Mateo’s Hoop Diary: Catching up with the Heat

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Through nearly 2/5s of the season, Jimmy Butler hasn’t been himself on the court despite the Heat having a 19-13 record and sitting at fourth in the East. A year ago, the squad had a .500 winning rate after the same number of matches, while JB was ripping defenses at a 53.2% clip but appeared in 20 games. Now, he is attempting a career low in percentage of attempts at the rim and logging his least efficient campaign in a Heat uniform.

Injuries have been a factor. He’s been absent nine outings with rest, personal reasons, an ankle injury, knee tendinitis, and he recently missed four in a row with a calf strain. Then, in Saturday’s duel with the Jazz, he hurt his right foot, leaving midway through the third quarter, and he’s out for Monday’s meeting with the Clippers because of it.

At this rate, Butler, who is 34 years old, is on pace to record 62 games this season, which would be his second-lowest percentage since joining the team behind 2021-22. That isn’t ideal for a squad that should aim to secure home-court advantage through the first round, at least, but it hasn’t hurt them so far. The record in games without him is 5-3.

In the present campaign, Butler has arguably the best band ever put around him in Miami. Bam Adebayo is a top-three center. Tyler Herro keeps ascending. The group struck gold in the Draft, selecting Jaime Jaquez Jr. And Duncan Robinson has turned into a threat inside the arc, apart from being a lethal outside marksman. In theory, the cast of characters should allow him to age gracefully.

But is it that simple?

At Butler’s age, only 11 players in NBA history have averaged 20 points on 50% shooting in the Playoffs, per Stathead. Of course, he isn’t just a scorer, but the Heat are most dangerous when he looks to put the on-ball or backline defender in foul trouble.

Throughout his time in Miami, he has developed a “wait until the Postseason” reputation, and he’s lived up to it all but one year (2020-21). Yet, when he doesn’t look as sharp as he did in the losses at Milwaukee, Utah, and in defeats at Kaseya Center to the Nets and Cavaliers while tallying his lowest field goal percentage as a Heatle, it’s fair to wonder if accumulated mileage has caught up to him. Of current guys in the league, Butler is 10th in Playoff minutes.

It’s not strange that after 13 tours, he’s presumably downshifted from sixth to fifth gear. Exhibit A: Jaquez is currently the team’s best close-range threat, attempting 3.2 shots in the restricted area, converted at 69.6%. For reference, Butler logs 3.4 tries from 0-3 feet at 65.9%. His peak production rate in this category for Miami was 4.6 shots on 72.2% in 2020-21. Exhibit B: Last season, when Butler had one day of rest before a game (37 times), he would make 52.3% of the shots. In 2023-24, with the same time in between (15 times), he is converting 47.4% of tries.

Age showing its medusa-like face doesn’t mean he can’t take over. But it does signify that picking his spots probably means lowering the RPMs in the regular season more than ever. This is happening on the Lakers with LeBron James and on the Suns with Kevin Durant- both still produce loud numbers, but their impact isn’t the same. Heat supporters likely will not care if it buys Butler another prepotent Playoff showing that takes the group on another deep run.

Before that can happen, it must take care of business until the end of the year. The concern is that with Butler coasting, the Heat won’t get a high enough seed to host a series. In 2022-23, it was the first Play-In squad and second eight seed to make the Finals, but counting on another ride like that is unwise. It was historic for a reason.

A top-four spot would lessen the mental burden of starting a series in hostile territory.

Can the Heat get there?

There are 50 outings left. Nonetheless, the team is on pace to win 49 games. In the last two years, the fourth seed (Cleveland, Philadelphia) won 51 matches. Today, Miami and Orlando are tied for fourth place, with the former owning the tiebreaker.

The Knicks, two games out of the Heat’s spot, are also on the hunt after dealing for O.G. Anunoby (and in the long term if he extends, which is likely). What makes Anunoby special is that there aren’t 10 other dudes in the NBA who defend the other squad’s top perimeter player AND score 15 points nightly, as he does. The Heat still has two meetings left with the Knicks on Jan. 27 in New York and April 2 at home.

Herro and Adebayo are Miami’s leaders in scoring average, and their two-man connection is one of the strongest on the team. One of the next steps for coach Erik Spoelstra is making sure JJJ works well in a rotation with them because he is Butler’s expected successor.

Jaquez is first among rookies in minutes, second in steals, points in the paint, and third in assists, and made freebies.

However, negatively affecting the Heat’s effort to grab a top-four seed is inconsistent production at point guard. It’s part of the reason it can’t sustain leads, aside from being average at covering the 3-point line. Kyle Lowry is third in games played and fifth in minutes. These days he is only helping if his long-range jumpers are falling and with the occasional outlet pass. He only gets one paint touch per contest and is willing to reach on defense instead of staying with his man.

Josh Richardson will get his minutes gashed if he keeps getting torched on defense, too.

The team is depending on Caleb Martin (ankle sprain) and Haywood Highsmith (jaw contusion) being high-level contributors when they get back.

Considering injuries and deficiencies- aside from JJJ, Adebayo and Butler, the rest of the team can’t get into the paint as easily- the chances the Heat keep the fourth seed are around 40%. This team takes 38.5% of its looks from deep, 13.4% in the midrange and 48.1% in the paint. If any of those three are not puncturing the teeth of the defense, snatching a win becomes much more difficult by playing more from the outside.

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Mateo’s Hoop Diary: Kelly Olynyk and Jazz take down the Heat

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After missing four games in a row with a calf strain, Jimmy Butler hurt his right foot in his return as the Heat dueled with the rebuilding Jazz in Utah, changing leads 25 times before defeat. No squad was ever ahead by more than eight points.

Productive nights from Bam Adebayo and Tyler Herro couldn’t save the squad from former Heatle Kelly Olynyk, who showed up the visitors in the second half with inside finishes and eight feeds for his teammates.

Nikola Jovic started at power forward, and RJ Hampton got his second consecutive start at point guard, but each played less than 10 minutes. Kyle Lowry (head contusion), Caleb Martin (ankle), and Josh Richardson (back) were absent.

Herro hit four of Miami’s first six baskets, attacking the low man in the zone and pulling up from midrange. The rest of his teammates converted six of 14 baskets in the interval, but the obvious missing ingredient to the offense was Butler, who didn’t have a field goal attempt.

In the second quarter, Butler logged nearly the last eight minutes but only made one basket- a catch-and-shoot jumper at the elbow- as the Heat made three of its final 10 buckets. The squad struggled to drain threes against the zone and in transition. If not for Adebayo’s sweet shooting in the lane, the evening would have turned ugly for the Heat earlier.

For the Jazz, Collin Sexton worked around screens, slicing into the paint like a freshly forged blade piercing flesh. Olynyk burned the Heat with a pump fake and drive to the basket, plus a deep jumper and a hook at close range.

At halftime, the visitors were down 53-54, having registered just four second chance and three fastbreak points. It had an edge in rebounding by four and free throw attempts by five, yet behind on field goals by 10. The reserve crew had 20 points, and Utah’s produced 26.

In the third quarter, Butler slipped a ghost screen for a three-foot layup assisted by Jovic and was fouled twice on a roll to the basket and transition attack. He then left with an injury to his right foot after almost six minutes and didn’t come back.

Still, in the third frame, the Heat supplied 35 points. Adebayo created contact by faking Lauri Markkanen and Walker Kessler into the air and driving through his man for free throw attempts. And Kevin Love, Duncan Robinson, Herro and Jovic each recorded a trifecta.

On the other side, the unexpected Heat killer was Simone Fontecchio, breaking Jovic and Robinson down with his dribble for layups.

In the fourth quarter, rookie Jazz man Keyonte George scored a dozen, cutting back door and lighting up the Heat with three triples. John Collins also hit two bangers- both at the right corner with Robinson and Adebayo contesting. Olynyk added four points and five dimes as the Heat went to a zone late.

The Heat’s offense fell apart in the fourth, notching a third of its tries and none from deep. Jaime Jaquez Jr. missed a five-foot layup that’s fallen all year and had another shot spiked by Fontecchio at the cup. The only Miami player to make more than one bucket in the period was Jamal Cain (three).

The Jazz won 117-109, led by Olynyk’s 19 points on eight of 12 shots, with 10 assists and six rebounds. Sexton scored 22 points, and George contributed 21.

After the game, Love embraced his old Cavalier teammates, Sexton and Markkanen, while Adebayo, and Robinson caught up with Kelly Olynyk and Ömer Yurtseven.

George handled the on-court interview. When asked about his scorching fourth quarter, he said, “It’s about staying ready…staying locked in. The ball went in for me tonight.”

Mateo’s Hoop Diary: Touring Heat trounce Warriors

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Searching for its fourth win in a row, the Miami Heat started RJ Hampton at point guard next to Tyler Herro, Jaime Jaquez Jr., Haywood Highsmith and Bam Adebayo, overpowering the Warriors at Chase Center. Jimmy Butler (calf), Kyle Lowry (soreness), Josh Richardson (back) and Caleb Martin (ankle) were all absent, but the group still supplied 60 points in the paint.

In the first six minutes, the Heat’s attack looked potent as Adebayo moved in the paint for multiple jumpers, and Herro plus Jaquez scored from inside and out. But then it bogged down, suffering a 5-16 run by Golden State to end the quarter as it made one of its last 13 attempts.

Subsequently, coach Erik Spoelstra subbed in Nikola Jovic all of frame two, and the Heat’s 2-3 zone held the Warriors to two of seven trays. The 2-2-1 press was also used to slow down the ball coming up court. In five minutes, Jamal Cain’s activity disrupted the hosts’ actions by playing like a free safety.

Offensively, the visitors erupted for 36 points as five Heatles recorded multiple baskets, yet comically, bucket-getting rookie Jaquez had no points but three dimes. Baseline cuts, transition dunks, corner triples and blow bys put the Heat ahead 57-51 at intermission.

Before quarter three, the Heat squeezed 12 points out of the Warriors’ nine turnovers and scored 30 in the box while making five of 14 triples. No turnovers, two fewer rebounds, and less trips to the line produced nine additional field goal attempts for the Heat. Herro and Adebayo combined for 25 points on 10 of 22 shots.

Then Jaquez put the guests in control. He bumped Brandin Podziemski away for a hook, spun past Jonathan Kuminga in the post, pump-faked Klay Thompson into the air and faded over him on the baseline, and pierced the Warriors’ zone for a four-foot layup.

And Cain, who had registered just 130 minutes for the season, added eight points, pivoting around Trayce Jackson-Davis for a layup, finishing on the break and scoring at the dunker spot.

The Heat entered the fourth quarter ahead 91-76. Defensively, the squad protected the 3-point line well, contesting all eight Warrior attempts, permitting one to fall. Cain checked Curry, forcing a failed long-two and was blown by and the next attempt, but Jovic, the help defender, influenced the miss at close range.

Golden State coach Steve Kerr kept Curry in less than seven minutes of the fourth.

The Heat’s offense logged 34.8% of its tries in the last interval, but it was just outscored by three.  It won on the road 114-102. The Heat scored 60 paint points on 30 of 51 ventures. Even with a quiet night from Duncan Robinson (five points), the reserves contributed 44 points in contrast to Golden State’s bench having 51.

At the postgame presser, Spoelstra said the team wanted to set the tone at the start of its five-game Western road trip. On the topic of Hampton, Cain and Jovic’s minutes, the coach was complimentary. “Without those three guys and their contributions tonight, we are not winning this game…”

In the locker room, Herro was asked about involving them, too. He said the guys have a “next man up mentality, being able to fufill [roles] for the guys who are out.”

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Mateo’s Hoop Diary: Heat hold off 76ers on Christmas Day

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The NBA’s fourth-slotted XMAS day matchup of 76ers @ Miami was more eventful than anticipated considering the absences of MVP Joel Embiid- a no-go with a sprained ankle for the visitors- and Jimmy Butler- out for the hosts because of an illness and calf strain. It didn’t matter. The 76ers got within striking distance late. The Heat were carried by rookie Jaime Jaquez Jr. And there was even an R.J. Hampton sighting.

Early, the Heat went down double digits because Kyle Lowry and Tyler Herro were exploited off the dribble, Jaquez was backed down by Tobias Harris and Caleb Martin failed to recover to the corner in time on a kick out to, again, Harris. But Jaquez and Bam Adebayo unbuttoned the offense for the Heat with a storm of inside cuts through the middle, post-ups, transition attacks and a pull-up jumper.

But the first to go down was Martin, who had five rebounds nearly eight minutes in. He hurt his right ankle, tracking a loose ball out of bounds. He labored through subsequent possessions, but coach Erik Spoelstra subbed Jamal Cain in, ending Martin’s night.

To start the second quarter, Lowry caught and elevated for a layup in the lane but got tripped by Harris, getting him clipped in the back of the head by Adebayo’s knee.

Cain issued a take foul on the following play, and Lowry wobbled on the way up with the help of his teammates. He wasn’t medically examined after almost getting knocked out. Apparently, someone needs to have a seizure from excess contact to the head for concussion protocol to take effect at Kaseya Center.

As the interval progressed, Tyrese Maxey, who missed six tries in the first, misfired over Cain and Hampton’s tentacles. Yet, Philadelphia’s backup center, Mohamed Bamba, converted six of seven shots from inside and out. His issue was failing to stop Herro’s floater and Kevin Love’s deep jumper.

Before halftime, Herro also hit a fall-away shot in the corner plus another on the same side over Kelly Oubre and cut through the center for a left-handed layup. Adebayo scored seven more points. And JJJ spun past Oubre for a close-range finish and scored again in transition.

At halftime, the Heat were ahead 63-49, with two points scored off turnovers, eleven on the break, four from second chances and 26 in the paint. Herro, Adebayo and Jaquez combined for 44 points on 17 of 30 attempts. In that span, the hosts held Philadelphia to 35.8% shooting.

In the third quarter, the Heat fell apart defensively, conceding 37 points in a weak zone and man coverage. Maxey was still struggling, but Oubre, Melton and Harris battered the Heat with triples and drive-bys.

In this frame, Herro bricked five trays as Philly contested cleanly after the catch. But Jaquez was depended on, canning an open corner trifecta, seizing the baseline for a layup and pulling up from 17 feet away.

Both squads were tied at 86 entering the fourth quarter and, because they couldn’t defend without fouling, were in the bonus with under eight minutes to go. Philadelphia made seven of 13 freebies, and Miami logged 13 of 14. Aside from that, Jaquez cut again on the baseline, this time for a dunk, plus swished a floater over Harris in the paint. And Adebayo scored three more baskets in the lane.

The Heat won 119-113, finishing with a 20-point rebound advantage and 10 more free throw attempts. In the half court, Miami scored 103.2 points per 100 of those plays, good enough for the 66th percentile of all games this season, per Cleaning the Glass.

Jaquez, who had a career night of 31 points on 11 of 15 shots and 10 rebounds, handled the on-court interview. He said, “It was a great team effort all around.”

At the postgame presser, Adebayo was also pleased. He said, “We got the W and that’s most important because Spo is still undefeated (9-0) on Christmas.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tyler Herro and Duncan Robinson lead the Heat over the Hawks

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Jimmy Butler missed his second straight game (sixth total), but Jaime Jaquez Jr. got the start, and the Heat downed the visiting Hawks with 122 points on 43.6% shooting from long range. Tyler Herro scored from everywhere, and Duncan Robinson carried Miami toward the finish line.

Early, Herro erupted for 14 points, easily blowing by Trae Young and then Clint Capela as the help shot blocker for a deuce. He also torched drop coverage and swished jumpers at the top of the key and corner.

Yet the protection was feeble, allowing Dejounte Murray and Young to combine for seven of eight tries through 12 minutes, dusting point-of-attack defenders and hurting the Heat’s drop. Multiple looks were deployed to stop Young, but no one could stay in front of him when he dribbled to the hole.

In the second quarter, JJJ channeled Butler on a catch-and-shoot jumper, a post-spin past Bogdan Bogdanović, plus a turnaround hook and layup over Capela. Center Bam Adebayo supplied three paint scores and covered multiple Hawks on each possession.

Defensively, the Heat were dreadful, permitting the Hawks to log 50% from the field and 40% from deep through two periods. The latter could have been much worse because Miami was late to contest some corner shots that missed.

At intermission, the Heat led 62-60, with 26 points scored in the box, eight off turnovers, seven via second chances and two on the break. Herro and Jaquez were in charge of Miami with 31 combined points on 12 of 18 ventures.

Next, the turd quarter returned as the hosts converted a meager six shots and committed six turnovers. Here, Herro and Adebayo made 25% of their shots. The only success the Heat had on offense was slowing down the match by getting to the line for 12 freebies. On defense, it shut down the scorching Bogdanović, who had 20 points in the first half, to a single make in six bids by sending the low man at his drive and contesting his jumpers.

In the fourth, Adebayo failed four more attempts, and Young had a flurry late, but Robinson took over. He feasted, canning two trifectas, a lane floater, a putback on the break after JJJ’s miss and a cut through the middle for a layup. Herro added nine points on 60% shooting.

The Heat won 122-113, recovering 52.4% of rebounds and allowing only 40 points in the paint. Herro and Robinson combined their scorecards for 57 points on 19 of 32 made baskets. Notably, the halfcourt offense scored 118 points per 100 plays in the set, good enough for the 93rd percentile of all games this season. In the last two quarters, Miami contained Atlanta to prosperity on 38.5% of its field goal efforts.

Herro assisted with Bally Sports’ on-court interview, saying his “twin,” Robinson, opened up the offense with precision and movement. “He made it easy on me. [Robinson] is the man.”

At the press conference, Young referenced Butler’s absence. “It really doesn’t matter who is in for [the Heat]” because the players move off the ball.

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Mateo’s Hoop Diary: Spoelstra’s Spoilers upset the Mystical Ones

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Up in central Florida in the palace of the Mystical Ones without Jimmy Butler, the touring Miami Heat crushed its hosts with 15 3-pointers on 51.7% shooting and severed Orlando’s long-range attack. The strongest push came in interval two as Tyler Herro, Bam Adebayo and Co. gorged the Magic’s defenses for 43 points on a dazing 16 of 22 tries.

“They came out and got after us early,” said coach Jamal Mosley postgame. “In that second quarter mainly, they hit a bunch of shots; we missed a ton that led to leak outs…”

Before the match, Orlando’s defense had held rivals to 47% of field goal attempts and 36.9% from deep.

Initially, the Magic logged eight of 13 attempts inside the arc in the first quarter on back door cuts plus pick and pop. Yet, for Miami, Herro unleashed the offense with a pair of triples and a left-side drive.

In the second quarter, he followed up with an unsoiled four attempts, getting into the lane for a floater, canning a tray on the break and swished two middies. Duncan Robinson contributed 10 points on three of four shots. And Haywood Highsmith supplied a dozen, too.

Defensively, the Heat contained the Magic’s 3-point shooting to two of eight makes in frame two, but in spurts it went to the zone, it was exposed on the offensive glass for a second chance.

Orlando’s Cole Anthony and Jonathan Isaac were Miami’s largest issues before intermission. The former blew by defenders for a baseline jumper, a top-of-the-key triple and three inside finishes. The latter recorded two layups, a dunk and a deep shot. Both combined for nine of 12 attempts through 24 minutes.

At halftime, Miami led 68-50, with 20 points in the paint, eight on the break, seven on second tries and six off turnovers. The visitors were behind on the glass by five, but the hosts turned the rock over five extra times, giving the Heat a handful of spare attempts.

In Herro’s second game back since busting his right ankle in November, he had 19 points with five assists and four rebounds. The rest of the club converted 19 of 37 ventures.

In the third quarter, the Heat locked up Paolo Banchero, forcing him to one of six makes on mainly shots outside of the lane while defended by Herro, Caleb Martin, Jaime Jaquez Jr, and doubled by Josh Richardson and Highsmith. Orlando still couldn’t buy anything from outside but used its size and speed to overwhelm the paint.

But in this period, Miami’s offense also stagnated to eight of 19 baskets, four turnovers and just four free throw attempts.

In the fourth quarter, the Heat coasted to a 23-point lead with five minutes left and were above 18 with three to go. But Orlando upped its RPMs, attacking the paint and offensive glass to cut the deficit to seven with 30 seconds left. Miami misfiring three jumpers, a freebie, and committing a late turnover didn’t help its cause, but it was too little too late for the Magic.

Miami won 115-106, escaping the new KIA Center with its ninth road victory of the season. Herro finished with 28 points on 59% shooting, seven dimes and eight rebounds. Adebayo had 18 on his scorecard with seven boards and two assists.

At the postgame presser, coach Erik Spoelstra said his group had a fruitful two days after reviewing the loss at home to the Minnesota Timberwolves. “We just went to work yesterday. [We] watched the film, watched some of the painful moments, watched some of the good moments and then got to work in practice and had a good productive morning.

“And there was a lot of respect for Orlando and what they’ve done early in the season. They [are] fourth in the East, [and] they have built a very good, disruptive defense and they’ve been great here at home. Our guys are well aware of that. We knew we’d have to play really well…”

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Mateo’s Hoop Diary: Hungry ‘Wolves takeover in second half

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The Minnesota Timberwolves upstaged Bam Adebayo and Tyler Herro’s return from two and five-week-long absences. In the second half, the Heat was shut down and couldn’t restrain Anthony Edwards from slicing the lane and spraying jumpers over defenders. It was a disappointing development for the hosts, who at one point led by 17 in the first half* against the West’s top team.

Yet, early, Herro converted four consecutive floaters attacking Gobert in drop coverage, showing zero signs of rust. Adebayo logged six points with his stroke and seizure of the lane. Jimmy Butler hoisted from deep and midrange, plus blew by Michael Conley on the baseline and powered past Nickeil Alexander-Walker into the square for a sweeping hook.

The Kaseya Center was electrified by the Heat’s 66 first-half points on 58.1% shooting. Jaime Jaquez Jr. only had three tries but made two with one bulldozing past Edwards for a bank shot. But the l precision had overshadowed poor ball protection as Miami lost it nine times in 24 minutes. Additionally, Minnesota scored freely against man and zone coverage.

At intermission, Miami was ahead by a dozen with 19 points scored off turnovers. Herro was its leading scorer with 17 on seven of nine shots, followed by Butler with 12 points and Adebayo’s 11.

In the third, the Timberwolves contested cleanly against Herro’s trays and stuck close to him for misses in the open court. The Heat were neutralized outside of the paint and held to 17 points, making 36.8% of attempts.

For Minnesota, Edwards pulled up on the left wing for a triple in Butler’s eye, accelerated past Herro in transition and hit a fader over Haywood Highsmith at the nail.

The fourth began with Miami up six, but then it had its worst defensive sequence of the evening, again late. Miami surrendered the corners twice, failed to stop dribble penetration, was beat on the break and caught on screens + mismatches. Also, coach Erik Spoelstra subbed Butler back in late, with under five minutes left in regulation. He had played the entire third frame, but in a close match, he was needed sooner.

With over a minute left and Miami down one, Karl-Anthony Towns soared over Butler on the baseline for Edwards’ missed triple, took a dribble, and flicked the rock to the uncovered Gobert for a lob.

Edwards took over in Butler’s house as Donovan Mitchell did on Dec. 8 when the Cavaliers stunned the Heat. Ant-Man supplied five of seven baskets and, in the crucible, canned a fadeaway over Josh Richardson in the post to give the ‘Wolves a three-point cushion with 25.6 seconds left.

Out of a sideline inbound, Adebayo fed Butler, who got loose to the right wing but was met by Anderson after the catch. With 22 seconds on the timer, Butler foolishly misfired into the hands of Gobert. The free throw formality followed, but Miami was done.

The Timberwolves won 112-108. Edwards finished with 32 points on 13 of 25 shots. Towns had 18 on his scorecard with eight boards.

For Miami, Herro logged 25 points on 55% field goal efficiency. Adebayo had 22 on 45% accuracy.

Coach Erik Spoelstra said postgame that Minnesota buckled down in the last two periods and that Rudy Gobert was a major deterrent for any actions run in the fourth quarter. As he continued, he mentioned how Edwards was unstoppable.

“[Edwards] was terrific,” Spoelstra said. “He did it in a lot of different ways, so it wasn’t as if we could send a second defender in every single situation…”

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Mateo’s Hoop Diary: Jimmy Butler sinks game-winner, and the Heat survive the Bulls’ fourth-quarter flurry

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What a surprise! The Heat are a sharp team when Jimmy Butler attacks from the jump.

In the first half, the Heat cruised to a 15-point lead over the Bulls behind Kevin Love’s five triples, Jimmy Butler’s assault of the rim, and Duncan Robinson setting up his teammates four times. Yet at the half, the hosts were ahead only by one as Chicago registered second opportunities + fastbreak scorers while Miami kept launching inefficiently in frame two.

Following Butler’s early storm, he was quiet in nearly six second-quarter minutes as Miami was getting lit up from deep because it abandoned the corners and right wing. Chicago’s Patrick Williams splashed three of four trifectas but, more notably, had a vicious jam over Jaime Jaquez Jr.

A promising start had fizzled into a laboring match due to a faltering offense, frustrating fans as the Heat closed the half on a 2-8 run in the last three minutes. At intermission, Miami led 58-57, with 10 points off turnovers. Its biggest weakness was protecting the defensive glass, permitting Chicago 43.5% of available offensive rebounds.

In the third quarter, the offense was powerless halfway through the period. Butler then recorded four of five field goals, curling around a pick for a jumper and attacking Cobi White twice and a fastbreak layup with the full-court assist by Love. White Hot’s next scoring leader of the quarter was Duncan Robinson, with triples behind a handoff at the top of the key and a pop after the screen on the right wing.

But for the Bulls, Williams continued his Kawhi Leonard impersonation. DeMar DeRozan maneuvered into the lane using high PNR and a double pick to pull up behind the line over JJJ. Yet, its spark plug, White, who was one out of seven from the court, wouldn’t activate until the last interval.

The Heat began the fourth quarter ahead by 11. Subsequently, it had its worst defensive sequence of the evening. White shredded the protections at the top from Highsmith and Butler, getting into the lane for layups and hoisting over openings for 18 points on six of eight attempts. DeRozan was outplaying Butler late, with an extra 11 on his scorecard, cutting through the zone, posting up on the block and driving past his Miami counterpart for a scoop layup plus the foul. The latter gave the Bulls its first lead of the quarter.

On the next possession, Kyle Lowry missed a left-wing 3-pointer, giving Miami its fourth-straight brick, but Caleb Martin bolted from the right side, elevating for a putback over Ayo Dosunmu and White. The Heat was now down 110-111.

Following Dosunmu’s missed layup over Lowry, Miami’s lead guard tried his runner through the middle. Nevertheless, Butler was there to clean up his miss, recapturing the lead with a putback. Twelve seconds later, White buried a tray on the left side when Butler over-helped in the center.

The Heat responded with Jaquez recovering Butler’s failed triple and cutting back through the lane for a dunk when the ball swung back to him. The visitors had a final answer: White speeding into the paint for a two-foot bank shot, claiming Chicago’s 116-114 lead.

Both teams went scoreless for the next minute. DeRozan, with possession, had his back turned at the left wing, then Butler swooped in, looting the ball and getting it to Lowry for a break lay-in. The Heat got the ball back for a last attempt after Nikola Vucevic failed to score past Love from the top to the cup.

After Butler picked up the defensive rebound, he dribbled up the court as the game clock ticked away by itself. First, DeRozan covered him, but he used a double screen to hunt White, broke him down, stepped back, and pulled up 20 feet away for the win against his old team as the horn buzzed through Kaseya Center.

The Heat won 118-116. Forty-four of Miami’s points came in the interior, 15 were on the break and 10 on second chances. Butler had 28 points on 50% shooting with four rebounds, two assists and two steals.

He walked to the locker room, unconcerned with his doing the on-court postgame interview. Love, who crossed the 15K threshold in scoring during the night (15,006-regular season), handled it for him. He said it was a “beautiful” experience with both teams giving each other life and coming down to Butler late. “Best closer in the game. It was an unbelievable shot…those are the type of games we need to win, especially on our home floor.”

At the press conference, coach Erik Spoelstra said it was a no-brainer to not call a timeout on the last possession. “I think the entire area code felt fine with [Butler] making that decision… that was a heck of a play from [Butler].

 

 

 

Mateo’s Hoop Diary: Draymond Green strikes again

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Hide the women and children: Draymond Green assaulted someone again on national TV. This time, the victim was Bosnian center Jusuf Nurkić of the Suns.

Disciplinarian Joe Dumars must’ve had a conniption, witnessing the infamous league bully roundhouse another man six games after his return from, you guessed it, strangling a peacemaker.

What does coach Steve Kerr think?

“We need [Green]. He knows that, and we’ve talked to him, and he’s got to find a way to keep his poise and be out there for his teammates,” Kerr said somberly.

When asked about his absence, it was the usual blah, blah about Green’s impact spreading the floor and blah.

At Green’s turn for the presser, he said it wasn’t his intention to pound Nurkić and that he isn’t an accurate enough puncher for that to be the case. Yet he was precise enough to connect with Jordan Poole’s face, leaving him unconscious before last season. And he was accurate in slapping a fan at an East Lansing restaurant, getting himself roped in the process in 2015.

Allegedly, his intention THIS TIME was to flop, which is also a league violation and a $2,000 fine for the first five infractions.

“I spun away, and unfortunately, I hit him,” Green said, probably convinced he was speaking to a room full of mental midgets.

On Tuesday, the first thing he did as Nurkić laid face down into the hardwood was complain to referee Jacyn Goble that he was unfairly grabbed by the waist. It should have been a foul, but the Warriors’ perpetual problem had to make him pay for it.

Nurkić was diplomatic after the game. He said, “What’s going on with him, I don’t know. Personally, I feel like that brother needs help. I’m glad he didn’t try to choke me.”

Who could have seen this coming? Inconceivably, not Dumars. Barring some unforeseen epiphany, he’ll likely go lite on Green once more, when the punishment should start at 25 games. Next time reporters pull up on Ol’ Joe, they should ask him, “What will the penalty be next time?” or “Does he have to nearly kill someone like Kermit Washington did to Rudy Tomjanovich in front of thousands for him to finally get a hefty sentence?”

At this rate, It isn’t long before he tries this on one of his TNT buddies for schooling him in a public debate. I can see it now transpiring like this:

Anyone: Dray, you’re wro-” *POW* And then cut to commercial.

This season, Green’s contributions are tied for most flagrant foul points and third in technicals drawn. Rest assured, he would be in the lead for each, if not for serving a five-game suspension.

If Green wanted to come out of the game, he should’ve just asked because he hadn’t done anything in his 17 minutes but score two points on three shots with three turnovers and three fouls. Golden State lost without him by three. Yet many are conditioned to believe he is an integral part of a championship team when he’s a hypocritical, arrogant, malicious, declining and dirty player.

Sad to say, Green will be back to his old ways at some point when he returns. His work of ending the Warriors’ dynasty years early will likely be studied for years to come.

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Heat narrowly escape the Hornets in Charlotte

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Duncan Robinson flexed his new skills. Jimmy Butler invaded the paint. And the reserve crew outscored its Charlotte counterparts by 16 points, starting the miniseries with a win in hostile territory.

To the Heat’s benefit, the Hornets missed a few makeable trays over late closeouts, but it only held a five-point lead after the opening interval. The hosts, minus LaMelo Ball, binged in the restricted area via handoffs, dribble penetration and dumping to mismatches.

Yet, Miami’s D. Robinson countered, curling around Orlando Robinson’s DHO at the wing and catching and releasing from the top of the key for triples. He even blew by rookie Brandon Miller (same guy who police testified transported a gun where it was used in a fatal shooting), absorbed two spare defenders in the lane and dished the rock to Caleb Martin up top for a trifecta.

In the second quarter, Martin successfully drove twice into the paint in the half-court and had a jam on the break. Jaime Jaquez Jr. ran a give-and-go with Butler on the right side, splashed a wide-open corner triple and dunked emphatically in transition.

On defense, Miami mixed a 2-3 zone with man coverage and held the Hornets to 40.9% shooting.

At halftime, the Heat led 59-50, but most of its offensive possessions came against a set defense, as it only logged six fastbreak points. It only picked up three offensive rebounds, too, resulting in zero second-chance marks. Although, its brightest sign was that it was steadily getting to the line, logging 13 of 14 freebies.

In the third frame, Butler got hot, getting to his spot on the baseline with the help of a cross screen for a 12-foot jumper. Then he swished a shot in the corner, laid in the rock off a catch from the dunker spot, and put back Kyle Lowry’s missed 3-pointer.

For the Hornets, lead guard Terry Rozier and infamous wife-beater Miles Bridges carried the offense for 21 of its 27 points.

Next, in the fourth quarter, the visitors’ defense softened, as it was outscored by 10 and struggled to protect the arc. Miller broke Miami’s zone with drives and cuts to the hoop. Rozier punished Miami when it over-helped away from the left wing and pulled up twice for two more trays.

But for the Heat, D. Robinson canned another wing 3-pointer and faked Miller out of his avenue to get loose for a layup. Martin gently tipped in his miss from a pick-and-roll drive and pivoted through the paint for a fadeaway over Bridges. And Kevin Love recovered Butler’s close-range shot, laid it in to give the Heat a three-point lead, then buried the dagger triple.

The Heat fouled Rozier twice, putting him at the line for two, so he couldn’t take a three to tie. The first penalty likely wasn’t intentional, as it was picked up by JJJ with Rozier trying to break him and Martin closing the gap.

First, Charlotte’s point guard registered one of two, and subsequently, Martin did the same when it was his turn at the line. Again, Rozier stepped to the line, this time converting both.

Butler followed with two freebies but clanked his initial attempt. With no timeouts, the Heat up two and four seconds left, the Hornets inbounded, and Rozier failed a half-court heave over Butler and Josh Richardson to win.

The Heat won 116-114. The difference was getting to the line 12 more times than Charlotte, recovering four additional loose balls and scoring eight extra paint points.

D. Robinson was the primary scorer for Miami, with 24 points on eight of 14 shots and 56% shooting from deep. Butler had 23 points, making seven of 12 tries with eight dimes and four rebounds.

At the postgame presser, Charlotte’s coach Steve Clifford said the difference was the free-throw disparity. “Minus 10 at the free throw line, it’s going to be hard to win most nights…”

On the winning side, coach Erik Spoelstra said he isn’t surprised by D. Robinson’s contributions. “He’s so skilled offensively, and he fits within a unit. He knows how to complement either unit or be a focal point of actions. He creates overreactions…”

The Heat’s record improved to 13-10, and it will see the Hornets again on Wednesday.

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