Mateo’s Hoop Diary: Heat take care of Spurs in fourth quarter

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The young and rebuilding Spurs hung around with the Heatles for three quarters but were overmatched in the last.

Early, Tyler Herro and Bam Adebayo were the only positives of the offense. The former burned drop coverage and splashed two catch-and-shoot trays. The latter obliterated paint protections, shooting over the 7-foot-4 Victor Wembanyama twice, rim rolling, attacking in transition and hoisting at the nail facing Zach Collins. The rest of the team converted five of 13 baskets.

Defensively, man coverage and the 2-3 zone offered as much resistance as now-suspended commissioner Alex Díaz de la Portilla allegedly showed to bribes. The Spurs dissected the hosts off the dribble, with pick and pop and inside cuts, while providing almost nothing from long range, registering 13 of 23 baskets to start.

Next, the Heat started the second frame, making two buckets in seven minutes. But moves from Terry Rozier, Josh Richardson Adebayo and Herro saved the crew from total disaster on offense.

On the other side, Wembanyama scored thrice in transition but bailed out the Heat, misfiring twice on the baseline. Devin Vassell dusted Duncan Robinson and Richardson from the top to the defense’s heart for two baskets, plus canned a left baseline jumper, using a stagger screen to get open. The other Spurs made 30% of tries.

At halftime, the Heat led 53-51 but were behind on the glass by one. Additionally, the group had 26 paint points, none on the break, two via second chances and eight after turnovers. Herro had 12 points on five of eight looks. Adebayo also logged a dozen on 66.7% shooting.

The Spurs had 30 interior marks, five on the break, five from extra tries and three after turnovers. Wemby accumulated 12 points on five of nine attempts. And Vassell had 11 on the scoring ledger on 41.7% shooting.

In the third frame, Butler blundered four ventures, and Rozier couldn’t connect over Wembanyama or hit deep shots when the ball kicked out. But Adebayo and Herro took over. The big man rim rolled, dunked on the break, and drove through Julian Champagnie for a layup. And Herro, swished a jumper at the nail, discharged two extra triples and dribbled past Blake Wesley from the top to the cup for a layup.

For the Spurs, Wembanyama, who was making 30.1% of 3-point tries before the match, buried two more- one in Adebayo’s eye in the left corner and a pull-up in transition behind Tre Jones’ screen. Vassell supplied eight more points. And Jones tallied two layups, beating Rozier and Caleb Martin from the outside to the rim and produced a trifecta.

Subsequently, the Heat started the fourth quarter ahead 78-77, but Butler kickstarted the flurry to the finish line. The Spurs couldn’t stop him from piercing the paint and setting up his teammates six times. Two of Jaime Jaquez Jr.’s late scores were helped by Butler and his other four dimes went to Adebayo, Martin, Robinson and Rozier.

Defensively, the Spurs struggled against the zone and provided almost nothing from deep.

The Heat won 116-104. The fourth was the group’s top offensive interval of the evening, recording 12 of 19 attempts. Besides, it accounted for 50 paint points, 10 on the break, six from extra tries and 19 after turnovers for the night.

Herro led the team in points with 24 on 10 of 15 shots. Next was Adebayo with 20, making 71.4% of looks. And Butler had 17 points and 11 rebounds.

The Spurs had 52 points in the square, 15 on the break, 14 via second chances and 13 after turnovers. Vassell and Jones each logged 19 points. And Wembanyama contributed 18 on his scoring ledger on 53.8% shooting and 13 rebounds.

At the postgame presser, coach Erik Spoelstra responded to a question about Adebayo and Herro’ connection saying, “You need firepower in this league to score against the best defenses. They’ve worked intentionally on building that collaboration between the two of them for the last two or three years. Now when they have to anchor some units, they know they have to lean on each other…”

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Mateo’s Hoop Diary: The Heat crushed the Magic

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The visiting Magic got shut down, and vintage Jimmy Butler returned.

Early, the Heat’s defense swarmed the Magic in man coverage and the 2-3 zone, contesting on time and forcing the guests to seven of 20 baskets in the first quarter. Markelle Fultz and Paolo Banchero were the only mystical ones causing problems- the former splashed a corner triple and two transition layups; the latter dunked on the break and pivoted past Terry Rozier in the post for a two-handed jam.

On offense, the Heat were bothered by the Magic’s backline and committed five turnovers. But Caleb Martin hit a pair of jumpers, Bam Adebayo dunked twice, and Tyler Herro got inside the lane for two layups. Jimmy Butler recovered three boards and supplied three dimes- finding shooters in the open and half court plus passing to a cutting Jaime Jaquez Jr. for a baseline score.

The rest of the crew logged three of nine attempts, but the Heat led 26-19.

In the second quarter, the advantage bulged to 20 points through seven minutes as the Heatles registered nine of 13 baskets. Then, the group took its foot off the gas, allowing Wendell Carter Jr. and Banchero to shatter the zone with mid-range jumpers. On top of that, Banchero slammed a putback in between three defenders, Jalen Suggs buried a right corner triple and Jonathan Isaac added a tray.

Following the hot start to the second frame, the Heat made 33% of its tries. To boot, Adebayo got flagged for his third penalty with 97 seconds left in the period. After he sat, the Heat scored one point to close, and the backline was attacked twice as Fultz overpowered Rozier in the post for a bucket and Banchero got to the line, making both freebies.

At halftime, the Heat were up on the glass by three and on the scoreboard 56-19, permitting the Magic 55.6% of attempts to fall in the second after only 35% in the first. Additionally, the hosts had 30 paint points, 16 on the break, four via second chances and nine off turnovers. The scoring leader for the club was Rozier, with 11 points and four dimes.

The Magic tallied 24 in the box, eight in the open court, four from extra tries and 10 off turnovers. Banchero was its main option, producing 14 points on 55.6% shooting.

Next, the Heat dispensed 40 points in the third quarter, marking the seventh occasion of the season the club has notched at least as many for a sequence. Adebayo was in charge, logging a putback and four more close-range baskets. Martin made a top-of-the-key long-two-pointer, dunked on the break and shook Moritz Wagner on the baseline for a reverse layup. And the rest of the crew racked up half of its shots and six of eight free throws.

Defensively, the Heat lost track of Carter, allowing a pair of triples and two dunks. Banchero was another issue -hitting a pull-up triple on the break, spinning past Rozier for a jumper in the paint and returning to the line, contributing four freebies.

Despite weak inside and long-range protection in the third, the Heat started the fourth quarter ahead 96-75. The dull security continued for nearly five minutes as the Magic filed five consecutive baskets to cut the lead to 10 points.

Then Butler erupted, scoring three straight times. He canned a step-back corner triple, dropped another banger in transition, and drove into M. Wagner for a layup, catapulting the Heat back up by 18 points.

The team recorded its last six of nine baskets to end the game. Additionally, it allowed the Magic just 39.1% of its tries in the fourth quarter.

The Heat won 121-95 and collected four more rebounds than the Magic. It had 58 paint points, 27 on the break, 10 via second chances and 19 off turnovers. Butler was the high Heatle with 23 points on six of nine looks, plus eight rebounds and eight assists. Rozier was next on the scoring ledger with 18 points, and he had seven dimes and six boards.

The Magic had 44 interior points, 18 on the break, 11 from extra tries and 12 after turnovers. Banchero had 23 points, nine rebounds and seven assists.

At the postgame presser, coach Erik Spoelstra said, “That’s four games in a row now where we look a lot more consistently closer to our identity defensively.”

In the locker room, Butler was asked about his hot 3-point shooting and his goal of making half of his trays this season. He said, “I think everyone wants me to shoot more of them, honestly. I’m not going for that, though. I’m still going to run in there and hit people.”

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Mateo’s Hoop Diary: Kawhi Leonard and James Harden set the Heat’s house on fire in the Clippers’ win

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Prodigy Jaime Jaquez Jr. hit the rookie wall. The long-range attack faltered. And the Heat were carved up by Kawhi Leonard and James Harden, enduring the 12th home loss of the season.

Josh Richardson started in Tyler Herro’s place due to a migraine, and Duncan Robinson was absent in concussion protocol.

Harden intercepted Terry Rozier’s outlet, quickly passing it to Russell Westbrook for a fastbreak dunk and tallied another fast feed to Leonard for a deuce. Yet, the hosts’ defense was mainly sharp, starting in man coverage- Jimmy Butler tagging Leonard and Haywood Highsmith guarding Paul George, but the zone was featured, too. In the frame, the Heat curbed the Clippers to 34.8% shooting and 19 points.

On offense, Bam Adebayo crushed the Clippers’ backline for a putback and took two trips to the line, not missing. And Jimmy Butler pierced the center for a layup and swished a right-corner triple. The rest of the team converted five of 13 tries.

In the second quarter, George was hounded by Highsmith and ineffective shooting from deep against the zone. However, his teammates bailed him out, deciphering the scheme with ball movement, resulting in six of 13 trifectas.

For the Heat, Adebayo registered a pick-and-pop floater and overpowered Terance Mann in the post for a dunk. Butler and Caleb Martin each added five points, but the unit made only 22.2% of attempted 3-pointers.

At halftime, the match was tied at 43. The Heat had 18 paint points, three on the break, four via second chances and 13 after turnovers. Adebayo was in charge with 10 on the scoring ledger, eight rebounds and two dimes. Butler was next with nine points on four of seven tries.

The Clippers scored 16 in the box, four on the break, six on extra tries and 11 after turnovers. Leonard was the high Clipper, tallying 11 points and five rebounds. Norman Powell’s seven followed. And Harden added five points and five assists.

Butler played all of the third quarter but was shut down. Harden and Mann denied him in transition; Harden forced him into an unsuccessful fadeaway on the baseline; And Leonard, as the low man in the zone, rejected his layup when he got by Powell on the right side and contested cleanly, causing a miss when Butler got it back.

Richardson kept the ember lit, canning a long two-pointer on the right side over George, plus making an open left-corner triple and two layups over Leonard.

For the guests, Leonard scored a putback, dunked on the break, swished a triple after a blitz and cracked the zone from the right wing. Harden set up his teammates four more times, plus dropped five points. The other Clippers made four of 11 baskets in the period.

The Heat entered the fourth quarter down 67-69. Butler rested to start the interval, but the group scored 37.5% of its ventures without him. In that stretch, the Clippers kept drawing contact on drives and jump shots, earning the bonus with over eight minutes left. Even this: Harden was fouled on a made 3-pointer.

Butler checked in with over eight minutes left and scored once when the Heat still had time. His other two field goals and free throw came after the club was behind nine points and out of reach. The other Heatles were extinguished for success on nine of 24 attempts.

In crunch time, the Beard splashed consecutive trays, isolating Butler on the left wing and going one-on-one with Rozier on the right side, getting fouled on that one, too.

The Heat lost 95-103, was beat on the glass by three and made 41.8% of shots. Its worst quarter was the last, putting up a 130.8 Defensive Rating and allowing 18 of the Clippers’ 22 hoisted free throws to come then.

On top of that, the Heat had 50 paint points, 15 on the break, six from extra tries and 19 after turnovers. Butler had 21 on the scoring ledger on 42% shooting.

Adebayo contributed 14 points and 13 rebounds. And the bench was outscored 24-31.

The Clippers registered 44.2% of attempts, with 30 paint points, six in the open court, eight on additional opportunities and 13 after turnovers.

Leonard had 25 points with 11 rebounds. Harden supplied 21 points, 11 dimes and eight boards.

At the postgame presser, coach Erik Spoelstra said, “The game really turned in the fourth quarter when we started fouling… We were just never able to really claw back into it. At that point, once we got down 10 [points], we would have needed to knock down some threes, get some relief baskets from there, but we weren’t able to do that. That was pretty much the story in the fourth [quarter].”

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

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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

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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?

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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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