“He don’t play any defense”: Heat prepare for Games 3 and 4 at home

Tyler Herro needs help if the Heat are going to avoid a sweep. They are down 2-0 to the Cavaliers as both squads prepare for Games 3 and 4 on Saturday and Monday. Donovan Mitchell has been the best player in the series because he’ll snap his fingers and take over, as he did with a 3-point carpet bombing in the fourth quarter on Wednesday.

After that game, Darius Garland was asked about the offensive approach, and he singled out Herro, saying they pick on him.

At Heat practice/media availability on Friday, Bam Adebayo had Herro’s back, saying the team took that personally. And Herro jabbed back at Garland’s comment, “Somebody who doesn’t play defense shouldn’t be talking.”

Interestingly, both players aren’t far off and are in the same tier of impact. Herro averages 3.3 extra points on the same effective field goal percentage, being the first option for his club, while Garland is second or third. Yet, Garland has him beat in playmaking for others with six fewer touches per game.

Since Garland is now the new frontrunner with the help of a stacked squad, he must ensure he outplays Herro the rest of the series and prevents the Cavaliers from hosting another game this round. 

Presumably, the two All-Star guards will have some moments in Game 3 of hunting the other down. It’s unclear whose bravado will lead to the downfall of their team, if at all.

Furthermore, Wiggins didn’t play in the fourth quarter of Game 2 but said he supported the team when asked how it felt. He only scored 10 points on 30% shooting in 28 minutes, with most of his guarding time on Mitchell and De’Andre Hunter. 

Naturally, his role on defense will tire most players quickly, but he can score more with higher efficiency. It’s hard to envision a path to victory in Miami without Wiggins rediscovering who he is. In the scrum after practice, Wiggins said he wants to stay assertive.

Adebayo needs to demand the ball, especially if the Heat are bleeding out defensively, like in the second quarter of Game 2, in which they gave up 43 points on 65.2% shooting. He is one of the top two athletes on the team, and he puts lots of pressure on a defense, attacking on a face-up move. Adebayo must pressure the paint to try to put one of the pivotal Cavaliers in foul trouble. 

Another significant matter:

Adebayo was asked why the Heat weren’t better at home (19-22). He briefly searched for an answer, saying, “We got Wiggs. We had that whole ordeal, but most of all, I feel like we couldn’t figure it out.” 

Well, well, well. That’s as close as he will get to blaming Jimmy Butler for quitting on the team. He’s too sharp to let the press know how he feels publicly.