Mateo’s Hoop Diary: Heat’s defense tightens up in second half for win on the road against the Wizards

Merlin’s powers couldn’t save the Wizards from getting neutered by the Heat’s 2-3 zone in the second half after success against it in the first. Yet, in quarter two, the visitors were thrown in a double-digit ditch, but Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo severed the hosts’ defenses, combining for 11 baskets on 15 tries while most of the group struggled.

In the first frame, Washington’s Corey Kispert auditioned to get rescued, splashing three triples. Additionally, the rest of the Wizards logged half of its attempts, including four in the restricted area and scored 13 points off five Heat turnovers.

Despite the visitors registering 16.7% of 3-point attempts, Butler thrivingly targeted the rim four times, scoring 10 of the club’s 31 points. Kevin Love nailed a pick-and-pop jumper on the left wing and threw his weight around in the paint, taking multiple trips to the line for three freebies. And Adebayo had two consecutive alley-oop dunks, running PNR with Tyler Herro and Terry Rozier. (Consecutive lobs to #13 haven’t been seen since ‘Nam.)

But the Heat went down 11 points nearly four minutes into the second quarter after giving up a second-chance triple to Delon Wright. In response, Butler recorded a putback, made four freebies and splashed a late triple. Herro connected on two trays. And Adebayo scored six more points as the group closed the half on a 22-14 run.

At halftime, the Heat was down 56-59 but ahead on the glass by 11. Furthermore, the squad had 32 paint points, seven on the break, 12 via additional tries and four after turnovers. Butler was the high Heatle, scoring 19 on six of seven shots.

The Wizards had 20 points in the square, three in the open court, three from extra opportunities and 13 after turnovers. Kispert was the scoring leader with 15, making five of nine trifectas.

Defensively, the Heat’s zone shut down the Wizards, permitting 29% of ventures to fall for 15 points.

On the attack, Rozier made five free throws and set up Highsmith in the dunker spot for a deuce, passed to Love for a transition layup and distributed to Jaime Jaquez Jr. cutting through the middle for a soft finish. Butler gashed the baseline for a bucket and buried three more charity shots. And Love prosperously got inside twice and swished a right-wing tray.

The Heat entered the fourth quarter ahead by 13 points. After four minutes and change, it went up its largest advantage of the evening, 16, but the Wizards gave one last push, making eight of its last 17 shots.

The Heat watched its cushioning evaporate as Herro, Rozier, and Josh Richardson failed to tally any 3-pointers in eight attempts. On top of that, Butler was uninvolved after checking in.

With under a minute left, Jordan Poole’s pull-up 3-pointer at the top of the key cut the Heat’s lead to five points. He got to the charity stripe once more after drawing contact against Rozier on the break, followed by one of two makes.

Rozier was then fouled twice on purpose, closing for the squad with four points.

The Heat won 110-102 and outrebounded the Wizards by 16. It also scored 58 in the box, with 13 on the break, 19 from second chances and 14 after turnovers. Butler had 24 on the scoring ledger on seven of 10 looks, plus nine rebounds and three dimes. Adebayo dropped 20 points and 14 rebounds.

The Wizards had 48 paint points, eight on the break, seven from extra attempts and 19 after turnovers. Kispert tallied 26, making 55.6% of shots.

At the postgame presser, coach Erik Spoelstra said the group was able to show more of its identity and that the third quarter was its best stretch. (Heat’s Defensive Rating in the frame was 57.7.)

On the topic of Rozier getting to the line, Spoelstra said, “[Rozier] has an ability to play on the ball, off the ball, to get to the basket…you could see the possibilities with [Rozier]. He’s a guy that to a fault, wants to fit in, wants to complement. Once he gets comfortable, these are the shots he’s made a name for over his career, in particular, the last two or three years.”

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Hurricanes Redemption

An Elite Eight in 2022.

A Final Four in 2023.

Things had never been better for the University of Miami Men’s Basketball Program.

Expectations come and go, but with an upward trend, the 2024 Canes were all set to be the best team in school history.

Disaster Months in the Making

This team is currently a shell of the team that I encountered at the ACC Basketball Tip-Off in Charlotte in October.

Gone is the swagger and confidence of a program that knew this year would be the year they finish the job. In its place is uncertainty, hesitation. 

Even before the Canes’ first misstep this season (a blowout National TV loss to Kentucky), there were signs that this team was very much a work in progress. It was about the time that the Canes fell behind by 12 to FIU in the 2nd half of a November home game that we all realized something was amiss in Coral Gables. The Canes rallied to win that game by 6, but it was merely a portend of things to come.

A fully healthy Hurricanes team was played off the court by Kentucky and Colorado.

And then the injury bug hit…first Nijel Pack, then Wooga Poplar, then Norchad Omier, and now Matthew Cleveland. The Canes are a veritable MASH unit.

With that context fully acknowledged, the extent to which everything has gone sideways is still staggering.

  • Louisville is 1-9 in conference. That 1 win was against Miami.
  • They managed to lose to FSU at home, again.
  • Matthew Cleveland’s buzzer beater rimmed out against Wake Forest, turning a win into a loss.
  • Syracuse hit a buzzer beater against the Canes, turning an OT opportunity into a loss.
  • Recently, against NC State, the Canes lost by 6 in a game they probably win if they simply make layups.

With 5 conference losses, the Canes have already matched last year’s total. At 7 losses, they’ve already eclipsed last year’s loss total for the regular season.

What started out as a dream season has turned into a nightmare. The 2024 Canes will be condemned to the dustbin of history, only mentioned as a cautionary tale. of hype with no substance. Too short, too shallow on the bench, not enough to compete.

One Shot

But here’s the thing…you don’t have a funeral while the patient is still alive. There are still games to play, wins to gather.

It’s time for the 2024 Canes to show what they’re made of.

They won’t get sympathy from anyone. No one cares about their injuries, and certainly no one cares that they are undersized.

No help is coming. Constantin Popa is not coming in to play center. The Canes have whoever they have, and whoever is healthy needs to go out there and get the job done.

And that’s the salient point. The Canes don’t need Constantin Popa. The best center in school history is the current starter, Norchad Omier. They don’t even need Tim James (well, they could use Tim James. Everyone could always use Tim James). 

This is still the same team that the ACC Media (not Miami homers) picked to finish 2nd in the conference. The potential is there.

  • 10 games for the Canes to show who they are.
  • 10 games to play Miami Basketball.
  • 10 games to erase the pain.
  • 10 games to ante up and kick in. 

Jon Rothstein quips that the Canes have “more guards than Shawshank” in reference to the movie Shawshank Redemption. Well, it’s time for the “Redemption” part. That movie surely wouldn’t be as popular if Andy Dufresne instead of being the man who “crawled through a river of $#*% and came out clean on the other side” was the man who “crawled through a river of $#*% and got stuck in the pipe.”

The only thing better than the schadenfreude of high expectations and low results is the redemption of those downtrodden, ruled out, left for dead, rising one last time to heroically vanquish the opponent.

There are 10 opponents left to vanquish. There are blank pages at the end of the 2024 Canes’ book. They have the pen in hand, and they can still write a hell of an ending.

The Canes just have to believe what they know to be true: that they are one of the best teams in the country, that while imperfect individually, together, they are the better of most. 

If you believed in November, there’s no point in letting go of the rope now. The season can still be the one that was hoped for, the one of dreams.

There is still magic in the Magic City. The Canes have everything they need, the right players, the right people. And if they put it all together, a Category 5 Hurricane can still blow through the ACC and into the NCAA Tournament. 

The Canes have crawled through a river of $#*% and its time to come out clean on the other side.


Vishnu Parasuraman is a show host and writer for @FiveReasonsSports. He covers Miami Hurricanes Basketball for @buckets_canes part of the @5ReasonsCanes Network. You can follow him on twitter @vrp2003

Tua Tagovailoa has thrived in coach Mike McDaniel's offense with the Miami Dolphins.

Do McDaniel & Grier believe in Tua, or trying to save jobs for 2025?

It may not be a hotseat for Miami Dolphins general manager Chris Grier and head coach Mike McDaniel in the upcoming 2024 season, but the chair is definitely heating up.

The Dolphins front office has some work to do, and it’s going to be complicated.

The team has an astounding salary cap situation, and also needs to consider their pending free agents, how to extend or replace their young stars, and how to restructure or let go of some of the aging pricey veterans. 

But what is the goal and overall thinking of the Miami Dolphins front office?

Is it to assume that Chris Grier and Mike McDaniel should act like their jobs are safe for 2025 and do what’s best for the Miami Dolphins for the present as well as the longterm future; or should both feel the pressure and make immediate impact moves to in order to have a successful 2024, keep their jobs, but have longterm ramifications down the line?

McDaniel may have only been with the organization for two seasons, but in both seasons, the team (especially the offense) has crumbled in December and January. McDaniel has been to the postseason twice, but lost both contests.

Owner Stephen Ross, ever so aware of his own mortality and remaining years, may want to start over with a new coaching staff if 2024 does not come with significant postseason success. 

And if Ross wants to go that route, then Grier shouldn’t feel safe to stay either.

Grier has been the general manager since 2016, and has been with the organization since 2000. The team has had a streak of winning seasons as of late, and two back-to-back playoff appearances recently, but no postseason wins.

If Ross is growing impatient, Grier may have worn out his welcome if the team doesn’t accomplish something significant in 2024.

Grier and McDaniel loaded up for 2023, but now the salary cap ramifications need to be dealt with this offseason, and that means finding solutions to contracts, using cap savings wisely, and knowing which players to fight for and which ones to let go, even if it’s a notable name. Also, anticipating draft solutions and capitalizing on them needs to be factored into the decision-making.

In order to load up for 2024, Grier and McDaniel could create cap space by extending some of the bigger names on the team. This would lower the cap number of players for the upcoming season like Tyreek Hill, Christian Wilkins, Tua Tagovailoa, and Xavien Howard. And could help the Dolphins sign significant players whose rookie contracts are expiring – Jaelan Phillips, Jalen Waddle, Javon Holland. 

 

However, extending players who command high-priced contracts could work well for this upcoming 2024 season, but come with ramifications again in 2025. 

 

Which makes me wonder if McDaniel & Grier are acting in the best interest of the organization or for their own best interests. 

 

This could be why Grier wants Tua Tagovailoa here for the “longterm”.

If Grier does the appropriate move with quarterback Tagovailoa, Tagovailoa would be playing on his 5th-year option with the team in 2024, while the team does a wait-and-see approach, before signing Tagovailoa longterm. Tua hasn’t proven enough in order to merit a longterm contract.

Although the quarterback has put up some big numbers and led the league in passing yards and passer rating in 2023, Tagovailoa hasn’t proven himself against playoff caliber teams, the closing months of the regular season or in his lone playoff appearance.

So why would the front office be so eager to sign him longterm now when they should let Tagovailoa play out 2024 and make a decision then?

Because Tua’s 5th-year option counts against the salary cap for this year. And that’s roughly $23M against the cap that the team can significantly reduce for 2024, if they want to add more impactful players.

But signing Tagovailoa longterm, may be beneficial for immediate success this season, but not in the long run for the organization.

Let’s say Ross blows up this regime after this season, and a new coaching staff comes in.

The new staff may not want to be invested in Tagovailoa, and want to draft their own quarterback.

Or let’s say Grier and McDaniel have another winning season, but see the shortcomings of Tagovailoa in big games again, maybe they would like to move on, but it would be very difficult at that point.

Tagovailoa is a good example, but he may not be the only player that could hamstring the future in order to win now.

 

******

If Grier and McDaniel were doing the responsible thing, there wouldn’t be a rush to sign Tagovailoa to a longterm deal, but because it could possibly protect their jobs for 1 more season, it seems that’s exactly what they are doing.

However, the goal is to win now. While the team still looks like it has the chance to keep enough intact to make another push, it shouldn’t mean possibly jeopardizing the future of the organization’s quarterback position.

However, Grier and McDaniel know the reality of the NFL.

“Not For Long”

They know if they don’t win, they could both be out by season’s end, depending on the context.

McDaniel knows that new head coaches only get a 3-year window to make an impact, and that 3rd year better come with some playoff wins.

Grier understands that he has been a general manager for a lot longer than the fanbase has wanted, and that hasn’t come with postseason success.

Both the GM & head coach want that, the owner wants that, so they better deliver.

And that’s what they are attempting to do by getting a longterm deal done with Tua Tagovailoa. 

Mateo’s Hoop Diary: Jimmy Butler and Co. snap the Heat out of funk, setting franchise assist record

To start, the offense was jammed worse than traffic during rush hour on the Don Shula Expressway. But the defense made it just as ugly for the visitors, aside from Keegan Murray and Kevin Huerter, with on-time contests in man coverage and the 2-3 zone.

It took nearly seven minutes of action for the Heat’s offense to settle itself. Jimmy Butler cut back door for a lob assisted by Kevin Love’s pass at the top of the key + Jaime Jaquez Jr.’s back screen on Harrison Barnes. To end the quarter, the Heat converted its next four of seven shots to take a 28-22 advantage.

Then Josh Richardson blasted the Kings with a handed-off triple by Adebayo at the top, two left-wing trays, a left-handed layup in transition and a floater in the lane to start the next frame. Additionally, Adebayo contributed four of six baskets, thrashing the paint in transition and the half-court. Two possessions later, Caleb Martin carved the baseline for a reverse layup, giving the Heat an 18-point lead, its largest of the night.

But the separation on the scoreboard was short-lived.

Defensively, the club lost track of Murray behind the arc when he cut on the baseline and the instance he ran past miniature Terry Rozzier on a transition lob similar to a wideout elevating over a cornerback for a touchdown. Domantas Sabonis broke interior protections, pouring eight points into the paint. And the Kings went on a 24-10 run to close the quarter.

At halftime, the Heat was up 59-54 and ahead by four on the glass, with 26 points in the paint, nine on the break, two via second chances and five after turnovers. Richardson was the scoring leader with 16 on 66% shooting, followed by Butler’s 11 on four of six attempts.

The Kings had 30 points in the square, plus 14 in the open court, six from second opportunities and four after turnovers. Murray had 21, making 73% of looks, and Huerter dropped 11 on five of seven tries.

Next, the Heat had one of its top halves of the season moving the ball, recording 19 assists on its last 21 baskets.

In the third quarter, Rozier got the ball to Butler for an inside drive when his dribble picked up an extra defender, plus had four more dimes. Herro tallied a lob to Adebayo after the handoff up top, resulting in a two-handed dunk, and two feeds to Butler in the right corner and baseline for points. Adebayo set up Herro for a nine-foot floater with a handoff and found him at the top of the key for a trifecta when Murray overreacted at the nail.

Conversely, the Heat conceded four of 10 3-pointers. Adebayo ignored Sabonis.  Rozier and Martin incautiously left their man. And De’Aaron Fox splashed a pull-up 27-footer. The defense prevented any shots at the rim but gave up six out of 11 attempts in the paint non-restricted area, which is 10.1% better than the league average for the Kings.

In the fourth, the Heat cranked up its defensive RPMs close to what it was in the first quarter. Doubling after the catch, flying around in the 2-3 zone, baiting into tough shots and a chase-down block by Richardson on Huerter overwhelmed the Kings. Initially, JRich’s denial was called a goaltend, but after quickly seeing the review on the monitor above, coach Erik Spoelstra boldly demanded a challenge. The Heat allowed its guests to register 35% of its baskets in the sequence.

On offense, Butler prosperously shot over Barnes from mid-range on the left side, dunked in transition and made four freebies. Richardson connected on two triples and got past Huerter for a layup. And Adebayo thwacked the rim on a lob from Herro and buried a jumper at the nail over Sabonis.

The Heat snapped its seven-game losing streak, 115-106, with a franchise record of 40 assists. On the side, it had 50 paint points, 15 on the break, seven from second tries and 12 after turnovers. Butler had 31 on the scorecard on 71% shooting with seven rebounds and six assists. Adebayo supplied 16 points, 11 rebounds and four dimes.

The Kings racked up 54 interior points, 22 on the break, 17 on extra attempts and six after turnovers. Murray finished with 33 points on 12 of 18 ventures. Sabonis had a triple-double- 19 points, 17 rebounds and 13 helpings.

Herro handled the on-court interview. He said that after Tuesday’s “intense” film session, the players had to counter. “[We had to] give more effort on both ends. I thought we responded well to the meeting yesterday, and we came out with a W.”

At the postgame presser, Spoelstra was relieved that the longest losing stretch in his career is over. He said, “For one day, it feels great, and I’m okay with everybody having a little bit of an exhale, and then we’ll get on that plane and get ready to start this process again when we get to [Washington] D.C..”

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How do the Miami Heat fix this? No easy answers

There is no denying it, the Heat has been atrocious recently. They are on a seven game-losing streak and have fallen into the play-in positions in the standings. The Heat cannot afford to be a play-in team again. Changes need to be made for them to become relevant in the Eastern Conference again.

The question is what are those changes? Let’s talk about that. 

 

Lineup change?

The Easiest change the Heat can make is a lineup change, and we all know which one would be best. Starting Duncan Robinson for Tyler Herro makes sense in many areas. The change would have nothing to do with who is a better player and it would not be an indictment against Herro. The basis of the change would be simple, Robinson is a better fit for the starting lineup. The Heat have been terrible to start games, especially on the offensive end. There has been no flow, and everything looks forced. They are trying to make something work that has proven it cannot consistently produce results. Adding Robinson to the starting lineup fixes multiple issues. First, the offense looks fluid whenever he is on the court. There is more off-ball movement, and the ball is shared more. The defense does not have the luxury of standing still and it opens up opportunities for quality shots. Robinson also has great chemistry with others in the starting lineup and can play off of them to generate easy looks. As for Herro, he would go back to a role that he excelled at early in his career. With the second unit, he would be able to play the style he prefers and handle the ball more often. There also would not be as much pressure for him to fit in with the other stars. It opens up the freedom in his game and his creativity, without taking away from what the other stars do best. I genuinely think Herro can be a super sub and dominate with the second unit. It would be odd to have your third-best player come off the bench, but hey it worked in the past. I mean he won 6th Man of the Year; he knows how to come off the bench. 

 

Another filler trade?

The Miami Heat made a trade and received Terry Rozier. I believe this helps several of their problems and we will see this pay off once Rozier plays a couple more games with the team. The Heat still have issues though and could look to make another move. The most logical guy to be included would be Caleb Martin, mostly due to his contract situation and the arrival of Jaime Jaquez Jr. His contract size is decent, and he is set to become a free agent, he has a player option for next year but will certainly decline it. The Heat might not be able to afford him in the offseason and could lose him for nothing. Martin is a talented player that teams could use to be a spark plug on their team. There would be plenty of suitors for him, whether that be contenders or lottery teams looking to flip him for a 1st round pick. The Heat could use his contract as the basis to look for upgrades in weaker aspects of the team. The Heat desperately need more size and trading Martin could bring that in. He could also get you a backup PG to sure up an area that has been lacking all year. There would be many avenues the Heat could go with this. The next few games will be massive. If the Heat continue to slide then a trade almost certainly has to be made, and it would almost certainly include Martin. If you are someone who enjoys using trade machines, I would start looking for PGs or PFs around the NBA who are close to Martin’s contract. 

 

Time to blow it up?

Now here is the hard conversation, is it time to blow it up? No, I am not talking about trading Jimmy Butler or Bam Adebayo, which is something that should never happen, (I am looking at you, Ethan.) The way most teams improve is by moving their third best player for a better player or better fit. So that brings us to the trade machine king himself, Tyler Herro. I want to make it clear; I like Herro and do not want him gone. With that said though, if the Heat want to win a championship a trade might need to be made and Herro would be the guy that makes the most sense. Some of the reasons were mentioned earlier, but he also would be able to get you a very good player in return. No matter how many times people tell you that Herro does not have worth that is simply not true. He is an excellent young player who has shown he can be a 20-point scorer, numerous teams could use his services. The biggest issue with trading Herro is if there is anyone available that is worth giving up Herro. It is not worth it to trade him for mediocre players or even good players. If you trade Herro, you need to get back an equal or greater player in return. I am skeptical the Heat would be able to find a trade before the deadline, but if they flame out in the playoffs then all bets are off. 

 

Jimmy Buckets, our only hope?

The Heat desperately need a superhero to save them if no lineup or personal changes are going to be made. Thankfully, we have one on the squad. During his time in Miami, Jimmy Butler has been known to be one of the best playoff performers in the NBA. He has consistently had all-time performances and has put the team behind his back when they have needed him the most. This year it seems like Butler will need to channel his best earlier and help this team claw out of the play-in seeds. Unfortunately, the Heat have not received the same Butler this year that they have had in the past. He is not as active on the court and looks disengaged too many times. Even his post-game answers have been different recently. He looks frustrated and tired. I have to question if missing out on Dame and Jrue is weighing on him. The good news for Heat fans is that Jimmy Butler had his most “Jimmy Buckets” game of the season, in the Heat’s last game against the Knicks. Though the 4th quarter did not go well (at all), this was the first game that Butler asserted his will in a way we are used to seeing. He attacked mismatches and took them to the post. He was engaged on defense and playing with heart again. He led the big comeback in the 3rd quarter and was doing everything for Miami. Though like I said this did not lead to a win this time, Jimmy Butler needs to do more of that. He needs to be selfish; he needs to demand the ball and look to score. The takeaway from every game should be that Butler was the best player on the court. If the Heat want to make a deep run in the playoffs without making any changes, it falls all on a familiar face in Jimmy Buckets. 

 

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Mateo’s Hoop Diary: Heat put to shame at home by the Suns

Terry Rozier, the new guy on the block, finally blended into the offense in a vain effort, logging 21 points on eight of 14 shots, as most of the team left him hanging. Jimmy Butler got going after the Heat was jumped. And the defense provided little resistance up top with late help.

Even without the three-ball being a factor, the Suns hung 33 points in the first quarter. Jusuf Nurkić picked up two fouls in four minutes, but his backup, Drew Eubanks, checked in, channeling Suns legend Tom Chambers, scoring on two putbacks and three rim attacks. The rest of the visitors made seven of 19 baskets in the quarter.

For the Heat, Rozier triumphantly fired away at the nail over Kevin Durant, swished from the corner facing Nurkić and dribbled past Bradley Beal and Keita Bates Diop for layups. Adebayo had zero attempts but three horrid turnovers, one of them resulting in Beal intercepting the pass in Heat territory and then dunking and another in Durant hitting a jumper after throwing the pass above Butler’s head, out of bounds.

Half of the second quarter elapsed with the Suns converting six of 12 tries before Butler joined the fray. Next, he scored through the middle in transition and logged two putbacks.

Adebayo misfired on a fadeaway and floater against Nurkić. Subsequently, he blanked a hook in the post and layup in transition over Eubanks.

And Herro’s made two of seven baskets in the frame.

On the other side, Eric Gordon, age 35, sliced into the lane three times like it was 2009. And Durant broke the 2-3 zone with jumpers on the baseline, elbow and wing.

At halftime, the Heat was down 49-62 and behind on the boards by three. Additionally, it racked up 16 paint points and seven on the break, 14 via second chances and four after turnovers. Butler was the team’s scoring leader, notching 13, followed by Rozier with 12 and Herro’s 11.

The Suns had Booker, Durant and Eubanks in double digits on the point ledger, while Beal had nine. The guests also registered 30 paint points, 11 on the break, 13 on extra attempts and six after turnovers.

Later, the Heat failed to stop Booker’s jump shot at the nail, elbow, baseline and paint in the halfcourt, plus a tray in transition. On top of that, Durant, Beal and Gordon combined for 10 of 15 baskets in the interval.

Yet the Heat were shell-shocked, scoring on just 32% of ventures. Rozier dropped three 3-pointers, and Butler whisked into the paint for a layup and a putback.

The hosts entered the fourth quarter below 74-100. The Suns added 18 more points on 29% of attempts. The Heat cranked out 31 points on 10 of 17 shots, but it was a worthless effort.

The Heat lost 105-118, making it the club’s seventh straight and longest of coach Erik Spoelstra’s career as the head. It recorded just 32 paint points, 16 on the break, 21 on second chances and 11 following turnovers. Butler had 26 points with eight rebounds and four assists. Rozier contributed 21 on his scorecard.

For the Suns, Durant, Booker and Gordon each surpassed 20 points and Beal had 19.

At the postgame presser, Spoelstra said, “You have to do tough things… We are not doing that consistently enough, and while we are going through this period of time offensively, we’re not able to overcome those stretches where we’re missing shots and turning the ball over, and on top of that, we are not defending the way we are capable of.”

At his locker, Butler said, “We’re not guarding anybody.”

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Mateo’s Hoop Diary: Heat overpowered by Knicks at Madison Square Garden

There have been few shooting displays like the one the Knicks exhibited in New York since Paul Castellano got whacked in front of Sparks Steakhouse. The victims were the Miami Heat, outhustled on the glass by 14 and, at one moment, going down 22 points.

The visitors rushed to a 13-4 lead on a Jimmy Butler putback and triple, plus two 3-pointers from Tyler Herro and a jumper from Terry Rozier. Yet the Knicks chipped away at the advantage by breaking the zone from long range, piercing its heart and getting past defenders in man coverage.

In the second quarter, the Knicks’ defense cracked down on the Heat, contesting, switching and helping on time. Herro couldn’t finish at the rim against the extra man, or make a right-wing triple over Donte DiVincenzo or successfully score facing Josh Hart going to the cup. Rozier attempted an imprudent turnaround with seven-footer Isaiah Hartenstein on his back and misfired in front of drop coverage at the nail. Duncan Robinson bricked three trifectas.

In the second, the unit was held to 28.6% shooting. However, the one thing that worked for the Heatles in the frame was its fastbreak attack, showering the Knicks with multiple threes, layups from Butler and Rozier, and an Adebayo putback. Jaime Jaquez Jr. denied Anunoby’s dunk, setting up the break on the possession Adebayo scored.

The Knicks closed the first half on a 10-0 run behind two wing triples inflicted by DiVincenzo, Randle blowing past Butler from the top to the cup for two, and a layup by Precious Achiuwa.

At halftime, the Heat was down 51-61, with 18 fastbreak points, eight off turnovers and six via second chances. Butler had 13 on the scorecard on five of 10 shots with three boards and a dime. Adebayo collected six points with eight rebounds. And Robinson had 10 on the scoring ledger.

The Knicks had zero points on the break and after turnovers but had six from second tries while battering the Heat on the boards by 12.

In the third, New York’s Jalen Brunson went at Rozier, then forced a switch to get Herro in front, canning a 3-pointer in his face. He also dished out four assists. Julius Randle scored on the break, shot over Butler from 10 feet out, connected on a tray and buried four freebies.

On the other side, Butler went HAM. He boat-raced everyone down the floor, ripped the ball from Anunoby’s grasp, taking off for another fastbreak layup, beat the same man off the dribble from the outside in for a deuce and maneuvered past Randle and Hart. At one point, the squad was down 13, but his efforts, when below eight, revived the Heat and brought it to within three entering the fourth period.

Through three quarters, Butler logged nearly 29 minutes and played all of the third. Coach Erik Spoelstra gave him and Kevin Love a rest to start the final sequence, inserting Herro and Robinson. But before Butler could get back on the court, the Knicks regained a 13-point edge with eight minutes left.

Herro and Martin were the only ones to register multiple field goals late for the Miami squad. The rest of the players were held to five of 13 makes. Meanwhile, the Knicks plunged through the Heat’s defenses, converting 72.2% of tries in the last 12 minutes.

Brunson successfully hoisted over Martin’s length at mid-range, seized the baseline for a floater over Adebayo, made a pull-up banger and pivoted past Butler for a hook. Anunoby dunked on the break and hit a jumper from mid and long range.

With under five minutes to go, Randle drew a blocking foul on Jaquez in transition but crashed hard on the ground, hurting his right shoulder when he tried to brace the fall with his right arm. He left for the locker room after he got up.

The Heat lost its sixth game in a row 109-125. It racked up 12 second chance points, 25 on the break, 15 via turnovers and made 46.6% of attempts. Butler had 28 points with eight rebounds and four assists. Robinson, off the bench, was the next scoring leader with 19.

The Knicks had 11 fastbreak points, eight from additional opportunities and 12 after turnovers. The hosts also recorded 51.7% of ventures.

At the postgame presser, Spoelstra said, “Right now we’re going to rally around each other, rally around our identity. It is a tough time right now.”


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Mateo’s Hoop Diary: Jimmy Butler and the Heat got humbled at home by old foes

The bigger, stronger and faster Boston Celtics annihilated the Heat at Kaseya Center on national TV. Five members of Gang Green feasted behind the arc. Jayson Tatum outplayed Jimmy Butler. And newly acquired point guard Terry Rozier started but was attacked and ineffective from the field.

Early, Kristaps Porziņģis slaughtered the Heat’s defenses in the first quarter, totaling 14 of Boston’s 42 points. He forced a switch on the left side for a layup against Haywood Highsmith, shot over Butler twice at the elbow and nailed two pick-and-pop 3-pointers as the Heat failed to shade and recover. Porziņģis’ best defender was Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla, taking him out with 46 seconds left in the period for a breather.

For the hosts, Butler hit a fadeaway over Jaylen Brown in the post and a pull-up jumper over Horford at the elbow but misfired at close range after faking Porziņģis away. Adebayo swished two shots at each elbow, assisted by Tyler Herro and Rozier. And Rozier converted two buckets, maneuvering past Jrue Holiday on a hard closeout to the rim for a layup and blowing by Horford in isolation at the right corner to the cup.

Through 12 minutes, the Heat logged 29 points on 12 of 24 ventures. But it conceded 42 on 71.4% shooting.

In the second quarter, eight players scored for the Heat to reach 35 on the ledger, but the only two logging at least three field goals were Thomas Bryant and Josh Richardson. Additionally, Butler made a putback on the baseline and spun past Jaylen Brown for dos puntos. And Adebayo dropped a hook over Luke Kornet and another over Derrick White.

The Celtics matched the Heat’s 35 points behind Brown’s rim attacks, a pair of Holiday corner trifectas, and the rest of the Cs tallying seven of 15 buckets.

Tatum was held to 20% efficiency in the frame, guarded by Richardson, forcing him left for an unsuccessful elbow jumper, misfiring over Duncan Robinson on the wing and baseline and bricking against Highsmith’s late recovery to the right side.

At halftime, the Heat was down 64-77, logging 54.2% of tries. It surrendered 64.3% of looks to the Celtics and was behind on the glass by six. Furthermore, the hosts had accumulated five fast break points, 10 via second chances and seven from turnovers.

The Celtics registered 10 fastbreak points, six on extra opportunities and two after turnovers.

In the turd quarter, Rozier shot blanks on a reckless drive through traffic and faltered on a makebale floater over Holiday. And Robinson had three vain 3-point attempts.

Butler made a corner triple when the defense was absorbed by Herro’s drive, but his next basket, another on the opposite side six minutes later, fell as the Heat was behind 22 points

On the other side, Tatum and Holiday took over. The former was in target practice behind the arc. The latter made a wide open tray, hit a floater over Herro in the paint, cut back door for a layup, finished first on the break and rattled in a fadeaway over Bryant’s help.

Porziņģis sprained his ankle five minutes in and missed the rest of the night after limping to the locker room.

The fourth began with the scoreboard highlighting 113-90, the edge going to the Celtics. The lead swelled to 34 points with seven-and-a-half minutes left after the Heat made just one of its first eight shots to start the sequence.

The final interval was garbage time because not one sane person at Kaseya Center thought a grand comeback was happening. Only two Celtics starters played in the fourth- Tatum and White- no more than five minutes and change.

Lower bowl seats were emptying midway through the fourth, and the butchering was like an ancient warrior beheading a foe in combat, then tossing its head toward the backup it came with. In this case, it was Pat Riley at his usual baseline riser seat. The cadavers he examined were his group retreating to the locker room with 143 points hanging over them.

The Heat’s fifth straight loss was by 33 points. It added 15 fastbreak points, 13 on second chances and post turnovers. Adebayo had 19 on the score sheet with five rebounds. And ten Celtics shot at least 50% from the field.

At the postgame presser, coach Erik Spoelstra said, “What went wrong was we faced a very potent offensive team. They’ve been doing this for several months now. It was a humbling night, that’s for sure. They put us in our place tonight.”

In the locker room, Herro said, “It’ll be great to get a win, but we can’t keep talking about it. Eventually, there has to be some action behind it.”

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Mateo’s Hoop Diary: Memphis Grizzlies ruin Terry Rozier’s Heat debut

Terry Rozier’s off-the-bench Heat debut was quiet, and the offense struggled to score, looking worse at times than what it was with Kyle Lowry, who was booted with a first-round pick to Charlotte. Following the first half, the scoreboard highlighted 49-42 in favor of the Grizzlies.

In the first quarter, the only things working were a pair of Jimmy Butler paint attacks. Tyler Herro and Bam Adebayo executed two-man actions. And Haywood Highsmith gave a jolt on offense with a transition hook and triple.

The Heat’s new point guard, Terry Rozier, was subbed eight-and-a-half minutes in. His first points in a Heat jersey came at the line after getting fouled in transition, plus he added two rebounds. His one miss was a left-handed layup through the middle over Jaren Jackson Jr.’s help defense.

Defensively, the Heat permitted the Grizzlies five of 12 trifectas because of late switches in man coverage, ball movement dicing the zone and the on-ball defender going under the screen. One basket was allowed inside the arc. Bam Adebayo hounded Jackson, blocking two hooks in the lane, and the rest of the team contested cleanly, giving up only 21 points.

In the second quarter, Rozier relocated to the corner after dribbling into the paint for a catch-and-shoot 3-pointer, his only field goal of the half. But he failed on two drive-bys- isolating David Roddy on the left side and misfiring on a pick-and-roll layup because of Jackson, the low man’s presence. Mostly, he looked like someone just traded to a new squad who isn’t trying to step on anybody’s toes on offense- a mistake because that’s not why they got him.

Butler downshifted to third gear, passing up an opportunity to draw contact with Jackson at the rim on a transition drive, instead passing out to the corner. In nearly eight minutes of the frame, he made one of two buckets at the right corner and two free throws while the squad was desperate for someone to take over. The rest of the Heatles registered 20% of tries.

At halftime, the Heat was down seven on the scoring ledger, behind on the glass by two, with eight fastbreak points, two via second opportunities and nine from turnovers. The offense was pathetic, logging 72.7 points per 100 half-court plays, good enough for the second percentile of all games this season, per cleaning the glass.

Butler had nine points on three of seven shots. Adebayo had six on the scorecard on 20% of attempts but supplied six boards, the two aforementioned rejections and three dimes. Tyler Herro had seven points and four negligent turnovers.

On the other side, the Grizzlies converted 10 of 21 triples. Vince Williams had 13 points, torching the corners and beating Rozier on a hard closeout to get into the paint for a layup. GG Jackson had 11 points, burning the Heat’s transition defense from long range, rolled to the rim and made three free throws.

In the third quarter, two horrific passes by Butler- inbounding the ball and passing while in the air, not knowing where to go- resulted in a three-pointer and a fastbreak score for the Grizzlies. Offensively, he made four freebies and rolled to the rim, bumping Roddy away for a bucket.

Adebayo had three blocks- chasing down Jackson and denying him twice in iso- with six points and five rebounds.

Herro maneuvered inside for a pull-up jumper against man coverage, another facing the zone and connected on a reverse layup and floater.

Rozier had two assists, a turnover, a miss and a rebound.

In the fourth quarter, Caleb Martin was the high Heatle, making all four baskets. Rozier broke Xavier Tillman down with his dribble for a left-handed scoop layup and made a right-hander against Jackson in drop coverage. But he missed his three 3-point ventures.

For the Grizzlies, Williams dribbled by Butler, nailing a floater over Adebayo and splashed a left-corner triple when left unattended. Jackson drove past Butler for a layup when the switch created a mismatch and jolted Adebayo backward on a drive, hitting a jump hook. And Scotty Pippen Jr. beat Rozier from the top to the cup for a deuce, had a fastbreak score, and dusted Martin off a switch to the rim.

Despite the Heat having its most efficient quarter late, it had 17 turnovers and lost 96-105. The squad spent 17.3% of the time in transition, yet it only added .7 points per 100 of those possessions, good enough for the 35 percentile of all games this season, per CTG.

The Heat were behind in fastbreak points 13-21, down in second chance opportunities 6-11, and trailing in points off turnovers 14-24.

Butler had 15 points on four of 10 tries. Rozier ended with nine on 27.3% shooting.

Memphis’ Williams had 25 on the scorecard on 80% of attempts.

At the postgame presser, coach Erik Spoelstra praised Adebayo’s defensive effort, saying, “It’s just a shame we couldn’t turn those kinds of defensive performances into one of those ugly wins we really like.”

When asked about how Rozier works with Herro, he said it was tough to get excited, considering the loss was a buzzkill. He added, “I definitely see the possibilities with those two guys…We’ll really be able to build on that chemistry that we just quickly saw tonight. And they’ll get a ton of more minutes together, so it will happen one way or another.”

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Leading the Country in Goals: Panthers’ Prospect Jack Devine Continues Dominating Season with Denver

The Florida Panthers have a hidden gem in their prospect pool and he’s lighting the lamp all across the country 

 

University of Denver forward and Florida Panthers prospect Jack Devine is tearing up college hockey.

 

The Pioneers’ junior forward leads the NCAA in goals (21) and is second in scoring (39 points), just behind his teammate Massimo Rizzo. 

 

Devine entered college as a 17-year-old after accelerating his senior year of high school. Now in his third season at Denver, the Panthers’ 2022 seventh-round draft pick continues to improve his game and offensive production.

 

The 20-year-old is one of the hottest talents in the country right now, but he remains humble — crediting much of his individual success to his teammates. 

 

“I think I’ve been really fortunate to play with two amazing teammates this year — Massimo [Rizzo] and McKade Webster,” Devine told Five Reasons Sports. “They’ve done a great job setting me up and putting me in great positions and I’m super thankful for the other teammates that I’ve been fortunate to play with.”

 

The Panthers are sure to be more than happy with the way Devine is developing at Denver, but looking back to his draft year, he was very close to going undrafted. 

 

Florida selected Devine with their final pick of the 2022 NHL Draft — taking the American forward 221st overall. If Devine didn’t go to the Panthers, there were just four picks remaining in the draft. 

 

Rather than wanting to show teams who passed on him what they could’ve had, Devine said he’s focused on representing both the Panthers and the Pioneers.

 

“I think in the moment I was just super lucky to be drafted by Florida and happy that they took a chance and opportunity on me,” Devine said. “I just want to be able to go out there and represent them well.”

 

He added. “When I’m here with the University of Denver it’s focusing on being a Pioneer and being a player here. I’ve been fortunate enough to develop with our coaches and our staff. I definitely give a lot of credit to them as they’ve helped me improve my game drastically.”

 

Over the summer, Devine was one of the biggest standouts at the Panthers’ Development Camp in Coral Springs. Between the explosiveness in his skating and his rapidly quick shot release — Devine turned some heads at the Panthers IceDen.

 

“It’s a great experience to come in, meet the staff and some other players, start to build those relationships,” Devine said. “It’s definitely a competitive week. You kind of get to assess you against some of the other guys in Europe and the CHL… The coaching there’s also elite and if I could take two or three things from there and put that into my season, I think it’s a successful week of camp.”

 

Jack Devine at Florida’s 2023 Development Camp dodgeball tournament (Photo courtesy of the Florida Panthers)

 

The current Panthers front office has done a fantastic job at finding NHL players who have flown under the radar and turning them into important pieces for the organization. Led by general manager Bill Zito, Florida has found diamonds in the rough at the pro level, like Gustav Forsling and Carter Verhaeghe — both of whom are top-minute players for the Panthers.

 

A late-round pick himself, Devine may just be another stealthy find by the staff in Sunrise.  

 

“That’s something you look at. I think they’ve done a great job with the talent they have on their team and the talent in their system,” Devine said regarding the Panthers’ player development. “It kind of shows how they were able to make it to the Stanley Cup Final last year. That’s obviously something you pay attention to and watch because they have such tremendous players.”

 

The goal for any athlete, no matter the sport, is to win championships. The University of Denver men’s hockey program is no stranger to that. Their nine NCAA National Hockey Championships are tied for the most all-time with the Michigan Wolverines.

 

Devine already has one national championship under his belt — winning the 2022 title in his freshman year. 

 

This season, Devine and the Pioneers have a great chance to get back to that stage. With the nation’s top-two leading scorers and the fourth ranked team in the country, the vibes are good in Denver. 

 

“I think it’s been a lot of fun. When you have such a tight group like we have, you go out there and you play with some of your best friends,” Devine said. “I think it’s also enjoyable when you’re winning, I think hockey’s a lot of fun when you’re doing that. The more success we have as a team, the more it would be fun for me.” 

 

The Pioneers are just about two-thirds of the way through the regular season. With the final stretch of the year approaching, playoffs are just around the corner and with that, the end of Devine’s junior year. 

 

“As you come in as a freshman, people say it flies by. I think it really has so far into my junior year,”  Devine said. “These last 20 games, just enjoy it, take it one game at a time and hopefully at the end of the year, win another national championship.”