Tag Archive for: Miami Heat

Five Takeaways from Heat’s Loss to Wizards

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The Miami Heat fell short in Washington on Saturday night, even alongside another big time Jimmy Butler night. The threes couldn’t fall once again, and it ultimately lost them a close one.

So, here are five takeaways from this one, mostly highlighting some individual takeaways from Miami’s core…

#1: Miami’s first half sums up the team’s new look theme.

1 for 14. That’s the Heat’s stat-line from three in the first half tonight. It feels like I start these pieces the same way every night, but that’s just because Miami keeps starting their games in the same way every night. Aside from an immediate Tyler Herro three when he came in, the team just couldn’t get a shot to fall from the outside for that entire 24 minutes. 43 points in that stretch of time tells you that as well, but there’s one more thing to keep in mind: the Heat were winning at that point. They have a very gritty group of guys who just battle when the game is in the mud, and if we’re talking about the first half specifically, Caleb Martin and PJ Tucker were huge reasons for that. When you can embody this new defensive team theme, role players are much more valuable in this setting. But as we saw, when there’s a scoring drop-off on the roster, it puts you in a very tough spot to win.

#2: Jimmy Butler spamming moves and getting buckets.

Jimmy Butler has been in the MVP race to begin this season, and it’s not just because of big numbers in the scoring column and fun post-game comments. For one, he’s been terrific on the defensive end per usual. Doubling when he chooses, handling his specific match-up, and getting pick sixes like another corner-back in town. But his offensive efficiency and impact has been incredible. He’s basically spammed one move for the past 3 games of the season, and it just couldn’t be stopped. Post position, get to the mid-range, and turn-around and fire. That shot has been falling, but the difficulty of those shots is the more important part to note. It’s a new team around him, which means new spots to operate.

#3: A big time Bam Adebayo addition: the usage of his shoulder in the post.

Bam Adebayo has made some pretty intriguing minor improvements this season. Overall feel, pursuing certain spots on the floor in the half-court, and now, a post gadget. A hot topic with Adebayo recently has been about him getting in the post more often, taking advantage of smaller defenders. But what about when he’s being defended by guys his size? That shouldn’t always equate to just shooting the mid-range jumper, so Adebayo’s beginning to put that added muscle to use. He’s utilizing the shoulder to create just enough space for quick hooks under the basket, or space to fire over the top. That stuff jumped right off the screen tonight, and his engagement in actually being aggressive allows it to shine even more.

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#4: PJ Tucker, a steal, literally and figuratively.

Describing PJ Tucker as a steal is fitting just through his defensive presence on a night to night basis, but it completely transcends that. In terms of off-season pick-ups, Tucker had to be one of the best this past season, just through the lens of outplaying the money on the deal. For starters, the first half can be viewed in many different ways, but Tucker kept it close in a stretch where the game shouldn’t have been close. Fighting on the offensive boards and providing extra possessions was the major element, just continuing to do the dirty work like he always does. Then in the second half, Tucker’s scoring returned, including back to back possessions with corner threes from the same spot. When offense gets rolling and the primary scorers do what they do, defenders almost have to dip off Tucker in his spots. But well, he’s made them pay every single night.

#5: Tyler Herro flipping the script in terms of counteracting his scoring.

The catch and shoot three really plummeted for Tyler Herro last season in comparison to his rookie year. That led to him expanding his scoring inside the arc little by little, which has totally exploded to begin this season. But the interesting thing about a returning Herro on Saturday night against the Wizards, is that he did exactly the opposite in this one. He began the game 3 for 10 from the field, and just looked a little flat with all of his shots coming up short in the middle of the floor. That led to him firing from deep shortly after, and well, that got him going. Two above the break triples set him off in the second half, and everything just stemmed from there offensively. He’s doing some really veteran-like things just through his scoring reads against different coverages, and it isn’t going anywhere. But down the stretch of the game, he was being picked on defensively as the Wizards were taking him off the dribble each and every possession.

 

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The Miami Heat’s Roster: Top Heavy Options Turning Into Depth

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Film dives aside for a second, the Miami Heat are the number one seed in the East.

Credit can fly in a ton of different directions. Jimmy Butler’s MVP status, Bam Adebayo’s two-way play, Tyler Herro’s continued emergence, or Kyle Lowry’s quarterback control. It just simply isn’t one translating factor to a winning basketball team.

Before the season, the depth of this team was questioned. Could Omer Yurtseven develop quickly? Will KZ Okpala finally break-through? Does Gabe Vincent’s scoring ability come along?

All of those were pretty viable questions to pose, and the frequency of actually presenting those questions has risen quickly.

Butler, Adebayo, Lowry, and Herro seem to be switching off games to take the night off, which is something they haven’t been able to do in the past. A strong core like that pretty much means they can pick up the slack for the others.

The issue is that 3 rotational pieces down in a specific game, means the depth dwindles down real fast. The best front-court option outside of the rotation is Udonis Haslem, and it’s kind of wild that it took so long to realize that.

While we know about that stuff involving the depth at this very moment, let’s fast forward to a fully healthy Heat team and evaluate the “depth,” since the goalposts seem to immediately move.

With a returning Victor Oladipo, even disregarding the exact health levels he comes back at, he will no question be a part of that bench back-court with Herro. To cap off the nine-man rotation, Markieff Morris and Dewayne Dedmon will most likely be the relied on veterans on the back-end.

What does that mean? Well, Max Strus, Caleb Martin, and Gabe Vincent will all be on the outside looking in, which is a pretty great spot to be in when looking at the team on paper.

Obviously we’re coming off a major offensive punch from Vincent on Thursday night, but that isn’t the only reason it’s being brought up. Aside from the shot falling or bricking, he provides something that Miami can use in certain spots of the season.

Lowry goes down, Vincent can be that sidekick to Herro’s scoring. Herro goes down, Vincent can be the strong attacker and eventual shooter in Herro’s role next to Lowry. And yet, his offense doesn’t even touch half the potential of his defensive structure.

Caleb Martin has been a steal of a pick-up on that two-way contract, but as many have noted, he won’t be stuck in that deal for long. With a 50 game limit, it’s clear Miami will need to eventually convert him over, since he can be used way more than 50 games this season.

And although Max Strus continues to impress in his rotational role this season, a 10th man spark will probably be his role by playoff time. If the guards aren’t giving them something on a specific night, I see Coach Spo bringing in Strus to start the second quarter without batting an eye.

The point is that the depth on this team may seem frail at times when they’re down a third of their rotation, but when everything is put together down the stretch of the season, even that will elevate.

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The depth topic is a funny one to have on a Heat team, just due to the fact we’ve seen them with a totally opposite team theme in recent years. They had a bunch of really sound players all the way down the roster, but in moments of truth, it was Butler and Adebayo looking around for who that next guy was.

Now, as I said earlier, they have a core four that can pretty much be relied on night in and night out.

Options over depth. It may seem like a pretty obvious thing to say, but something must be added to that: extra options create more depth.

How is that? When you have a 21 year old Herro taking over games while Butler is resting on the sidelines, that forms extra bodies by the end of the season. They don’t have to rush back the top dogs any time they get injured, which once again, is something new.

11-5 and first seed in the Eastern Conference during one of the toughest parts of their schedule is one thing. But giving both Butler and Adebayo 3 games off in that span, while Lowry has gotten 2 games off, puts their standing positioning into even more perspective.

The team’s pace on the floor is one thing. But Erik Spoelstra being able to pace his players off the floor is another thing.

 

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Five Takeaways from Heat’s Win Over the Wizards

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The Miami Heat beat the Washington Wizards on Thursday night, and it was another big night for Jimmy Butler. Even with Tyler Herro out due to a wrist injury, others stepped up off the bench.

So, here are five takeaways from another Heat win…

#1: Jimmy Butler playing his own game, with a different speed.

Scoring mode Jimmy Butler has taken the floor for most of Miami’s games this season. Much of that has to do with Kyle Lowry stripping some of the play-making duties from him, while it’s also just him taking advantage of match-ups and spots of the floor. Tonight, he was playing his usual offensive game, but it was at a different speed. Even when Lowry isn’t on the floor, Butler has made it a part of his routine to grab it and go, which really fits the supporting cast on this team, more specifically the bench. But if that mid-range jumper continues to fall, and he continues to draw that whistle and get to the line, MVP ladder Jimmy Butler isn’t going anywhere.

#2: Tyler Herro out. Gabe Vincent in. And he was ready for the offensive load.

With Tyler Herro out, it was clear they were going to need one or two scoring threats to step up off the bench. Gabe Vincent has been that guy before, but he hasn’t really been that at all recently. But there’s a difference between being inserted into Lowry’s role and Herro’s role. We saw the difference in that tonight. He actually saw quite some time next to Lowry, which enhances his scoring skill even more. He was driving with authority to eventually open up the jumper, and that looks to be the formula for success. If he has match-ups that are around his size and he can play his physical game, he’s in a good spot.

#3: The halftime takeaway: three-point shooting struggles, yet 7 point lead.

The three-point shooting watch has been much different for the Miami Heat this season than previous years. Previously, their percentage in that category could tell you if they were winning or losing at a certain point. Yet, this isn’t a “three-point shooting” team anymore. The Heat were up 47-40 at the half, while shooting 14% from three at that point. Like I said: different. The reason they’re able to still be in a winning spot is due to the efficiency of their two-point shots. Mid-ranges drop on this team, they can get to the rim, and frankly, they had 14 free throw attempts at the half to the Wizards’ 7. They can win in different ways, which is just simply something new.

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#4: Bam Adebayo picking his spots perfectly as an inside threat. An inside the 3 point line threat.

One thing was clear when this game started, and it was that Bam Adebayo was going to get shots up tonight. They weren’t really falling right out the gate, but that changed rather quickly. The main reason for that is he’s picking his spots at such a high level right now, and isn’t afraid to pull-up for that interior jumper. That exact type of play is how he creates gravity for his team. Once that occurred and Miami got a switch down low, the Wizards’ defense had to think twice. It’s not that they were full-out doubling him, but they dipped off the corner shooters just enough. That led to an absolute zip pass from Adebayo in the post one possession to an awaiting PJ Tucker in the corner. And that’s the whole story with Adebayo on the offensive end this season.

#5: Caleb Martin: a two-way steal, but not a two-way for long.

Speaking of guys stepping up off the bench with Tyler Herro out, Caleb Martin’s name must come up since he’s been doing that all season. A power forward goes down, here is Caleb Martin entering. Jimmy Butler goes down, here is Caleb Martin entering. Kyle Lowry goes down, here is Caleb Martin entering. The only knock that can be found against him right now is that he has a 50 game limit, and he could be used in many more. But well, that contract could always be tweaked, and it feels like we’re rapidly approaching that point. Swarming defense, effective offense, and tons and tons of athleticism is the type of guy you need to lock up with the thinness of this bench.

 

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Five Takeaways from Heat’s Win Over Pelicans

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The Miami Heat were without Kyle Lowry, Bam Adebayo, and Markieff Morris on Wednesday night, but it didn’t matter. Even after falling behind early, Miami battled back to beat the Pelicans, which all begins with the returning Jimmy Butler.

So, here are five takeaways from this one…

#1: Pelicans come out hot. The Heat do not.

The Pelicans started out the game shooting 5 for 7 from three. To put that in perspective, they were shooting 5 for 7 from the field at that point as well. Not only were they letting it fly often, but they were dropping, giving them quite the amount of padding early on. Some of that was the lack of strong defensive rotations, but it was also just talented offensive players making shots. On the other side of the floor, Miami couldn’t get anything going out the gate. Jimmy Butler did his part with 10 first quarter points, which I’ll discuss next, while the rest of the Heat had 11 total first quarter points. When you’re down 2 starters, 1 strong bench piece, a struggling Tyler Herro to begin the game, and some foul trouble with PJ Tucker and Dewayne Dedmon, that’s usually not a formula for a “hot” start.

#2: Jimmy Butler returns, and he looks like Jimmy Butler.

Jimmy Butler missed the last 3 games and 3 quarters, but much like he usually does, he came back firing. A 21 point first half is the perfect starting point of how he was getting things going on the offensive end for Miami. But the interesting thing about that was it was done in a multitude of ways. For starters, while the rest of the league is doing anything they can to draw a foul, Butler continues to do it effortlessly. He drives so hard that it’s hard for a player one-on-one not to make contact with him. But that wasn’t where his points were coming from, since that mid-range turn-around was falling early. When he can use that drop-step and let it fly in that inner wing, it’s usually a good night for him, which it was.

#3: KZ Okpala’s offensive restrictions expanded even further tonight.

We pretty much know the story of KZ Okpala on this team: an athletic, defensive build with many restrictions on the offensive end. But the early part of this game took that to another level. As I said before, Tucker getting himself in early foul trouble meant an early insertion for KZ Okpala. And well, the Pelicans’ seemed ready for this moment. The plan was to sag off of him in a total disrespectful way, and they took the bait. Okpala came in shooting that open jumper right away, and it led to Miami’s offense plummeting even further. I’m not saying it was all his fault, but when the Heat offense is relying on Okpala making his threes, that usually means they’re in a tough spot. But ultimately, Butler’s unconsciousness to a double team on the attack negated that a bit.

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#4: A different type of game from Tyler Herro, but an important one.

As I mentioned early, the start of this game for Tyler Herro was simply awful. It started out with him playing a spot-up role right out the gate, but then the consensus was that he just wasn’t in any type of offensive groove. Not only could he not get a shot to drop, but he couldn’t keep the ball in his possession, as he kept getting it ripped. But then he got it going. The reason I say this game for him was so important is that we need to see him face this type of self imposed adversity. When the struggles of you’re biggest skill and pure talent is shining through, what’s next? And well, he showed that keeping it up and not getting away from his game is the way to go. Even if he has to shoot an accidental half-court shot in the meantime.

#5: Udonis Haslem. That’s it. That’s my takeaway.

Let me start by saying this: Udonis Haslem is the best big not in the Miami Heat’s rotation. They went the Okpala route early which didn’t work out, then transitioned into a single minute of Omer Yurtseven. But as a second half switch-up was needed, Udonis Haslem was the way to go after the continued foul trouble. And not only is he a step-up in terms of knowing where to be on the floor while being a much more trusted plug and play guy, but he’s also just more effective. Sliding into certain slots on the roll, rising up for blocks at the rim, and awaiting the incoming attacker for the usual charge. When Miami’s down this many bigs, it shouldn’t take this long to know Haslem is the right move. And I think we see him more frequently moving forward when needed.

 

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How are Duncan Robinson’s Looks Shifting for the Better?

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Duncan Robinson has been a very hot topic surrounding the Miami Heat this season, and not in the way you’d probably expect. He’s struggled for most of the season until the final two games of the West Coast trip, and there’s no doubt Miami would probably have a positive road trip record if he played his game in LA.

Aside from that, there needs to be some perspective on the topic: Duncan Robinson is currently 5th in the NBA in 3 point makes this season. Obviously he’s not shooting a great percentage, but it has only been 14 games, and his trajectory on the season is rising as we speak.

As I said after his slump buster in Utah, he needed to string two games together to really be “back.” The reasoning is if he struggled in Oklahoma City, that confidence may drop even more since the thought process is the breakout against the Jazz was a fluke.

But clearly that wasn’t the case. He followed that one up with some big shots in the third against OKC without Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo, coming up big for Miami to close out the trip on a high note.

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Now, we know that slump was all mental and in his head, but there seems to be some pondering on whether it had anything to do with his looks shifting.

And well, they’re definitely shifting.

But for the better.

Let’s take a look through Duncan Robinson’s shot profile against OKC, since there are some intriguing points to make.

For starters, there’s something interesting about the usage of Robinson in general, from his first year in the league to now: he’s a first quarter and third quarter killer. Why is that? Well, much like the first drives of the half in football, it’s scripted.

When I asked Tyler Herro about Duncan Robinson the other night, he said, “We try to get him going as much as we can in those first and third quarters.” It’s the adjustment before the adjustment. Robinson turns opposing coaches into defensive mad scientists, so the continued goal is to get him going before the change is made.

Aside from that, looking at the clip above, we’re seeing a very promising connection between Robinson and PJ Tucker. Tucker has really taken control of getting Robinson good looks, much like Bam Adebayo has done in the past, but we see something different here.

An initial Robinson DHO for Tucker. That is seen more frequently. Not because Tucker’s going to cross up his defender and drive to the rim to make a play, but it resets the spot of Robinson.

Tucker immediately hits Kyle Lowry on the wing, as if they’re going to run a PnR, and Lowry instinctively hits Robinson in that corner while all 3 defenders are eyeing him. He fires and knocks it down.

Speaking of players catching eyes when the ball is in their hands, Tyler Herro is the perfect example of that. Just off the pure eye test, it feels like Herro is seeing more doubles than anyone on the roster, which isn’t something I personally expected heading into the season.

Herro has it in the corner, refuses the screen, and drives baseline. With Tucker and Robinson cleared out on the weak-side, one of the defenders come over for the help on the Herro drive. And that’s exactly what Miami wants.

When that is seen, that’s an immediate signal for a Herro pass, a Tucker hammer screen, and a Robinson triple.

That’s exactly what transpired, and that’s exactly why Robinson’s looks are changing for the better. Not only will many of his triples have one less hand in his face, but the spot-up frequency is rising rapidly, thanks to the addition of Lowry and the emergence of Herro.

Robinson’s catch and shoot attempts have gone up from 6.4 a game last season to 7.8 this season. Once again, we’re only 14 games in, but that’s a major jump, and more importantly, a promising jump.

The perfect formula for this team was that Adebayo can be freed up from Robinson little by little, while Robinson can still generate good looks without him. And all credit to PJ Tucker, they’ve figured that out. Now it’s just about actually hitting those shots.

Another action that we saw against OKC that I’d like to see a lot more is Robinson slipping screens, specifically with Kyle Lowry. That’s something I talked about a ton in the off-season, just because Lowry’s respected enough in that department for opposing defenses to think twice on flashing at Robinson.

Guys like Kendrick Nunn were good in their role previously, but the consensus was to force Nunn to make a play and at worst case scenario send two at Robinson. But with Lowry, miscommunications consequently occur.

As seen above, Dort gets caught eyeing Lowry after the slip, meaning Robinson has more than enough room to fire. No help is sent from the other side of him as well, mostly since he’s lined up next to a 45% catch and shoot guy named Tyler Herro.

Options and weapons help Robinson. It means that a team can’t outright scheme him out of the game, since if they do, Miami has plenty of other avenues to explore.

The last thing that should be noted is that the interior game is coming. Not on high volume. Not due to a needed reliance. But when that deep ball begins to fall, it was obvious the two point attempts would quickly follow.

Just because it took Robinson 14 games to shoot his first mid-range jumper, doesn’t mean he didn’t work on it in the Summer. He didn’t add that to his package to become this all-around scorer. He added it as a counter to when defenses send two to the ball.

Looking at the second clip above specifically, this is when you know things are changing.

Aleksej Pokusevski flies out at Robinson, he pauses and side-steps which totally loses him, and begins to drive to the rim. I’ve talked about this resulting in a pull-up mid-range, but Robinson looks to have picked up a shot that the entire Heat team is thriving with: a floater.

PJ Tucker has embraced it as a short roll guy. Tyler Herro has showcased a beautiful tear dropper when going down the lane. And now Duncan Robinson shoots probably the first one of his career.

(Coincidence, I think not)

This isn’t to say that Robinson still won’t have some off-nights moving forward due to him figuring out his new role, but the point is that when he does fully pick up on it, he will absolutely take off.

His new task with the surrounding cast is so much easier than the constant DHO swarming and high PnR ball-handling from last season. Now it’s just about the simplicity of the catch and shoot jumper, which aligns with Duncan Robinson as much as Jimmy Butler aligns with Big Face Coffee.

 

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Five Takeaways from Heat’s Win Over OKC

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The Miami Heat finished off the road trip in Oklahoma City without Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo, and still pulled away with the win.

An ugly start, continued defensive steadiness, and Tyler Herro tough shot making was the outlining description of this game.

So, here are five takeaways from this one…

#1: Well, ugly basketball begins right out the gate.

43-43 was the halftime score between the Heat and Thunder. And well, that doesn’t even tell the full story of how awful this half of basketball really was. For starters, on the offensive end for Miami, the three-ball was surprisingly falling, thanks to Tyler Herro who I’ll address in a second. But with that said, the Heat were 4 of 21 on twos through that span, which is exactly why this game was so ugly. Forced drives across the roster jumped off the screen while missing the team’s two best interior threats, leading to Miami letting the three ball fly more often. The Heat holding the Thunder to 43 first half points wasn’t just plainly elite defense either. They had good looks throughout, but Miami’s 2-2-1 press/2-3 zone mix up altered their pace early.

#2: All eyes on Tyler Herro.

No Jimmy Butler. No Bam Adebayo. That usually translates to a high shot attempt night for sixth man of the year candidate Tyler Herro. And yet, that was exactly the case, but not in the way you may expect. The OKC defense was ready for that as well, and the surrounding pieces on the floor with him meant the focus can expand even more. For example, he played a decently long stint next to KZ Okpala and Gabe Vincent, which was basically an immediate indicator to duck off their man to collapse onto the driving Herro. That led to him drifting out to the three-point line and letting it go, ending with a 4 for 4 stat-line from deep at the half. We know how good Herro is, but seeing him continue to score when 10 eyes are on him at all times is really intriguing. Every shot is a difficult shot, and he’s never fazed.

 

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#3: Miami’s depth tonight showcases the questionable tags early in year.

Before the season, a primary observation of this group was the depth on this Heat team. There are unknowns when Victor Oladipo will return, Tyler Herro is the headliner, and some veterans fill it out. But when you’re without 3 rotational players, things shine through. Gabe Vincent has embraced his own defensive coverage called the 2-2-1 press, but the three-ball just hasn’t seemed to drop. KZ Okpala, in year three, still doesn’t seem to have the trust from the coaching staff. beginning with the continued offensive incapabilities. Omer Yurtseven, Caleb Martin, and others have taken advantage in their small spurts, but you get the point. The depth really isn’t a strong-suit. And when I say “depth,” I’m not talking about that nine man rotation, but instead the guys outside of it. Hence, the reason many await the return of Oladipo.

#4: Duncan Robinson looking like…Duncan Robinson.

As I’ve been discussing throughout Duncan Robinson’s struggles, we won’t see many mid-range jumpers or two point attempts until the three begins to fall. And well, we saw a Duncan floater tonight, so that explains the night he had. He can actually get down there in space when the close-outs are extra hard once they’re falling, and that was especially the case in the third quarter. Shooting it with confidence within different sets, and more importantly, from different spots. It’s not that he’s just hugging that three point line and looping it like a roller coaster track, but instead that he’s providing space between him and that line, forcing defenders to make a decision. And that decision becomes harder and harder when he’s shooting like…himself. Now, stat-sheet wise, that wasn’t completely the case, but in the game flow, his shots were big.

#5: Max Strus playing his role perfectly on a night it’s hardest to play your role.

When three guys in your nine man rotation are out, it usually means there is an incoming universal shift across the roster to step up. But in many ways, Tyler Herro did that for everybody. That allowed Max Strus to be Max Strus, and my takeaway is that he’s going to be huge with a healthy roster. When I talk about this team being both emotionally sturdy and positionally sound, Strus is a big reason for that. Not only through his placement on charges and steady shooting night in and night out, but also the trust the team has in him. He’s mentioned recently that getting back in shape will be a focus after recovering from that knee injury, but when playing a pure role, limited movement is requested. And when Butler, Adebayo, and Morris are all playing, the game will only grow simpler for him.

 

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Five Takeaways from Heat’s Win Over Jazz

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The Miami Heat had a very rough start to the road trip, but they got it back on track in probably the most unexpected matchup. They beat the Utah Jazz on Saturday night, and it wasn’t just one guy.

And well, to win without Jimmy Butler, you must have full contribution from the squad, which Miami did.

Anyway, here are five takeaways from this game tonight…

#1: Duncan Robinson. That’s my takeaway.

Seeing the ball go through the hoop for Duncan Robinson was not only important for Heat fans, but Robinson himself. Once one dropped early, it led to a flurry that quickly followed, which is exactly the type of stretch so many have been awaiting. As I’ve been saying all season, it wasn’t anything mechanical that has changed. And it wasn’t anything schematically that changed majorly either. It was just all in his head, and a two-game stretch where he shoots the ball well is all he needs. Some may say that one game will do the job, but him building on that confidence to do it two straight will be key for what’s to come. And well, it’s coming.

#2: PJ Tucker deserves some love.

We all know PJ Tucker is a good basketball player, and an important one at that for this team. But I truly don’t think he gets enough credit for all the small stuff he does on a nightly basis. Bail out wing threes with the shot clock expiring aside, the dude just does the dirty work. For his size, his rebounding is just so absolutely impressive, and it begins with his high level box-outs on guys who are much lengthier than him. Another element to this is his ability to step up into roles on this team that you wouldn’t expect. One of those was his offensive filler for Jimmy Butler, leaving him crossing half-court with the ball in his hands, and play-making from the mid-post position inside the wing. That’s not PJ Tucker, but it is when he’s called to do a task. And that’s why he deserves some love.

#3: The need for a back-up point guard is harped on, but it’s actually not the biggest hole.

Switching into some transactional/roster construction talk, there’s a common theme about this Heat team whenever guys go out. The need for a back-up point guard. Seeing Gabe Vincent continue to struggle offensively in that role upon being inserted may have put that on blast a bit more, but there’s a position that is needed so much more: front-court depth. Two guys get injured and what’s the plan for Miami? Just substitute Duncan Robinson, Max Strus, and Caleb Martin in for each other at the 4. We’re overlooking the element that Miami’s utilizing their guard depth to fill front-court holes, which is the bigger issue. It’s clear this team doesn’t trust Omer Yurtseven or KZ Okpala at this time, and Udonis Haslem is just unable to play for extended stretches. Hence, the bigger issue at hand in the big picture.

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#4: Bam Adebayo had a good game, but one skill shined through.

Bam Adebayo is one of those guys who just does everything well on the basketball court. He can score in a multitude of ways, lock up your best player, and rebound at a high level. The one thing I didn’t mention: his passing. In my opinion, this was by far his best passing game of the season. Not in terms of assists in the box score, but through pure vision. His head was on a swivel, he was finding back-door cutters, and really taking matters into his own hands in that department without Butler, and even Kyle Lowry for a stretch. We know how good of a passer/play-maker he really is, but sometimes it needs to be reminded how much of it is just pure talent for his size and position.

#5: Kyle Lowry the scorer returns. As Bam says, “I like that aggressive Kyle.”

Much like Bam Adebayo, many Heat observers “like that aggressive Kyle.” That’s even more important to see when Jimmy Butler is out, but as we took away from the loss against the Clippers, waiting until the fourth quarter for Lowry time just won’t do the job. And it doesn’t always have to be the three-ball that allows him to be that guy. Actually, it’s preferably just the opposite. When he’s getting to that elbow pull-up and taking opposing bigs in isolation seems to be when he’s at his best as a scorer. Even fluctuating from that transition passing threat to transition scoring threat. Bam Adebayo loves aggressive Kyle. Jimmy Butler loves aggressive Kyle. Everybody loves aggressive Kyle. Why is that? It almost always translates to a W in the win column.

 

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The Importance of the Miami Heat’s Mismatch Hunting

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When you’re without Jimmy Butler, you’re best players have to do Jimmy Butler things. Not just by picking up his usual points per game or defensive role, but sustaining the things that allow the offense to work on a nightly basis.

One of those things is applying rim pressure, since although guys like Kyle Lowry are highly capable of doing so, he just hasn’t been as regularly active in that department as he once was. That’s not a huge deal since it hasn’t been a major role of his, but it is necessary when Butler isn’t on the floor on a specific night.

(Enter Lowry’s fourth quarter vs the Clippers)

The switch flipped when Miami went down in the fourth, as Lowry was doing anything he wanted with the ball in his hands from deep heaves to easy blow-bys at the rim.

As much as Lowry showed out in the fourth, Bam Adebayo did so in the first quarter. He came out with an offensive purpose, which is something many of us want to see even when Butler is on the floor. He was showcasing mid-range jumpers, sliding into specific slots as the roll man, and much more.

But the common denominator between the first quarter from Adebayo and the fourth quarter from Lowry: mismatch hunting. That was when Miami’s offense was at its’ best, but the issue with that sentiment is that it never seems to be sustained throughout 48 minutes of basketball.

Lowry just didn’t have it going for about 3 and a half quarters against the Clippers. A lot of that had to do with the overarching reliance on the three-ball falling, which probably shouldn’t be the element that is harped on in these spots.

Instead, the part of his game that should be the fall-back plan is what he resorted to in the fourth quarter: picking on the bigs.

Against a team that heavily switches like the Clippers, that has Kyle Lowry written all over it. Tyler Herro had a decent game as well, but the ball would’ve most likely been in his hands more often if they were facing drop coverage all night.

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Looking at the clips above, he does one thing so well in these spots, and it’s getting big guys on their heels once he gets the full commitment on the switch. Jimmy Butler, on the other hand, usually puts together a full back dive to the rim before utilizing close to 10 pump-fakes, but Lowry does quite the opposite.

After seeing it work to perfection in the fourth, it raises an interesting question: why did it take that long?

It felt like that would be the initial read in a close game like this without Butler, and ultimately, the length of time it took for Miami to get to it kind of hurt them.

Bam Adebayo, though, knew the plan coming in with that specifically. But sticking to it was the problem there.

A hot topic with Adebayo for quite some time is punishing smaller defenders in the post. It’s something Lowry has helped with a ton through his re-insertions whenever Bam would try to pass it back out to Lowry on the perimeter.

Last night, he was going to find guards on him down there frequently, and he didn’t waste any time.

An early back-down on Batum was a great sign to start out the game, turning around with zero hesitation to shoot right over the top of him. A little later, Adebayo did something a little similar by backing down Reggie Jackson, which although the whistles were flying all over the place, he ended up getting the bucket to further the theme.

But something to make note of is this was all the first quarter.

As I said before, he exploded in that quarter, but the most important thing about it was that he adjusted to what the defense was giving him and made the most of it. But when that second adjustment came in throughout the game to double Adebayo on the catch, they just resorted to simple kick-outs and spot-up threes.

Which frankly is not their game this season.

No Jimmy Butler means the minor things he provides are magnified. One of those things is the way he can slow down the game down the stretch once it gets choppy. And the second thing is finding mismatches and attacking them against teams like this.

Miami did it for two quarters with two different players, but finding the balance to slowly sustain it throughout 48 minutes is the key element. This doesn’t need to be put on blast with Butler on the floor, but without him, it jumps off the screen.

 

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Five Takeaways from Heat’s Loss to Clippers

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This was a pretty up and down game for the Miami Heat. Hot first quarter generated from Bam Adebayo to a poor second quarter to a worse third quarter to a Kyle Lowry fourth quarter explosion.

Through that roller coaster of a game, Miami fell just short at the end in a game that they missed Jimmy Butler.

Anyway, here are five takeaways from this game…

#1: Bam Adebayo comes out with a purpose offensively: breathing the Brooklyn air.

One lob from Kyle Lowry was the starting point for a hugely dominant first quarter for Bam Adebayo. Following that sole enhancement, he was creating shots all by himself inside the arc. Mid-range jumper to strong drives to more mid-range jumpers. 19 points through that span left me thinking of one specific night: that game in Barclays Center. No Jimmy Butler meant it was his time to score, and deja vu had arrived. Now, the interesting thing about this topic is the way the defense can quickly shift to take that away. One less option on that end meant the Clippers could begin to double Adebayo on the catch down low, especially considering Lowry couldn’t buy a bucket to start.

#2: Can Miami Heat consistency be coming?

There are a lot of things that can be seen from that first half specifically in a positive or negative light. Aside from the positive light of Adebayo and Tyler Herro, the negative light is more team oriented. One of those things is the overall three-point shooting that just can’t get going no matter what, but another thing is team consistency. Not from one night to the next, but from one quarter to the next. Miami came out firing in that first quarter and swarming on the defensive end, but the second quarter flipped the coin. Miami’s thin depth means that was kind of expected, but not being able to shut down the opposing team’s three-point opportunities can be problematic. They went to that 2-3 zone for a bit which had it’s moments, but having some type of game rhythm from quarter to quarter in this league is going to be absolutely crucial.

#3: Tyler Herro can make things happen out of any scenario.

Early sixth man of the year candidate, Tyler Herro, was going to need to get it going once again on Thursday night against the Los Angeles Clippers. The reason for that: well, no Butler and a carrying Adebayo needed that extra guy on that end. Adebayo and Herro combined for 38 points at the half, while the rest of the team scored 20, but it’s actually the way that he’s doing it. Continuing to shift East to West in quick maneuvers to fire over his defender, but also turning the corner in a way he hasn’t done so in past years. His downhill bag is so much broader than it once was, just due to that half-a-second extra speed on those quick dives on the ball. Herro will be a takeaway most nights this season, which is exactly my big picture takeaway tonight.

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#4: Kyle Lowry’s rough 3 and a half quarters, plus the strong 1/2 quarter.

For starters, the Duncan Robinson three-point struggles is something I’ve discussed for quite some time now, but something interesting is that Kyle Lowry has been right there with him for many spurts this year. And yet, Lowry would agree with that sentiment, as he proclaims himself in many post-game press conferences. The reason it isn’t as loud as the Robinson conversation is that he does so many other things, beginning with setting everybody else up on offense. Those struggles were the case again tonight for the first 3 and a half quarters, but that stuff got thrown out the window real quick. While it lasted for much of the game, he came alive late by scoring 11 straight points in the fourth. Drive-bys, pull-up threes, free throw line trips, plus and-1 finishes with under 1 minute and 30 seconds to go. One of the best individual quarters of the season.

#5: Big picture, Max Strus will be a major piece this season.

Max Strus enters the game for the first time in some time, and buries his first two threes on back to back possessions. After that, he quickly tailed off and missed his next six. Aside from that, there’s no doubt that he changes a lot of things for this team, and even more than originally expected. He’s not just a bench piece that can hit some threes, but he’s a rotational wild card. Duncan Robinson is struggling? Throw in Strus. Multiple rotational players are out? Utilize Strus even more. Need more spacing in a lineup? Strus enters. The point is that he’s more versatile on this team than expected, not just from an on-court perspective, but from a utilization perspective. And in the big picture, with a fully healthy squad, he’s going to be quite the threat for this offense.

 

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Losing Jimmy Butler Meant Losing the Fall-Back Plan

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Coach Erik Spoelstra looks down the line to make his usual Jimmy Butler substitution in the second quarter, but there was one issue. Butler was back in the locker room with a sprained ankle, ruling him out for the rest of the game.

We’ve seen this Heat team without Kyle Lowry in Indiana. We’ve seen this Heat team without Bam Adebayo in Memphis. But after seeing them without Jimmy Butler, it’s clear he creates the biggest team gap.

Even though Miami really feel apart in Indiana without Lowry, that wasn’t just due to the lack of his presence. Nobody on Miami had it going that night, including Butler, which just meant it was “one of those nights.”

The main thing they did lose in that game without him was that increased speed in spurts to get out and run on the break. The current rank of this Heat team’s pace may surprise you with how low it is, but the Lowry minutes are clearly much different.

But, as much as that increased speed is important to this team with Lowry, the ability to slow it down with Jimmy Butler may hold even more importance.

Late in the fourth and overtime, the Heat seemed to be in a bit of a rush. Do we force the ball into the hands of Tyler Herro who is being blanketed by Avery Bradley? Do we await the Kyle Lowry scoring stretch that never ultimately came? Or do we ride it out with Bam Adebayo?

If Butler was playing, these questions wouldn’t be looming.

Lowry would still be creating a ton, but the initial action wouldn’t be the pocket pass to Adebayo for the defense to hone in on. It would be some off-ball actions which eventually lead to a Butler drive with an empty corner, giving Miami some diversity and change of speed.

Looking at the trajectory he was on in this game, the free throw line was going to have his foot print all night. Through that quick early stretch, he went 5 for 5 from the charity stripe, which was actually Miami’s only outlet before Tyler Herro really started rolling upon entering.

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Now, while Miami lost that specific game speed fall-back plan, they quickly looked to Bam Adebayo in a way they haven’t all season through a full quarter. And the fact that it was the first time we’ve seen that is slightly problematic.

Adebayo received one Lowry lob to kick off the third quarter, and exploded from there. As I said after the third, it was by far the best all-around quarter from him that I’ve seen all season. Scoring 14 points in a multitude of ways through self creation, hitting back-door cutters in space like it was nothing, and absolutely swarming Anthony Davis and Russell Westbrook all night.

I’ve seen some scrutiny in his direction after this one, but it shouldn’t be. Obviously the evaluation of Duncan Robinson seems to be the total focus after this one, shooting 3 of 13 from beyond the arc, which is more aligned with this game than the Adebayo discussion.

Bam was the one who gave them something they missed without Butler. Not just through his usual scoring. Not just due to his 6 steal night in Butler fashion. But instead the way he put pressure on the rim, which they had none of without Butler.

Settling for perimeter ball swings and spot-up threes on a night where you shot 27% from three, and 17% excluding Herro, is quite the choice. But yet again, it’s the elimination of the fall-back plan without Butler.

Yes, Lowry is hugely important to this Miami Heat offense in terms of getting all of the other guys in their spots, but in a tight game down the stretch, it isn’t just about getting the defense back and crossing the half-court line with 22 seconds on the shot-clock.

Some Butler perimeter scanning with the ball in his hands is the usual late-game go-to, and as much as some criticize him settling for jumpers in many of those situations, it’s a much more trusted way to operate.

In a game where the opposing team didn’t have their best player as well, in LeBron James, means that this isn’t the reason they lost, but it’s something to truly keep in mind moving forward.

Tyler Herro can get you 27 points on 50% shooting. Bam Adebayo can get you 28 points, 10 rebounds, and hold the opposing team’s 2 best players to 2 of 11 shooting. But they still need their slow motion offensive threat.

And well, it’s a long season. So getting these Butler-less late game reps is crucial, but hopefully not long term. A sprained ankle may raise an eyebrow of the timetable, but just ask Lowry how he handled it a week ago.

He took a day off, not a game, and kept it moving. And Butler is the same exact way, so take that how you like.

 

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