Tag Archive for: Precious Achiuwa

Bam and Duncan DHO Success to Precious and Tyler PnR Success

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The Duncan Robinson and Bam Adebayo dribble hand-off combination has been known to be one of the best in the entire NBA.

The reason it has so much success is because it emphasizes each player’s biggest strength. Duncan Robinson shooting on the move with defenders flying high on him, and Bam Adebayo setting hard screens with the ability to put the ball on the floor when he catches on the roll.

There’s a reason Miami leads the league in field goal percentage when the roller gets the ball at 73% this season, and it’s because of the gravity of this duo.

But is there a new duo looking to do something similar?

The answer is yes. Tyler Herro and Precious Achiuwa’s unique pick and roll abilities have been one of the real bright spots to start the season.

As discussed with Duncan and Bam, it allows their biggest strengths to be utilized, and the same goes for Tyler and Precious.

Tyler can clearly score at all three levels, which makes for a good start to an efficient pick and roll. As seen above, there’s an opportunity for a pull-up three at all times, but that isn’t what makes this duo special.

Herro’s comfort level once he steps inside the three point line has been on display this far into the season. Once he gets the defender behind him, and gets into a 2 on 1 opportunity, it usually ends up in a score.

But why is that exactly?

For one, Tyler Herro’s tough in that mid-range area is great, which allows him to stop on a dime for a pull-up, go right up with a floater, or lay it up right at the rim.

The other reason is that Precious Achiuwa’s offensive activity around the rim has been remarkable. The ability to catch the lob with no problem, and can adjust when the ball comes his way as well.

I’m not sure if those off-season workouts allowed these two to have an immediate on-court connection, or their unique skill-sets just automatically aligned.

Either way, Miami has something with these two in the pick and roll offensive sets. Erik Spoelstra has been mentioning finding their identity since the start of the season, and I believe the best way to do that is placing players in spots that they’re most likely to thrive.

Duncan Robinson and Bam Adebayo’s ability to read each other’s game when running dribble hand-offs is one of the small parts that doesn’t get discussed. And since this Tyler Herro and Precious Achiuwa duo is only a few games in, it will continue to evolve. But seeing it to this extent this early in the season truly is promising.

These two unique offensive sets will create major headaches for opposing defenses, especially if all four share the floor together. But that doesn’t appear to happen anytime soon due to “simplifying” Precious’ game as much as possible.

But these flashes just reassure that this is the long term goal with this team. Not only Bam Adebayo and Precious Achiuwa wrecking havoc on the defensive end, but each having the ability to run individual sets that each continue to thrive in.

Will The Bam Adebayo-Precious Achiuwa Duo Be Seen?

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The two guys that many fans have been waiting to get a look at on the floor together is Miami’s centerpiece, Bam Adebayo, and the rookie, Precious Achiuwa.

They have similar games, due to their high energy and versatility on the defensive end, which makes many people wonder about them on the court at the same time.

Erik Spoelstra was asked about it, and said, “Defensively they can wreck a lot of havoc just with their size and quickness and physicality. We’re just trying to simplify as much as possible with Precious.”

And that last part tells you why they haven’t been seen together.

One of Precious Achiuwa’s biggest staples this far into the season is that he plays his exact role no matter who he is facing, and doesn’t get rattled or flustered.

And the coaching staff seems to want to keep it that way. “Simplifying” his game has a lot to do with allowing Precious to do what he does best, without changing anything within his role or play-style.

Although Erik Spoelstra hinted at these two not being seen much together as of right now, he mentioned possibly utilizing it once in a while.

It’s pretty clear that Erik Spoelstra always keeps something in his pocket that he can use when most needed, and this may be his card this season.

I wouldn’t be surprised if he doesn’t play them together in all 72 games, then throws them out there in the first round of the postseason.

And this year’s unplayable card is much more deadly than a 2-3 zone that he kept in his pocket last year. This is something that seems like the perfect fix when Miami needs a defensive boost, and it’s a low risk due to both players being so under control.

Miami knows they have something with each of these players individually, but the question becomes as a duo. And I believe it has much more to do with timing, than it does about simplifying.

5 Takeaways from Heat’s Victory Over Pistons

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The Miami Heat faced off against the Detroit Pistons once again, and came away with a much needed win. They struggled again early, but battled back without Tyler Herro and Jimmy Butler once again. Anyway, here are five takeaways…

#1: Precious Achiuwa the energizer, Precious Achiuwa the leader.

The player that stood out from the moment he checked in tonight was rookie Precious Achiuwa. It seems as if I discuss him in every one of these takeaway pieces, and that’s because he stands out in a certain area every night. Tonight, he showed his leadership abilities, while only being 11 games into his NBA career. When Miami began to trail big time early in the first quarter, Precious shared the floor with Kendrick Nunn, Gabe Vincent, and Moe Harkless, and Achiuwa seemed to become the voice on the floor. Communicating after plays to get the team energized, and he did just that. In both of Miami’s first half runs, Precious was on the floor, and it wasn’t a coincidence. He’s another one of those high impact players that Miami loves, and he continues to improve in all areas of his game.

#2: Kendrick Nunn gives quality offensive minutes.

Well, Tyler Herro, Jimmy Butler, and Avery Bradley being out means major openings at the guard position. And even though many aren’t high on Kendrick Nunn at the moment, Coach Erik Spoelstra shows to have the utmost confidence. Kendrick did exactly what was needed from him, which was to score the basketball. He looked to have confidence in his jump-shot, and it’s great to see him showing these flashes. Now, he still may not look like rookie Kendrick Nunn, but it surely was a step up from his production to begin the year. Miami needed offensively sounded players to step up tonight without their primary scorers, and he played his role.

#3: Rebounding continues to look like the biggest Miami issue.

I’ve gone through a bunch of Miami’s issues including turnovers, lack of shot attempts, and others, but none stand out like the lack of rebounding. Obviously Detroit is a big team, but this is an ongoing thing that occurs nightly. The Pistons continued to dominate the offensive boards, which once again translates to more shot attempts. If Miami could’ve cut those offensive rebounds in half, they would’ve controlled the game with ease, but clearly that’s not the case. As many people harp on different additions that can be made to this team, a guy that can be plugged in the front-court looks to be the team’s biggest need. Many times throughout the game, Bam is the sole big on the floor, and when he flies out to the perimeter on a close-out, it leads to an easy put-back. He needs help on the glass, and it doesn’t look to be on the roster, unless Spo decides to pair him up with Precious Achiuwa.

#4: Duncan Robinson shoots Miami through this game.

Duncan Robinson looked like the same old Duncan Robinson, but in a game where Miami trailed for most of it, it’s necessary to highlight it. Miami needed a source of offense with Jimmy Butler and Tyler Herro out, and Duncan gave them a huge boost after connecting on the usual dribble hand-off threes. Although his stats don’t scream off the stat sheet tremendously, it had more to do with the timing of his scores. He was the reason for Miami’s two big offensive runs in the first half. The reason he is the biggest threat when Miami begins to get momentum on a run is because he’s much better in a quick flow. When Miami begins to run and build a rhythm, Duncan becomes more and more effective as a scorer.

#5: Bam Adebayo’s scoring aggressiveness seems to come out with a Miami lead.

The big discussion throughout tonight’s game with Bam Adebayo was about him taking initiative. When Miami needed a burst of offense when trailing, he continued to facilitate and get others going. There were many moments throughout where Bam looked to have clear opportunities to try and score, but decided to defer. But once Miami got a decent lead in the second half, his offense began to be seen. Now, that could be a type of confidence that he can play free with the ball in his hands due to the game situation, but it clearly worked. This starts to make Heat fans wonder why this isn’t seen more often. He began to hit the mid-range jumper consistently, but as I’ve mentioned many times, I believe it’s more important to see him put the ball on the floor and attack.

A Breakdown of Tyler Herro and Precious Achiuwa

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Tyler Herro and Precious Achiuwa have been the bright spots of this Heat team right now, since half the team has been away due to Covid protocols. This was a time where possible leaps may have begun to be made, since Tyler and Precious had a lot more weight on their shoulders due to the increased roles.

But what are the exact areas that they’ve made strides this week?

Tyler Herro:

– Backboard Usage Around the Rim

Tyler Herro has been very efficient around the rim this season, and utilizing the backboard has been one of the main reasons for that. It’s something Goran Dragic uses a lot, and rightfully so, since it’s a veteran move. And by the way, I wouldn’t be surprised if Goran was the one who got Tyler to do it. Either way, it’s an incredible attribute to have at his age. His touch around the basket continues to be impressive, and that’s a hard thing for defenses to guard consistently.

– Finding Dead Spots

Tyler Herro’s increased role these past two games has allowed him to shine in certain areas. Since he’s had the ball in his hands frequently in the pick and roll, his ability to find dead spots have been apparent. Tyler has mentioned his comfort level when facing a drop coverage, and that is clear right here. He can navigate the mid-range area, which is where he is at his best.

– Natural Change of Speed

Tyler’s change of direction has been a surprising part of his game this far. As seen above, he can make quick adjustments when running at full speed. He turned his hips slightly to the right to freeze the defender, then exploded left for an easy bucket. He’s also shown his quick first step when in isolation. Defenses must have seen a lot of abrupt step-backs in film, which allows Tyler to explode off the dribble frequently this season.

– Decisive Play-Making

Now, this has been one of the most fun parts of Tyler Herro’s game this year. When people discuss Tyler as a play-maker, it’s not out on the perimeter setting up the offense. It’s actually when he is in full motion making instinctive decisions, which is why he’s been great with the lob pass. As seen in the first clip, Tyler comes off of a curl which creates a 2 on 1, which is when he is at his best. And his lob pass ability allowed a pass fake into an open layup. In the second clip, Joel Embiid stepped up which allowed an easy lob for a dunk.

Precious Achiwua:

– Utilizing an Escape Dribble

One of the things Precious Achiuwa didn’t do at the beginning of the season was put the ball on the floor. He found himself getting stuck sometimes since everybody knew he was swinging it or handing it off, while Bam has the ability to take others off the dribble. But after Precious got an increased role, he found himself becoming more comfortable in his skill-set. Here, he notices the crowd forming in the corner, and utilizes an escape dribble to the free throw line. And honestly, that’s more impressive than the jumper, which is also promising moving forward.

– Timing on the Boards

When people describe Precious’ rebounding ability, it usually starts with energy. But actually timing seems to be his biggest strength on the boards. As seen above, he doesn’t have any type of positioning on the taller Joel Embiid, but times it perfectly to go up and grab it, which then turned into a contested score at the basket. Timing has been seen a lot these last two games against Philadelphia, which is why he continues to get easy baskets off of tip ins.

– Patience Under the Rim

Most young bigs who have high energy instinctively go back up with the ball right away once they get it. But Precious has shown an immense amount of patience in the paint. As seen there, he showcases his athleticism to go up and grab the ball, then re-adjusts under the rim. He then gives Joel Embiid a slight pump-fake to get him up into the air, and immediately rises for a layup. That has a lot to do with reading a situation, which Achiuwa has been great with as well.

– Control at Full Speed

Now, this play was one of Precious Achiuwa’s most impressive or flashy plays he has had this far, but the control he portrayed was not the first time. He was running full speed down the floor, per usual, and had to slow down for an impressive euro-step. His control has been seen on the defensive end as well, since he will be running full speed for a block and immediately stop to contest without fouling. Having that amount of control 10 games into his NBA career is a great sign.

5 Takeaways from Heat’s Loss to the 76ers

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The Miami Heat faced the Philadelphia 76ers once again on Thursday night with only eight guys, and came away with a loss. Although there’s not much to takeaway from a team perspective, there were a lot of promising individual improvements in these past two games. Anyway, here are five takeaways….

#1: Chris Silva gives quality first half minutes on both ends of the floor.

The first thing that stood out from Chris Silva was his defense on Joel Embiid tonight. He began to front Joel as soon as he checked in, which led to the person on the wing coming over to double. This led to Joel only scoring 5 first half points. This showed that Miami’s film sessions since Tuesday night’s game came out with a positive result. Now, on the offensive end, Silva surprisingly showed many flashes as well. He was active on the offensive boards on Tuesday, but held most of his activity off of the pick and roll as a lob threat, much like teammate Precious Achiuwa. Many have described Silva as a high energy guy, and he showed that description is pretty accurate tonight.

#2: Miami’s lack of depth showed tonight.

I think this is an obvious takeaway, since Miami having eight guys available definitely means they lacked depth. But the offensive showing from Philadelphia made this more apparent. The 76ers had Tobias Harris, Matisse Thybulle, and Shake Milton return tonight, and that means Phili added depth. That was clear all night, since they seemed to have fresh legs on the floor at all times, while Miami basically had the same guys on the floor at all times. Shake MIlton exploded in the first half, scoring 19 which is yet another factor of their depth. Usually when Miami’s offense goes flat, Spo throws somebody in to be that offensive spark. But on a night like tonight, that clearly wasn’t a possibility.

#3: Tyler Herro displays his unique offensive package once again.

If there was anything positive from tonight’s game, it was that Tyler Herro continues to put a stamp on his scoring abilities. Last game, Phili seemed to focus on him directly throughout, which led to him driving to the basket most of the game, until he got going in the fourth. And tonight, the 76ers seemed to make it a priority to not give him any room, and that didn’t matter. He began to create for himself with unique pump-fake up and unders, as well as some impressive step backs. It doesn’t seem necessary to harp on Tyler’s scoring, since everybody knows it is there, but it is necessary to discuss when he’s the first option on a team and still finds ways to consistently score.

#4: Once again, Gabe Vincent making his way up the roster.

One thing about this unfortunate Covid circumstance with Miami is that they’re getting a look at certain guys that they wouldn’t in a normal situation. The main player that has stood out from the increased playing time was Gabe Vincent once again. On Tuesday, I basically discussed his advanced offensive package other than shooting. But tonight, it seems necessary to just focus on his shooting ability. On this Heat team, depth has continually been harped on, and for a while I don’t think many pictured Gabe Vincent when discussing it. But now, he seems to be rising up the roster slowly. Seeing him in action in these two games will give extra confidence in Spo to play him going forward, and I believe he can find himself in a consistent role with a healthy Heat team.

#5: Precious Achiuwa’s consistency as a rookie is very promising.

I’ve discussed all aspects of Precious Achiuwa’s game throughout the season, but what truly stands out is his consistent effort with every attribute. Even when entering a game with eight players, while facing the best center in the NBA, Precious still brings the same thing he does every single night. Rebound effort, defensive activity, rim roamer, and most importantly effort. Erik Spoelstra and the coaching staff have to be feeling good watching him improve, especially when picturing the return of Bam Adebayo. He can replicate many of the things Bam brings, except the play-making ability, but it’s very promising considering the fact he is only 10 games in.

The Young, The Hungry, The Heat

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The Miami Heat were short-handed in Tuesday night’s match-up with the Philadelphia 76ers, and got to showcase one of the biggest strengths of this Heat team: Hunger.

The players are always talking about this locker room having a bunch of dogs who have a chip on their shoulder, and that was clear yesterday.

Gabe Vincent is a perfect example, since he got an opportunity that was a bit unexpected, and absolutely shined. He got a chance to show people his all-around game, since he gets classified as a deep threat most of the time, and took advantage of the moment.

Duncan Robinson also noticed the need for him to step up and expand his offensive game, and that was a huge contribution to Miami’s late run in the fourth. After Tyler Herro was out of the game for some time, the 76ers began to dial in on Duncan on the defensive end, which ultimately allowed Herro to explode in the fourth.

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As much as we can discuss certain guys falling under the category of young and hungry on this Heat team, Tyler Herro and Precious Achiuwa need to be at the forefront.

Many people are aware that Tyler Herro is capable of hitting big shots down the stretch in a tight game, but last night doesn’t compare to other games.

He was the number one option. No Jimmy Butler on the floor. No Bam Adebayo on the floor. No Goran Dragic on the floor.

Philadelphia was aware who would have the ball in their hands at the end of that game, and they still couldn’t stop him from scoring.

And when they continued to play that drop coverage, Tyler took advantage of the mid-range jumper and floater. After a mid-range jumper late in the fourth, the next play he looked to do it again, but Joel Embiid stepped up. And well, that’s where Precious Achiuwa comes into play.

A perfect lob up to the rim for an Achiuwa slam. Tyler’s feel for the game deserves credit, but Achiuwa’s presence around the rim needs to be noticed as well.

Precious is not the tallest or lengthiest big man to go up and catch lobs over the 7’0 Joel Embiid, but what he does have is heart. Getting thrown into the fire as the starting center, against arguably the best big man in today’s NBA, is far from an easy task. And although Joel scored 45 points, Precious guarded him pretty well throughout.

Although a game where Miami only had eight available players does not seem like it holds much importance, it does.

It gave the young guys an opportunity to take a step forward and grow, since they were asked to step outside of their comfort zones.

And more importantly, Jimmy Butler and company were sitting at home watching these young dudes battle. So you already know they’re wanting to get back out there with those guys as fast as possible to continue to fight with their team.

One game is one game, and one loss is one loss. But in the big picture, this game will be looked at as the moment the young guys grew. And there’s plenty of more growth to be made in the near future.

Miami’s Bench Unit: The Reliable Four

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In the Miami Heat’s Christmas Day win over the New Orleans Pelicans, we finally got some clarity about this Heat team.

Although lineups and rotations will change constantly, this game showed who the 9 man rotation will ultimately include. The fifth player in the starting lineup is interchangeable, but the first four off the bench will most likely remain the same.

And rightfully so, since that second unit kept them going in yesterday’s game, since they have the perfect balance of scoring and defense.

Goran Dragic has a lot to do with the success of that second unit, since he just calms everybody down when he steps on the floor, and can control the pace of the game. He also is a scoring threat from all three levels, and he has proved this far that he’s one of Miami’s most consistent go to scorers.

Precious Achiuwa is another reserve that was surprising, since not many expected that he would be getting this many minutes to start the season. Not only does he have zero experience at this level, but he’s been playing like he has the most experience. He is under more control than most guys on the roster, since he knows how to play his individual role at a high level.

The connection between Goran and Precious has been obvious as well, since Goran seems to have made it a priority to get Precious touches and set him up in his spots. Bam mentioned that in his post-game press conference, that Goran wants to get Precious involved as much as possible.

Now, although Goran and Precious are the most intriguing names to discuss off the bench, Andre Iguodala and Avery Bradley were the two guys that truly stood out in my opinion.

For starters, individually Andre did what he does best offensively by being the unselfish distributor, but also knocked down the occasional corner three which increases his value even more. Avery was huge on offense as well, hitting the three ball when needed, but more importantly taking that one step inside the three point line since that is his strength.

Both players had great Christmas Day performances individually, but they stood out even more as a duo. They were causing defensive havoc on the perimeter in yesterday’s game, since both of them are so active with their hands on the ball. JJ Redick couldn’t get an ounce of open space all game with Avery’s off ball defense, while Iguodala’s ability to switch made it that much better.

The reason this group of guys work so well together is because they have a great deal of chemistry, which is odd since it includes a free agent signing and a rookie. If the continuity is this high right now, just give them a few weeks.

The second unit worked best when the fifth guy was either Tyler Herro or Duncan Robinson, since adding an extra offensive threat on the perimeter maximizes their play.

The reason I call them the reliable four is because even when the starters seem to struggle, they all go out there and play their own game consistently. Miami has something special with this bench unit, and it’s why many have been raving about their depth.

Once the starting lineup gets in a flow, since they haven’t yet, this Heat team will be even more intriguing than last years team.

Precious Achiuwa’s Impressive Season Opener Speaks Volume

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The major takeaway from Miami’s season opening loss to the Orlando Magic was Precious Achiuwa. I don’t think many expected him to get decent minutes this season due to the absence of Summer League and not playing since February, but well, that changed last night.

Not only did Precious get minutes, but he made a huge impact. One thing that was expected for rookies this season is that it will take time for them to get comfortable at the NBA level. And Precious got thrown right into the fire and thrived.

The one part of his game that I’ve mentioned frequently is his quick learning. Every single time he steps onto the floor, he improves on his issues from the game prior. And that is very impressive.

He also has been known to be a major problem on the boards, especially on the offensive side, and he proved that once again. Effort has continually been the word tied to him, and his will on both sides forced major frustration on Orlando’s bigs.

8 points and 3 rebounds does not explain what he did last night in his first regular season game. The Miami Heat were struggling on both ends of the floor, and Precious was the only player that seemed comfortable enough to make an impact, other than veteran Goran Dragic.

A lot of guys were out of control which caused a turnover issue, but that wasn’t the case for Achiuwa. He truly knows how to play the role that he is given without straying off, and that’s another great attribute to have.

Heading into the draft, I continually mentioned Miami would be looking for a guy to make immediate impact on this team. And well, they found their guy.

It seems as if he will continue to increase his floor time if he plays the way he did last night, since it’s essential to have somebody that can reiterate the things Bam Adebayo does on the floor.

Spo found another young gem that he can put his trust in, which makes this roster more and more intriguing.

5 Takeaways from Miami Heat’s Season Opener

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The Miami Heat kicked off their season against the Orlando Magic on Wednesday night, and it was pretty much filled with surprises. The main surprise was that Miami didn’t play like the team that was just in the NBA finals, losing 113-107, but that doesn’t mean there should be immediate overreaction. Anyway, here are five takeaways from the game…

#1: Offensive sloppiness looks to be problematic.

It’s no surprise that turnovers are the first takeaway from this game, especially from Miami’s starters. They had 12 turnovers at the half, with the starting unit being in a rush offensively in the first quarter. That may have something to do with Tyler Herro running the point, since he’s not a traditional one, but that will improve as the season progresses. Goran Dragic though, which will be explained in a bit, settled Miami down and took control of the offense. Tyler isn’t the only one to blame, since Jimmy and Bam showed some sloppiness as well. But this should be expected in a season opener, and if they continue to slow down the offense early in games, it will be very beneficial to their play.

#2: Precious Achiuwa gets surprising minutes off the bench.

Even though I mentioned that I wouldn’t be shocked if Coach Spo threw Precious Achiuwa in the game off of the bench tonight, I definitely didn’t expect to have him being one of my takeaways from a season opener. But well, he is. There were a couple things that have been mentioned when discussing Precious Achiuwa. For one, he can be utilized on this team to reiterate many of the things Bam does on the floor, which he showed he can do. And secondly, it’s been said over and over that he has great touch around the rim, and that was clear as well. The lob connection he has found with Goran Dragic has been obvious, but even an impressive drive at the end of the shot clock showcased some more of his flashes. Coach Spo inserting him in the game to begin the season, after the absence of Summer League, should tell you all you need to know about the future of Precious Achiuwa with this team.

#3: Goran Dragic continues to be Miami’s steady piece.

It would be wrong not to mention Goran Dragic after this game, mostly since he was the main reason Miami was able to settle down early. After the starters continued to struggle offensively, as I mentioned previously, Goran came right into the game and picked up exactly where he left off. And that means he still was able to deliver when Miami was in a tough spot. His scoring ability is an obvious attribute, which he used early in the first half, but more importantly his ability to slow down the game is where he truly showed out. He has great feel for the game, which means he knows when to play both fast and slow, and tonight was the game to slow things down. Even with an aging Goran Dragic, it seems as if he isn’t slowing down anytime soon, and will continue to be a huge part of this Miami Heat team.

#4: Bam Adebayo’s offensive confidence seems to improve game by game.

Bam Adebayo’s scoring has been the thing people are waiting to emerge this season, specifically with his jumper. It’s never been about can he shoot the mid-range jumper, but instead will he shoot it. And tonight, we got the answer to that question. He came out in the first quarter with a purpose to initiate offense with the ball in his hands. And even though all of the shots weren’t falling for him, it’s a step in the right direction. The shots will begin to fall eventually, but it’ll come down to finding his spots that he’s most comfortable. And after watching him shoot it in both preseason games and tonight’s season opener, he seems at his best after the jab step. Either way, seeing Bam becoming more and more confident is a great sign for his progression going forward.

#5: Miami’s depth has been a point of emphasis, and rightfully so.

It seems as if it may have been getting old for a lot of people, when repeatedly hearing the Miami Heat’s depth being such a strength for this team. And well, I think that was on display tonight. For most of the game, the bench unit outplayed the starting lineup, mostly due to the fluid offense by limiting turnovers. That mostly falls under the two categories that I discussed before with Precious Achiuwa and Goran Dragic, but even others proved to be high value guys in a game like this. And we didn’t even see Avery Bradley or KZ Okpala, who are two guys that can easily help this team win basketball games right now. Coach Spo has an interesting task to deal with when talking about the rotation, but he’s got many options to choose from.

The Silent Emergence of Precious Achiuwa

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Precious Achiuwa wasn’t the primary discussion following yesterday’s final preseason game against the Raptors, since KZ Okpala got to prove himself and Max Strus came out firing.

Although those were outstanding performances, Precious’ performance should not be overlooked.

13 points and 15 rebounds in only 22 minutes is incredible on its own, but when you throw in the fact that it was his second NBA game after not playing in the Summer League elevates it even more.

As Bam Adebayo said following yesterday’s game, “Just imagine if he played 30 minutes, he’d have a 20/20 game.”

Precious talked about taking pride on the glass, and that’s clear when you watch him play. He’s just constantly running up and down the floor, which is why the first word people use to describe Precious is energy.

I mentioned he’d need to polish up some things involving the pick and roll, setting better screens instead of slipping every time, and he did exactly that.

And his burst of energy off the roll seems to align with Goran Dragic’s type of play, since he got a couple easy buckets off of Goran lobs.

As much as I can dive into his actual play yesterday, this is the one time the stats speak loud enough. The minutes that many rookies have been playing around the league in this preseason are much more than Precious has gotten, and not many can come close to that type of stat line. Most of them are just looking to get 13 points, since that’s an accomplishment of its own.

As mentioned before, rookies have been the big question mark this season with the unique route they’ve had to take. Most guys are just getting thrown into the fire to see how they react, and well, Precious has reacted pretty well.

The number one thing you want to see a young player do is learn quickly. And he improved in every area that I discussed from the first game on Monday to the second game on Friday. And that’s impressive.

Coach Spo has some young weapons that he can utilize in different ways, and with Precious continually mentioning his relationship with Bam Adebayo, and trying to reiterate the things he does on the basketball court, tells me he may get some energy minutes early in the season when Bam goes to the bench.