be made about this group, but the second night of a back to back without you’re two best players is why it’s hard to harp too much on this game.

So, here are some things I took away from this one…

#1: The Heat’s offense falling right into the Bucks trap.

Seeing the Bucks scoring 69 points in the first half may immediately equate to discussing the Heat’s defense, but I feel there were more things to note the other way around. The first reason for that was Milwaukee’s defense was schematically set up to compete tonight, and they did their job early. Everybody was instantly uncomfortable on that side of the floor with their solid help defense into quick rotations. That blended into an even worse trend for the offense: settling for shots. The mascot for that description was Caleb Martin threes, since the Bucks began to help further and further away for the ball to land in that exact spot. If he tried to penetrate, they were ready to help and rotate again. It’s more credit to Milwaukee early than pure Miami issues, but the shot profile cannot shift that dramatically.

#2: First half: comparing the top duo performances.

In a game when all headliners are off the table, in Giannis Antetokounmpo, Jimmy Butler, and Bam Adebayo, the top dogs still matter. Well, the new top dogs. That led to all eyes on Jrue Holiday and Khris Middleton for the Bucks, and they did their part, combining for 31 first half points and just controlling each side of the ball in the ways that they usually do. The issue was that Kyle Lowry and Tyler Herro weren’t able to match that rhythm, as their first half is summarized by a combined 4 for 18 half of basketball. Once again, a lot of that refers back to the previous takeaway with the way the defense flipped completely between each team, but it’s just hard to win games like that. Herro being swarmed and Lowry on the second night of a back-to-back are the primary reasons for it falling off early.

#3: The bench player of the game continues.

Thinking back over this previous stretch, it always feels that Miami has one of their current/previous two-ways headlining a game in some way. Omer Yurtseven killing it late last night, Gabe Vincent stepping up when needed, Caleb Martin providing a spark. But tonight seemed to be Max Strus’ night after seeing his immediate impact in that struggling offense. Some quick threes kept Miami in it to some degree, basically keeping the theme of Robinson and Strus switching on and off every single night. To touch on a positive, discussing specific bench pieces stepping up in a scenario without Butler, Adebayo, Morris, and still no Oladipo, is a great sign in the big picture. And when it’s Strus, it’s an even bigger indicator due to him having the best odds to sustain his spot in that nine-man rotation for the remainder of the year.

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#4: Did Miami have enough? I don’t think so.

When Coach Spo or players talk about this team in terms of injuries, the same exact phrase comes up: “We have enough.” But it’s one thing to say it, and another thing to take it into consideration on a night like this. My opinion: they just didn’t have enough. That’s not a reflection of depth, since as I said before, many of them have done their part, but it’s much more about the overall structure when missing your two best players. The team’s leading scorer is missing, of course scoring is down. The team’s leading rebounder is missing, of course you’re losing that battle. They can squeak out some games, but until Butler returns, it’ll be hard to fully struggle in both of those departments from night to night and be okay. And frankly, high level play from Lowry and Robinson can mask them not having enough. When they look like guys on the second night of a back to back, it’s clearly different.

#5: On to the next.

The Ja Morant-less Memphis Grizzlies are up next for this Miami Heat team, which is important to note in this post-game piece since it represents the Heat’s mindset tonight: already on the plane ride home. This next slate of games should be interesting for Miami, and the focus should be all about getting past December 15th, as the weaker teams in this league are all they will be facing to finish off the month. But that two-week period before the easier games is all about one thing, and one thing only: Jimmy Butler. It feels like we’re trending towards him suiting up on Monday night, but it feels necessary if Miami wants to end up with a W. Yes, the Grizzlies may be Morant-less, but with a win tonight, they’ll improve to a 4 game winning streak. And hot shooting teams that can hurt you from multiple angles screams the need of your best player on the floor. So, on to the next.

 

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Five Takeaways from Heat’s Win Over Indiana

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To kick off another game without Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo, Miami came out hot this time around. Kyle Lowry, Duncan Robinson, and Tyler Herro getting it done early, and Omer Yurtseven getting it done late, led to Miami’s victory over this Pacers team.

So, let’s take a look through some pretty positive takeaways this time…

#1: Is that Duncan Robinson?

Well, the Duncan Robinson breakout finally occurred on Friday night against Indiana, which trickled down to Bally Sports’ technical difficulties shortly after. Clearly not a coincidence. It was nothing new for Robinson in terms of approach, except them just actually going in. His third triple of the night was the one to harp on: gets it on the wing, fires, and-1. Shortly after, he let out some frustration to himself, which seemed like the type of breakthrough he’s been waiting for. After they started to drop, the new Robinson that many predicted coming into the season was on display. Defenders flying right by him on the slightest of shot fakes led to clear driving lanes for him to attack. He was working that floater, forcing strong defensive rotations, and got to the free throw line in a way I haven’t seen him do his entire NBA career. He’s back.

#2: Kyle Lowry doing everything early on, providing a flash from the past.

Although Robinson had to be the starting point of this one, Kyle Lowry was the player of the first half. Not just because he scored 20 points in that span, but instead the way he was doing it. Knocking down the three is always a good thing to see, but his ability to attack mismatches was the true key. That’s the flash from the past. We saw it in that one fourth quarter against the Clippers, but without Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo, it must be the starring act more often. He’s clearly been pacing himself to preserve his abilities as much as possible, but it’s obvious this is the time for it to be utilized. Tyler Herro can be the number one scoring option, but Lowry needs to be scoring Lowry for them to win these games. And as he did in this one, can blend right back into his strong play-making ways as defenses overplay.

#3: PJ Tucker doing the early dirty work.

PJ Tucker’s stat-line at the half consisted of 6 rebounds, 2 steals, and 1 block. That’s pretty much PJ Tucker on a nightly basis, but tonight was slightly different just because of what was needed. We talked a lot about the need for scorers the last few nights, but with the main guys stepping up, they needed that guy down low to provide extra opportunities for them, which led to Tucker diving on the floor any chance he got. We saw some Udonis Haslem and Omer Yurtseven early on, while Dewayne Dedmon continues to be productive in his starting role, but Tucker is the key to it all working. Even after getting late Yurtseven production, they needed strong play from Tucker to even get to that point where they feel comfortable going the Yurtseven route. He was big tonight, and he’ll be even bigger as they move forward.

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#4: Tyler Herro not that bottled up spark, but the calming hand.

Tyler Herro is always going to be a spark with the way he can score the basketball at the snap of a finger, but that’s not *all* that he is. Without Butler and Adebayo, while Lowry is lined up on his side with other seasoned veterans, they’re looking to him to be that steady hand on the offensive end to either speed them up or slow them down. Like I said before, he has the keys to the offense no matter who is in or out of the lineup, but the usage is rising in this scenario. The other thing that’s currently rising: trust levels. Even while Spoelstra has trusted him to finish games since his rookie year, this is totally different. Tucker, Dedmon, Lowry, and others were waiting for him to take them where they needed to go. The 21 year old.

#5: Omer Yurtseven is ready.

Omer Yurtseven has been a garbage time killer many nights, leaving many observers wanting him to get that opportunity. Well, he got that opportunity early in this one, and it was kinda rough. He looked a bit timid, his decision making was too predictable, and was just searching for his way out there. Just like any young guy would. Spoelstra still had confidence in him through that second half for some more playing time, and he delivered. He found a rhythm in the zone defensively by altering shots, rolled with a purpose as ball-handlers found him, and stayed on his toes in an experienced fashion. Miami needed one young buck to step up over this stretch, and we’ve seen some flashes from KZ Okpala and now Yurtseven in back to back games. It’ll come down to match-ups, but Yurtseven showed tonight that he just needs time. And time will be coming his way.

 

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This Next Miami Heat Stretch: Tyler Herro’s Offense

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Yesterday was a “downer” from a Miami Heat perspective, as Bam Adebayo proclaimed it late last night.

Miami was stripped of a second round pick, which is absolutely the least of their worries. Bam Adebayo needs surgery due to him suffering a torn UCL in his right thumb against Denver a few nights ago, leaving him out for a lengthy period. And Miami kicked off their non-Bam stretch with an ugly loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers.

A very odd 12 hour stretch in the game of basketball.

Jimmy Butler was also ruled out shortly before game-time due to that hard crash in the game against Chicago, which was later reported that he should end up missing the next two games as well.

That’s a lot to grasp in a short period of time, but there is one overarching point to this big old mess that stands out: this is Tyler Herro’s offense.

It’s not a bold take whatsoever, but it’s just the truth as we project forward a bit. It was essentially his offense many nights when Adebayo and Butler were playing, but now he’s a solo act in many ways. (Further aligning with his post-game shades and outfit look)

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Kyle Lowry and Duncan Robinson are more unpredictable at this stage than the current/previous two-ways that are utilized. Max Strus, Gabe Vincent, and Caleb Martin continue to do their part off the bench, which actually led to some of Miami’s most effective stretches of the night next to Tyler Herro.

That just can’t happen, but it’s basically expected at this stage.

Yes Lowry will still be on the ball and Robinson will still put up shot attempts, but if last night taught us anything, it’s that they will ultimately have to live and die by the production of Herro. And many games, that won’t even be enough.

The point is that he’s fully capable of having that weight on his shoulders, which is something the majority of people questioned before the season. Nobody could’ve predicted what Herro’s doing at this moment, but the fact that he’s undeniably your best and most consistent player when Butler and Adebayo go down is a pretty interesting development.

No shot attempt limit will be assigned to him. No single offensive style will he be slotted into. It’s just going to be Tyler Herro hooping, which is basically when he is at his best.

Will Miami win many games at the start of December if that’s *all* they have? I’m not so sure about that with two games against Milwaukee in the next 6 days, but the second half of December showcases some games Herro could potentially squeak them by.

Looking past the 15th of December, Miami will face Orlando twice, Detroit twice, Indiana, Washington, San Antonio, and Houston. And well, Butler will be back and ready to go at that point, which is when many of my worries about this team will start to fade.

But the next 14 days are going to be real rough for this squad. Some hard match-ups, an unclear roster, and a ton of weight on the shoulders of 21 year old Tyler Herro.

There isn’t anybody that should be worried about the latter, which is not something I could’ve said 4 months ago. We like to talk about plenty of awards with this Heat team, and many start with Herro’s 6th man of the year/most improved player chances, but something even bigger can emerge over this next stretch.

An All-Star appearance.

It’s going to be hard to predict team success, but if Miami can win some games, which will obviously be spearheaded by Butler and Herro, it’ll be hard to deny his case. If Miami’s in a top 4 seed by February 20th, while Adebayo clearly won’t be in the mix for that insertion, it isn’t crazy to say he has a very good shot to make his way in there.

The 22nd leading scorer in the NBA cannot be brushed aside when talking about a 21 year old who is coming off the bench, obviously with a good amount of sprinkled in starts.

Herro has everything in his possession. A potential trip to Cleveland as an All-Star, which doesn’t sound as delightful as it should. The continued starting reps that many have been awaiting. And well, the entire offense in the palm of his hand, as all of the savvy vets look toward him to take them where they need to go.

And he’s more than capable of doing that. It may look rough from a short term sense, but getting past the 2 week mark, things will change.

For the better.

And Herro’s extended emergence will quickly follow.

 

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Five Takeaways from Heat’s Loss to Cleveland

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The Miami Heat were as short handed as it gets on Wednesday night, as Bam Adebayo and Jimmy Butler were out. Ultimately, they just couldn’t keep up, leading to a rough start to the non-Bam stretch.

So, here are some takeaways from this one…

#1: A very different match-up for Tyler Herro out the gate.

Tyler Herro has seen many different match-ups and defensive schemes throughout this season. Best individual defenders, immediate traps/doubles, and quick tags when he drives. But tonight’s big man match-up was different. Very different. Isaac Okoro was guarding Duncan Robinson out the gate, which was quite the choice. That meant Lauri Markkanen was guarding Herro, which meant a change in the approach. He was basically forced to attack the basket in some capacity, then mix in some quick dribble moves in the process. He did that for moments. 15 first half points didn’t come as easy as they usually do, but he still got it done at a high level. Which is all that matters on nights without Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo.

#2: Max Strus providing a much needed element.

Three-point shooting always seems to be below 25% at the end of first quarters, and a 1 for 9 start quickly followed tonight. They just need it from one specific guy, in the way they always would count on Duncan Robinson for that spark. But things just haven’t been the same. Max Strus has taken it upon himself to be that new elite sniper who isn’t one bit afraid to shoot the basketball, and that’s really all that is needed. He gave them a big offensive spark in the first half, yet they still trailed by 18. On the bright side, these current/previous two-ways have really done their job so far this season. Gabe Vincent has turned around the shooting, Caleb Martin is everywhere in his minutes, and Strus continues to be elite at his one specific skill. This team needs consistency right now, and at least those guys provide it.

#3: KZ Okpala minutes?

It almost felt like Miami was once again going to stay strictly in that 8 man rotation, since it took them until the second quarter to expand it to 9. Who was that guy? KZ Okpala. Surprisingly, he provided something that was missing, and really plugged some holes in the front-court. One play described his development: the shot-clock was expiring, a kick-out leaves him with the ball in his hands on the wing. He pauses, the defenders jump out, and he swings to Herro for a three as time expired. A previous Okpala wouldn’t have paused. I’m not saying anything big picture, but he did provide some early competent minutes in that back-up big role, and they will be calling for that a lot over the next stretch.

#4: An unusual defensive night in many ways.

The expanding Cleveland Cavaliers lead in this one wasn’t just a poor defensive outing from Miami in my opinion. They had a strong 2-3 zone base early on that really threw them off many possessions, and the communication allowed them to recover smoothly within that coverage. The thing about that is the Cavs team shot the ball at just an incredible rate. At one point in the third, when the lead was at a very high point, they were shooting 58% from the field and 50% from three. Just a very unusual recipe. I guess that’s just the version of this team with no Butler and Adebayo, and more Herro-Robinson lineups, but it’s still something to keep track of. In many ways, Cleveland took advantage of favorable match-ups in a fashion that Miami just didn’t on the other end.

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#5: No Butler. No Adebayo. No Robinson.

I don’t want to make this a locked in takeaway every single night, but it’s basically necessary when recapping a game like this. The Heat were without Butler and Adebayo tonight for obvious reasons, but Robinson seemed to find a way for a drop-off from his previous poor outing against Denver. Missed open shots continue to be the primary observation, while minor tweaks can be pulled away from his play through body language. It clearly happens when going through a slump of this capacity, but his body structure before these open looks prohibit them from going in even more. I’m going to keep drilling that it’s mental, but it’s going to be more than that if this prolongs over this injured Heat stretch of games.

 

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Miami Heat bracing for long absence for injured Bam Adebayo

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Following a game in which he started slow, and finished strong, Bam Adebayo was asked Monday night if his hand he kept flexing during the game was OK.

“It’s fine,” Adebayo said, flexing it again, seemingly without pain. “It’s fine.”

It’s not fine.

The Miami Heat revealed Wednesday that Adebayo will have surgery to repair a torn Ulnar Collateral Ligament in his right thumb.

While the Heat did not provide a timetable, several sources told Five Reasons Sports Network on Wednesday afternoon that the “4 to 6 week” timetable that ESPN reported is conservative, and a best-case scenario.

Adebayo’s absence is likely to be close to double that.

That would put his return at late February or early March, not only significantly stressing the Heat’s front court rotation and starting lineup, but also taking him out of play to participate in his second All-Star game. It also derails his Defensive Player of the Year chances.

The Heat’s interior troubles are compounded by the extended absence of veteran forward/center Markieff Morris, who will miss his 12th straight game Wednesday with what the team has termed as “whiplash,” the result of a blindside hit from Nuggets center Nikola Jokic.

That leaves Dewayne Dedmon as the likely starter next to forward PJ Tucker, with rookie Omer Yurtseven finding his way into the reserve rotation. It also could mean minutes for captain Udonis Haslem and former second-round pick KZ Okpala against smaller lineups.

 

While Adebayo had frustrated some fans with offensive inconsistency, his importance to the Heat is undeniable, as one of the league’s most dynamic, switchable defenders; a secondary ballhandler and playmaker; and a core rebounder, even if his numbers in that area had declined of late, which appeared related to some soreness in his knee. Dedmon can replicate the rebounding, and has been solid in his bench minutes as he was in his first half-season with the Heat, but he is not as versatile as Adebayo. This likely means fewer dribble-handoffs with Duncan Robinson, who is already struggling.

It also means more of an offensive burden on Jimmy Butler, Tyler Herro and Kyle Lowry — at least until Victor Oladipo returns from his quad surgery, which actually now could be before Adebayo is back.

Miami simply isn’t accustomed to playing without Adebayo, who has been remarkably durable since the team drafted him 14th overall out of Kentucky in 2017.

This comes at a time when the Heat, at 13-8, were pivoting to what should have been an easier stretch of the schedule, following 13 of the first 21 games on the road. The Cleveland Cavaliers, with their big frontline led by Jarrett Allen, visit tonight.

For more, follow the Five Reasons Sports YouTube channel.

 

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Five Takeaways from Heat’s Loss to Nuggets

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The Miami Heat were looking for some revenge against this Denver Nuggets team, but as Jimmy Butler and Tyler Herro were ruled out close to game-time, it seemed less likely.

So, here are five takeaways from this Heat loss to Denver…

#1: Kyle Lowry only first half starter to provide a consistent personal strength early.

In a game without Jimmy Butler and Tyler Herro, all eyes are at the guys at the top of the roster. It’s not just about those guys plugging the holes of the guys missing, but them just bringing their elite skill out the gate. Kyle Lowry was the only guy who truly provided that among that group. Bam Adebayo’s shot attempts and scoring looking to skyrocket, but that didn’t seem to pop out through the initial 24 minutes of play. So many things can be addressed about that topic, but he just doesn’t look like his fully healthy self at the moment. Duncan Robinson needed to explode from beyond the arc, but the exact opposite seems to occur. Aside from Caleb Martin’s plug and play excellence, Lowry was the only one among the top 3 to sustain his biggest skill: passing. Five first quarter assists can tell part of the story, but he just looked like an energized version of himself in this one, which was absolutely needed.

#2: Miami’s defensive fun against Chicago to defensive struggles against Denver.

Miami had some fun on Saturday night against the Chicago Bulls. No Tyler Herro meant more Gabe Vincent, ultimately meaning more 2-2-1 press and 2-3 zone. In a similar rotational setting tonight, those defensive principles could not be carried over. The reasoning is that you just cannot survive in a zone defense against Nikola Jokic, and that’s for a multitude of reasons. The main one is that a 2-3 zone calls for the big to flash to the free throw line extended, which is when Jokic is at his best. Scoring options, play-making excellence, etc. So, as Miami stayed in man for long stretches, Jokic had some more fun by attacking the Heat’s small lineups, which came up a lot in an eight man rotation. And well, no Jimmy Butler clearly dips your defensive plan.

#3: Heat’s short-handed bench only source of production.

The Heat’s first half didn’t equate to many positive takeaways, but the one semi-positive thing to note was the team’s bench production. The reason I say it’s “semi-positive” is due to the chances of winning a tough game without two of your best players, while the two bench pieces are the biggest stand-outs. But yet, they were. As Bam Adebayo’s odd struggles continue, Dewayne Dedmon was inserted and he was ready. Snatching rebounds, scoring around the rim, and obtaining more touches than many of those around him. Max Strus also came out firing, starting the game 3 for 4 from three, giving Miami some life through the muddy issues. Leading scorers at the half being Dedmon and Strus just says more about the top dogs tonight than it does about themselves.

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#4: Duncan Robinson’s shooting continues. But now, we’re past the 20 game mark.

I’ve spent many of these post-game takeaway pieces discussing the shooting of Duncan Robinson, which has been in a completely different sense compared to last season. Simply, the positional stuff, the sets he finds himself in, and the semi-shifting role must be thrown out the window at this exact moment. It’s just about…making ‘open’ three-pointers. I don’t think Robinson has found himself this wide open in the corner like he has so often this season. But it just feels like he can’t shake the mental side of this contract and new-look year. In no way is that an excuse for poor play, but it’s just the truth. He didn’t forget how to shoot and the differentiating spots aren’t *that* dramatic. It’s just about overcoming the hardest part of the game as a shooter, which now past the 20 game mark, is speeding up that ticking clock.

#5: Miami still awaiting the 4 quarter Bam Adebayo offensive focus.

There have been many points in the season this year where Bam Adebayo comes out super strong, but as the game grows closer in the fourth, that same guy isn’t there. Well, the opposite seemed to have struck in this one, as opinions were flying across social media about Adebayo’s underwhelming start. In my opinion, he definitely doesn’t look 100% as I said earlier, but if he’s out there, he needs to play up to a certain standard. That standard was finally held as he scored 15 points in the third on 10 shot attempts, ultimately showing that he’s capable of being that aggressive placeholder. The issue is that although that’s all great, the inability to display it for two full halves puts Miami in such an awkward and difficult spot by the end of it. He had decent moments when already down, but they need a tone setter in games like this.

 

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A Look into the Miami Heat’s Start to the Season

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The Miami Heat are currently 13-7 to start the season, and it’s been throughout a period of their schedule that was known to be one of the hardest stretches of the season. 13 of the first 20 games have been on the road, and the theme of this Heat team so far this season, is that they’re undoubtedly much better at home.

There have been plenty of team trends that have declined or increased over this span in comparison to prior expectations, but the focus of this piece, as we address everything up to this point, will be surrounded more by schematics. And more specifically, individual players in that area.

So, let’s hop right into what has been seen to begin the year.

Tyler Herro’s mid-range carving, spot-up leap, and separation avenue

Starting an early season wrap up with this Heat team and not mentioning Tyler Herro out the gate would be a terrible way to start. Not because he’s the team’s headliner or best player, but because he’s shifted the outlook on him, plus provided some on-court additions to this offense that have been absolutely necessary.

For one, we’re talking about a guy that is averaging slightly over 21 points a game through this opening stretch of games, but sometimes that can be misconstrued. The reasoning is that many players can come out hot right out the gate then come back down to earth.

But the difference here is that the way he’s doing it is 100% sustainable.

He has slowly mastered every spot of the floor, and what I mean by that is nothing is one-dimensional.

For starters, his mid-range game is by far his biggest strength on the basketball court, just due to the combination of difficult shot-making and improved ways of getting to his spots.

So much talk about if he could change his shot creation in a way where more separation can be created, and he’s done that by adding muscle to his legs in particular, allowing him to rise over the top of any defender in an unblockable fashion.

Three-point shooting has been an issue with this group from a team sense, but Herro has risen in that category as well. After shooting under 40% on catch and shoot threes last season, that has now shot up to 43% at the moment.

Obviously spot-up shooting shifts things for him and this team, but his demanding presence on the ball has made him an even bigger off the dribble three-point threat.

He has put in the work, and it’s paying off on the floor. Drop coverage was always a sign that a big Herro game could be in play, but he’s found ways to make switching defenses pay just as often.

And that’s the true tell between a young player who got hot early in a season, and a young player in the middle of that leap.

Mid-post killers: Jimmy Butler finds his home base, Bam Adebayo still searching for his

The only time we’ve been able to bundle up Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo in the same conversation in recent years has been on the defensive end. Both can take over on the end of the floor, and have similar reactions to passing lanes, rotations, and pure perimeter hounding.

But to begin the season, another common thread has been found among these two: offensive positioning.

The Heat have skyrocketed in their post-play, and it’s not the Pat Riley coaching days “post-play” that I’m talking about. Miami occupies that mid-post right inside the wing on almost every possession as a way to get everybody into their spots.

Markieff Morris has found himself there, Kyle Lowry has found his way there once or twice, among others. But clearly, Butler and Adebayo are the sticking points of that section.

Butler has taken off in this new “role,” which hasn’t included much changing. The only offensive shift for him in this spot is less of an urge to play-make, consequently elevating his play to another level immediately.

There’s a reason Butler is top 5 in the MVP race at this time, and it has a lot to do with the spread out floor for him to play in isolation, get to the rim, get to the free throw line, and well, knock down that mid-range jumper that’s been falling all season so far.

For Butler, that is his home-base.

Adebayo, on the other hand, has caused many discussions about his offensive role with this new team, and I think that speaks volume. When in that mid-post spot, should it be more inside post-play scores? Should he face-up into that jumper? Should he rely on play-making for others?

In many ways, the simplification for him hasn’t been as seamless as that for Herro in his bench role.

For what it’s worth, Adebayo has had a great start to the season numbers wise, and continues to be that defensive glue for Miami’s top 4 defensive rating. But as we know, there’s still much more to untap with him.

With all of that said, Adebayo must find his home-base in that mid-post. In my personal opinion, he looks most comfortable in that face-up game where he can pick his spots and utilize his biggest offensive strength against bigger defenders: his speed.

Both of Miami’s top dogs are mid-post killers, but only one of them has totally felt right at home. It’s coming for Adebayo, since not everything just works out perfectly through 20 games of basketball in this league.

Kyle Lowry and Duncan Robinson simply awaiting for 3’s to fall, but could new perimeter spotting be on the way?

The shooting of Duncan Robinson has probably been the biggest worry among Heat observers to begin the season, and Kyle Lowry is right behind him. The team has transformed into a fully three-point shooting team to a group that has a “good shooting night” when they shoot above 30% from beyond the arc.

Herro’s kept them afloat. PJ Tucker’s kept them afloat. But Robinson and Lowry have been the anchored forces to them being a middle of the pack 3 point shooting team.

So much has been discussed about this specific topic, but now that we’re 20 games in, some slight changes in exact offensive positioning should be on the way. Lowry and Robinson each shot 42% on catch and shoot threes last season, which is now at 29% and 32% respectively.

Yes, things will come back to normal sooner or later, which has already come into fruition in the 20th game in Chicago, but in the meantime, weak-side operation can’t continually be the answer. Through a quarter of the season, it’s been a ton of Robinson awaiting the ball to fall into his lap, which has not been him at any point of his NBA career.

He needs to seek that ball out, receive more high pick and roll reps which transformed his shooting last season, and continually make that pocket pass as defenders continue to double out at him no matter his shooting percentages.

Lowry, on the other hand, needs to get back to his usual ways. More transition pull-ups like his days in Toronto, more quick pulls after sliding across the pick at the top of the key, and more corner spotting.

Could it almost mean Robinson and Lowry switching roles at times?

Lowry in the corner should be used more down the stretch of games, which have been a struggle. The reasoning is that no defender is dipping far off Lowry on that baseline, and Robinson on the strong-side of plays have shown to be a cheat code over the years.

Up to this point, those two have almost been flipped in that type of usage.

Either way, it all comes down to making open shots. And if the team’s biggest problem through 20 games of basketball is Duncan Robinson and Kyle Lowry consistently making an open gym triple, then they’re sitting in a great spot.

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Defensively: soft switching worries, individual match-up dominance, and additional creative options

This has been pretty offensive centric so far in this piece, but with this Heat team, I don’t know if that’s very fair to initially project. The Heat are currently 4th in defensive rating so far this season, and as you scroll through your favorite social media app, you would probably think it was the exact opposite.

A main reason is that when it comes to defense, poor defensive possessions stick out more than good ones. So Robinson or Herro getting picked on in isolation may immediately jump off the screen, but their positioning on the weak-side on the play before isn’t mentioned once.

I bring this up because that’s been the case with the Heat’s soft switching so far. It’s 100% problematic many nights when the opposing team has talented perimeter players who can pick out mismatches, meaning Lowry, Robinson, or Herro is fighting for their hypothetical life down on the block against 7 foot monsters.

It’s also why they allow so many threes, since the soft switch basically gives ball-handlers a half-second to pull when a screen comes, or allows a screener to slip to cause mayhem defensively. And when teams capitalize like the Wizards did in Miami’s loss, it just plainly stands out.

There are solutions to anything that is thrown at you at the NBA level, but it’s why Spo has so many things up his sleeve. Guys like Gabe Vincent and Caleb Martin have played their roles even better than originally expected, just due to the defensive strategy based around them.

A 2-2-1 press backed into a 2-3 zone has been the cure for fast offensive teams many nights. But what do you think gets discussed more, those adjustments or the soft switching?

Like I said before, they’re definitely going to have to tweak it slightly though, just because this is a team that won’t fully die-out on screens and can handle most individual match-ups. PJ Tucker can essentially guard 1 through 5, Butler’s playing some of the best weak-side defense of his career, and Adebayo is still up there for DPOY.

The point is that this team has been a major defensive force in this early span of games, and more flaws have been recognized than strengths. That’s the formula for a team with true elite defensive potential.

PJ Tucker’s short roll and corner worries shifting the offense

Herro has exceeded expectations for sure, but not to the level that PJ Tucker has to kick off the season. Usually young players are the only ones that can truly shift a pre-season projection, but Tucker has taken that to another level.

We know who he is as a player. A major defensive threat, which as I said, can defend positions 1-5. He plays bigger than his 6 foot 5 height, mostly through rebounding by becoming one of the best box-out guys in the league. But with all that said, the reason the number on his deal was a bit slimmer than you’d expect is due to the offensive limitations.

But those have quickly vanished.

After shooting 32% on catch and shoot threes last season, it has spiked to 45% to begin the year.

As I stated earlier, he has essentially leveled off the poor shooting of Miami’s starting back-court, which was in no way an expectation coming in. The thing about that though is it’s not just about that high percentage or the number of attempts he’s putting up.

But it’s actually the pull he currently has on defenses. When you’re best players thrive off open lane drives, and isolation frequency rises, you need that corner defender to think twice before going for the tag. And that has been the case many plays up to this point.

He’s also making them pay in a totally off the wall position of the floor on the offensive end: a roll and float. Running hand-offs and setting screens is no surprise in his role with the way Coach Spoelstra describes him as one of the league’s best screeners, but it’s what comes next.

Two flash to Robinson, he hits Tucker in the pocket, and you worry about what comes next. Do you want a limited power forward running the 4 on 3 on the back-side? Well, now you do.

Tucker gets to the middle of the floor, rises with two feet off the floor, and flicks up a right handed floater. Bucket.

That’s become his staple, and it’s gotten Miami out of a bunch of sticky situations. A 36 year old veteran should not be adding to his bag in this way, but he truly has in this not-so-similar role around this stable group.

Exceeding expectations is one thing. But taking over games in more than just the rebounding column or defensive metrics is another.

 

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Five Takeaways from Heat’s Win Over Bulls

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The Miami Heat came away with a win against the Chicago Bulls on Saturday night in an anticipated matchup. Even with Tyler Herro out, they got it done, mostly due to the two-ways of last season, Gabe Vincent and Max Strus.

So, here are five takeaways from this win…

#1: Miami’s defense setting the tone early on.

In the beginning of the second quarter, the Heat forced the Bulls’ 10th turnover of the game, which doesn’t even tell the full story. DeRozan shooting 2 for 5 and LaVine shooting 2 for 6 in the first half doesn’t tell the full story either. It was just about the discomfort the Bulls were in from possession to possession, and lineup to lineup. The zone popped up again, Miami placed PJ Tucker on DeRozan so that he’d land on Vucevic after the screen, and they were just hitting the passing lanes as a whole. When you’re without one of the best scorers on your team, in Tyler Herro, it’s expected that defense would be the way you dictate a game. And they did just that to start.

#2: Tyler Herro out, Max Strus in.

Tyler Herro was a late scratch, after Spoelstra mentioned before the game he was a bit “under the weather.” That ultimately meant Max Strus would step into that next open slot, even though it felt his name would be called even if Herro played. Either way, he came out firing. Literally. He may have been the team’s leading scorer at the half, but the more important stat was he attempted the most shots on the team in that span. With 9 shots, 5 were threes and 4 were twos, just showing how this game was being played overall. We saw a bunch of different combinations with Strus, but the ultimate takeaway is this: he should never be on the outside looking in with Markieff Morris out and Victor Oladipo still healing up. Ten man rotation should be the next call before benching one of you’re better three-point shooters on a team that struggles from beyond the arc.

#3: Kyle Lowry the scorer made an early appearance. Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo the facilitators quickly followed.

As we talk about the way Miami was generating offense, early on more specifically, it was almost a total flip in terms of individual player roles. Kyle Lowry came right out in scoring mode, getting to the basket twice in the first minute for easy layups. His drives were definitely up in this one as well, which meant simple kicks were the outcome. But not in the way you’d expect. Swing, swing, and there’s Butler or Adebayo in that mid-post waiting for the ball. Butler then drives and kicks. Or for Adebayo’s sake, he unfortunately waits for the double to come instead of attacking the smaller defender, and hits the cutter. That formula led to the two of them racking up 7 first half assists, and it did wonders to maximize the bench guys specifically. Without that big chunk of usage from Herro, the reliance on base offense was crucial.

#4: Duncan Robinson getting the ball up, and shifting his spotting.

This wasn’t one of those breakout Duncan Robinson nights where he shoots the ball like he used to. But what he did do is step up in the shot attempt column when others were drifting. Without Herro, you can push past inefficiency into the mindset of just getting them up, which he did. Some started to fall, but something interesting that followed was his willingness to begin scoring on the inside. Lay-ups, back-cuts, mid-ranges. That’s not really Robinson, but it needs to be in the prolonged stretch of poor shooting. Of course we can continually talk about the hope of it returning to normal, but there must be that in-between time where you utilize a non-Herro game to try and get out of it. It may be in his head, but the overarching mindset has yet to waver.

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#5: Gabe Vincent continues to come up huge for Miami.

Speaking of guys on this roster on the outside looking in, that was Gabe Vincent’s role for most of the season. He was an intriguing defensive spark when needed, but that has finally flipped. It all came down to threes falling for him, and we’ve finally hit that moment in time. But is that the only difference? Actually, I don’t think so. Opinions can fly about the recent play of Kyle Lowry all you want, but the fact that Vincent can play next to Lowry at this stage is a major difference maker. Vincent’s playing with confidence, he’s not a one-dimensional offensive player at this exact time, cannot be taken advantage of on the defensive end unless he’s facing a much bigger ball-handler, and the shots are now falling. The back-end of the roster is doing their job, and now all eyes are on the top-end of this team.

 

Everything Tradeshows is a one-stop-shop for trade show exhibit rentals and custom exhibit display purchase solutions to companies of all sizes.

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Five Takeaways from Heat’s Loss to Minnesota

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The Heat fell short against the Minnesota Timberwolves on Wednesday night, in a pretty physical match to say the least.

Emotional highs to on-court lows, here are five takeaways from this one…

#1: An attacking Bam Adebayo to start, but a struggling Bam Adebayo to finish.

Bam Adebayo was a hot topic on social media prior to this game, and it was for some slightly different reasons. Much of it was discussing the current placements of him as an offensive threat, and my feelings on this have always stayed consistent: getting to the rim should be number one. He’s faster than most bigs he matches up with, and he’s stronger than most guards that switch onto him. Early tonight, we saw a driving Adebayo. Minnesota couldn’t stop fouling him, which usually is a great thing for Bam, but for some reason he couldn’t get his free throws to drop. And those misses ended up hurting this Heat team in the end. After that attacking mindset early on, Minnesota quickly made him uncomfortable in the fourth down low, which ultimately put Miami in the biggest hole of the night.

#2: Welcome, Gabe Vincent.

Max Strus being knocked out of Miami’s nine man rotation right now is not something I expected at all, especially considering Markieff Morris has still yet to return. Caleb Martin has basically been the Morris replacer, and he’s done that extremely well. The replacer for Strus, on the other hand, has been Gabe Vincent, and he’s making his minutes felt. For one, there’s essentially an entire defensive scheme that is aligned with his minutes, with the 2-3 zone. But secondly, his three ball was finally falling, which leads to a completely different player. He has the role player qualities, he has strong defensive capabilities, but shooting off the catch when the defense is rotating has been the one missing piece. Yet, it was filled in tonight’s game, continuing to justify his trust for Vincent off the bench in this stretch.

#3: Tyler Herro pushing aside rough starts: the number one year to year change.

I’ve done a ton of Tyler Herro talk recently, both on paper and audibly, but there’s one thing that must be mentioned aside from the X’s and O’s. Herro hasn’t had many “rough starts,” but there is a common denominator to that when he does: he finds a way to shoot his way out of it and bounce back. It’s something many young players struggle with, and it’s something he’s struggled with specifically in recent years. But this year, he just keeps fighting to get to his spots, keeps putting the ball up, and keeps hoping for a positive result. Since ultimately, when you’re as talented as he is, there’s a certain amount of confidence it will return. Not that it has to jump off the stat-sheet as an efficient night, but mentally that corner must be turned. It wasn’t fully turned tonight in that way, but at least there’s more trust in him late even with those odd starts.

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#4: Whistles, technical fouls, and well, Udonis Haslem.

One of my takeaways have to be looked at from a wide lens: this game was pretty weird for a while there. A stretched out third quarter with technical fouls flying toward Udonis Haslem on the sideline, Kyle Lowry receiving his 5th foul, and Jimmy Butler-fan interactions. There was just absolutely no flow whatsoever, including long stoppages as the officials evaluated the positioning of Karl Anthony Towns and Gabe Vincent on a foul call. Usually games like this are a wake up call to this gritty Heat team immediately, but the Timberwolves have a dawg themselves in Anthony Edwards who thrives in the environment as well. Both teams weren’t backing down from a player on player perspective, but on the floor, Miami lost that battle.

#5: Kyle Lowry and Jimmy Butler switching on and off in the second half.

Kyle Lowry is watching from the sideline as one of the longest quarters continues to drag out in the third. With 5 fouls next to his name, he wasn’t going to see the floor until the fourth quarter. And after a horrible offensive quarter with that “in the mud” play-style due to constant whistles, he changed things to begin the 4th. Miami was down 88-82 at the beginning of the quarter, but by next timeout, the Heat led 89-88. That was thanks to Lowry settling the guys around him in an emotional game. But while Butler is the one on the bench now, Minnesota came right back with back-to-back threes of their own, leaving Miami in a frenzy for that other guy. Bam Adebayo couldn’t play his game down low with the swarming defenders, and it leaves a major takeaway for the need of Lowry and Butler to be out there together. It’s not possible most nights due to staggering, but that’s the changing factor. And yet, shortly after Butler entered, Lowry exited with his 6th foul.

 

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Five Takeaways from Heat’s Comeback Win Over Pistons

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The Miami Heat had a rough overall night against a low tier Detroit Pistons team, but came away with a win due to a Tyler Herro explosion.

He’s doing some elite level things as a scorer right now, and they’re very sustainable traits. Half-court control, defensive carving, and pure scoring one-on-one.

So, here are five takeaways from this matchup.

#1: Jimmy Butler comes out strong, while providing a broader team theme.

Starting off a post-game piece about Jimmy Butler is pretty normal this season, and that’s for a few reasons. For one, he’s scoring the ball at an elite level, and continues to get to the line as he’s averaging the most free throw makes a game this season. The other reason is that he’s been a first quarter killer recently. Why is this being looked at slightly negatively? Well, it seems like one player has their “quarter” every night. Butler, Bam Adebayo, Kyle Lowry, and Tyler Herro all seem to take turns on the offensive end, which frankly isn’t a great way to operate, especially when you pride yourselves on a ton of movement and non-stop ball movement. Once they can just gel ‘together’ for 48 minutes, that’s when you’ll see them really turn the corner offensively.

#2: When lineups look for offensive comfort, they often look for Tyler Herro.

As sixth man Herro enters the game, he has a simple rotational routine with this group. Play next to Butler to start, while Bam and Lowry revolve next to him shortly after. The point is that he’s playing with a ton of different combinations, yet there is one common denominator among every unit: Herro is the comfortable offensive piece. He’s no longer looking around for somebody to bounce off of, but others are searching for Herro to take control. As great of a point guard as Lowry is, the team is in a different level of control when Herro just takes guys off the dribble and scores like he was to finish this game. We knew a lot about Herro’s game heading into the season, but possessing that comfort and control was in question. Well, not anymore. He’s their guy.

#3: Miami’s lineups getting more and more interesting.

Miami’s starting lineup was in tact tonight even though Duncan Robinson, PJ Tucker, and Adebayo all had some questionable tags prior. Still, Miami’s missing Markieff Morris off the bench after the incident with Nikola Jokic, so it’s just the usual rotation, right? Wrong. As Miami floated through the first half, it took me a bit to realize that Max Strus hadn’t entered. Caleb Martin and Gabe Vincent were both utilized instead, as Miami’s defense was based around their top of the key presence in the 2-2-1 press and 2-3 zone. But the lineups are the interesting part. Martin at the 4? Lowry-Vincent-Herro combinations for long stretches? This Pistons team was small due to them being without two of their bigs, but rolling with these groupings as a stretch shooter, in Strus, is on the sideline is just an interesting choice.

#4: Miami’s defense is schematically set-up to move forward, but continues to revert back.

The Heat’s defense was projected to be very high this season, and that begins with the surrounding cast allowing them to be much more controlled on that end of the floor. A point of attack defender in Lowry means Adebayo can play by the rim more often, and Tucker on the back-side gives them more perimeter flexibility. But the soft switching has not only returned, it has been elevated even further. Weak-side screen comes, Lowry’s on a big, Adebayo’s on a guard. Screen comes on the ball, Robinson’s defending in isolation. Where “soft” switching comes into play is that Detroit isn’t even setting hard screens. It’s just come up and the ball-handler retreats with his new defender. This team is an elite defensive team, but they need to fight through those screens to uphold their elite defensive skill.

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#5: Living at the free throw line: balancing that in a good and bad way.

There are two totally different reasons that Miami has lived at the free throw line in specific games. One of those reasons is that Miami just dominates the pace and can dictate when they elect to slow things down. The other reason, which was the case tonight, is that offense is so terrible that getting to the line is the only source of offense. In many ways, before the fourth quarter Herro explosion, the free throw line was the only thing that kept Miami competitive with this 4 win Pistons team. Butler obviously dominated in that category, but many other role players quickly followed suit. Some nights high free throw shooting doesn’t equate to a great offensive night, but sometimes it just gets the job done when needed.

 

Everything Tradeshows is a one-stop-shop for trade show exhibit rentals and custom exhibit display purchase solutions to companies of all sizes.

Visit them at EverythingTradeShows or call 954-791-8882

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