Tag Archive for: Miami Heat

Five Takeaways from Pat Riley’s Presser

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Pat Riley spoke with media today before the season opener this Thursday, and the overall vibe was completely different from when he spoke a couple months ago after the loss to Milwaukee in the post-season.

Riley actually embodied something in this presser that the entire team will embody this season: being refreshed. A new team, a rested mind and body, while carrying over that same winning mentality is both the Riley and Miami Heat way.

Anyway, following a ton of topics to cover from this 45 minutes presser, here are some things that stuck out to me:

(Plus an audio form of Five on the Floor on this topic)

#1: Bam Adebayo might be a “flat out scorer this year.”

There’s never a better place to start in these type of evaluation pieces than Bam Adebayo. Riley started out saying that Adebayo has “gotten extraordinarily better than last year.”

He mentioned some things regarding his role last season, such as being that much needed ball handler and facilitator with the guys around him, but following some off-season additions, the goal posts are moving.

Fastly.

Riley adds, “I think you might see a flat out scorer this year.” And as many have added in the past, that places this Miami Heat team in a completely different tier. If Adebayo is your leading scorer on a team with Jimmy Butler, Kyle Lowry, and an emerging Tyler Herro, the league must watch out.

This isn’t just Heat twitter fantasizing over offensive tweaks that may never ultimately happen. This is Pat Riley once again saying to the public that this transformation is upon us. And well, as Riley alluded to a bit in the presser, Lowry and Butler will be major reasons for that.

#2: The closing lineup factor isn’t a surprise.

The question started with a general evaluation of Duncan Robinson, and his goal to close games with this Heat team. Riley jokingly responded, “He’s got to be on a bad team,” in terms of him closing every game since he’d be the best player on a bottom tier ball club.

In this scenario, the way to close games is pretty straight forward for Riley: “They know now that if you want to be on the court at the end of the game that my defense is not gonna hurt me in the last 4 or 5 minutes.”

This type of discussion pretty quickly turned into an interesting topic that’s been brought up a ton recently: will Herro or Robinson be the one closing?

Riley gave his opinion, saying, “Tyler is probably gonna be on the floor, because he’s a multi faceted player.”

Just from what I’ve seen so far, aside from Herro’s string of masterclass performances, it seems like they need that looser offensive piece late in games who can handle over the spacer.

But yet again, there won’t be a set closing lineup. Spo will do his usual tinkering, but we do know the four who will be on the floor at all times.

Yes, four…

#3: PJ Tucker isn’t just an Erik Spoelstra guy. He’s actually a Pat Riley guy.

When PJ Tucker was signed this off-season, the initial thought was that this is an Erik Spoelstra guy. Doesn’t explode in the scoring column in any capacity, but he plays hard, plays his role, and he can be trusted late in games.

Yet, the respect Pat Riley has for him seems to be even greater.

“He’s 3 times more than I thought he was. If I wanted to put on a defensive clinic, I would use him.” Riley continued to praise his ability to defend in every way, using perfect close-outs, positioning, and even screening on the offensive end.

As I said before, we all know Butler, Lowry, and Adebayo will be out there when that final buzzer sounds every night, but Tucker is in that grouping as well. This team needed extra defensive size, and although his length on paper doesn’t project that to be true, his on-court presence certainly does.

#4: Max Strus is high on this team’s “young guy” big board.

Pat Riley brought up the “young guys” on this team quite frequently. Not just bringing them up in terms of their age, but also the ways they can contribute at this stage.

That list clearly consisted of Adebayo, Herro, and Robinson, but one other name kept being thrown in when being discussed: Max Strus.

Now, this may not seem to be a big deal to many, since he’s going to be a major piece of this team’s bench unit this season, but the respect level among his peers has been incredible. It’s not just his teammates and coaches either. It’s the business man upstairs as well.

Riley joked, “His agent is on the phone all the time trying to extend his contract.” And well, pretty soon those conversations will be progressing even further. He puts in the work, and he produces at a high level on the big stage. There’s no doubt he’s in store for a big season.

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#5: The season focus: early season success.

After discussing a lot of individual players, there was one general theme that floated around a couple times in this press conference: the strength of the early-season schedule.

This team had to deal with a bunch of things to begin the season last year regarding Covid, and it lead to a 7-14 start. Due to that being the case, it seems like there’s some extra initiative to come out the gates hot.

To talk about this on a much smaller scale, opening night could really propel this team into a hot start. Taking down the defending Champs, in the Milwaukee Bucks, to kick off their season will give them the ultimate confidence to keep it rolling.

And as Riley noted today, that Bucks team has a bunch of versatile bigs to try and match-up with. But well, Miami added some size of their own, and one of them was taken from that Bucks team.

On this team that is built for the playoffs, a hot regular season start can move them up to that next tier.

 

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

Max Strus: “People Kinda Know Who I Am Now”

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Max Strus and Tyler Herro are going to be the two youthful pieces off the bench this season for Miami, but that isn’t the only comparison those two draw. Even without the experience compared to those around them, both of them ooze confidence in similar ways.

I talked to Max Strus for a bit after practice, where he discussed some things heading into the season opener this Thursday.

When I asked him about being that run igniter and offensive spark most nights for this team, he responded, “If I’m open, I’m gonna shoot every time. I have the confidence in myself, my teammates have the confidence to put me in those situations to shoot and score.”

“But I’m still trying to find my role with everything,” he continued. “And obviously the second unit is to get Tyler going and just for me to provide spacing for him. But any open shot I’m gonna take.”

Relating Strus’ situation to Duncan Robinson over and over can get a bit old, but the early stages definitely are similar. Robinson jumped into a starting lineup, while opposing defenses didn’t even know his name. Fast forward to today, it’s a completely different story.

When I asked Strus if he’s being defended any differently from his minutes last season to this preseason, he said, “People kind of know who I am now. You can tell when I’m running down the court other defenders are yelling ‘find Strus, find Strus.’ So yeah you can definitely tell that teams are starting to find out what I do and what I’m good at. So I’m definitely getting guarded a little bit differently, not as bad as Duncan yet, but we’ll see if it gets there.”

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One thing about this team is that it’s a very vocal group. They’re loud on the floor, they’re loud with each other, and that trait definitely fits the Miami Heat way.

I asked Strus if he notices these practices being louder than they were previously, and if he fits that mold of holding others accountable and being in each other’s ear constantly. He responded, “I want to win. We all want to win. So communication, putting each other in the best situation possible to be successful is what we all want to do. Having guys like that who are here to help, here to make you better is right where I want to be.”

Lastly, a lot of these guys have their circle of players in the league that they watch film on to try and learn from or pick-up specific skills. When I asked Strus who those guys are, he said, “I’ve watched a lot of Klay Thompson.”

He also mentioned Joe Harris is somebody he’s honed in on, saying “I’ve gotten Joe Harris a lot, and I’ve gotten to know him pretty well too.”

The interesting thing about Strus focusing on these guys is that it’s not all about shooting when evaluating them: “Defensively, like Klay Thompson was an elite defender, so trying to learn from him. Just where to be in the right spots, and Joe Harris is actually a pretty good defender too. So those guys are great all-around players, so I’m just trying go through them and watch and learn from them.”

Max Strus is going to be in a pretty favorable role this season. Weak-side offensive spotting, waiting for the multiple initiators on the floor to hit him in his spots, and ultimately being that spark that he knows he can be on this team.

“People kinda know who I am now.” Yes, they do. And that X on his back is only going to grow this season.

Yet, he’s somehow ready for whatever is thrown at him, since he “wants to win. We all want to win.”

 

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

Five Takeaways from the Heat’s Final Preseason Game

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The Miami Heat finished off a great preseason run with a win against the Boston Celtics. Miami was working with their entire squad for this one, generating some chemistry with their new and improved nine man rotation.

So, here are five takeaways from this game before completely heading into the regular season…

#1: A look into the new Heat rotation: the substitution process.

Last season, the substitution process for the Heat was a bit interesting. It was a lot of staggering Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo, with the absolute need for one of them to be on the floor to survive. Adding Kyle Lowry has fixed that element, and that was seen for the first time tonight. After the starting stint to begin the game, Adebayo and Lowry went to the bench, as Butler stayed in with the bench guys. Those pairings clicked all together, starting with the continued connection between Butler and Dewayne Dedmon in those side pick and rolls. Lowry then came back in as Butler went to the sideline for more positive minutes with the bench unit. And in many ways, that stretch is the Tyler Herro enhancer, since it’s pretty clear Lowry elevates his game tremendously.

#2: Some Tyler Herro-Jimmy Butler flashbacks.

Jimmy Butler drives to the middle of the floor, does a 180, and finds Tyler Herro at the top of the key for a three in stride. Bucket. Am I describing late-game madness in Herro’s rookie season against the Chicago Bulls or tonight’s game against Boston? Actually the answer is both. That duo is playing together for their third straight season, but that type of connection hasn’t been seen since that initial year. Herro shooting with confidence over the top of defenders while Butler is creating with hard attacks into the teeth of the defense. If this combo is clicking, I think of this offense in a totally different way. With Herro playing at this incredible level when the ball is in his hands, it’s only making Butler’s life easier. And there will be a lot more smiles throughout the season than there were this last season.

#3: Bam Adebayo trying to find himself early on.

To be completely honest, this was far from Bam Adebayo’s best game early on. He struggled majorly on both ends of the floor from the very beginning: late rotations or cut-offs leading to easy lay-ins, over-dribbling in the post, etc. But when I said struggle, did you notice aggression wasn’t something I mentioned? He was taking shots, even though they weren’t great shots by any means. The point is that if the only issue in his “down” half is in terms of effort or things in the flow of the game, then it can easily be tweaked. He was second on the team in field goal attempts at the half behind Herro, showing flashes of getting the ball up at the rim. He did just that in the second half when Butler and Lowry were on the bench, and that’s exactly what is needed. Dominate the paint while Herro and company play the perimeter.

#4: More Duncan Robinson.

It feels like we may have come full circle in terms of the discussion surrounding Duncan Robinson. Last season we were clamoring to abandon the dribble hand-off in many ways, ultimately to allow the stars to just attack. Tonight, the stars were attacking, but even with some shot attempts and efficient shooting from Robinson, it felt like we may need more in the offensive flow. The starting group clearly needs more time to gel. The half-court offense wasn’t the greatest when those five shared the floor, but a main takeaway was a jumbled up interior. The counter to that is flying Robinson off back-screens and pin-downs for the intent of letting him fire, instead of as a constant decoy. Once again, this is only preseason, so we will see more of this stuff, but it definitely caught my eye in this one.

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#5: Kyle Lowry’s role is simple.

We all know Kyle Lowry is highly capable of putting the ball in the basket. Whether he needs to a ton is a completely different story. In this case with the Heat, I don’t believe his PPG will be super high. He will have big games when others are struggling on that end, but his goal is to force high attempts for Herro, Adebayo, Butler, etc. And well, he did that tonight. It wasn’t in the assist column, but he just causes controlled chaos on the break and half-court in a good way. As I said before, many have been predicting Lowry’s skill to propel Adebayo’s offensive game, but that is aligning with Herro just as well. That backcourt has looked incredible in their minutes so far, and we will see that combo plenty more. It’s just giving Erik Spoelstra more and more options, handing him the keys to that creative ability that he loves so much.

 

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

Five Young Player Evaluations from Heat’s JV Preseason Game

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The Miami Heat were handed their first loss of the preseason in Atlanta, while the entire rotation essentially was back in Miami.

The game wasn’t all that competition either, leaving us discussing individual guys. And better yet, in this environment, it’s important to address the young guys.

So, let’s discuss youthful rotation pieces, exhibit 10’s, and disappointing roster spots…

#1: Javonte Smart: High floor, high production, high value.

When watching the Heat play in Vegas during Summer League, plenty of guys were total stand-outs. Max Strus and Omer Yurtseven were focal points, Marcus Garrett and DeJon Jerreau caught eyes, and the rest were pretty much trying to find themselves as players at that level. Among that group, Javonte Smart looked like the rest of them, but a personal take during that period was that he has a “high floor,” and I believe we’re continuing to see that as the truth. His outside jump-shot has looked good, can attack the basket at a good rate, runs offense well, and pops up in random places on the defensive end. There’s no doubt he’s catching eyes on this Heat team, and he’ll have an even bigger role to showcase with the G-League. He’s a guy to keep your eye on for sure.

#2: Gabe Vincent: Looking at shooting numbers isn’t an “evaluation.”

Gabe Vincent had a rough time shooting the ball from the outside early in this game, and that’s been a struggle of his for some time now. Going from a pure outside shooter to a guy that does everything except shoot that three-ball consistently isn’t usually the case, but it was for him. And now that he’s in the back-up point guard role, many want to see that number increase, but that can’t be the full takeaway from a game like this. If that’s the first thing that jumped off the screen to you in this game from him, I disagree. I saw a player who has grown incredibly as a passer and facilitator in the flow of offensive sets, and that’s the part of his game to truly watch most. Why is that? Well, next to Tyler Herro and Max Strus, that three-ball won’t be as important. Feeding the rock to those shooters, though, will be the actual key.

#3: Micah Potter: A preseason surprise.

In many ways, a primary reason the play of Micah Potter in Summer League didn’t fully pop is due to him backing up a fan favorite, Omer Yurtseven. He showed an interesting skill-set: comfort with back to the basket, an interesting mid-range fade, and an outside three-ball. The preseason has allowed him to expand from a good skill-set to overall production. His rebounding has been better than originally expected, and more importantly, he fits the “role” player label perfectly. Constant screen and rolls, dribble hand-offs, pick and pops. Potter may not be one of those quick, young big men with a ton of physical versatility, but he gets it done in these other ways discussed. Much like Smart, he’s going to have a chance to really develop his game further in Sioux Falls, and that’ll begin with a natural feel on when to take certain shots upon reading a defense. Once that is fully obtained, then he really has something.

#4: KZ Okpala: Defensive talent continues to be only takeaway.

It’s never a great thing when a young player shows no real growth from his first season in the league to his third season. It’s an even worse thing when there was no true production being showcased in the first place. We were pretty much warned in the Summer League, when red flags were flying all over the place. Playing with a bunch of guys straight out of college with no experience at the NBA level, the guy heading into his third season should stand out. Okpala did not. In fact, he blended right in with the guys at the bottom of that roster. He’s a great defensive talent, but when that’s the only takeaway year after year in this league, it isn’t a good description anymore. Time is ticking, and no offensive game has been shown from Okpala. And decisions are going to have to be made.

#5: Max Strus: Simply, he’s going to be a run igniter.

Before tonight’s game, Coach Erik Spoelstra mentioned using the players available to him in similar roles for the season ahead to really prepare them for their minutes. Well, when things went downhill quickly for this Heat team, we saw a slight offensive shift in game-plan in the second half. Strus was no longer preparing for his in-season role, he began to be the guy like he was in Vegas. Playing with the ultimate green light, making three triples to finish the third quarter in a blink of an eye. That fiery run won’t be the last time we see that from Strus. When Miami gets back into their normal rotation to start the season, there’s going to be points when Strus is the guy that gets Miami going upon entering with the second unit. He went from a spark guy last year to a rotational piece this year, but it’s still going to be a flash from the past since that “spark” label isn’t going anywhere.

 

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

The Offensive Role of Markieff Morris Seeing an Immediate Shift

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In many ways, the two front-court free agency additions for Miami this off-season can be the true offensive difference makers this year. Both PJ Tucker and Markieff Morris are better suited for the defensive side of the ball, which they’ve shown in the preseason, but releasing some offensive limitations can be huge.

Tucker has done a good job of that to start through offensive physicality on the box and great corner shooting, as we all expected. But in terms of the bench role for Morris, it always felt heading into the season it would all come down to that outside catch and shoot jumper that has been so up and down throughout his career.

But does it actually all come down to that three point shot?

I don’t believe so.

In simple terms, Morris being used inside the arc is the true key to offensive success for him. Screening, posting, and shooting the mid-range jumper.

Looking at the first clip above, this needs to be Morris all of the time in his minutes. Quick screen for Tyler Herro at the top of the key, leading to the defense holding full containment on the ball. Herro hits Morris on the roll, and he doesn’t overthink like he does with that three-point shot.

He just catches and fires. And that’s what they need from him.

Morris is going to be used as the release valve when playing in lineups with mostly bench players. He won’t be the first or second offensive option, but he can be that go-to in the middle of the floor when things begin to break down.

In the second clip above, let’s take a walk through of Morris on this possession: screen and roll down to the box, drifting away from the basket for spacing once Gabe Vincent drives, and finally passing up a good shot for a better shot right inside the free throw line.

That right there is the formula.

Many times in the past with a jumbled up interior, he would’ve sprinted up to that outside wing to provide room at the basket and a potential kick-out, but that needs to fade away little by little.

Now, that doesn’t mean the three-pointer won’t be a part of his game at all, since it’s pretty clear that he’s going to get those shots up, but shifting it away from his primary offensive go-to could be huge for offensive production.

I asked Coach Erik Spoelstra about his effectiveness in that role inside the arc instead of constant spot-up shooting, which he responded, “There’s a lot of upside with Markieff. This is just scratching the surface, he’s getting his legs, he’s getting in Miami Heat condition. He came into camp fit and in good condition, and then there’s our level.”

“He has a lot of different things that he can do,” Spo continued. “You can play him at the elbow. You can actually play him in a lot of similar areas of how you play Bam. Obviously, that really helps your versatility offensively.”

And well, there’s something that can really be taken away from that comment. Yes, Morris can play in many of the same areas as Bam Adebayo, but he should basically be given the Bam role from last season.

Constant elbow touches, a mid-range green light, and the DHO/screen guy for the guards on the perimeter. That role essentially boxed Adebayo in more than they would’ve like, but it was necessary with the supporting cast around him last season.

But that may be exactly what Morris needs. Simplify it down a bit with comfortable spots on the floor, while of course allowing the occasional spot-up three. That’s maximizing the “versatility” and talent on the roster.

Not only is scoring inside the arc an option, but there are plenty of other ways to occupy this space effectively. One way of doing that is something Morris has gone to frequently, which is passing while others develop space.

In no way am I saying to place Morris into a play-making role, since that’s not him, but these bench lineups have really called for that in the preseason. And stuff has actually been generated from it frequently.

His size has really translated to comfort in the post, or more specifically, the high post when talking about his passing ability. In the first clip above, he receives the ball on the baseline in high post position, slowly faces up and feeds Max Strus inside following a bunch of back-screens.

That’s where the versatility adjective comes into play. I believe Coach Spo is confident in placing him in some of those spots throughout the natural flow of the game, basically being a safety net when shots aren’t falling for Herro or when two of Kyle Lowry, Jimmy Butler, and Adebayo are on the sideline.

The second clip above relates back to that middle of the floor scoring/facilitating role. There have been plenty of corner threes that have come out of his free throw spot-up sprays, and more should be coming if this role of his continues.

Morris receives the ball on the roll with a 2 on 1 in front of him while Dewayne Dedmon is sitting in the dunker spot. The pass was too hard as it clanked off the back-board, leading to a turnover, but it’s much more about the opportunities that are there for these guys.

That 2 on 1 combo will be there a ton for Morris and Dedmon, but I believe we begin to see much more Morris-Adebayo minutes in the regular season. Morris is better offensively when he’s playing next to a more athletic big like Adebayo, and it’s clear he will be mixed in with him anyway.

And let me say, that lob wouldn’t end in a turnover with a talent like Adebayo sitting on the block. In fact, they would probably overplay Adebayo and some easy lay-ins would be rewarded to Morris.

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Players with the size and skill-set of Morris are usually the ones Spo likes to put a creative spin on in terms of role. And this specific spin will be him moving in instead of moving out.

Many originally believed that Morris being used as a popper was absolutely necessary with some non-shooters in the rotation, but some preseason trends have pointed in the opposite direction.

Tucker will knock down his home-base corner three, Robinson and Strus will continually obtain that catch and shoot heave, and Herro and Lowry will be the on-ball creators who can pull-up when defenders go under the screen.

But after being middle of the pack in mid-range jumpers over the years, it seems like we’re finally going to see a change in Miami. Not just due to the strong inside shooting from Adebayo and Herro in the preseason, but due to that truly being the theme on both the court and on paper.

And Markieff Morris can be the one to truly propel that off the bench.

He can really be a make or break shooter from the outside, but at least when the emphasis is on the “break” on a specific night, there’s an alternative. A pretty great alternative at that.

 

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

The Expansion of Bam Adebayo is Upon Us Once Again

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“Picking my spots where I can actually really excel at, and not getting bored with scoring off that every play.”

That was what Bam Adebayo stated on media day, recapping his off-season focuses heading into a brand new season. Many may have skipped over that specific comment of his during that presser, but it was probably the most important quote of them all.

Why is that? Well, it pretty much looked like he was getting “bored” from those same spots all of last season. What spot was that exactly? Elbow touch, elbow touch, and even more elbow touches.

It wasn’t that it was a bad game-plan, since it was highly necessary for him to be slotted there last season with the roster constructed around him. He had to be in range for the constant screening actions for Miami’s non-shot creating guards, the insert pass into a DHO on the wing was right there, and it was the first step of his evolving jumper.

He would receive that ball at the free throw line, essentially with two ways to score: drive hard to the basket with limited space or let that mid-range jumper fly. And as much as people loved to highlight his aggression last year, his jump-shot attempts sky-rocketed.

But here we are yet again, looking at a guy in the preseason who is ready to explode once more. Part of it is natural evolution of a young player, but there’s an extra element to why this expansion is occurring now.

And his name is Kyle Lowry.

Like I said before, Adebayo’s role last season was simple and closed in because it was important for offensive flow. Adding Lowry to the equation pretty much means Adebayo can throw away most of his trends from last year.

That begins with his spotting in the half-court. It’s no more elbow spectating while someone is probing on the perimeter. It’s no more strong side spamming for him. Now, it’s Bam Adebayo being Bam Adebayo.

Looking at the clips above, there’s a common theme in his offensive set-up. He’s now starting right inside the wing, which may not seem like a huge shift, but it actually is.

The first two clips are a bit different, but can be equally effective. The first is a jumbled up strong-side corner but Adebayo still manages to get to his spot for the floater, then grab his own offensive rebound for the eventual and-1. The second clip is an empty corner, leading to a back-down for a turn-around bank shot in the mid-range.

What is the difference between those plays and his elbow set-up last season? Well, the space he has to operate is so much broader right now.

I asked Adebayo about that shift in his game where that ball is being inserted, which he said, “It’s just realizing I have space. I feel like that was the biggest thing for me last year, I didn’t realize how much space I really had. So, I’m definitely looking to keep being aggressive, finding those gaps, trying to get fouled, get easy buckets, and help my team.”

And that realization in how much space he has can be a true difference maker. He has the attributes to both drive when defenders close-out and pull when defenders sink, but maximizing his spots on the floor is the crucial part. Or better yet, diversifying his spots on the floor.

Once that skill is fully attained, which it seems like he’s getting very close, then yet another leap will be happening right in front of our eyes.

The guys on this Heat team have been urging Adebayo to go into that takeover mode for a while from a verbal standpoint. But Kyle Lowry, on the other hand, is currently forcing Adebayo into that from a physical stand-point.

What I mean by that is he’s going to feed him whenever he sees an advantage, and immediately clear out. Looking at the clip above, they force a mismatch, Lowry gets it to him and spreads out as much as possible. Lowry isn’t enabling him to give it right back to his above the break safety net.

It’s go time, and that’s the only option.

Taking advantage of mismatches on the block was a major point of emphasis by many last season when discussing Adebayo. He may not have been super comfortable with his back to the basket, but when you have a guard on the block, that extra size must be utilized.

I asked Adebayo about that skill from Lowry to somehow always find him when he has a size advantage, which he said, “He’s like the director for traffic.” Adebayo paused for a second to ask how many assists Lowry had in the game, which the response was five. He says “mother-f*****” under his breath then jokingly says, “Yeah, five. Kyle’s taking all of my assists but I’m okay with it right now. I’m not really mad about it as long as we keep winning.”

“He’s controlling the tempo for us, he’s controlling the pace, and we’re just getting out and running,” Adebayo continued.

The full-court set-ups on the break from Lowry are great. The lob passes in the pick and roll are fantastic. But the ability to put him in different spots on the floor that he hasn’t been able to operate from up to this point is the true treasure of the acquisition.

Lastly, many have their opinions on the dribble hand-off. It has been a major staple of the Heat’s offense, and became an unstoppable combo between Adebayo and outside sniper Duncan Robinson.

The issue is that it became pretty stale last season, which felt like a major theme of last year’s dragged out season. Adebayo would get the ball at that elbow and drift out with his eyes roaming sideline to sideline. Offense was trying to be generated, but Adebayo’s self-creation was being held back.

Now, of course, that’ll still be a base to what Miami runs this season, but it’ll be in different ways. Like a main one: not Adebayo as the one handing it off, but instead, Adebayo receiving the hand-off.

Take a look at the play above, which wasn’t the only time this was seen in this game.

No switch is forced, no true advantage is created through that action, but this actually transcends any of that. It got Adebayo plowing to the rim in space. He wasn’t being trapped from double teams and triple teams. It’s just him, his defender, and the rim.

I asked Lowry about playing with a center who is able to create for himself in that fashion when receiving the hand-off from a guard, which he responded, “It’s great. It makes the game a lot easier and he’ll just continue to get better. He’ll find the ways to make plays for everyone else off that hand-off and off the dribble, and that’s gonna be huge for our offense long term.”

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The starting point to Lowry landing in Miami was his close friend Jimmy Butler, but the guy who will continually keep him engaged and invested is Bam Adebayo.

Adebayo is still growing, still expanding, and still proving people wrong with that continued chip on his shoulder. We’ve seen him make that leap in the past, but that definitely wasn’t his last.

Butler propelled Adebayo’s game when he first arrived, and now it’s Lowry’s turn. And it’s going to be in a much bigger fashion.

Adebayo isn’t just trying to be one of the top guys on a contending team in the East. He’s on his way to becoming “the” guy with the picture perfect supporting cast around him.

 

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

Season Primer for the Miami Heat

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Check out this season preview for the Miami Heat. From major players and talking points to the first game that you simply cannot miss, this is the ultimate primer for the Miami Heat’s upcoming season. Keep reading to learn everything you need to know. 

 

Kyle Lowry 

Kyle Lowry is set to make a big difference for the Miami Heat this year, but will he be healthy enough to lead them to another championship? Lowry has been around for quite some time now, having played in many seasons already. However, while injuries have held him back in the past, Lowry seems ready and fit to take on a whole season with the Heat. 

Having played for many seasons on teams that severely under-performed, Lowry is ready to be a leader on a team of winners this season. And it seems like he’s got what it takes. Lowry has always been known as one of the best passers in the NBA, but now he’ll be sharing the ball with a couple of other superstars as well, which will make the Heat a much more exciting team to watch. 

 

Working on frontcourt chemistry

The Heat seems to have a strong frontcourt now, but getting them to work together as a cohesive unit will be key. 

The Heat’s current roster seems stacked with talent and it might be hard for some of the players to find enough minutes. As such, it’ll be interesting to see how the coach deals with the problem.

While it’s clear that this team can play well, Miami will need to work on their form before they take on any big teams. The Heat might have a tough first few weeks of the games coming up, but once they get their aggression back they’ll be a force to be reckoned with.

 

One game you must watch 

The first game of the season is the Heat vs. the Bucks on October 22nd. This will be their first test and it’ll be a good chance for the Heat to prove their talent.

This is one to get the gambling fans going whether you’re into UFC betting, basketball, baseball, or even golf. It’s a stone-cold classic that’s guaranteed to have everyone tuned in. 

 

Tyler Herro 

Tyler Herro is a young player, but he’s already making big waves in the NBA. He has been impressive so far and while his stats might not be outstanding just yet, it seems that players around the league know just how talented he really is. 

One of the reasons why people think Tyler might become such a great player is the fact that he was able to play alongside some of the best players on his college team. Herro played on teams with experienced players like Grayson Allen, Cam Johnson and Luke Maye, who may have inspired younger players like Tyler to perform at their best right from the start. 

The Heat are returning to their winning ways, which means you can expect them to play some exciting basketball this season. 

5 Takeaways from Heat’s Home Preseason Match Against Charlotte

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The Miami Heat basically rolled out the entire season rotation on Monday night, except for a main factor: Jimmy Butler. Continued reps for the very important duo of Kyle Lowry and Bam Adebayo, a rough shooting night for Tyler Herro following his three game master class, and some lineup fun from Erik Spoelstra.

Anyway, here are five takeaways from this game…

#1: Caleb Martin gets the start…and I think we see this often.

With Jimmy Butler out, Caleb Martin slotted into the starting lineup against his former team, seeing a familiar match-up in Cody Martin. Looking at the history of Erik Spoelstra, two-way guys are essentially starting lineup replacers. Why is that? Well, he’s never been interested in messing up the chemistry of the rotation, leading to him pulling a guy up from the bottom of the roster. Just ask Gabe Vincent and Max Strus. Martin has looked like he can handle that responsibility as well, not just through his shot creating actions on the offensive side of the ball, but his gritty defensive presence instead. Just looking at this game for example, Martin was immediately inserted into the Jimmy Butler role, crossing the half-court line with the ball in his hands. I believe we see more of that.

#2: The size Bam Adebayo has put on is a difference maker on many possessions.

Bam Adebayo has shown major differences in the way he’s going about things in the preseason. Operating from the mid-range wing instead of the elbow, giving him more room to operate with the ball in his hands, ultimately opening up his driving game. The other big difference maker with Adebayo is his noticeable added size. How does that change things? It’s not something you’re going to see on a stat-sheet, or something that’ll jump off the TV screen, but he’s finishing possessions in ways I don’t think he would’ve last season. Grabbing rebounds in traffic, hooking defenders in the post (which I don’t think is legal,) and taking it to the rim stronger for more free throw attempts. There’s no doubt it’ll shift many parts of his game in a positive direction.

#3: The minute distribution of Tyler Herro was preparation for the regular season.

When you see Martin inserted into the starting lineup, it was an indictment on the recent play of Tyler Herro. That should go without saying since Herro has led the league in scoring through three games, but as much as it’s preseason for players, it’s coaching reps as well. Developing some type of rhythm in the rotation is necessary, and that’s what was seen for the role of Herro. Entering at the six minute mark of the first quarter, and exiting at about the two minute mark of the second quarter. The point is that Herro is going to get plenty of playing time, and it’ll be with a bunch of different combos. Today was unique since he won’t be in many lineups with 4 other bench guys, but being the lead man is important as well. And truly, Butler will plug many weaknesses that may be seen.

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#4: Once again, Markieff Morris needs to be a mid-range spot-up guy instead of the three-point spot-up guy.

Markieff Morris is an interesting piece for this Heat team. He has played his defensive role perfectly with the extra size on the interior, but the offensive stuff is still in question. Outside shooting hasn’t been his closest friend so far, but does it have to be? I mean, it would be very helpful for the team’s offensive success, but combining high volume and low efficiency isn’t a great mixture. Moving to different spots on the floor, like the middle of the court, has shown to be a much more comfortable spot for him. It places him into a simple role: corner kick-out, lob pass to the big in the dunker spot, or a mid-range jumper. Making that his home-base on the offensive end will do wonders, but I guess it is just the preseason.

#5: Kyle Lowry at the forefront of all of Miami’s most effective offensive sets.

This may be a pretty obvious statement to just throw out there, but it’s pretty much transferred over perfectly in every way you look at Miami’s offense tonight. Kyle Lowry may be that fast-break presence who can truly push the pace to get the ball up the floor, but his half-court control is what this team has missed. Running plenty of that two-man game with Bam Adebayo is a great starting point. And it’s not just about that coveted lob pass that Adebayo will see a ton this season, but instead Lowry’s ability to hunt his teammates’ mismatches. That’s an incredible skill to have, especially considering Adebayo has been a guy who has needed that extra push. And yet, it’s only the preseason. Back-to-back wing triples from Lowry may stand out from tonight, but it’s everything else that really matters.

 

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

Caleb Martin: “It’ll Allow Me to Be Me a Little More Here”

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There’s no doubt that Caleb Martin is the picture perfect prospect to use your last two-way spot on. Experience, high-level scoring ability, and the definition of a plug and play guy for Erik Spoelstra.

I talked with Martin for a bit following Sunday’s practice, where he shared some thoughts on his upcoming role with the team.

After asking him if he thinks he’ll be put into a pure shot creation role with isolation possessions and off the dribble reps, he responded, “It’s gonna depend on the night and the situation. It also depends on what group I’m in. Sometimes I’m in with that first five, it’ll probably be more through actions, through the system, through kick-outs with Jimmy, Kyle, and Bam.”

He followed that up with his role aside the reserves, saying, “Maybe with the second group it’ll be more isolations, sometimes come off the pick and roll. So it just depends on the situation and timing.”

While we pretty much knew what he was going to be on the offensive end as a shot creator, it almost feels like his defensive activity has jumped off the screen even more.

I asked him if being around so many strong suited defenders enhances that skill of his, which he said, “100%. I always take pride on the defensive end. I take it personal. I want to get stops every time. But also, like you said, it’s one of those things whenever you have a whole collective group of veterans doing the same thing, and they’re all honed in on the defensive end. It only helps your standards, and you just want to meet those standards with that group of guys.”

I also asked Coach Spoelstra if Martin’s defensive abilities have almost surprised him, which he responded, “No.”

“He’s been a highly active, energetic, disruptive player. And that’s going back to college. In his opportunities with Charlotte, we really respected and liked how he played, how he approached competition, how he competes on the defensive end. He has positional size and quickness, and also the commitment to that side of the floor. You can build the rest of it after that.”

Speaking of that role when he played with the Hornets, it was clearly an interesting one to be given. In a way, it was a bit restrained in terms of role and minute distribution, but Martin stuck with it.

When asking him what the biggest difference will be from his usage in Charlotte to now in Miami, Martin said, “It really depends on the night. Sometimes I felt like I knew when I was gonna get in or when I wasn’t gonna get in with Charlotte, just based off the team and how the season and record was going.”

“But you just never know here,” he continued, “if it seems like they’re going to implement you, then it’ll allow me to be me a little more here.”

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Whenever a new guy joins a team, especially when they’re a bit younger, it always feels like they have a specific guy on the team they go to if they have any questions. When asking Martin who that guy is, he pretty much said it’s everybody.

“Everybody’s kinda given a hand with that.” He mentioned that it basically depends on what he needs to know. “I’ll ask Duncan questions about how to come off screens or how to get open on screens, or I’ll ask PJ and them defensive questions, or I’ll ask Markieff how to guard post-ups, and the same thing with Jimmy and Kyle…I pick everybody’s brain.”

And well, that just seems to be the Miami Heat way.

Finally, I finished it off by asking the hard hitting questions outside of basketball: “who are your top 3 artists?”

While he thought about it for a second, he mentioned that he listens to so many that he doesn’t pick favorites. But immediately said, “I mean obviously J Cole, that’s my dog.”

As I said before, when he has a question, he goes to the best player around him that obtains that specific skill. So, it makes a lot of sense that J Cole is the guy that comes to mind first when thinking about the music industry.

Martin just feels like the perfect tool for Spoelstra to utilize throughout the season, and it should be coming right out the gate. As Martin mentioned, he gets in some reps with the starting group already.

And who has Coach Spo continually liked to throw in the starting lineup when an injury occurs? A two-way guy.

It just lines up perfectly.

 

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

Tyler Herro: The Art of the Mid-Range

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“For my first two years, a lot of people said that’s an inefficient shot,” said Tyler Herro on Friday night following a mid-range jumper master class.

“After watching the Finals, you saw Booker and Chris Paul, you saw how they worked the mid-range and got to their spots, but they were really efficient in those areas. That was an emphasis we had all Summer, working on that and being able to be efficient, not just take those shots, but make them.”

Herro has always been a bit different from the rest. When there was no doubt he would be attending the University of Wisconsin after graduating high school, he ended up shifting to play at Kentucky for a better opportunity.

When people doubted him on the floor, he continued to play his role and be a huge piece of a team that made the NBA Finals in his rookie year.

And now, when many love to look at the stats for shots around the rim and three-point bombs, he’s finding that middle ground.

As Herro said after the game, that Phoenix Suns team with Booker and Paul may have changed some people’s opinion following their play-style in the post-season. Against drop coverage, it’s a killer attribute to have that pull-up at the elbow that Herro utilized his first and second year in the league.

But to truly be effective from that area, you must have that creative blend that Phoenix duo had last season. And well, Herro’s already showcasing flashes of that development.

So, what is exactly the difference? Here are some examples…

Spacing Understanding

When watching the flurry of mid-range shots from Herro against San Antonio, it’s clear what his approach is: finding dead spots, finding dead spots, and finding even more dead spots.

Like I mentioned earlier, when running the normal pick and roll against drop, there are spaces on the floor that are being handed to you. But many defenses can live with the “inefficient” long two on a consistent basis through 48 minutes. Well, at least when they’re clanking off the rim.

Herro is at his best when those spots on the floor are being given to him, mostly due to that mental block disappearing. What I mean by that is it almost feels like a wide open jumper in an open gym when he slides inside the arc. His defender is most likely way behind, while he has the dropping big essentially in his palm.

Snake dribbles, calm positioning, and a simple rise-up with nobody in sight. That is the formula.

The interesting wrinkle to this is that we’ve seen some positive flashes when the defense is switching as well. In the first clip above, he flows to his left following the switch and uses his momentum to get a shot off with his typical right to left step-back: bucket.

This is a new Herro. Combining downhill pull-up savviness against drop with comfortable maneuvers against switches is picture perfect for his game. And it’s pretty clear that two on-court focuses this off-season were mid-range efficiency and added layers in those areas.

The Go-To Without a Screen

A common topic with Herro’s offensive game has been the amount of separation he can create. We’ve seen his way of manipulating screens from possession to possession, but with the clock ticking down late in the shot clock, can he create a bucket for himself in isolation consistently?

That will always be about the added combos that he can use before rising up for a shot, but it seems like Herro is almost finding middle ground in a sense.

Take a look at the first two clips above. It’s not that he’s creating a bunch of separation on these plays, but he’s getting good shots off in a different way: rising up over defenders while they’re still planted on the ground.

His new way of doing it is keeping defenders on their toes a bit more, waiting for his next move. Not knowing when that pull-up is coming goes a long way, especially when your release point is as high as Herro’s on those type of shots.

And now, take a look at the last clip. Herro is looking so much more comfortable when he gets the favorable switch against opposing bigs. At first glance, that possession didn’t look much different than past years. Three simple cross-overs before bursting back right for that fall-away jumper.

But well, take a look at that clip again.

Yes, the dribble combos are simple, but there’s a common denominator between all three of these plays without a screen: his hesitations. He’s using these hesitation dribbles to get to the spots he wants on the floor, and that can be a major difference maker.

Of course it’s only the preseason, but this can also be looked at like defenders won’t be able to help as freely if Jimmy Butler, Kyle Lowry, Bam Adebayo, and company are all on the floor with him.

Probing Dribbles and Fade-away Jumpers

After discussing Herro’s ability to find dead-spots, use hesitation dribbles, and fade-away from defenders with confidence, this is pretty much a combination of all of that.

We’ve talked about the deep twos and elbow pull-ups, but finding ways to be an “attacker” without actually being at the rim every play is huge. One way he has gone about that is with the floater. It allows him to break down the defense a bit deeper, while also minimizing the odds of the shot being blocked.

And most importantly, it’s something he’s comfortable with. Tyler Herro just has to be Tyler Herro. If he’s most comfortable with the one handed push shot, then shoot one handed push shots.

But something else has entered the equation.

Herro’s actually finding ways to collapse the defense, then pop out a bit to get that fade-away shot off that I’m discussing. In the first clip, he denies the screen to attack the basket, quickly leading to the big man sliding up and the corner defender sliding over.

The usual option here would be a corner kick-out, but the defense can usually recover pretty quickly on those type of reads. This new Herro wrinkle is to loop back through for a shot that quite frankly can’t be blocked without committing a foul.

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The second clip is similar, but also different. It’s another possession of him using his momentum to get to his spot, before spinning back around for that close push-shot.

His touch has always been very good around the rim for those scoop layups that he loves, but it’s not something he can go to too much since defenses will begin to react quicker. This stuff, once again, dissolves that predictable element.

“Tyler is the one guy that has been extremely impressive. He’s been playing his butt off. He’s the one guy who truly impressed me,” said Kyle Lowry following Thursday’s game against Houston.

He’s quickly earning the respect from everyone around him, since he’s walking that thin line of hard work in the off-season and immediate production from that development. But as Herro said recently, “I haven’t done anything yet.”

 

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