Tag Archive for: Tyler Herro

This Next Miami Heat Stretch: Tyler Herro’s Offense

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

An All-Star appearance.

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

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

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

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

For the better.

And Herro’s extended emergence will quickly follow.

 

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Five Takeaways from Heat’s Loss to Cleveland

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

So, here are some takeaways from this one…

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

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

#2: Max Strus providing a much needed element.

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

#3: KZ Okpala minutes?

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

#4: An unusual defensive night in many ways.

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

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

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

 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

For Butler, that is his home-base.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

But those have quickly vanished.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

 

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Five Takeaways from Heat’s Loss to Minnesota

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

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

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

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

#2: Welcome, Gabe Vincent.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

 

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Five Takeaways from Heat’s Comeback Win Over Pistons

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

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

So, here are five takeaways from this matchup.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

 

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Five Takeaways from Heat’s Win Over Pelicans

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

So, here are five takeaways from this one…

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

 

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Five Takeaways from Heat’s Win Over OKC

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

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

So, here are five takeaways from this one…

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

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

#2: All eyes on Tyler Herro.

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

 

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

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

#4: Duncan Robinson looking like…Duncan Robinson.

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

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

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

 

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Five Takeaways from Heat’s Loss to Clippers

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

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

Anyway, here are five takeaways from this game…

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

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

#2: Can Miami Heat consistency be coming?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

 

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Five Takeaways from Heat’s Late Loss to Lakers

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The Miami Heat faced the Los Angeles Lakers in a late-night showdown and it was a wild one. The Heat ended up losing in OT, but there was an overarching theme in this game: chances.

So, here are five takeaways from this game…

#1: Who’s going to step up for Miami in an early drought? Just look to Tyler Herro.

A similar theme seemed to loom over to begin this game: offensive issues and defensive swarming. The thing about Miami missing shots was that Jimmy Butler was the only one who had it going once again, which isn’t always the best formula for success. The Heat need that second guy if they want to win these tough games, and well, they were quickly in search mode for the “first” guy, after Butler left the game with a sprained ankle meaning he wouldn’t return. Anyways, Tyler Herro stepped up early. Big time. Pull-up threes, mid-range control, and nice looking kicks and skip passes. Something to remember with Herro in games like this: when he has his lift, he has it going. And yet, he had both tonight.

#2: The revolving door of big man options.

Without Markieff Morris and Caleb Martin already plugged into the rotation, the question became ‘who will be the ninth guy?’ That expanded quickly in this game, when Bam Adebayo and Dewayne Dedmon each found themselves with an early three fouls. And well, I will say that I called the “next man up” early in the day. The last thing we remember from Udonis Haslem was a wild 3 minute sequence that included an altercation with Dwight Howard before getting ejected. Tonight, that match-up was in-store again. Some back and forth occurred throughout, and a sweet looking baseline jumper was sprinkled in. But now that Haslem is being subbed out, they’re back to the regular guys, right? Wrong. Here comes Omer Yurtseven in the second quarter, who just needed one thing: confidence. The play that summarized that was when he received the ball on the roll absolutely wide open. He looks to the corner to pass, then realizes what is in front of him, leading to an and-1 dunk. Ultimately, the upside is there with him.

#3: The Heat’s defensive scheming fits teams like the Lakers.

Russell Westbrook swings the ball to the wing for a quick downhill isolation to quickly follow. But as he relocated to the weak-side wing, Kyle Lowry stays put at the nail. That forces a kick-out to a Westbrook three, which Miami was clearly willing to live with. It clanked off the rim, and it represents Miami’s comfort against offenses like this. Now, some of this stuff can be jumbled up because the Heat were without one of their most important defensive pieces for most of the game, in Butler, but the early trends still prove this to be true. Big picture, you should feel good heading into games where you can confidently double guys in the post or isolations, without a Nikola Jokic to throw a wild skip pass and ruin your defensive fun.

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#4: Bam Adebayo ramping up the aggression once Jimmy Butler goes down.

When it was reported at halftime that Jimmy Butler would be out the rest of the game with a sprained ankle, my initial observation was this, which I said on Twitter: this is Bam Adebayo’s time. He wasn’t having the best offensive night up to that point, but that needed to change. And well, the third quarter was his time, consisting of one of his best all around quarters that I’ve seen him play. Hounding defense through and through with great contests and accumulated steals, a 14 point quarter through lob finishes and mid-range jumpers, and perfect passing through back-door cutting. The Heat needed him to step up, and seeing him realize that the added aggression was needed from him in that moment, no matter if shots were falling or not, is a great sign as he moves forward.

#5: Kyle Lowry showcasing his passing skill late, but the deep ball not falling.

Yes, everybody wants to look in the direction of Kyle Lowry for a scoring burst when one guy drops. Although he is definitely capable, while putting up a 37 and 11 stat-line the last time he was in Staples Center, he doesn’t necessarily need to worry about that. Instead, his job is to get the scorers going. And in tonight’s case, it was getting the young bucks going. Tyler Herro and Bam Adebayo were driving the ship tonight on that end as we’d all expect, but don’t give them all the credit. Kyle Lowry was the one in the shadows getting them going. Hitting Adebayo on the lob to get him going in the third. Finding Herro on the drive and kick in the fourth quarter, forcing a timeout. These combinations are still growing, and he’s learning their tendencies. But in terms of his own scoring ability, it wasn’t his night. Rough shooting from deep meant even more reliance on feeding them the ball in their spots, leading to the majority of his turnovers. Speaking of poor shooting, another poor night from Duncan Robinson was upon us. And well, that entire situation is clearly more mental than physical.

 

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A New Miami Heat Theme: Master Adjusters

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The Miami Heat took down the Utah Jazz on Saturday night to improve to 7-2, while clearly embodying plenty of their identities.

For one, the number one theme of this Heat squad that comes to mind is toughness. Plainly through defensive grittiness, in the mud offensive nights, and fun skirmishes like the one between Kyle Lowry and Jordan Clarkson as Jimmy Butler and Markieff Morris slowly lurked as back-up.

As much as that theme will continue to take the cake, another primary theme seems to be rising up the charts. And although a lot of players on this team can fall under this category, it begins with the head of the snake, Erik Spoelstra.

The phrase “master adjuster” is one that I’ve used to describe Coach Spo in the past, specifically in a playoff series. You may think that he’s already played all of his cards, but before you know it, he throws a 2-3 zone at you and it shifts an entire series.

But the interesting thing about having options and weapons on a roster, is that you don’t have to necessarily hold everything for the post-season. You can have some creative fun in the regular season as well.

And yet, Erik Spoelstra is the reason Miami beat Utah on Saturday night…

How did Miami beat the Utah Jazz? Start with Erik Spoelstra…

Early in this game, and much of this season, we’re seeing Miami switch more than ever, but the players on the roster are clearly much more built for this defensive scheme. Guys can cover up in other positions really well, and they will just fully commit to a double if necessary. Hence, more threes are given up.

To that point, guys like Rudy Gobert were finding Kyle Lowry and Duncan Robinson on them constantly. And while it may not be Gobert exactly punishing them, it’s what quickly follows.

Jimmy Butler drops down, Gobert kicks, the Jazz swing, and an open three is found. Luckily for Miami, they weren’t dropping for the Jazz once again, but there were some stretches where they found themselves getting right back in the game, leading to a close halftime score.

So, what is the adjustment from there?

Coming into the third quarter, Spoelstra switched the Mike Conley assignment from Lowry to PJ Tucker, which may sound a little odd when you put it that way.

The reasoning behind it: the Jazz run a ton of 1-5 pick and rolls with Conley and Gobert, meaning when they go to that in the second half, Tucker can smoothly switch onto Gobert, as Bam Adebayo skips up the perimeter onto Conley.

In many ways, no mismatches are found.

Yes, you may say that the 7’1 Gobert is a mismatch for the 6’5 Tucker, but it’s no easy task to either score or rebound on him on the block. He may not have the length that can alter a shot, but he has the width.

Looking at all of the clips above, you can see the simple, yet major, adjustment in the second half. And that led to the Jazz scoring 2 points in that 3 minute stretch to start the quarter. All due to an assignment change.

Spoelstra clearly has more offensive weapons, but he has extra defensive options as well. Last season, he couldn’t really move guys around in this way, but this is just a brand new team.

The master adjusters.

Tyler Herro dictating opposing defenses, instead of defenses dictating his shot profile

Since we’re on the topic of making adjustments, that is what Tyler Herro has done this season.

Not just because he’s putting up crazy points in the scoring column. Not just because there was a shift in his role. But instead because he’s forcing adjustments in how he’s choosing to score.

What I mean by that is Herro has always been a very comfortable scorer against drop coverage, as he’s continually said it himself after games. The previous reasoning behind that was it was much more simple for him.

Get the ball at the top of the key, wait for the screen, hit the elbow, and pull.

Now, that isn’t the case anymore with the increasing eyes on him on a daily basis. Drop coverage doesn’t just equate to an open elbow pull-up, but it’s also a much different way of reading your on-ball defender.

And that’s the adjustment Herro has made.

He isn’t waiting to see the big drop, then say “oh, I’m gonna hit *that* spot all game.” Now it’s him doing what he chooses, and forcing the defense to adjust to him.

Looking at the first two clips above, we see two possessions where his on-ball defender goes under the screen, almost indecisive on what to do next. And while his mid-range mastering is still the case, that was an indication all night to let that ball go when they fly under.

And yet, that three-ball was falling.

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Now, let’s move on to the second two clips, where we see the exact opposite. Defenders are flying way over the top of screens, and he immediately realizes it. He doesn’t run full speed to get away from the defender that’s out of the play. He just calmly dribbles as Bam slots into his spot on the roll, and an easy bucket comes out of it.

Or, as seen in the final clip, he can do what he does best and operate downhill with a ton of space against a big in that deep drop. Easy floater comes out of it, and an easy takeaway comes out of it.

These reads Herro is making as a scorer are brand new. Like I said, defenses aren’t dictating his shot profile, he’s dictating the defense.

Tyler Herro picking how to score, while Kyle Lowry picking when to score

Herro’s adjustment has been picking how to score against certain coverages, but Kyle Lowry continues to make the slow shift into when to score. And clearly, nobody was ever worried about that.

We know what Lowry is at this stage, and play-making and defense are going to come first. But don’t let that discredit his scoring ability, since even though it wasn’t dropping early in the season, it is now.

Taking a scan through some of his buckets from his 20 point triple-double masterpiece, the thing to focus on is the scoreboard. Why is that? Well, it continually felt like his points came when they were needed most.

Either following a Jazz scoring run or during a rough offensive possession, he always comes through.

If there’s one thing that truly sticks out about Lowry as a scorer, it’s that he picks those moments better than most players in this league. He can just sense when the guys around him are leaning on him to pull through, and that’s when he will let that ball go.

And combining these past two points, it’s what makes the Lowry-Herro minutes so interesting. These adjustments allow them to pick their offensive moments without stepping on each others toes, which is intriguing for a new combo that has no previous relationship.

When I asked Lowry after the game if Herro’s scoring is still “surprising” to him, he responded, “No, it’s not. He’s playing extremely well, and we’re going to continue to need this. He got hot, he hit 6 threes. He’s just gotta continue to keep going, and I think we’re giving him the confidence to be him. And he’s gonna keep getting better and better throughout the season.”

The next adjustment on the drawing board is going to come way down the line, but it’s the question marks next to the eventual return of Victor Oladipo. A potential Herro-Dipo back-court can be in store, and I’m not talking about a starting lineup.

Obviously there’s still so much to work out in terms of timetable and overall ability once he returns, but either way, they don’t need a ton from him. Some defensive pressure, an extra initiator, and a guy to take some pressure off Herro.

And per usual, Coach Spo will be ready to tackle that next rotational adjustment.

 

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