The Dolphins' Jaelan Phillips has an Achilles tendon give out as he began to rush the passer in the second half against the Jets.

Pressure Point: Jaelan Phillips’ injury taints Dolphins’ win, renews turf complaints

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What should have been a feel-good win for the Miami Dolphins with a thorough trouncing of the rival Jets instead left a sickening aftertaste due to the loss of a defensive standout to an apparent serious leg injury.

The sight of Jaelan Phillips, who was blossoming into a dominant force as an edge player, being carted off the field after collapsing with an Achilles tendon injury without being engaged in contact turned a 34-13 win into a heartbreaker for the Dolphins on Friday at Met Life Stadium in the Meadowlands.

Until then the visual of the day was a spectacular 99-yard interception return by Dolphins safety Jevon Holland off a “Hail Mary” throw by the Jets’ Tim Boyle just before the end of the first half.

Curiously, it was 39 years to the day since the most infamous Hail Mary in the annals of Miami football. It was Nov. 23, 1984 that Boston College QB Doug Flutie uncorked a desperation heave that carried more than 60 yards and came down in the hands of his roommate Gerard Phelan with 6 seconds left to snatch victory from the Miami Hurricanes in a 45-41 thriller.

Flutie’s Miracle in Miami is often referred to as the “Hail Flutie”.

Jets flop with ‘Fail Mary’

Boyle’s ill-fated fling was quickly being referred to on social media as a “Fail Mary.” It was indicative of the failings of an inept Jets offense that has been reeling without direction since losing quarterback Aaron Rodgers to an Achilles injury in the season opener.

Rodgers’ injury occurred on the same Met Life Stadium artificial turf that been derided by players as a dangerous surface. There have been quite a few serious injuries attributed to the unforgiving surface there.

“It’s tough, especially playing on this turf,” Dolphins running back Raheem Mostert said after the game. “You saw what happened to Rodgers in the first game. We’ve got to do something about this turd. Obviously, it’s still a major problem. It just has to change.

“The reason why guys are against the [artificial] turf is there’s no give to the turf.”

Losing Phillips is a tough blow to a Dolphins defense that continued its resurgence with another dominant performance. The injury is devastating for Phillips who overcame injuries that nearly ended his football career in college.

Phillips’ injury stirs emotions

Before the injury, Phillips was having another outstanding game with four tackles, a sack, two quarterback hits, and three tackles for loss.

Later, Phillips tweeted: “Absolutely devastated, but I feel strength in knowing that this is all a part of God’s plan, and that I have an incredible team and support system around me. I’ll be back stronger than ever.”

Phillips, who the Dolphins drafted in the first round after one season at the University of Miami, has merged as a favorite not only of Dolphins fans but of teammates.

“He’s going to know that he’s loved and he’s missed, but we’re going to go out there and ball for him,” ~ Holland said in a TV interview immediately after the game.

Meanwhile, the signature play of the game was Holland picking off Boyle’s pass and weaving through through futile pursuit by the Jets. Vital because it followed Tua Tagovailoa throwing a pick-6 that cut the Miami lead to 10-6, putting the Jets back in the game despite managing only two first downs and 47 yards of total offense in the half.

Another Tua interception then set up Boyle’s ill-fated heave with 2 seconds remaining. Instead, Holland’s coast-to-coast dash made it 17-6 Miami at the intermission and the outcome was never in doubt after that.

“That was one of the best plays I’ve ever seen,” Dolphins wide receiver Jaylen Waddle said. “That was a crazy play that we needed.”

“That was very reminiscent of [hall-of-famer] Ed Reed,” coach Mike McDaniel said.

The Dolphins improved to 8-3 and are sitting pretty in the AFC East lead and as one of five three-loss teams in the conference.

Dolphins one of five three-loss teams in AFC

They were also 8-3 at this point last season before losing five in a row.

There is plenty of reason to feel better about their position right now. The next three weeks they face the 4-8 Commanders away, and the 3-7 Titans and the 4-7 Jets at home.

Miami’s fate in the regular season figures to be decided by the closing gauntlet of Cowboys, Ravens and Bills.

As in recent weeks, the Dolphins defense continued to impress more than the offense that was the talk of the NFL early in the season but has been erratic lately.

The defense had seven sacks and limited the struggling Jets offense to 2.9 yards per play.

Fins have things to fix on offense

Offensively, the turnovers were troubling and the health of the line continues to be a concern.

Star left tackle Terron Armstead left the game early with another injury. With backup Kendall Lamm also ailing, they had to call on the third choice of Kion Smith.

Nonetheless, I was glad to see McDaniel stick with the rushing game even though room to run was sparse against a tough Jets defense. The Dolphins averaged a mere 3.3 yards a carry in the first half. But they ended up with 167 yards and an average of 4.5, including two second-half touchdown by Mostert.

Most impressive was the 15-play, 92-yard drive that consumed nine minutes and put the game well out of reach at 27-6.

It must be a good sign that the Dolphins has progressed to where even lopsided wins get picked apart. But it’s tough to feel bad in any way about a rout of the hated Jets on the road.
Unfortunately, the injury to Phillips left a deep pain in the gut to the team and its fans.

Craig Davis has covered South Florida sports and teams, including the Dolphins, for four decades. Follow him on the site formerly known as Twitter @CraigDavisRuns.

Mateo’s Hoop Diary: Black Wednesday in the NBA

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On Thanksgiving, commissioner Adam Silver and head of basketball ops Joe Dumars are likely waking up to massive migraines because Steve Kerr has lost control of his team, and egomaniacal Gregg Popovich rebuked Spurs fans.

“I didn’t think Chris [Paul] deserved to be ejected,” Kerr said. “The first tech, absolutely. But the second one was unnecessary. Everyone gets frustrated out there, but that’s up to the official.”

In the last 25 seconds of the first half, Paul was switched onto Kevin Durant at the top of the key. He committed a foul defending a blowby, disagreed with it, and harassed crew chief Scott Foster until he was reprimanded for unsportsmanlike conduct, per the NBA’s Pool Report.

The 30th-year ref walked away, but Paul insisted on agitating him vocally and was quickly given a second T, also for unsportsmanlike conduct. Next, Foster was stalked, pointed at, and called a “bitch” repeatedly by the former president of the Players’ Association and supposedly fun-loving good neighbor. Then Kerr had the nerve to verbally undress Foster because he wasn’t going to take disrespect in front of thousands by Paul.

“That’s bullshit,” he yelled at least twice, subsequently getting dishonored with his own T.

There’s no word yet on how annoyed ABC is that little Timmy at home next to his parents had to witness a scene more appropriate for Jerry Springer on the Disney airwaves.

Devin Booker took three freebies before Durant could finish his trip to the charity line. Without the point goon, the Warriors were outscored by eight in the second half and lost 123-115.

The Warriors, a team already undermanned because Draymond Green put an MMA move on Rudy Gobert on Nov. 14, was 2-7 in its last chunk of matches before dueling in Phoenix. No matter to CP, whose drama needed precedent over a potential win on the road.

When it was his turn at the presser, he said it was personal. He also revealed a story about a meeting with a situation regarding his son attended by his father, coach Doc Rivers, Bob Delaney and Foster, when he was still a Clipper. “It’s still been a thing for a while,” he said.

He later repeated, “Don’t use a [technical foul] to get your point across.” But he ignored the one Foster made.

Well, well, well. What more proof is needed that the guy who got laid out by Green before last season (Jordan Poole) and was later shipped out unfairly wasn’t the problem? It’s not even Green. It’s Kerr. Under his watch since punch-gate, the Warriors have struggled in the regular season like they never had aside from two badly plagued injury years.

This is not to say he’s not a sharp strategist, but his voice must be lacking bass since his guys just can’t worry about the game.

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Kawhi Leonard steps to the line for a deuce and is serenaded with boos from his old supporters with three minutes left in the first half. Here comes holier than thou Pop, hijacking the PA announcer’s microphone, claiming it’s indecent to boo the man whose reputation he destroyed in town. Spectators rushed to gush online, and ESPN’s coverage in Español stopped short of labeling him a folk hero.

At the postgame presser, he said his announcement was about not “poking the bear.” As if the Clippers, who had demolished the Spurs twice for a combined 65 points before Wednesday night, needed his help.

Here’s the deal: As Peter Vecsey broke on the Duke Loves Rasslin Show, Pop tried to bully Leonard into playing while hurt and risk his future earning potential in the process so he could drag Manu Ginóbili and Tony Parker through one last blaze of glory. By that time, counting the impact of NBA years, the OGs were as old as the current Rolling Stones.

Benedict Parker even mouthed off to the press that his quad injury was a “hundred times worse.” It’s clear to anyone that does their homework that Leonard was slandered by shills, Michelle Beadle (then on ESPN) and Bruce Bowen (then a CLIPPERS broadcaster), promoting the Spurs’ propaganda because he wouldn’t back down on his principles: playing hurt is for suckers and there ain’t much without respect.

A lot of San Antonians digested Parker, Beadle and Bowen’s crap, never questioning it because of blind allegiance to guess who?

“It’s got no class. It’s not who we are…,” Pop said.

And who is the coach to tell fans who paid good money how to express themselves if it’s within the rules? If he wanted to say anything profound, he should have divulged that he’s the man to boo.

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Mateo’s Hoop Diary: Undermanned Heat end Cavaliers’ four-game winning streak

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One hundred and thirty-nine nights after signing with the Cleveland Cavaliers, Max Strus hosted his old pals at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse and got showed up. Comically, he and Jimmy Butler aimed middle fingers at each other and then hugged before tipoff. The Heat, minus its two main centers and without Tyler Herro (out since Nov. 11), established control early and never conceded the lead.

The Cavaliers weren’t phased much early against man coverage, recording 26 points on 10 of 19 shots. Yet, it failed to stop Kyle Lowry from splashing five triples, a season-high, in the first quarter. He bombarded in transition and in the half-court at the wings when Cleveland over-helped. Thomas Bryant, Orlando Robinson and Butler each stole the ball and pushed the pace, racking nine fastbreak points.

Duncan Robinson guarded Strus around handoffs, forcing misses in the lane and at the wing. But the visitors’ biggest issue was Evan Mobley, who ran the floor for a putback in transition, scored from the dunker spot and took Butler off the dribble from the top to the cup.

Through 12 minutes, the Heat had a 37-26 lead, with Butler making a fifth of his tries. In the second quarter, Jaime Jaquez Jr. stormed Jarrett Allen in drop coverage for an eight-foot floater, hit a turnaround hook over the same guy (who has a five-inch height advantage) on the next possession, then connected on a left-wing catch-and-release triple when the closeout was late. Josh Richarson supplied two additional trifectas and a fadeaway over two-way rookie Craig Porter Jr., as the Heat’s next scoring leader of the quarter.

Still in the second, Miami forced seven more giveaways that turned into 10 extra points off mistakes and recovered three offensive rebounds that developed into nine second-chance points.

Strus finally got loose in each corner when Miami sagged off, and Mobley cracked the zone in the middle and slammed a lob from Darius Garland. Yet, on one play before intermission, Heat guard Dru Smith hurt his right leg when it landed to the side of the elevated court by the Cavs’ bench. His night ended there, and he was helped to the locker room.

At halftime, Miami led 69-55, with 21 points scored off Cleveland’s blunders and 14 assists to 4 turnovers.

In the third, Butler missed four attempts in a row but contributed by attracting extra attention on drive for the kickout triple to Haywood Highsmith and found Lowry for two supplemental 3-pointers. JJJ burned the Cavs with a corner tray when Cleveland scrambled after blitzing Lowry up top, then drove at Emoni Bates’ chest for a layup.

Defensively, the Heat forced four fresh turnovers when doubling and playing tight in single coverage. A steal by O. Robinson on Caris LeVert off a blitz angered the Cavalier so much that he verbally went at referee Brandon Adair and created a five-on-four for Miami and was hit with a technical foul. He kept going, then official Gediminas Petraitis issued his second, and he was gone.

At the start of the final interval, Cleveland’s coach J.B. Bickerstaff gave up, putting out four bench players on the court with his club down 22. Three of those four ( Damian Jones, Sam Merrill and Emoni Bates) are his bottom-shelf options.

Miami took a 30-point lead within minutes and finished the fourth quarter, making 11 of 19 baskets.

The Heat won 129-96. Lowry had 28 points on 60% shooting, and Jaquez had 22 on seven of 10 attempts.

When asked about Adebayo’s absence, Lowry said in his on-court interview that his center is irreplaceable but that he and the squad needed to get more open shots up regardless of him being out. “Tonight, we got an opportunity, and we didn’t pass them up.”

At the postgame presser, Spoelstra said there wouldn’t be an update on Smith until the team could do a scan. He also praised O. Robinson and Bryant’s minutes filling for #13. “We have more depth at those frontcourt positions than we’ve had probably in some of the previous years. We just really commend Thomas and [O. Robinson] for staying ready. This league is not easy when you are worthy enough to play and you are not playing….Both of those guys gave us great minutes.”

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Mateo’s Hoop Diary: Heat bounce back in Chicago, going 1-1 in miniseries

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Two nights after the Heat’s fourth-quarter meltdown in Chicago, Zach LaVine’s insouciance assisted the visitors in trouncing the Bulls. Bam Adebayo and Duncan Robinson carbonized opponents from the outside and in. And the bench mob thwacked the hosts, outscoring the rival reserves 42-21.

The Heatles were on track to log 129.7 points per 100 possessions, but garbage time began early, and luckily for the home fans, it only got 91 opportunities.

Robinson swished 11 points in four minutes off catch-and-shoot trays in the wings and corners, plus a fastbreak layup. Jimmy Butler exploited LaVine in the post and hit a running baby hook in the lane. It wasn’t quite like Magic Johnson nailing the hook versus the Celtics in Game 4 of the ‘87 Finals, but still impressive in front of Torrey Craig.

Defensively, the Heat gave up two triples early because of miscommunication and not picking up the shooter before the catch. It also surrendered the midrange through pick and pop and dribble penetration.

In the second quarter, Miami deployed its 2-2-1 press to slow down Chicago’s offense up the court and the 2-3 zone, tempting poor shots. DeMar DeRozan and Patrick Williams recorded four consecutive baskets for Chicago, but following that, Miami held the Bulls to five of 16 makes to close the half. In that stretch, the Heat contested cleanly from deep, installed strict drop coverage in man defense, blitzed the ball handler, and Butler denied Alex Caruso’s putback by sticking it to the glass.

On the attack, Kevin Love splashed three triples straight away. Jaime Jaquez Jr. got DeRozan off him in the corner with his jab step, canning a trifecta, then took LaVine off the dribble to the cup and hit a fader in the low post over Coby White. And Adebayo logged a floater in the lane against the zone and slammed a lob through the middle from JJJ when DeRozan and Andre Drummond doubled the ball.

At halftime, the Heat was up 65-53, with nine points off turnovers and 29 supplied by the bench. In contrast, the Bulls’ reserves had 13 on the scorecard and, as a unit, just 14 in the paint. Of course, LaVine, over his Chicago tenure at everyone’s expense, provided a deficient four attempts.

In the third quarter, Butler missed a few close-range baskets and two outside the paint, but his teammates carried him. Adebayo destroyed Nikola Vučević with his jumper at the elbow and drove at him. Kyle Lowry bailed out a broken possession with a left-wing 3-pointer and made another in the corner when Butler attracted four Bulls.

For Chicago, LaVine’s lethargy waned, barely, taking four triples and making two but still refusing to attack the basket in over 10 minutes. DeRozan, Vučević and White kept the hosts from getting humiliated by the invaders, as they combined for seven of 14 shots.

The Heat started the fourth with a 12-point lead. Robinson delivered the first blow, curling behind Adebayo for a corner triple, then hit two more on the wings. Jaquez recovered two offensive rebounds that turned into one of D-Bo’s bangers and a dunk for Adebayo.

In the last interval, the Heat’s offense struggled, making 38.9% of its ventures. For the season, it is averaging 40.7% efficiency with 3.6 turnovers. But the defense permitted Chicago 19 points on 40% shooting and forced five giveaways.

Coach Erik Spoelstra used only three starters in the fourth- Haywood Highsmith, Robinson and Adebayo. From the bench, Caleb Martin and Josh Richardson played every minute, while Dru Smith and Orlando Robinson entered in garbage time.

The Heat won 118-100. It pulled down 55.2% of available rebounds and scored 12 second-chance points.

Love handled the on-court interview. He said part of the game plan was about getting stops in transition. “We [feel] like our defense continues to trend in the right direction, and if we get stops, if we just play with pace, there’s so many good things that can come out of that…”

In the presser, Spoelstra referenced Saturday’s match and said there is an opportunity for improvement after tough losses. “We were all very disappointed how the fourth quarter went the other night. We felt we were in control for a large part of the game and ended up losing the game. That can humble you and it’s really [about] the approach after that. I thought we had a very professional [practice] to try to get better at those things that had been costing us some of these fourth-quarter leads…”

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Jalen Ramsey seals the win for the Dolphins with a leaping interception, his second of the game.

Pressure Point: Rise of defense bodes well for Dolphins’ late-season hopes

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The most positive aspect of the Miami Dolphins’ gritty 20-13 win over the Las Vegas Raiders was that the players most responsible for the outcome weren’t named Tua, Tyreek or Raheem.

Instead it was a superlative defensive effort led by Jalen Ramsey, Bradley Chubb, Jaelan Phillips, Christian Wilkins and Zach Sieler. But really, there were honorable mentions throughout defensive coordinator Vic Fangio’s unit, which repeatedly bailed out a mistake-prone offense, that won the day.

The defense limited the Raiders to two field goals off of three Dolphins turnovers, two of them in Miami territory.

It took fourth-quarter interceptions by Phillips (aided by Wilkins hitting quarterback Aidan O’Connell) and Ramsey to finally put away a Raiders team that has been revitalized under interim coach Antonio Pierce.

It was arguably the most significant result so far for the 7-3 Dolphins. Much more than the 70-20 shellacking of the Broncos or any of the other one-sided wins in the first half of the season.

It bodes well for Miami in what lies ahead over the final seven games of the season. Because a stalwart defense is going to be essential during a stretch run that includes the Jets (twice), Cowboys, Ravens and Bills, as well as the Titans and Commanders.

Ramsey saves day for Dolphins

There is every reason to have faith in a Miami defense that has been trending upward in recent weeks, particularly since the return of Ramsey, who showed All-Pro form with two interceptions, including a spectacular acrobatic grab in the end zone that finally extinguished Vegas hopes.

“I’m really hoping they throw at him, honestly. I mean, both interceptions were out of control in difficulty level,” Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel said of Ramsey. “I think the whole team has gotten a little bit better to a degree since he’s been on our team or since he’s been back and that’s the type of effect that players of that caliber can have on people.”

It was all needed on an uncharacteristic day for the offense. Yes, Tua Tagovailoa threw for 325 yards and two touchdowns. But he also lost a fumble and threw an interception.

Tyreek Hill dazzled as usual, with 146 yards on 10 receptions, including a 38-yard runaway touchdown.

But Miami struggled to get the running game going. Exciting rookie De’Von Achane was lost early to another knee injury. Starting right guard Robert Hunt was out with an injury.

Raheem Mostert averaged a subpar 3.9 yards a carry in grinding out a tough 86 yards. But he couldn’t make enough headway on the final two drives when the Dolphins could have put the game away, and instead punted both times.

Mistakes hamper Dolphins offense

In fact, Miami punted on all three of its possession in the fourth quarter before the game-ending kneel down.

It was the defense that got the job done in impressive fashion. In the second half, Raiders possessions ended with three punts, three interceptions and a failed fourth down.

No wonder I felt most confident in Miami’s chances when the defense was on the field. The only blemish was allowing Davante Adams to get deep for a 46-yard touchdown pass from O’Connell. Otherwise, the Dolphins limited Adams, a likely future hall-of-famer, to 36 yards on his other six catches.

It sure helps having elite cornerbacks Ramsey and Xavien Howard, with 10 Pro Bowl selections between them, finally on the field together and performing as envisioned.
No. 3 corner Kader Kohou had one of his better games, including breaking up a third-down pass for Adams and a tackle for a loss.

Standout emerge on defense for Dolphins

Meanwhile, linebacker Bradley Chubb has emerged as a major disrupter and dominant force of the front seven, effectively quieting criticism of his lackluster performance in his first partial season with Miami after being acquired from Denver and given a $110 million extension in November 2022. Reunited with Fangio, Chubb has five sacks in the past five games.

“I think that there’s a lot of very prideful, very high-quality players on that side of the ball, and you figure it’s just a matter of time with the way that our defense is orchestrated from a coaching perspective, starting with Vic [Fangio],” McDaniel said about the improvement of the defense.

Cohesive defensive effort stymies Raiders

What stood out Sunday was an overall cohesive effort by an improving Miami defense that came into the game ranked 12th in the NFL in total defense, allowing an average of 322.4 yards per game. They limited the Raiders to 296 yards.

But most important, the Dolphins defense pitched a much-needed shutout in the second half while the offense managed only two field goals after the intermission.
Ramsey was asked after the game if he feels this is a defensive team now?

“No, no, I don’t never like to say nothing like that. It’s just a team. We’re all together. At times they’re going to have our back, at times we’ve got to have their back,” Ramsey said. “We do have to play a little bit better complementary football at times, and we’ll continue striving to do that and be that team that we feel like we can be.”

That is what it will take to hold onto the AFC East lead and with the division for the first time in 15 years in the face of a challenging finish to the season.

Dolphins can’t quell doubts as comeback fizzles in Frankfurt

Craig Davis has covered South Florida sports and teams, including the Dolphins, for four decades. Follow him on the site formerly known as Twitter @CraigDavisRuns.

Mateo’s Hoop Diary: Duncan Robinson keeps showing improvement

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Duncan Robinson is back and better than ever. Through 12 games, he’s averaging 14.3 points on 46.3% shooting and 38.9% deep efficiency while pressuring defenses from more spots. From having his minutes gashed to being out of the rotation, he’s now a mainstay, and it won’t change as a starter or reserve.

On Thursday, the Brooklyn Nets visited the Kaseya Center for a rematch with the Heat 15 days after it won the first game in the same territory. Robinson connected on six of 10 long-range missiles from all around the perimeter. Mystifyingly, Brooklyn’s Cam Johnson sagged off him at the right corner when Kyle Lowry ran pick-and-roll with Bam Adebayo through the middle. The ball hit Robinson, who pump-faked Johnson out of bounds and swished a triple for Miami’s first basket after eight tries.

Before halftime, D-Bo made two more 3-pointers- on the break and the wing from a kickout pass. He also rejected Adebayo’s screen, darted into the lane and fed a cutting Jaime Jaquez Jr. for a layup inside the semi-circle.

In the third quarter, Robinson recovered a loose ball tip-off, raced toward the opposing wing and pulled up accurately from 28 feet away.

In the fourth, a dribble handoff by Adebayo on the right side set up another tray, plus he made another on the left wing when the ball swung back to him. His last two buckets were a layup and one in reverse.

He finished the night as the Heat’s second-best player in the 122-115 win with 26 points on eight of 14 shots and 60% efficiency from deep. Jimmy Butler totaled 36 on his scorecard, almost making two-thirds of his attempts. The Heat is on its longest winning streak since the 2018 regular season.

Thursday’s work was just more of the same this year for Dunc. He was the first name considered when Tyler Herro sprained his right ankle in Memphis because, up to that point, he was logging 10.4 points per game and splashing 40% of his trifectas. Yet, most importantly, his swag was back. He validated coach Erik Spoelstra’s decision to start in Herro’s absence, registering 20.3 points nightly (4 games) on 40.5% of 3-pointers hoisted.

Over the last four games, Robinson is fourth in distance traveled by forwards on offense. His movement opens the attack, and now that a third of his attempts come inside the arc (up from 19% last season), he’s no longer a one-dimensional player. On top of that, his scoring average increased by 6.9 points, and his effective field goal percentage sits at 59.3, up from 50.4 in 2022-23.

No one in Miami will ever forget how he welcomed the No.1 overall pick, Victor Wembanyama, into the league on Nov. 12 in San Antonio. He dusted the rookie with Steve Smith’s half-spin hesitation to get inside for a layup and pump-faked him away before canning a triple in his face.

The story about Robinson used to be that if he wasn’t making threes at a high clip, he was useless. It’s no longer true because, aside from adding to his arsenal, he’s not an awful defender anymore. This season, he’s spent the most time on defense (68 minutes), bothering forwards, holding them to 45% shooting.

After the win against the Nets on Thursday, Robinson said in his on-court interview, “We got a good thing going right now, playing together…”

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Mateo’s Hoop Diary: Draymond Green hit with lite punishment

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Must we witness more tackles, squeezed windpipes, gouged eyes, crushed testicles, stomped rib cages and assaulted teammates so the NBA’s chief disciplinarian, Joe Dumars, cracks down on Draymond Green?

Affirmative.

A five-game suspension for suspension no.5 was mandated for him after he rear-naked choked Rudy Gobert fewer than two minutes into Golden State’s bout with Minnesota. The league also said that his previous incidents influenced the decision.

Yet he’s still very lucky. Most “castigating” measures in his career have been a slap on the wrist and they’ll continue as long as he’s enabled by coach Steve Kerr.

It shouldn’t go unnoticed, either, that when dealing with a bigger man, Draymond prefers to take him from behind.

Five games off is disrespectful to Gobert and the Timberwolves. Had anyone tried to suffocate another at league headquarters in Olympic Tower, they would have been cuffed, thrown in the wagon, and barred from any NBA territory.

Nobody should be convinced this will teach Green. Missing a handful of games isn’t enough to hurt his pocketbook or enough to make everyone around him wise up about how much his tomfoolery hurts them. It didn’t matter that he wasted away a championship and ran two of their own out of town. I wouldn’t hold my breath, but after getting extended for four years at $100 million, he’ll likely get worse until the commissioner says, “No mas.”

After watching Tuesday evening’s embarrassment, commish Adam Silver should have got creative and said, “I got this,” exercising Article 35 from the NBA’s Constitution.

“The Commissioner shall have the power to suspend for a definite or indefinite period, or to impose a fine not exceeding $50,000, or inflict both such suspension and fine upon any player who shall have been guilty of conduct that does not conform to standards of morality, or fair play, that does not comply at all times with all federal, state, and local laws, or that is prejudicial or detrimental to the Association.”

Starting at 15 games would have been appropriate. Of course, he wouldn’t because it would likely set up a showdown with the Players’ Union and undercut Dumars, who already failed to do his job by not suspending Green for a dangerous push in the back on Donovan Mitchell in Saturday’s game against the Cleveland Cavaliers. On the break, Mitchell hit the brakes and didn’t tumble into the TV cameras.

Perhaps he was reprimanded privately, but publicly, Green was defended by his coach, claiming Gobert, who was trying to separate Klay Thompson and Jaden McDaniels from an entanglement, was getting in on the action. Kerr should have said “no comment” to any questions about the scuffle, or taken the fine for not showing up. His reckless wording is enough for Green’s cult followers to look the other way or say, “Wouldn’t you want a teammate who will have your back?”

Indeed, most would. But Thompson was in as much danger as someone pounced on by a golden retriever. It was obvious to everyone but Green, who targeted a man he’s publicly made fun of and toed the line with on the court. Remember when he mocked Gobert for crying because he didn’t make the 2019 All-Star team? Green is the type of hater to ridicule things people care about and hypocritical enough to say head injuries are too severe to be joked about, then aim for Gobert’s.

He’ll be back in time for a rendezvous with Golden State’s first-round opponent, the Sacramento Kings, on Nov. 28. The games he’s missing are against the Oklahoma City Thunder (twice, 7-4), Houston Rockets (6-3), Phoenix Suns (5-6) and San Antonio Spurs (3-8).

Aside from thwarting the Warriors, the suspension hurts Green’s efforts to catch Rasheed Wallace’s technical foul record (41) set in 2001. Hopefully, he can learn restraint, and if he does, the games he shows it might mean more in his career than any other achievement.

 

Mateo’s Hoop Diary: Heat win in Group Play for the In-Season Tournament in Charlotte

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Buzzing in Charlotte for its second In-Season Tournament game in Group Play, the Heat overcame a porous defensive start to hold off the Hornets, winning six in a row behind Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo’s dominion.

In the first quarter, the Hornets stung the Heat on half its attempts and drew three fouls in three minutes on Kyle Lowry that benched him until the next half. Pick-up points to take away the 3-point shot weren’t set for Miami, resulting in PJ Washington lighting them up for a dozen.

But Butler was assertive early, attacking drop and single coverage for 11 points on five of six tries. Duncan Robinson was still burning from the weekend’s back-to-back wins and nailed two 3-pointers when his cover was caught ball-watching. And the defensive firm Adebayo and Haywood Highsmith forced LaMelo Ball into six misses at short and long range.

The Heat installed its 2-2-1 press to slow down the ball in the second quarter, and Highsmith stole it in Charlotte’s territory for a pick-6. He took over the game with 10 points, a block on Théo Maledon at the elbow and two more takeaways, reaching in when Ball spun past him and poked it loose when Ish Smith dribbled by.

Adebayo faced-up Nick Richards in the post for a quick drive-by and slammed the rock over Smith. Butler set up Highsmith in the corner and Thomas Bryant below the rim, plus buried a near half-court shot to end the half.

At intermission, the Heat was ahead 57-48, with 14 points scored off turnovers and 26 in the lane. Taking care of the ball had allowed Miami four extra cracks at the goal.

In the third quarter, the visitors registered 30 points on 56.3% shooting without a 3-pointer. Butler earned multiple charity line trips after getting fouled on rim attacks. Adebayo danced into the paint for two fadeaways and a layup in pick and roll assisted by Robinson.

But the Heat’s arc protection collapsed in man coverage and the 2-3 zone, allowing five of nine trays to fall. Washington also supplied six more points for Charlotte off a putback, a driving hook when beating Butler off the dribble and a layup from a baseline curl.

The Heat was up seven points to start the fourth but tallied its first four of 13 baskets. Trying to capitalize, Washington scored eight, and Ball added nine more to his scorecard on 37.5% shooting but committed three ruinous turnovers.

Butler got to the line a few more times. Adebayo supplied four more points. But Jaime Jaquez Jr., bailed out his teammates with baskets on the break, baseline and from deep.

Miami won 111-105. The only Heatles to play all of the fourth quarter were Adebayo, Jaquez and Josh Richardson.

Butler finished with 32 points, making 71.4% of his field goals, with five assists and four rebounds. And Adebayo had 21 on half of his shots, plus 11 rebounds.

JJJ was tasked with the Bally Sports TV inquiry on the court. He said his first perfect road trip with the team felt “pretty good” and that he’s looking forward to getting back to Miami. When asked about the defense, he said, “We’re all just bought into the defensive end of the floor, trying to do what we can to get stops. It gives a lot of fuel to our offense going the other way.”

At the press conference, coach Erik Spoelstra said he rolled with Jaquez in the fourth quarter because of his grit and mental/emotional stability. “He’s learning things, he typically doesn’t make the same mistake twice…He’s earned the trust of the staff, but more importantly, he’s earned the trust of his teammates. They feel comfortable with him out there, and he knows how to fit in. Defensively, he can do a lot of different things, which fits into our system.”

Mateo’s Hoop Diary: Spoelstra’s Spoilers deliver the Spurs fifth consecutive loss

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The percolating and undermanned Heat visited the Spurs and gave the 7-foot-4 Victor Wembanyama another warm welcome to the league, forcing him to play half his size. Yet, the Heat’s offense was disorganized, its glass protection was feeble, and it fell behind significantly in the first half without Tyler Herro and Kyle Lowry from the main rotation. But en route to the finish line, the match was tied seven times, with 10 lead changes before the Heat, winners of five straight, took control of the fourth quarter.

Miami was frozen in the first interval, making six of 23 attempts and at one point bricking 10 consecutively. The Spurs bothered jump shots, deployed drop coverage and allowed zero fastbreak baskets. After one period, the hosts led 29-15, holding Jimmy Butler and Duncan Robinson without a field goal in seven tries.

Early in the next frame, Keldon Johnson’s block on Jaime Jaquez Jr. set up a fastbreak triple to Malaki Branham, extending the Spurs’ lead to 19 points. Then, amid a 15-0 run, Robinson got loose for a layup down the middle and two trifectas over Doug McDermott. Butler rolled, faced up and hit a long-range bomb to register his first baskets. And Adebayo attacked Zach Collins in the lane for multiple finishes.

San Antonio’s Wembanyama made four of eight shots inside the arc but missed all six 3-point attempts in the first half, bailing out the Heat. He was defended by Adebayo, Kevin Love and Thomas Bryant, with a hint of 2-3 zone.

Miami cut the deficit to 50-53 at halftime, scoring 10 points off turnovers, seven on second chances and taking eight more shots at the line.

In the third quarter, Miami’s Beach Boy (Love) fired over Cedi Osman in the corner, pump-faked Wemby into oblivion at the top of the key to get free for a layup, and then hit another banger in the kid’s face on the left wing.

Yet, Miami’s 3-point defense slipped by unnecessarily helping away from the corners and losing track of the screener, off-setting its progress, as it permitted seven of 12 to fall.

In the fourth quarter, the Spurs converted its first four tries through PNR, a post-up and a lane jumper to regain an eight-point advantage. The Heat countered with 11 makes of its last 16 shots, engaging in a standoff 150 miles from the border.

Robinson schooled Wembanyama, blowing past him on the baseline for a layup in transition and faking him in the air for a left-wing triple. Additionally, Adebayo logged three elbow jumpers, a hook and a putback. And Richardson put down the Spurs with Miami’s last five points- a top-of-the-key jumper in front of Wembanyama and a fadeaway over Devin Vassell at the left hash mark.

Coach Erik Spoelstra’s Spoilers won 118-113, scoring 33 points off turnovers and 13 on second opportunities. Robinson finished with a season-high of 26 points on 50% shooting, with four assists and five rebounds. Adebayo had 24 points, 11 boards and six dimes.

Postgame, Robinson was interviewed on the court and said the Heat wanted to get greedy, winning two on the road. When asked about the work done on his handle, he added that he doesn’t want to be one-dimensional. “[I’m] just trying to grow as a player, be a little more dynamic than just shooting threes. Obviously, with guys out, too, responsibilities shift. [I’m] just trying to step in and then help us win.”

The Heat completed its second back-to-back set of the season, winning in Atlanta and San Antonio. The group failed in its first against Boston on Oct.27 and Minnesota on Oct. 28. Its record improved to 6-4.

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Mateo’s Hoop Diary: Heat’s skeleton crew overwhelms the Hawks

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The Heat’s skeleton crew visited the Hawks in Hotlanta, neutralized Trae Young and snatched the Southeast division lead, capping off four dubs in a row. Without Jimmy Butler (personal reasons), Tyler Herro (ankle sprain), Caleb Martin (knee tendinosis) and R.J. Hampton (knee injury), the Heat punished the Birds from the inside and out, logging its highest-scoring opening period of the season (41).

Bam Adebayo swished his initial four jump shots from midrange over Clint Capela and De’Andre Hunter. Duncan Robinson was the receiver on two fastbreak baskets. And Jaime Jaquez Jr. scored, rebounded and assisted twice while pestering his matchups.

The visitors contested jumpers on time, allowing the Hawks two field goals in half the quarter while keeping length on Young. Even with the defense slipping in the last few minutes, allowing three trifectas to fall, the Heat still held a 30.7 percentage lead in field goal efficiency.

In the second quarter, Miami flashed its 2-3 zone with man-to-man coverage but conceded baskets on half of Atlanta’s attempts. What bailed them out was playing at breakneck speed, forcing nine turnovers, Adebayo’s unblemished stroke, Jaquez producing 10 more points plus a steal, and Dru Smith wreaking havoc as a help defender with a block and a takeaway under the basket.

At halftime, the Heat was ahead 63-52, with 10 points scored off turnovers, seven off second opportunities and eight on the break. Its primary concern was stopping Dejounte Murray, who, despite a hand in his eye or a man on his hip at close range, finished four of six tries.

In the third frame, Josh Richardson rediscovered his jumper and got to the cup for a layup. Kyle Lowry converted two 3-pointers against Atlanta’s zone and ripped Murray’s defensive rebound. And Jaquez scored twice, posting up Young and Murray.

Miami had 30 points in the interval, but Atlanta matched it, capitalizing on seven possession changes that turned into nine points. Murray continued dazzling, blowing past Jaquez from the top to the hoop, shooting over Robinson, beating everyone on the break and splashing two extra triples.

In the fourth quarter, the Heat’s offense manufactured 24 points on 29.4% shooting. It also committed five more turnovers off sloppy passes and a traveling violation on JJJ. But Adebayo kept it under control, earning three trips to the charity line, not missing and recovering eight rebounds.

For Atlanta, Young finally cracked Miami’s code, adding 14 to the scoreboard. Miami held the rest of his team to 33% efficiency in the fourth.

With three minutes left and the Heat up 13, the Hawks intentionally hacked Haywood Highsmith, a career 45.9% shooter at the line, twice. He made three of four and wasn’t disrespected again.

The Heat won its second game on the road 117-109. Adebayo clocked out with 26 points on nine of 12 shots, 17 rebounds, four assists, two steals and two blocks. Jaquez added 20 points with four dimes. And Lowry contributed 17 to his scorecard.

When questioned on the court postgame, Jaquez said everyone stepped up. “We had some guys missing…Every guy that gets an opportunity came up big for us tonight, and we’re just happy to get a win on the road.”

At the formal presser, coach Erik Spoelstra said at the pre-shootaround meeting, various Heatles were indicating through their body language that they wanted to be the ones to show out in Butler’s absence. “It was about collectively coming together and trying to get a tough win on the road… Throughout the roster, we had a lot of contributions. [Richardson] bounced back and had a really good game. He and Dru Smith, defensively, were fantastic whether we were in man [coverage] or zone.”