Tag Archive for: Miami Heat

What Does Dewayne Dedmon Bring to the Miami Heat?

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It was reported by the Athletic on Tuesday afternoon that the Miami Heat were planning to sign Dewayne Dedmon. The Heat were going to have to sign somebody by Thursday anyway, but a possible back-up big to give Erik Spoelstra some options during the regular season doesn’t seem like the worst choice.

So, let’s take a deep dive into what Dedmon can possibly give Miami off the bench this season…

– A Defensive Relief Big

When talking about the Miami Heat’s defense, the one area that truly sticks out in their personnel is the drop-off with the bench. The numbers clearly plummet when Bam Adebayo exits the floor, but it doesn’t help that Goran Dragic, Tyler Herro, and Nemanja Bjelica are entering together.

So, this is why Dewayne Dedmon can impact some things off the bench for Miami. It’s always discussed that giving Erik Spoelstra options is the most important thing, and allowing him to pick and choose nights to use Bjelica or Dedmon, instead of settling for Precious Achiuwa who he doesn’t seem to trust, may be a huge positive for this team.

On this play, we see Dedmon’s ability to contain a guard in transition, as well as showcase his length to be able to protect the rim. Those attributes are important for a relief big, especially when comparing him to Achiuwa at this stage, since he’s been quite undersized against many bigs.

When Miami looks at certain guys as defensive players, it’s usually about the defensive IQ more than anything. Although Dedmon has a lot of the attributes that make up a good defensive big, he’s very good at finding the right spots on the floor to fill in, even when playing drop coverage on a lot of his past teams.

On this possession, as soon as he sees the ball-handler get a full head of steam, he steps up right into position to take the charge, which are the type of plays that stand out to a Heat organization. If he’s capable of making these plays at this stage of his career coming off an injury, then he can make a big impact during the regular season, which will continually be the point that is harped on.

Here’s another quick example of his ability to contain and block shots. He showed his athletic ability to immediately rise up and swat it, but this once again refers back to his health at the current stage. It’s not really confirmed that he will be as explosive on that end of the floor, but having a track record in that department is a good start.

Another element to this is that they’re adding another one of these experienced players, since although they have some youth mixed in, the way the roster is being built seems to point toward a team looking to make yet another postseason push.

It’s not that Precious Achiuwa should be compared in every aspect, but it is important when balancing the differences in what each can bring. Achiuwa has been known to bring a bit of energy to the floor through his explosiveness, and Dedmon has done that in his career as well, just in a much different and experienced way.

These type of plays are the kind of tellers that showcase an experienced defender, since late game possessions are always important to note. On this play, he’s clearly capable of staying with the versatile Julius Randle, proving that his angles on attackers refers back to the overall defensive IQ.

– A Possible Floor Spacer

I’m not going to dive into the shooting element too much, since the ups and downs have been apparent over his career. He’s had his impressive shooting stretches as he did with the Hawks, but has also had his down moments in other spots, while none of it has been linked to coverages. It just comes down to an inconsistent jumper.

The difference is that it’s widely known that percentages from beyond the arc always increase when joining the Heat, due to both coaching and the motion offense creating different opportunities. On this play, he hits an above the break three in transition, which is usually the shot that proves the capability of a deep threat. He’s also pretty efficient in the pick and pop, which could be quite the balance from Adebayo’s usual quick dives to the rim or mid-range pauses.

– An Interior Presence on the Roll

Now, although many like to immediately look to shooting numbers and abilities when acquiring players like this, that is not the area that I feel he can be the most effective. It’s actually his ability to dive to the rim with his long strides and lengthy wingspan to convert easy opportunities.

On this possession, it’s just a normal PnR against drop coverage, as Dedmon gets an easy bucket due to the quick roll and high spotting of Mitchell Robinson. Miami has a lot of drop coverage beaters, due to Butler’s intriguing offensive aggression moving downhill or Tyler Herro’s quick mid-range pull-up, which is the reason for Dedmon’s possible fit in the offense.

Here’s another example of his play against drop coverage, except this one is a bit more recent.

It shows more of that experienced presence, and an ability to get to the spots on the floor that he feels most comfortable. A floater in a dead spot is one of those things, and could become useful for a reserve tandem with Goran Dragic, since he has always been pretty good at finding the roller in their spots like this. And once again, if he still has the same athletic ability, it’ll make that off the bench duo even more dynamic.

When I say an athletic ability, this is what I mean, since he has a past of playing above the rim at times due to his length. He reads the play as his defender drops to cut-off the ball-handler, leading to another dive and dunk.

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It’s not certain that he will get any significant minutes as a back-up big with this team, but it’s a trusted option if Miami struggles on the defensive end of the floor like they did against Memphis, or possibly when shooters aren’t knocking down shots, so Dedmon has a chance at giving them that spark. That exact evaluation won’t be able to be predicted until he actually sees the floor with this team upon joining them.

– An Energetic Rebounder 

The last part of this is the rebounding addition. The Heat have had their moments this season where they just couldn’t grab a rebound, which would lead to opposing teams having much more shot attempts in the final box score.

Undersized big men, like Achiuwa, and non explosive rebounders, like Kelly Olynyk, will lead to that result. And well, this is yet another thing that Dedmon can bring to this team at his peak and fully healthy moments. On this play, we see a player who isn’t afraid to battle down low, and at times Miami has missed that interior presence.

So, even though a lot of the breakdowns in this article are truly hard to have any real takeaways due to the time gap, it’s by far the best option on the market as a low risk guy due to them needing to fill that roster spot anyway.

5 Takeaways from Heat’s Loss to Memphis

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The Miami Heat’s winning streak ended on Tuesday night against the Memphis Grizzlies. After some early open looks from beyond the arc for the Grizzlies, following that up with a third quarter Dillon Brooks explosion, led to Miami playing from behind throughout. So, here are five takeaways from this game…

#1: Bam Adebayo comes out with early offensive aggression.

Some may point to a certain ESPN ranking, which placed Bam Adebayo at 9 among the top player’s potential under the age of 25, for the reason of this early aggression. Others may just call it inevitable when he’s facing favorable match-ups in certain areas. Jonas Valanciunas was basically begging Adebayo to shoot a wide open mid-range jumper throughout, so he did just that. But he really looked to attack in spurts that many have been awaiting for quite some time. Forcing that defense to collapse benefits the shooters on the floor, which is why both Duncan Robinson and Tyler Herro had some good looks early on. Coach Spoelstra always has that interesting offensive card in his back pocket to throw down in a playoff series, and that may just be unleashing Adebayo to play as free as can be.

#2: The one negative defensive aspect on display.

Defense has been quite the topic when discussing the Miami Heat as of late, but the negative side of things must be harped on. Adebayo switches in the pick and roll may have been cured a bit with the newest defensive acquisitions, but now it’s a new obstacle for him. As I asked him following the past game, it seems to be more about reading the defender in the PnR than it does the offensive player. Although he may be able to switch when the PnR includes Jimmy Butler, who is very capable of guarding a big, other guys on the roster aren’t as capable. As he responded to my question, there’s a heavy reliance on that backside rotation, which may not consist of the correct guys while Adebayo is eliminated from the play on the perimeter. That exact mindset led to 10 first half triples for the Grizzlies, while most of them being wide open due to that exact defensive takeaway.

#3: Tyler Herro finding an offensive rhythm.

As I already touched on Adebayo’s early offensive explosion, Tyler Herro followed that right up with a very efficient start of his own. The two of them combined for 21 first quarter points on 82% shooting, which is very impressive. Herro was doing it in many different ways, including some catch and shoot threes, as well as mid-range floaters out of a pick and roll. Although he showcased this all for many stretches, it’s apparent that he fades away in the offense during other spurts. When other creators, like Victor Oladipo, are on the floor with him, it’s alright to allow them to run some things while he plays off the ball, but when he’s rolling like he did tonight, that decision is questionable. As I’ve mentioned since Miami picked up Oladipo, the most intriguing aspect will be the fit next to Herro. Oladipo has been super unselfish since joining the team, but Herro has to be able to control the offense and read a situation when he truly has it going.

#4: The Jimmy Butler third quarter comeback becoming a common theme.

Jimmy Butler third quarters have become a common theme recently, and I’m not so sure it’s a good thing or a bad thing. It’s a positive element when discussing his ability to flip a switch to attack the basket and score with ease whenever he wants, while the negative aspect is letting two quarters pass by may lead to it being too late. Victor Oladipo will become a crucial part of Butler’s effectiveness for one reason: lineups. Butler and Adebayo continually have their minutes staggered, as they’re asked to lead their respective lineups. But once Oladipo can create consistent offense and score the ball, Adebayo and Butler may be able to play together for longer stretches, without allowing the lead to expand and continue to play from behind.

#5: A quick Victor Oladipo observation following first full practice.

This was going to be an interesting game for Victor Oladipo, since he was able to practice for the first time on Monday afternoon. Now, that may not mean he’s able to immediately fit into the offensive scheme since it still takes time, but it definitely gives an added feel for the scheme. Although he had his moments throughout the night, the one thing that seems to be holding him back has nothing to do with scheme. It’s actually his personal play style at the moment, which is a bit tense a lot of the time due to his unselfish play. Much like I’ve discussed with Butler and Adebayo, selfishness is needed in many spots of the game, and Oladipo has shown to be that type of player over his career. Once he gets fully acclimated with the offense that may come, but it’s important to monitor since they need him playing freely offensively for him to be at his best.

5 Takeaways from Heat’s Win Over Cleveland

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The Miami Heat beat the Cleveland Cavaliers on Saturday night, which expands their winning streak to 4 games and puts them 2 games over .500. Although Victor Oladipo didn’t have the expected offensive bounce back game, he impacted in other ways, and ultimately was a needed game to give him extra run in the offense. So, here are five takeaways from this game…

#1: Miami’s switching scheme benefiting personnel, Ariza on guards and Butler on bigs.

The switching scheme was a bit interesting to begin the season since there were many breakdowns occurring through Bam Adebayo’s switch, leading to a weaker defender being stuck on a big. But now that Miami has quite the list of versatile defenders, it makes Adebayo’s life a lot easier. For one, Trevor Ariza looks much more comfortable when defending opposing guards, which is perfect due to the amount of times he ends up seeing that match-up. Another interesting element to this switching is Jimmy Butler, since although nothing has changed, his ability to guard post players is shown time and time again. It also seems like Adebayo realizes that, since he’s even more willing to switch onto the perimeter when Butler’s involved in the PnR.

#2: Duncan Robinson is still firing, making slight adjustments.

The Duncan Robinson takeaway seems to be locked into this post-game piece now, since he’s shooting the three-ball the way that many have been awaiting for quite some time. The usual DHO and catch and shoot opportunities are still there, but another element was shown tonight, as well as a lot of the games lately. The one dribble side step on the perimeter is quite simple for the offensive player, but the complete opposite for the defensive player. The amount of gravity he holds on the three-point line is well known, which leads to constant fly-outs, leading to that side step eliminating them from the play. It’s once again about finding ways to get open shots for Robinson, and that is one simple way of doing so, while some more small changes should be on the way as well to truly maximize his ability.

#3: Coach Spo goes a different route with the rotation tonight, as well as lineups.

Due to Andre Iguodala being out, it was clear that the line of wings was a bit short tonight. So, Miami went to even more of the three guard lineups, mostly with Goran Dragic, Tyler Herro, and Victor Oladipo. This lack of wings also led to Nemanja Bjelica getting some run next to Bam Adebayo, which is different since them being the two primary bigs means they’ve had to constantly be interchanged. Precious Achiuwa got some run as the relief guy, meaning he was the one who fulfilled the nine man rotation. Kendrick Nunn not getting inserted into that 9 man rotation was expected, but still an intriguing discussion to be had. He wasn’t going to get minutes over Dragic or Herro off the bench, but considering he was playing some pretty good basketball before being replaced, makes this conversation a bit different.

#4: Trevor Ariza finding his offensive fit, which begins with knocking down triples.

When discussing a guy who has continually been looked at as the 3 and D specialist, the three side of it hasn’t made many appearances, while the defense side has explicitly. But tonight, three-balls were falling, and that has a lot to do with him getting a few games under his belt, which means he’s beginning to find his offensive fit. Although knocking down catch and shoot threes is an important element, the spacing seems to be the bigger concern when first joining the team. Victor Oladipo is currently going through that at the moment, but Ariza seems to have passed that point now, generating the needed space when mentioning the 4 spot next to Adebayo.

#5: Bam Adebayo’s efficiency continues to fly under the radar, while shining in wins.

Bam Adebayo’s field goal stat category is the first stat observed after a loss, since his attempts are constantly harped on, but it seems like it never gets discussed following wins. He has consistently been a very efficient player, and he’s definitely not the traditional center who just takes shots at the basket. The mid-range pull-ups are becoming a natural occurrence, while he sprinkles in many different crafty ways to score. It’s clear that he is a very unselfish player who can rack up plenty of assists with the amount of offense that runs through him, but that level of efficient offense should not be taken for granted, since although Robinson threes or Butler drives are looked at as the focal point at times, the Adebayo scoring is actually the primary element.

5 Takeaways from Miami’s Win Over Golden State

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The Miami Heat extend their winning streak to 3 games on Thursday night against the Warriors. Victor Oladipo’s debut may not scream from the stat sheet, but this is the exact debut that the Miami Heat organization loves. Just lots of defensive impact, and resulting in a win. So, here are five takeaways from this game…

#1: The initial Victor Oladipo observation.

Victor Oladipo made his debut tonight, and it’s clear that offense won’t be the initial takeaway. Pat Riley’s first conversation with him was about “defense, defense, and defense,” and there’s a reason for that. He wrecked havoc on the perimeter early on, mostly since he is capable of locking on an opponent without relying on a switch. This works both ways for Bam Adebayo as well, since he doesn’t feel that he must switch every screen. The offensive side of the ball for Oladipo was a bit passive early on, which is not surprising, since he’s trying to find his fit into this unique motion offense. Once he becomes comfortable after a few games, the offense will look a lot smoother with him as the ball-handler, while the defense can be plugged in at any time.

#2: Miami’s identity is clearly defense, but it might be scheme more than personnel. 

To further the discussion about defense, it’s not all about the addition of Oladipo. And honestly, it’s not all about the versatile personnel pieces including Butler, Adebayo, Ariza, and Iguodala. It’s mostly about the differing schemes, which becomes even more deadly when you are even average in individual man to man sets with Oladipo at the point of attack. The reason that scheme stuck out tonight was many plays where guys like Robinson and Herro would trap together on the baseline, forcing turnovers or transition offense. And although it’s very true that they’re improving from a team defense stance, the main element is that the Heat’s coaching staff is placing them in areas that they know they will thrive, or at least not get picked on. This team has a chance to be really special with the amount of weapons to swarm the perimeter, and that begins with the team’s young and versatile centerpiece, Bam Adebayo.

#3: Rotations become interesting, including Kendrick Nunn role and substitution timing.

It seems necessary to discuss the Heat’s rotation after tonight, since there were quite a few things that stuck out about it. For one, Goran Dragic being out meant the Kendrick Nunn situation wouldn’t be addressed at the moment, but I guess it was. Gabe Vincent got his name called before him even though he was cleared, but maybe he just didn’t feel 100% once the game started. The second part of this is Nemanja Bjelica getting the backup big minutes instead of Precious Achiuwa, which worked out pretty well due to Belly finding himself in the offense pretty quickly, while also spacing the floor. The last part of this includes the main guys, since Adebayo and Butler’s minutes have continually been staggered since it’s hard to survive stretches with both of them on the sideline. Although they’re capable of going to it more with Oladipo, it’s just never ideal since Adebayo’s game is not easily replicated, not only on this team, but in the entire league.

#4: It’s not about Duncan Robinson’s three point makes, but actually what comes next.

The recent talk involving Duncan Robinson has been strictly the shots he’s making, as well as the areas of growth that he is showcasing. That includes defensive instincts, a willingness to put the ball on the floor and attack, among other things. But when evaluating his jump-shot, it’s not so much about the three-point makes, as it is what comes next. One play in the first half stands out, when a possession following him making a three, led to two defenders flying high on him at the perimeter, as the ball found an open cutting Butler, which ended in an open Herro three. Those are the plays that are generated when his shots are dropping, and can ultimately impact Miami’s newest acquisition very heavily. I’ve discussed that gravity opening up the floor for an attacking Butler, since well, that was their only attacker. But surrounding Robinson with players who can penetrate may be the fix to the offensive roller coaster.

#5: Bam Adebayo continues to have flashes, especially late in games.

Enough defense has been discussed in this piece, which leads with Adebayo most of the time, but now it’s time to talk offense. Oladipo and Butler didn’t even have to be on the floor for a good amount of the fourth, since they trusted Adebayo to keep them afloat. Not only did he do that, but he gave them a major boost, sparking a run through his ball-handling abilities and active defensive hands to gain extra opportunities. This also refers back to the discussion about spreading the minutes between the three, since trusting Adebayo to lead lineups, and ultimately be aggressive when most needed in the fourth, changes a lot of things for this team in the big picture.

5 Takeaways from Heat’s Victory Over Indiana

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The Miami Heat got a much needed win against the Indiana Pacers, expanding their win streak to 2 games, gaining great momentum for Victor Oladipo’s debut tomorrow night. This game had its ups and downs like every other Miami Heat game, but the defensive side of the ball was quite impressive tonight. Anyway, here are five takeaways from the game…

#1: Duncan Robinson and Goran Dragic were the Heat’s offense early.

While I’ll dive into the negative aspect of Miami’s offense next, Duncan Robinson and Goran Dragic were huge positives in their own ways. Robinson is back to his usual shooting ways, which means there is no more discussions about shots not falling, since the attempts are the main topic again. The only time it felt Miami was getting a good shot in the first half, was when Robinson was letting a three fly, which the efficiency numbers basically prove that to be true. Goran Dragic basically carried the offense as well after Robinson hit two threes to begin the game. It doesn’t take Dragic very long to get back into a rhythm, since it only took him one game to utilize his strong ability to get to the rim and kiss the ball off the glass.

#2: Shooting roller coaster continues for Miami.

The offensive observation tonight was more than the actual field goal percentage numbers, since the amount of time that nothing was generated truly stood out. Although Butler wasn’t his usual self early on, they missed him when he went to the sideline since it basically eliminates their drive and kick game, due to the lack of an attacking sidekick, who will make his debut tomorrow. The length of time that they couldn’t get a shot to drop, while settling for contested three point jumpers, basically sums up the overall takeaway of their offense that is displayed on every one of these takeaway pieces. Another way to look at the first half issues begins with their two stars, which I will dive into next, since when they aren’t clicking, it’s hard for others to do so as well.

#3: Trailing by 2 at the half, while Adebayo and Butler don’t have a made field goal, is…..interesting.

Usually it’s the complete opposite takeaway with the Miami Heat, since Adebayo and Butler step up when needed, but the counter parts aren’t able to capitalize on their strengths. But well, it was the complete opposite tonight, since Adebayo and Butler did not have a made field goal through the first 24 minutes of basketball. Now, there are a couple ways to look at this, since the positive outlook is that they only trailed by 2 although all of that occurred. It was also a good sign to see the role players step up at times to make certain pushes to at least keep them afloat. The negative outlook is that you’re two best players should probably have a field goal in a whole half, which turns the eyes back to that aggression. Myles Turner had a lot to do with that, since his paint presence may lead to decreasing Miami’s downhill abilities, but through long droughts, the reliance should be on the key guys, instead of awaiting for an Andre Iguodala or Trevor Ariza triple to drop.

#4: Butler’s third quarter defense changes the pace of the game.

Butler’s third quarter defensive impact was much more than the two early charges on Domantas Sabonis to give Miami extra offensive opportunities. Although he began to score well in the third as well, the amount of times that he deflected a pass or got a steal was just constant, as he wrecked havoc on that end of the floor. It’s aside from the numbers, since he also has a tendency to force players into bad shots or bad passes, due to his presence making ball-handlers uncomfortable. It’s not an easy task to change the pace of the game on the defensive end, especially when offense is stagnant, but Butler found a way to limit the Pacers’ scoring and created fast-break opportunities for the Heat.

#5: The Nemanja Bjelica role currently different than expected.

Nemanja Bjelica did not get minutes in the first half, and then checked in for a quick 5 minute stint in the third. Although there may not be a lot to observe from his game once again, since he still hasn’t attempted a shot up to this point, there are some initial things that have been noticed. For one, he does look a bit slow on the defensive end, as he flew out for three point contests, and was basically eliminated from the play completely. He hasn’t truly fit in with the Heat yet in his minutes, but that is expected due to the lack of major minutes so far. Trevor Ariza went through a similar process when first joining the team, except it’s pretty clear that Ariza doesn’t have any issues with getting his shots up. Bjelica may not be utilized in the expected role immediately, but it’s still early, so predictions shouldn’t be flying at the current stage.

Duncan Robinson’s Major Improvements Don’t Include Shooting

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Duncan Robinson has been rolling post trade-deadline, which may tell you exactly why there were some struggles occurring recently. Since the trade deadline, he’s knocked down 14 triples over the course of three games, shooting 58% from beyond the arc.

Although his jumper is looking as good as ever, that’s not the approach I’m taking today when discussing Robinson. He had one of the best all-around games of the season against the New York Knicks on Monday night, mostly due to playing a bit looser than usual on both sides of the floor.

So, let’s get right into it, and dive into Robinson’s major improvements aside from shooting the basketball.

– Play-Making

This play begins with the usual off-ball screen for Robinson, then reversing back into a dribble hand-off to try and find an open look. The only difference is that he is given a wide open baseline, which looks to be open on most nights as teams overplay the three-point line.

So, that means he must make them pay for it, which he did here, as well as many times throughout the game. On this play, he forces the Knicks defense into a rotation scramble, leading to the dump-off to Jimmy Butler on a great cut to the basket, then the extra pass to Bam Adebayo for the dunk.

Although this play ended in a turnover for Miami, that is not the important element to this play. The main part is that Robinson may have recorded a career high in dribbles on this possession, while also making the right read.

He has been much more willing to flow into pick and rolls lately, which is one of the only elements that can truly open up his offensive abilities on the outside. He gets RJ Barrett on his hip on this play, since he’s not expecting a dive to the basket, while also getting Nerlens Noel in the air.

Other than the fumble on the pass, these play-making flashes were fluid throughout the night, which just simply benefits him in the long run.

The defense is expecting the usual pick and pop between Butler and Robinson here, especially since they cleared that side of the floor. Instead, he cuts hard to the basket as Butler hits him in stride, forcing Taj Gibson to step up for the contest.

Robinson makes the correct read once again to find the roaming Precious Achiuwa baseline for the slam. If Robinson can do these types of things consistently, it will allow Coach Spoelstra to get much more creative with the offense. The Heat’s offense wasn’t so dynamic last year just because of Robinson knocking down triples off of dribble hand-offs, but actually since they generated a creative element to their system.

And although teams have eliminated that creative set from their offense, it seems like another one is forming. Victor Oladipo may play a major role in that development, but I wouldn’t be shocked if it includes Robinson being utilized in more actions like this.

This is another one of those plays where the result of the play should not be the part that is harped on. I’ve dove into Robinson’s passing abilities from this game, which is also on display here with a great kick-out on a fast-break, but that isn’t the part that stands out.

They’re two minutes into the fourth quarter at this point, and Tyler Herro just scored 5 straight points for Miami, looking like he was really getting into a flow. So, Robinson not only read the floor, but also the situation, since finding a rolling Herro may not be the worst thing.

 

– Pocket Pass

The pocket pass from Robinson has been utilized for quite some time now, ever since defenders began to double out on him when he even grazed the ball on the perimeter.

But as seen on this play, that one pass gives Miami a total advantage any time it is utilized. It’s mostly used with Adebayo and Robinson, which I will show next, but the one involving Butler is intriguing as well. Two Knicks defenders are out of the play, leaving the decision making to the high IQ Butler.

He takes it in to get to the free throw line, but this also could’ve led to an open triple. There is one defender on the opposite side covering both Trevor Ariza on the wing and Herro in the corner, which means one kick-out would’ve led to an open three, all because of one bounce pass from Robinson.

Once again, the result isn’t the part that is being observed, since the Knicks actually did a pretty good job of recovering on this play, especially due to a few passes being fumbled across the possession.

But this is the normal Robinson/Adebayo action when running the pick and roll on the wing, since both defenders contain Robinson primarily once again. The reason the Adebayo pull-up jumper is constantly harped on, is because of moments like this, as Robinson hands Adebayo a wide open elbow jumper every time this is run.

This is yet another example of the ability to be even more creative with these actions, like Goran Dragic possibly clearing to the opposite side to give Adebayo enough room to work.

– Defense

Duncan Robinson and defense haven’t been linked together much, unless being addressed in a negative manner, but strides are definitely being made in that area.

Now, although I wasn’t going to dive into Robinson’s jumper here, it plays a major role in what came next. It’s a widely known thing that shots being made on one end lead to elevated defensive effort on the other end, even for below average defenders.

On this play, it was probably one of Robinson’s best sequences of the season, as he nails a three, deflects the ball for a steal, and passes it to Butler for a fast-break opportunity in a matter of 20 seconds. Although there may be some attributes that restrict him on the defensive end, length is definitely not one of them, and it’s something that he must utilize to his advantage on that side of the floor.

Here is one more instance of that offense to defense theory, since that made shot is the primary reason for what occurs next.

As he is being run all around the floor the entire possession, the last part when Reggie Bullock slips the screen for Julius Randle stands out. He shows himself to Randle, but somehow recovers on the pass to Bullock with an open lane, taking the right angle to perfectly cut him off.

The slight Ariza show on the block helped as well, but if Robinson didn’t recover, it would’ve led to an absolute breakdown for Miami on the defensive end.

Another interesting part about Robinson on defense has been the level of containment when guys have the ball in their hands, specifically shooters.

He cuts off Barrett on this play, forcing the kick-out to Bullock, and immediately forces him out of a catch and shoot opportunity without overplaying. These are the plays that weren’t happening a couple of months ago, which is why it’s so important to note.

This play also refers back to reading a situation, since Bullock is a player that you want to force to put the ball on the floor, since he thrives as a set shooter, which Miami learned very quickly in their first match-up against the Knicks back in February.

– The Small Things

When evaluating Robinson from this game, it was very clear that he does a lot of small things on the floor that may not be noticed in real time.

This was the perfect example, since as the other four Heat players on the court began to watch the ball fly off the rim, Robinson sprinted in for the tip-out, while preventing what would’ve been a put-back by Gibson. This is also another instance of utilizing his length to his advantage, since this probably wouldn’t have been possible if this wasn’t the case.

Some of the other small things throughout a game include a screen assist with the amount of off-ball screens that occur, which honestly seems to become much more apparent when shots are dropping. The actual points that are inserted on the score board from Robinson triples isn’t the most essential part, since it’s actually what follows it.

– Clearing up the bench trash talk

There isn’t much to dive into here from an analysis perspective, but it was clear that there was some talking toward that Knicks bench from not only Jimmy Butler throughout, but also Robinson as seen here.

So, here’s what he said about it when I asked him post-game, which you can see what he meant when discussing the occurrence of a corner three:

– Well, let’s take a look at one jump shot

The elements aside from shooting was the primary reason for this piece, but come on, a Duncan Robinson article can’t be complete without diving into at least one jumper.

If you don’t think the mental side of things majorly impact a shooter, you’re just wrong. Even when comments are being made about the sustained confidence and getting shots up, it’s still obvious when a shooter is thinking too much. And shots like this show that shooting without thinking is the best formula, since he just allows his natural motion to do all of the work.

The point is that the recent slump for Robinson was much more mental than it was physical, and if these improvements continue to be made in his areas of weakness, it’ll take this team to a completely different level, especially considering the insertion of Oladipo.

5 Takeaways from Heat’s Win Over Knicks

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The Miami Heat ended their 6 game losing streak with a win over the New York Knicks. It was a tale of two halves for Miami, after Jimmy Butler went into takeover mode in the second half. Anyway, here are five takeaways from this game…

#1: Well, this is Miami’s offense at times.

The reality is that this is Miami’s offense at times. Dissecting different reasons for the offensive struggles game after game have become a constant thing this season, meaning this is who they are. The leading scorer after 12 minutes of basketball from both teams was Tyler Herro with 6 points, which furthers the point about the overall stagnant offensive play. The only difference is that the Knicks went on spark runs by some of their primary players, as well as turning defense into offense. Miami wasn’t as lucky to have those scoring spurts, and it may have nothing to do with luck. There were small flashes of Bam Adebayo takeover, which never really panned out in the first half, which I will dive into next, but it’s clear that a passive Jimmy Butler in games like this always leads to them playing from behind, which turned around in the second half.

#2: Bam Adebayo having his moments, showcasing just an incredibly unique skill.

Now, I mentioned the small positive flashes from Adebayo early on, and although the Heat scored 36 points in the half, it must be touched upon. For starters, he scored 8 points in that stretch on 4 for 5 shooting, which is a major part of this. Efficiency is clearly a great attribute, but not when it’s costing the team points. Andre Iguodala having the same amount of shot attempts in the first half as Adebayo reiterates that point even more. The reason that I wanted to touch on his unique skill, which is widely known, is because he shows glimpses of realization then reverts right back. Pull-up jumpers with a behind the back dribble occurring right before seems like a moment where that Brooklyn Nets-like game takeover is coming, but the following play leads to off-ball screens and kick-outs to Miami’s different wings. Adebayo utilizes guard moves throughout the game, which is the perfect description since it happens pretty effortlessly.

#3: Precious Achiuwa struggles again, turning eyes toward buyout market.

The continued discussion surrounding last minute pick-ups for Miami have included the addition of a back-up big for the Heat. The non-Adebayo minutes have become just as bad as the non-Butler minutes lately, since they don’t have that big man who can keep them afloat. Achiuwa had flashes early in the year, but his offensive limitations and undersized build allow him to get lost rather quickly. Although most of the guys that are currently in the buyout market get labeled as “past their prime,” that attribute may be more helpful for this team than an inexperience rookie. It’s obvious that Miami will make a move in that area pretty soon, but the consistent hole in that spot should speed that process up in the coming days for the Heat’s front office.

#4: The Jimmy Butler takeover.

As I mentioned before the game, as well as halftime, a Jimmy Butler takeover was necessary. When offense is stagnant like it was tonight, it’s important for him to search to attack, but it’s even more clear when all of the signs are pointing in that direction. Butler seemed to be locked in as soon as some back and forth occurred between him and the Knicks, both the players on the court and sideline. When he’s locked in like that, he’s a hard man to stop, since it’s obvious that he is more than capable to score at the basket whenever he chooses. So, he did just that in the third quarter, turning a 36 point first half into a 39 point third quarter. And although the points he scored will be harped on, the intensity and energy that he brought changed the game for Miami.

#5: Duncan Robinson with one of his best all-around performances.

Duncan Robinson hit some nice shots on the outside, which may have sparked him moving forward, but that’s not what I want to discuss. The part that must be mentioned is that this game may be one of Robinson’s best all-around games of the season. For starters, he put the ball on the deck at an exceptional rate, which led to some very impressive passes. When defenses continue to fly out at him, that element will be essential, and adding the dump-off on the move to the cutter takes it to another level. The second part of tonight’s game for him was on the defensive end, which could’ve been one of his better defensive games of his career. Not only some big steals and deflections to get Miami into transition, but he also stayed in front of his guy individually much better than usual. This type of performance is all he needed to get back to normal, so we will see how this progresses.

Pat Riley’s “Different Dimension” Could be Found in DeMarcus Cousins

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As the list of buyout market options continues to get shorter, the name DeMarcus Cousins continues to climb up that list. Now, of course we are currently discussing a guy that is past his prime, but that is basically the definition of the buyout market.

Every player that has fallen into that category ended up there for a reason, so singling out Cousins doesn’t seem to make much sense.

Anyway, when evaluating the Cousins option for this team, a certain Pat Riley quote from his recent presser continues to pop out. He mentioned a big reason that adding Victor Oladipo was so important was due to it giving Miami a “different dimension.” And well, Cousins has a chance at giving that to Miami when placed into the correct role.

As I take a dive into the elements he can bring to this Heat team, there aren’t many diversified points like past articles have included. By that, I mean that his offensive abilities are pretty simple when discussing him as a fit, which I will address here…

– The primary “different dimension”

First and foremost, the role that he will be given on this current roster must be noted, which would most likely be the back-up big spot that Precious Achiuwa currently holds. And at this stage of Achiuwa’s young career, his offensive game is extremely limited.

Besides that, he is a bit undersized at times against opposing 5’s, which is something Cousins would not have an issue with. That “different dimension” that I keep harping on is the inside game. It may not be what it once was for him, but his wide frame allows him to get to it at a consistent rate, at least when he actually wants to.

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Other than Achiuwa’s inexperience and lowered trust levels when entering a playoff series, his offensive game only being generated above the rim will become even more problematic than it is right now. And if there’s any team that can insert a veteran into a certain role, while making sure he brings them that needed presence down low, it would have to be the Miami Heat.

There have been moments this season, like the video clip above, where Cousins has shown those interior flashes that I just discussed. Another thing to note here though is that he can grab a few more rebounds for the second unit when Bam Adebayo is off the floor.

A major part about Miami considering Cousins as an option would be the mental side of things. Is he willing to alter some things in his game and accept this certain role to help this team win? It’s a question that I’m unable to answer, but I can say that when it’s Pat Riley, or even Jimmy Butler, asking him that question, there’s a much better chance of that being a yes.

Let’s take a look at one more interior possession from this game against the Dallas Mavericks. The reason that I’m utilizing this game to dive into his interior play has a lot to do with him dropping 28 points and 17 rebounds in this game at the end of January.

While many are probably wondering about the fit next to Adebayo, I think the balance between these two guys interchanging is more intriguing. It’s pretty obvious that Adebayo is a player that loves to face the basket, due to his incredible intangibles to make plays as if he was a point guard.

With that being said, he has not been the biggest fan of backing guys down and creating from the post, which is another example of Cousins bringing another dimension. He isn’t afraid to use his size on the block, as seen here, which may benefit Adebayo as well to diversify their bigs, especially since Nemanja Bjelica brings something that neither of them do.

– The shooting aspect

The Kelly Olynyk roller coaster, when referring to the ups and downs of his shooting, could be reiterated by Cousins, which is not the worst thing for a back-up big. When I say this, I mean that he is capable of becoming an outside threat as he was early in this game against the Miami Heat, but there will also be a few down games sprinkled in.

But getting away from consistency and numbers, adding some type of floor spacer at the 5 is pretty important at this moment as well. Andre Iguodala will continue to get big time minutes off the bench, but while shooting isn’t his best attribute, the fit next to Achiuwa in that bench unit hasn’t been very effective.

Another primary part about Cousins, when comparing him to other buyout options, is that his peak is much higher than anybody else on that list. Although Miami may not want to take a chance at uncertainty at this time, he could be an outstanding spark at his best.

– Parked on the bottom block is beneficial for Miami’s offense

Although Cousins likes to space himself beyond the arc most of the time, as discussed previously, his spot on the bottom block could majorly impact Miami’s offense.

One reason for that is shown in this clip above, since Miami is one of the better cutting teams in the NBA, which leads to easy dump-off passes for easy opportunities.

After seeing that, can you hear Pat Riley saying the words “different dimension” as well? Because I can.

The overall consensus is that Miami just majorly needs some type of back-up big if they want to compete in the East, and beginning to win some games with their new pieces can impact who they get from that list. It’ll be interesting to see what happens, but the more days that go by, the higher Cousins’ name gets on that list.

 

5 Takeaways from Heat’s Loss to Charlotte

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The Miami Heat lost to the Charlotte Hornets on Friday night, which originally began as an absolute blowout, but ended as a close battle. Although the main takeaways are negative tonight due to the Heat’s poor play early on, it’s a constant theme of playing in a consistent fashion for 48 minutes, since they were really solid down the stretch. So, here are five takeaways from this game.

#1: Well, let’s start with allowing 72 points at the half.

Now, this clearly won’t be the most positive post-game piece after Charlotte pulled away much earlier than ever expected. Open triple after open triple led to the Hornets expanding their lead more and more, beginning with Malik Monk looking like the team’s owner, Michael Jordan, when he plays the Miami Heat. When evaluating the issues on the Heat’s end, it’s just clearly the definition of the second night of a back to back on the defensive end. Late rotations became the theme in the first half, while the effort on that end was not up to the expected level to begin the game, which is needed against the offensive firepower in Charlotte.

#2: That one player not able to break away from the pack in points category.

When scanning through the box score at the half, the biggest takeaway is that one player wasn’t able to break away from the rest in the scoring column. Butler and Nunn led with 10, while Ariza, Adebayo, and Robinson followed behind with 6 points. But on a night like tonight, they need that one guy to takeover for different stretches. Adebayo and Herro did that for Miami against Portland last night, but they combined for 10 points at the half tonight. Obviously Victor Oladipo, Nemanja Bjelica, and Goran Dragic are still not playing with this Heat team yet, but it’s no excuse when evaluating this team as a whole. They’re built as a team with a bunch of options, but none of those options seemed to have it tonight.

#3: The optimistic perspective.

After diving into each of Miami’s issues on both the offensive and defensive ends of the floor, is there anything positive to draw from this game? Well, I don’t know about the description positive, but this definitely puts some things in perspective, which is hard to do while the team is on a 6 game losing streak. So, take a look at the rotation tonight, since although they had more than enough guys to step up, the bench makes it quite interesting. For one, Max Strus and Gabe Vincent are getting consistent minutes, which isn’t a terrible thing since they’ve played well, but it’s a role that they won’t ever play for this team. Also, Precious Achiuwa is still the Adebayo relief guy, which may not be the case once Miami solidifies their signing from the buyout market. The point is that this rotation might look a lot different on Monday night, which may force you into a bit more of an optimistic view.

#4: Trevor Ariza’s high minutes changing Andre Iguodala’s role.

When discussing a change at a position, this does not consist of some young guys battling it out to stay in the rotation, such as a Kendrick Nunn. The actual positional battle I’m referring to is the two veteran wings, Andre Iguodala and Trevor Ariza. Aside from Ariza being inserted into the starting lineup next to Adebayo recently, there has seemed to be high trust levels in Ariza since he first joined the team. It’s widely known that Iguodala isn’t the biggest fan of regular season play, which makes this certain insertion even more effective, but some of the newcomers make this interesting. Not just Nemanja Bjelica, but also a possible LaMarcus Aldridge addition links some question marks to the rotation moving forward. Although it may not hold much importance at the current moment, it will for Coach Spoelstra as the season progresses, and he must choose between the better shooter and the better defender, who can each sprinkle in the opposite element.

#5: Miami battles until the final buzzer, showcasing some grit to fight back.

Although it’s still not the result many may want, it was a pretty impressive run that this Heat team went on beginning late in the third quarter. Although the offensive side of the ball will be looked toward first after they went on a 25-8 run, the defensive rotations were night and day compared to the first quarter. They were locked in on that end of the floor, didn’t foul as much, and contested well on those same Charlotte triples. The offensive side of the ball was a slow grind with a three here and a three there, but Tyler Herro was the headliner for a short stretch. He showcased that same confidence in his scoring abilities, but then it began to tail off as the fourth quarter progressed. Those same triples were not falling late in the fourth when they needed it most from him, but then Adebayo stepped up late in the fourth for an exceptional stretch under two minutes to go. This then leads to the constant eyebrow raises about Adebayo not realizing how talented he is all 48 minutes.

A Breakdown of Tyler Herro Against Portland

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Post trade deadline Tyler Herro was out in full effect on Thursday night against the Portland Trail Blazers. The Miami Heat had only 9 available players last night, while one of the guys out was Heat’s star Jimmy Butler, it was clear that Tyler Herro was going to need to step up as a scorer.

He not only did that, but he continued to show flashes in all facets of the game, which will be highlighted here. Although this game was a loss, it was a moral win, which is what we’re going to dive into here regarding Herro.

– The play-making abilities shine

One or two clips from last night’s game wouldn’t be able to fully explain the play-making strides that are being made. To start it off, he checks in the game in the first quarter, and immediately receives the ball on an off-ball screen to get downhill.

As Trevor Ariza’s man tries to eliminate that immediately, Herro makes a great read to pass it across his body back to the wing. Some of the issues involving his play-making lately has been the need to force certain passes, especially when he seems afraid to shoot. But that wasn’t the case last night, since he played with as much of a flow as ever.

As the game progressed and the number of attacks for Herro increased, which will be discussed later, the defense began to collapse. A lot.

On this particular play, all eyes are on Herro as he penetrates against the drop, which is his favorite time to attack the basket and play-make. A key element here is the patience he has when he gets to the basket, since that has been another area of struggle. He also doesn’t get stuck in the air, which leads to a perfect bounce pass and a perfect dunk.

Now, this sequence was by far the most impressive passing by Herro of the game, and maybe all season.

He runs a high pick and roll as both defenders try and trap, which pretty much leaves an open rolling Bam Adebayo, forcing the defense to rotate. Except, Herro didn’t make the pass to Adebayo on the roll, mostly since McCollum edged over and they probably would’ve recovered. He threw a cross-court pass to Gabe Vincent for a great look, which ended in three points.

The second play wasn’t as much Herro instincts since it was a designed play, but it’s still important to highlight. There’s a certain trust level in him to make these reads, especially in the fourth quarter of games when he is at his best.

Here’s another designed play where Duncan Robinson bunches up with Adebayo, as he goes to the three point line and Adebayo sets the screen for Herro into a pick and roll.

Yet another situation where Erik Spoelstra is putting the decision making in Herro’s hands, which is what he tends to do even more often when they’re without key players, since he wants him to take the reigns.

Herro reads the personnel well, since it’s an athletic freak rolling to the basket wearing that blue and pink, while a slow footed Enes Kanter is defending. He lobs it up and Adebayo throws it down, which was a bit risky at this back and forth point of the game.

– The two different aspects of his mid-range game

There are two elements to Herro’s evolving mid-range game, and the first one was on display here. And that element is separation, since it’s an ongoing discussing regarding his need for a constant screener.

When taking a look at this possession, there’s a slight dip he gives before pulling back, which gives him a total advantage. Once he develops these slight movements as a creator, which develops over time, it’ll make all the difference.

Herro mentioned in the past that he has watched film on his past two match-ups, Devin Booker and CJ McCollum, which is exactly what I asked him about following yesterday’s game:

The second element to Herro in the mid-range area is embracing the contact. This also is important to note when addressing his attacking abilities, since he seems to avoid contact often when shooting the ball, which could end up on a highlight reel or fast-break points for the opposing team.

After taking the contact on this play, he flows into a floater, which has been something he’s trusted a lot more lately. Decision making is very essential for young players, and that has a lot to do with choosing between different types of shot attempts. And the second level basically forces players to make quick decisions on their shots.

– Developing that gravity

The word gravity is used quite frequently when discussing this Heat team, either with Robinson beyond the arc or Butler on the drive. But sequences like this show clear flashes that Herro has a capability of holding a great amount of gravity on a defense.

The first clip shows Herro receiving the ball to begin the play, and he immediately pulls it since nobody is defending him. The second clip is the following play, which looks a whole lot different from the last one. He gets the ball in the same exact spot, except this time both defenders blitz him in the PnR, leading to an easy dunk for Adebayo.

– The downfall: the snake dribble

Although this possession ended in a bucket for Kendrick Nunn, the overuse of the snake dribble for Herro has been quite apparent. Most of the time when running a PnR, he either avoids the screen to go the opposite direction, or do what he did here.

Miami’s two bigs, Adebayo and Precious Achiuwa, are energetic and athletic figures as above the rim threats on the roll, but this one movement basically eliminates that. It creates poor spacing most of the time, since the defense knows how to cut it off, due to it probably headlining the film session early in the day.

It could have something to do with that mid-range confidence and contact layup hesitance that forces it, but either way it is something that must be addressed to maximize his offensive abilities.

 

Now, let’s take a look what happens when he flows normally in a pick and roll set. He patiently waits for the screen then explodes toward the basket, and as the defender lags behind, he goes immediately into that floater I discussed previously.

Not only is that floater hard to guard from the center’s perspective, but more importantly it puts the recovering guard in an awkward situation, which as seen here led to a foul. If this becomes his primary attribute in a PnR while sprinkling snake dribbles to find dead spots, it leads to a much cleaner offense.

– Some iso flashes?

A major reason the Victor Oladipo acquisition was so crucial was due to the lack of on-ball creators on this team’s current roster. But if Herro can bring that element even slightly off the bench, it absolutely changes everything for their offense.

That little step back to the left that was seen on the play above is one of his shots that he finds the most rhythm. And although the need for separation beyond the arc wasn’t even created on this play, he showed his ability to knock down contested jumpers, which honestly seem to be more natural than the wide open ones at this stage.

– Oh, by the way, the confidence is back

Confidence and Tyler Herro go together like country music and Jimmy Butler. And when he’s attempting shots from the logo in a tight game in the fourth quarter, it’s pretty obvious that confidence is fully back.

If it has something to do with escaping the trade deadline or not, this team just majorly needed that confidence and joy for the game to return for him. When diving into the mechanics of this play a bit more, it has everything to do with the one element I discuss every time involving Herro’s jumper: his lift.

When he rises up over the top of defenders like this, a miss becomes a rare occurrence. And the next thing that should become rare is Herro shying away from the ball throughout the game, since even though Butler and Oladipo will be added in pretty soon, this team needs their young spark to continue firing.

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