Five Takeaways from Heat’s Win Over Rockets

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The Miami Heat’s starting five were a familiar bunch, but after that, it was a little tougher to remember other than Mario Chalmers.

Even with that, Jimmy Butler led the way in this one as Miami glided by the Houston Rockets, but he wasn’t alone.

So, here are some takeaways from this interesting game…

#1: Who is this Guy?

With 10-day contracts flying in left and right, something I pointed out before this game was that at least one would stick. And well, there was surely one “Guy” that jumped off the screen. Kyle Guy has had an interesting start to his NBA career, which eventually led him to the G-League, but he looked like a pretty clear NBA level player in this game tonight. Not just due to his hot outside shooting and comfort on the ball in the pick and roll, but through his immediate confidence. That matters. Flashy pass after flashy pass pretty much set the stage on who this guy was, but as I said, making Tyler Herro-like difficult shots just put the cherry on top. He filled up the stat sheet in every possible category, and it just seems like this always happens with this Heat team. This is where they initially pop.

#2: Jimmy Butler doing Jimmy Butler things.

Jimmy Butler doesn’t feel like a necessary talking point on a night where it’s all about 10 day contracts and unexpected play-styles, but he continues to shine no matter what. For one, 19 points at the half while going 6 of 10 from the field just shows his mindset in this one. He had a three to begin the half then one to finish it at the buzzer, but other than that, it was complete inside play and free throw line antics. The other aspect of this is just his control on the game no matter who is on the floor. This wasn’t like last game where he had a career high 15 assists either. He actually had 0 at the half, but still his ability to draw 2 and create opportunities for others is a true gift and asset in the game of basketball. But yet again, it’s just Butler doing Butler things.

#3: The underrated aspect of Caleb Martin.

Looking at the halftime stat sheet where Miami had 74 points scored, Caleb Martin probably isn’t even top 5 in players that would jump off that piece of paper. And that’s why I bring up the point underrated. We know what Martin is at this stage, and he’s widely appreciated, but passing right over the fact that his solidity is expected is just unfair. He’s polished up his three-ball, he provides a splash of rim pressure that wasn’t originally expected when the signing was made, and his defensive positioning stands out more than anything. It’s one thing to be very good and talented at pressuring from baseline to baseline, but it’s another thing to just always be in the right spot. Caleb Martin is both of those. Yes, he’s gone from two-way to unlimited regular season games available, but maybe that next step will need to be taken pretty soon.

#4: Some minor player evaluations from this one.

In a game like this, it’s important to pack up the youthful evaluations into one section. The main one that we already know about is Omer Yurtseven, but he deserves some love too. The fact that he went from a Summer League product to a back-end roster guy to one of the primary guys available is just wild. And another double-double added to the catalog just shows his potential. But to discuss some more of the 10 days, looking back at my recent piece, Haywood Highsmith was the guy I was highest on. He’s a Heat guy: plays bigger than he is, plays defense, and provides enough offensive spacing with his corner jumper. And well, he showcased all three of those things in his minutes. Obviously it’s hard to lock up a spot at this point, but I wouldn’t be surprised if they come back to him at some point in the future.

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#5: The difference between Tyler Herro this year and last year.

Tyler Herro didn’t have a great game tonight with his inefficient shooting. I’ve seen him navigate almost every coverage this league has thrown at him, but the one thing that has proved to bother him more than anything is length. He saw a bit of it early when they would switch Christian Wood onto him, and it led to him having to slow things down and make the right decision. But the difference with a down game from Herro now compared to before is he can still impact winning without being that total scorer. Tonight, his passing shined again just like it has much of this season, but that keeps him above water. Being able to have the ball in his hands a ton, still collapsing the defense, and making the correct reads with drop-offs or skip passes is major for his development. Of course late-game scoring is still needed from him in games like this, but him surviving matters big time in the big picture.

 

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Breaking Down the Games of the Latest Miami Heat 10-Day Contract Grabs

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This has been a rather interesting season for the entire NBA, but it has felt like Miami’s been paving their own path from the rest of the league all season.

While the rest of the teams are dealing with a revolving door of guys entering the health and safety protocols, the Heat’s issues have been strictly injury based. Bam Adebayo, Jimmy Butler, PJ Tucker, Markieff Morris, and Dewayne Dedmon have all dealt with those issues first hand.

Caleb Martin entered the protocols a few weeks ago, and it took him about 18 days to get back up and running with the Heat again, which was just 4 days ago. Now, the Heat have had a flurry of others enter those protocols this week. Kyle Lowry, Udonis Haslem, Max Strus, Gabe Vincent, Tucker, and Zylan Cheatham.

That means Miami has some 10 day availabilities wide open over this short period of time, while Wednesday’s game vs San Antonio was postponed as they didn’t meet the required threshold of guys available to play.

So, after Miami signed 3 different guys to 10 day contracts, let’s take a look through what they can possibly provide, since playing time will most likely be provided in these odd circumstances…

Aric Holman

Aric Holman is the perfect place to start in this one, since frankly, he’s the most intriguing of the bunch.

Miami picking him up may have been a bit more forced than the others, since they did it due to the fact he was in “driving distance” from San Antonio, but could Miami have lucked out?

Most of the time when picking up guys for a week and a half, as others land in protocols, veterans and experience are the way to go, especially on good teams. They just need immediate production over a “high ceiling,” or long term project.

But while Holman’s bag may be broad, he has the build to contribute at this point in time.

He’s a 6 foot 10 big, who has the body control and play-style of a guard. Holman is mostly a pop threat, after shooting 44% and 43% in his last two seasons at Mississippi State respectively, but those numbers have slightly fallen off a bit recently in the G-League.

Looking at the clips above, once again, it’s intriguing. Running the offense from the right wing as a drive and kick threat, while others set him the screens instead of the other way around. He slips the screen into the corner and knocks down the slightly contested triple. But when evaluating guys with that size and length, most shots are essentially uncontested.

He also has a bit of a handle, which elevates his guard-like play even more. Yes, I know what you’re thinking: how has a 6 foot 10 shooter who can put the ball on the deck not been picked up until this point? Well, like any young player, some weaknesses are attached as well.

The tag that continues to label him is that he’s not the greatest defender, and that is clearly from a team perspective. His shot-blocking ability is up there, and he can rebound at a very good level, so that’ll be something to keep an eye on.

Another point to be made is that he will be utilized in the exact opposite way that Omer Yurtseven has been used this season. After seeing Yurtseven mix it up from rolling to popping in Summer League, we’ve seen that simplify down totally to quick dives and post-play.

With Holman, post play wouldn’t even seem to be possible. He will strictly be a pop-out shooter, and maybe he can provide something as that wing spacer over this next stretch.

Kyle Guy

When Kyle Guy was signed late Tuesday night, many felt it was just the “Strus replacer,” after he entered the protocols literally minutes before the game against the Washington Wizards. But when I saw this pick-up, my initial thought was more guards will be entering the protocols pretty soon.

And well, that was the case with Vincent after he rapid tested before the trip out to San Antonio.

No, Kyle Guy is not the Vincent replacer since their games are nothing alike, but he is a guy who has plenty of basketball experience and can provide something offensively as a potential spacer and plug and play “guy.”

During his 3 years in college, Guy shot 50% from three on 3 attempts, 39% from three on 6 attempts, and 43% from deep on 7 and a half attempts. Clearly, he has a shooting resume, which although didn’t work out too well in Sacramento, has picked right back up in the G-League.

The interesting thing about future lineups moving forward is that I would continue to expect Tyler Herro to come off the bench. With Lowry expected to return Friday, and Jimmy Butler and Duncan Robinson expected to be healthy, everybody should stay where they are.

But with Guy possibly stepping in for Vincent and Strus, that means he will be playing next to Herro instead of for him. I do think Guy has a better handle and control for the offense than people give him credit for, but will that fully translate over from G-League to the NBA level?

I believe so, since much of the league right now *is* G-league talent.

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It’s pretty simple with Kyle Guy: provide some shooting when called upon, and everything else will work out around it. This is no longer Martin or Strus trying to will this team to victories with guys out. Miami will have Lowry, Butler, and Herro to do the heavy lifting, so all that is needed is some complementary skills.

And Guy can actually fill that void pretty well in the role I envision they place him in.

Haywood Highsmith

Haywood Highsmith just reminds me of a Miami Heat 10 day contract guy, and no, not because of his block on Dwyane Wade’s self lob in the game against Philly.

For one, his overall build fits the Heat’s past. Guys that play bigger than they are, thrive on physicality and athleticism, and just compete on both ends really hard. That’s pretty much my evaluation of Highsmith when looking over his game.

Highsmith is just one of those guys that’ll be everywhere on the floor in these G-League games. Under the rim for unexpected offensive rebounds and put-backs, active defensively, and well, he’s been shooting the ball a lot better as of late.

Over his 12 G-League games this season, he’s shooting 39% from deep on 6 attempts a game. In a Heat offense, what would be his offensive role? Well, just think of PJ Tucker lite.

He’s a bit lengthier than Tucker overall, but as I said, you wouldn’t think he’s only 6 foot 7 when watching him play. But when I bring up Tucker, I mean that his role would be strictly corner spacing, some screen & rolling, hand-offs on the wing, and plenty of dunker spot reps.

Yeah, the Tucker role.

Obviously they wouldn’t put anything close to the amount Miami puts on Tucker’s plate, but they just need a guy who can kind of fill his spots on the floor, just as a body that can pull stuff away from the on-ball action.

The Kyle Guy pick-up felt like the best option for their current needs with Vincent and Strus out.

The Aric Holman pick-up felt like “no risk, high reward,” just with the amount of talent he seems to have.

The Haywood Highsmith pick-up felt like a guy they’ve been eyeing. Obviously that’s just pure speculation, but between his player build and his name coming out of left field in many ways, this may be the guy that sticks the longest.

And by that, I mean possibly a second 10-day if he plays well, or they could circle back down the line whenever their roster spots open up.

Either way, these guys will get their opportunity in this day-by-day league. Next game is Friday night against Houston, and we have no idea who will be available. But these guys will be ready to showcase themselves either way.

 

Everything Tradeshows is a one-stop-shop for trade show exhibit rentals and custom exhibit display purchase solutions to companies of all sizes.

Visit them at EverythingTradeShows or call 954-791-8882

Who are the Miami Heat’s biggest rivals?

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As every great bettor knows, examining two teams’ past games can be incredibly helpful if you want to gamble on them.

 

That’s why we’ve prepared a detailed piece that will tell you the most important facts on the Miami Heat’s most prominent rivals — the New York Knicks, Chicago Bulls, Orlando Magic, Boston Celtics, Indiana Pacers, and the Dallas Mavericks. Read on to learn about each one.

 

Miami Heat vs. New York Knicks

The rivalry between the home team of The Heatles and the Knickerbockers is a long one that began on March 2, 1989, when the two first clashed. On that day, the Knicks won by nine points, but the two have been true equals since then, giving headaches to both bettors and fans alike.

 

It’s hard to give good basketball betting tips for two teams that have played against each other for decades, with the Heats winning 79 games and the Knicks 77.

 

The two were the most poised to beat the other from 1997 to 2000 when they met in four consecutive playoff series. Many exciting and incredible things marked their games, from aggressive plays to foul calls. Interestingly, it was primarily due to one man — Pat Riley, who coached both teams and was known for his defensive style.

 

After that, the rivalry died down, but in recent years, we’ve all seen some sparks that might be an indication of something exciting yet to come.

 

Miami Heat vs Chicago Bulls

The two teams truly started competing in the 1990s, during the Bulls’ domination period, while Michael Jordan was playing. The rivalry wasn’t really a rivalry back then, as the Heat were eliminated three times by Jordan’s team, and the Bulls then won the NBA championship after each elimination.

 

Things started to heat up over time but took a short break until the 2006 NBA playoffs when the Heat won four games and lost only two. That same year, the Heat won the NBA finals as well.

 

The rivalry truly heated up in the next few years when the Bulls started playing much better and when the Heat brought back Dwayne Wade. It was also the time when the massive stars LeBron James and Chris Bosh signed up, which further intensified the rivalry.

 

2013 was especially interesting in this heated rivalry when the Heat managed to set a record within the playoffs for the entire NBA. They won by the largest margin ever, with the result being 115-78 in their favor.

 

Miami Heat vs. Orlando Magic

The rivalry between the Heat and Orlando Magic is so famous that it has its own name — the Sunshine State rivalry since both teams are in the same state.

 

he teams first met in 1989 and have had more than 120 meetings since then. The Heat have a better record as they have more than a dozen more wins, but, interestingly, both teams have nine consecutive wins against each other.

 

The rivalry got heated up in the media in the early days of The Heat’s The Big Three but cooled off from 2012 onward. We had only one exciting event in the 2020 All-Star Game when Aaron Gordon from the Magic and Derrick Jones Jr. from the Heat competed against each other.

 

Miami Heat vs. Boston Celtics

The rivalry between these two is not a very long one. It started only in the 2010 playoffs when the Celtics defeated the Heat four times to one.

 

The start of The Big Three in the Miami Heat happened around the same time, and LeBron stated that the Heat’s big three were a mirror to the Celtics’ own with their three stars Ray Allen, Paul Pierce, and Kevin Garnett.

 

The two teams intensified their rivalry and met again in the 2011 Eastern Conference Semifinals when the Heat won 4-1. They were ecstatic and soon moved on to win the Eastern Conference Finals against another major rival, the Chicago Bulls.

 

This interesting rivalry died down when Ray Allen moved to the Heat, which felt like a massive betrayal to some of his former teammates. The animosity between the two hasn’t died down, though, that’s for sure.

 

Miami Heat vs. Indiana Pacers

The two teams played against each other many times, but the rivalry was only triggered in the 2012 playoffs when both teams went too far. During the series, each head coach was fined, while the games were marked by numerous suspensions, confrontations, and fouls. The series eventually ended with 4-2 in the Heat’s favor.

 

Thankfully, they were better in the following year when they met in the Conference Finals. The games were truly breathtaking, and in the end, the Heat managed to win once again, with the final score being 4:3. 2014 was similar when the Pacers lost yet again. On the other hand, the Heat went further to the NBA Finals for the fourth consecutive time.

 

Miami Heat vs. Dallas Mavericks

This interesting rivalry began in the 2006 Finals, which were the first for both teams. At the time, the Heat had Shaquille O’Neal and Dwayne Wade, while the Mavericks had one of the greatest power forwards in NBA’s history, Dirk Nowitzki. The games were incredible, but the Miami Heat ended up victorious after six meetups, with four wins compared to the Mavericks’ two.

 

After 2010, the Mavericks managed to get their rematch, even if that was during the regular season. Unfortunately for them, they never won another game in their bigger showdowns with the Heat. However, they haven’t really played against each other either, with the last postseason game being in 2011-12.

 

Interestingly, this hasn’t destroyed the rivalry, most notably for Mark Cuban’s comments about the Heat. The majority owner of the Mavericks even went so far as to state that hate wasn’t a big enough word to describe his extreme dislike of the Miami Heat.

 

New Year’s Will Start with Knicks and Raptors Fighting to Stay Relevant

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Starting 2022 Off With a Bang

The two Eastern Conference rivals will face off in the first game of the new year for both teams. Traditionally, the Christmas to New Year’s period has officially kicked off the push for the playoffs. Both the Raptors and the Knicks have playoff aspirations in mind, although both are on the outside looking in for the Eastern Conference playoff picture. The Knicks were touted as pre-season sleepers to finish in the top four of the East, while the Raptors are looking to accelerate their rebuild in the first season without long-time leader Kyle Lowry who left in the offseason to the Miami Heat. 

NBA Games Being Hit by COVID-19

The re-emergence and sudden spread of the Omicron variant has hit all professional sports leagues hard. From day to day, any number of players have been placed in health and safety protocols, making for thin lineups and the addition of depth players to the starting rotations. The surge has even caused the NBA to change its roster rules, allowing teams to add additional players on 10-day contracts. It is a nearly unprecedented move by the league, as Commissioner Adam Silver is adamant about not shutting the league down despite some games already having to be postponed. 

NBA Betting Implications

This season has hit sports bettors in the wallet as the game by game variance has made it difficult to predict how a team will perform, and who will even suit up for the game. With sports betting being legalized in many states, including New York, fans of the NBA have had more interest in placing wagers this season. Hometown fans of the Knicks and Raptors will likely be waiting until game day to see what the starting lineups will be for this marquee game.

 

To say the Knicks have been a disappointment so far this season might be an understatement. Statistically, the Knicks are one of the worst teams in the league against the spread, as well as straight up. New York fans can review Knicks predictions at Caesars online sportsbook NY to see the latest odds and lines of their favorite team. 

 

With online sports betting approaching full legalization in the new year, plenty of New Yorkers will have their eyes on this matchup against the Raptors. Caesars online Sportsbook provides some incredible rewards and bonuses for new users from New York. The Caesars brand is one of the most respected and recognized names in the sports betting industry!

Raptors Outlook for 2022

We the North have been far from spectacular this season, even after a hot start to the year. The Raptors have struggled at home in particular with a below .500 record. This has been a strength for this squad in the past, particularly in 2019 when the team captured the NBA Championship over the Golden State Warriors. It has been trying so far this year at times, with obvious depth pieces playing heavy minutes in the rotation. 

 

Injuries have also hit the Raptors as Chris Boucher and Pascal Siakim already missed the start of the season, while OG Anunoby has missed the past few weeks with a hip pointer injury. Backup center Khem Birch has also been out with injuries, leaving an already undersized Raptors team even smaller in the frontcourt. 

 

But there have also been bright spots including the early emergence of rookies Scottie Barnes and Dalano Banton. Barnes has certainly been more impactful by earning a spot in the starting lineup and averaging 15.6 points per game with 8.3 rebounds and 3.4 assists. He has been developing a three-point shot as well while averaging more than a steal and a block per game. Toronto native Banton has been a depth piece for the Raptors but has provided a nice spark off the bench at times. 

 

If the Raptors are going to make a push to the postseason in 2022, then much of it will land on the shoulders of point guard Fred Van Vleet. Fred is the offensive leader for the Raptors and has big shoes to fill after the departure of Kyle Lowry. He’s also been to the playoffs before and knows what it takes as the veteran presence on a team full of youth. 

 

Knicks Outlook for 2022

The Knicks came into the season with playoff expectations after a surprise season last year that saw them fall out of the playoff race towards the end of the season. It was a motley crew of veterans led by power forward Julius Randle, but the youth movement is coming on in New York with RJ Barrett and Obi Toppin leading the way. 

 

But there has also been a dark cloud hanging over the Knicks as star point guard Kemba Walker has found himself in head coach Tom Thibodeau’s doghouse. Walker has been removed from the starting lineup and replaced with Alec Burks due to defensive inefficiency, which has caused a rift between the dressing room and Thibodeau. This type of turmoil usually either rallies a team or sends them off the rails, making for a very volatile situation.

 

The Knicks will be without point guard Derrick Rose for the next eight weeks following ankle surgery, so it does seem likely that Kemba will see more action. But Thibodeau has also been giving more playing time to youngsters like Immanuel Quickley, the 2020 first round draft pick out of Kentucky. To add to the carousel of guards, prospects Miles McBride of West Virginia and Quentin Grimes from Houston have also seen an uptick in playing time without Rose and Barrett in the lineup. 

 

The Eastern Conference is wide open, with the current thirteenth place team only three games out of the final playoff spot and only three and a half games back of sixth. The Knicks have the talent to make the playoffs, especially over teams like Washington and Charlotte who are both ahead of them in the standings as of now. Can the Knicks do it? It might take either moving Kemba over Thibodeau to get this team on the same page. 

 

Five Takeaways from Heat’s Win Over Wizards

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The Miami Heat faced the Washington Wizards on the front-end of a back to back Tuesday night, and it was another game where guys kept being added to the injury report.

Udonis Haslem entered the health and safety protocols early in the day, while Max Strus entered them as well with about 30 minutes til tip-off.

Last minute changes were made, and Miami adjusted well. So, here are some takeaways from this one…

#1: One of Tyler Herro’s most impressive all-around halves.

Tyler Herro has had plenty of moments where his all-around game really shines, but I haven’t seen it shine this bright in a 24 minute stint like it did in the first half tonight. 20 points, 3 for 3 from beyond the arc, 3 of 6 on twos, and 5 of 6 from the line. He had plenty of bounce to him when he’d draw certain mismatches, which isn’t always his biggest strength. An isolation is the outcome, so what’s the next move? The answer to that tonight was a quick 1-2 dribble, explode, and get to the basket for a layup or trip to the line. And that worked. Speaking of all-around play, it has been a heck of a week for Herro as a play-maker. Both hitting the roller and making the kick-out when defenses collapse has really stuck out with him. Is it just an evolving young player? Is it stepping up in the absence of Kyle Lowry? I’d say a combination of both.

#2: The mid-post void has been filled.

Something I drill a ton when discussing a functional Miami Heat offense is mid-post play. Jimmy Butler provides it. Bam Adebayo provides it. Markieff Morris provides it. PJ Tucker has tried to provide it. But well, that list of names has been the injury report as of late. Butler being back means heavy mid-post spamming is back, and very good things come out of it. It’s where most of his assists were coming from actually. His defender is on his back in an empty corner, while Miami can rely on their biggest offensive skill for some time now: off-ball movement. Omer Yurtseven rises to the top of the key, Duncan Robinson flies off the stagger screen, and boom. Butler hits the open Robinson on the wing three if lagging behind, or hit Yurtseven on the slip if they overplay. It’s simple, but it leads to very fluid offense for this team.

#3: Some more creative Erik Spoelstra ways.

When you essentially have one big on your nine man roster, and the second big is KZ Okpala, yeah, it calls for some creative juices. Some things were pretty similar to what we’re used to: heavy blitzing with Yurtseven, which got beat a ton early; full-out switching with Okpala at the 5; 2-2-1 press. The interesting thing about that press was many times it backed into man instead of a zone, and more importantly, there were times when the zone wasn’t even 2-2-1. They went into a man press at times very briefly, since they’d back off rather quickly, but it still does wonders when spearheaded by Gabe Vincent. He was giving Spencer Dinwiddie a headache all night with his baseline to baseline play, but it was leading to a lower and lower shot clock when the first action was ran for Washington. Miami had a great offensive start which stood out on the score-board, but it’s intriguing when you can mix things up like this defensively with this many guys out, and it still is effective.

#4: A Duncan Robinson night.

Tyler Herro, Jimmy Butler, and Duncan Robinson on the same night? Okay. Robinson had a bit of a rough start to this one to say the least, but the usage just kept growing more and more. For about half of the first quarter, every single action was run through Robinson, and I mean every single one. Even when he wasn’t hitting. But “not hitting” turned around pretty quickly as he got some to fall to begin the third, giving him a 7 for 12 stat-line from beyond the arc at that point. To relate back to a previous point, almost all of Robinson’s third quarter triples came off a Butler mid-post feed. Another small element to Robinson’s game that I picked up on as well is him wrestling between usual tight coverage and an over-play. It’s a hard thing to tell a part in the natural speed of the game, but it’s a major thing to obtain when you are a shooter of Robinson’s caliber. He seemed like he’s really improved in that area, which was never even bad to start.

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#5: Some Butler rest ahead of a back-to-back. Key word “some,” since it didn’t last long.

Eight man rotations and rest don’t really mix together, but that was essentially the case for Jimmy Butler tonight. Well, maybe for a second. While sitting on the bench to begin the fourth, Gabe Vincent hits a deep three with the shot-clock expiring, and Butler points up to the sky. Why? Well, that shot seemed to say ‘your night is over now,’ as the lead expanded even greater. But as Washington edged closer, Butler had to re-enter with 6 minutes left in the fourth. And well, on a late drive with a minute to go, he tweaked his ankle a bit, hurting this team more and more. With another game tomorrow in San Antonio, a fully charged Butler is needed. Yes, he just missed significant time so rest has already been gotten, but heavy minute back-to-backs can get to anyone. And like I said, running an eight man rotation surely doesn’t help that point. With limited bigs available right now, guys like Butler are flying across the game-plan in different roles. But with PJ Tucker listed as questionable the last two games, it could be a good sign a return could be made as soon as tomorrow.

 

Everything Tradeshows is a one-stop-shop for trade show exhibit rentals and custom exhibit display purchase solutions to companies of all sizes.

Visit them at EverythingTradeShows or call 954-791-8882

Five Takeaways from Heat’s Win Over the Magic

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The Miami Heat had an early tip-off Sunday afternoon, and they took care of business against the Orlando Magic in a Jimmy Butler return.

Tyler Herro ejection, young guys continue to soar, and the OG gets some more run.

So, here are five takeaways from this one…

#1: Jimmy Butler comes out firing to start.

Jimmy Butler has missed a lengthy period of time recently with that back injury, but this didn’t look like the last time he came back. In that game, he couldn’t even run the open floor without making a face, but tonight, he was clearly ready. Receiver like fades down the floor for easy buckets, defending pick and rolls like he never left, and getting that whistle as frequently as ever. Firing doesn’t mean he was shooting the ball great, because that wasn’t the case, but he was providing a decent pace and getting to the line with ease. The Heat have missed Jimmy Butler, but the issue is that they are still missing plenty of other guys on this roster. Tyler Herro being staggered with that one top dog has kept them afloat, but it was definitely good for Butler to get back into the swing of things.

#2: Udonis Haslem enters, Udonis Haslem produces.

Udonis Haslem enters, and the crowd goes wild. But way too often, we just end that statement there. We don’t go beyond that standing ovation or finger pointing in the face of Dwight Howard. But we should, especially in this one. He provides things that this team needs right now with the lack of bigs. Off-ball screening at the top of the key, good positional rolling, and a savvy way around the rim. Even when Omer Yurtseven was providing decent stretches, it’s important to balance that with a trusted piece, since frankly, there’s just nobody else that is next in line. It’s wild that it took this long to call Haslem’s name when necessary, but it’s far from too late. He’s needed big time right now.

#3: Tyler Herro with an early passing display.

Tyler Herro’s first half shot profile was definitely interesting. Every shot was as tough as it could get, which eventually led to some words from RJ Hampton, sparking an eventual back and forth and a double technical. But beyond that, Herro began impacting the game in another way. Almost too much. He was heavily relying on his play-making, leading to a 6 assist stat-line half-way through the second quarter. It may have been a surprise when initially seeing that number, but he was intentional with his passing. Collapsing the defense with his drive and kicks, feeding Haslem continually on that roll, and just surveying that mid-range as that continued threat. It was an interesting start, but seeing that evolve at this point is a very good sight. And it’s a good thing we saw it early, since his night ended early after being ejected.

#4: The young guys are competing: in the game and for their spot.

Gabe Vincent, Max Strus, Caleb Martin, Omer Yurtseven. These guys have all had fantastic individual performances this season, but yet again while looking at tonight, they step up collectively. No Bam Adebayo, Kyle Lowry, PJ Tucker, Markieff Morris, Dewayne Dedmon, and still Victor Oladipo, yet Miami’s still winning games due to the production of these inexperienced and developing young guys. Vincent, Strus, and Martin have already been given their flowers, but Yurtseven was showcasing himself in this one for sure. Planting himself down low and turning with the post-hook appeared to be the formula. But now only are guys like him competing for wins like this one, they’re competing for their spot. I don’t know if any of them will find themselves in an 8/9 man playoff rotation, but they’ve all made some pretty great cases.

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#5: Ball movement, ball movement, and more ball movement.

We can talk about awkward lineups, poor shooting, and less free throws as recent stand-outs with the Heat, but ball movement has kept them above water offensively. Of course the young guys I was referring to is a major part with all of their big performances, but they’ve been within that ball movement category. Early in the fourth, Miami assisted on 27 of their 30 shot makes up to that point. No iso possessions or clear-out post-ups, since even if that is displayed, a kick-out is almost always the outcome. Without 2 of your better passers, in Lowry and Bam, they’ve been able to carry that over pretty well, to overcome 13% shooting from three, which was the case a good portion of the first half. The intriguing part about this is how it’ll look with a fully healthy roster.

 

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Five Takeaways from Heat’s Win Over Pistons

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The Miami Heat played a wild one against a depleted Detroit Pistons team, but don’t let that distract you from Miami being just as slim.

Some big shots from Tyler Herro and Max Strus down the stretch iced it for Miami.

So, here are some takeaways from this one…

#1: Down another body.

The Miami Heat have been dealing with availability issues recently, and not in the same way the rest of the league is. It’s not that they’re covered in health and safety protocol tags, but instead pure injuries. And well, it was a rough start to this one as another front-court guy on this team went down, and a pretty important one at that. Dewayne Dedmon going through his usual sets as the roll man, yet this specific play he ended up on the floor in a ton of pain. He ended up getting up on his own power and walked straight to the locker room, which ended up being called a knee sprain. Obviously Miami slightly dodged a bullet since it could’ve been a lot worse, but it’s yet another hurdle that Miami will have to leap over and monitor. The theme of their season.

#2: Three-point shooting comparison quite unbalanced. 

At the half, the Detroit Pistons were shooting 11 for 21 from beyond the arc, while Miami was 5 of 19. The interesting part about those numbers was Miami slightly padded theirs a bit to end the half, behind Tyler Herro and Max Strus explosions which I’ll get into next. The threes being generated on both sides were quite different as well. Detroit was just picking apart Miami’s zone and finding the open man, which was spread around equally as every Piston starter had at least 2 threes at the half as well. Miami, on the other hand, just couldn’t get them to drop within the offense, leaving them with 4 starters half-way through with no made three. When two teams are down so many guys like these two teams are, usually the team with the better outside shooting numbers has the lead. And well, when they’re that one-sided, you put yourself in a tough spot.

#3: The Tyler Herro-Max Strus show early.

Aside from all of the struggles I discussed in the last section, Max Strus kept them afloat early and Tyler Herro took the keys from there. 33 of 55 first half points from Miami were scored by Herro and Strus. The role of Strus early was intriguing, and it led to a 7-0 run from him. As he’s slotted into starting power forward, he began merging into that role a bit. Baseline roaming, dunker spot reps, which led to an easy dunk early in the first. Herro was just doing Herro-like things. Really carving things up inside the arc, leading to tough mid-range fades and nice lay-ins around the rim. But most of all, his control stood out. Running certain lineups that many of us thought we’d only see in Summer League, yet he’s still playing within the offense. And well, that’s an improved player.

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#4: Udonis Haslem, the spark.

With Dedmon going down early, Miami had to quickly transition into a strict, and small, 8 man rotation for a good portion of the game. Well, that was until Erik Spoelstra gave Udonis Haslem the look to enter the game late in the third. After some rough possessions to start, he quickly gave Miami some production, aside from the big time home crowd spark. One immediate and-1 after the whole team did some complaining on the other end, and a nice face-up jumper down on the box right after. Like I said, sometimes that stuff doesn’t even truly matter in games like this. Instead, it leaves many looking around for the ignitable piece to get a group going. And UD can do that rather quickly, as Miami finished the third quarter strong.

#5: Marcus Garrett giving Miami some underappreciated minutes.

Whenever Marcus Garrett has gotten some run over this recent stretch, his stat-line has never really popped at all in any category. Why is that? Well, he’s another one of those Heat guys that doesn’t get rated upon numbers on a piece of paper, especially considering the main part of his game is on the defensive end. And tonight was a game where he really showed out as a pure ball-hawk. Not only in a Gabe Vincent-like way from baseline to baseline, but by cutting off simple reads in pick and rolls at the top of the key possession after possession. Haslem may have been the spark to finish the third, but Garrett was the spark to kick off the fourth. One play where he forced Cory Joseph into a quick pass and Herro stole it and dunked it was the fire setter. Yet, shortly after, he found himself in perfect position for a much needed charge. That stuff speaks volume.

 

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Five Takeaways from Heat’s Win Over Pacers

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The Miami Heat had the ultimate bounce back game on Tuesday night, beating the Indiana Pacers in intriguing fashion.

We can focus on certain guys in this one, but this was one of those cliche phrases: a team effort.

So, here are five takeaways from this one…

#1: The front-court projects coming up big without the front-court starters.

No Jimmy Butler. No PJ Tucker. No Bam Adebayo. That scarce front-court led to Erik Spoelstra plugging in Max Strus at the 4, but others stepped up even more in that spot. After a bad looking game from KZ Okpala and Omer Yurtseven against Detroit, they came up big in this one early on. The key: using them like themselves, instead of an Adebayo/Tucker role. Okpala was a very efficient 3 of 3 at the half, hitting a nice 3 in the corner, attacking well, and playing some of his best individual defense of the season in my opinion. Yurtseven was just playing one of his most active games of his young NBA career, hitting the boards hard, facilitating at a serviceable level, and setting some nice screens. These guys are still projects, but some reassurance in games like this is a great sign when down so many players.

#2: Duncan Robinson shifting has game little by little? Indeed.

The Duncan Robinson discussion is always an interesting one to have. Did he have another off game to evaluate or did he break the slump? But in the big picture, I have something else to think about: if the shot has been falling all year for him at a decent rate, we would be having the complete opposite conversation about Robinson. Why is that? Well, his inside game has improved more than anyone could’ve expected, and that’s not an overstatement. He took more dribbles in the last 6 minutes of the second quarter than he has in a single game all season. And those dribbles were leading to some nice looking sprays, nice retreat feeds in the lane, and most of all, an ability to really attack at a decent rate. His game has shifted, and threes falling like they were tonight puts it on full display.

#3: My microscopic game take: the defensive adjustments.

Looking at some things on a smaller level from this game, the defensive adjustments were intriguing, yet not unexpected. I don’t remember the last time an NBA team ran zone on the first possession of a game, but that was the case tonight. When Robinson and Strus are your front-court starters, it’s basically necessary. While that worked frequently, there was another outlet that didn’t work as much: blitzing. There are certain teams that just can’t work against, and there are certain lineups of your own that can’t work for. Tonight was one of them. Dedmon blitzing a pick and roll has worked well when PJ Tucker is the awaiting weak-side tagger. But when it’s Robinson or Strus on the back-side, it’s pure mayhem. Two passes, one lay-in. Obviously it didn’t last long since Miami played a great defensive game, but still something to keep in mind.

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#4: The biggest individual basketball leap on this Heat team this season.

Speaking of microscopic takes, another young guy development must be discussed. I’ve spent a lot of time recently talking about Gabe Vincent, but something else must be discussed. The recent topic has been three-point shooting, since that shot has been falling at a much better rate, but the fact that he rounded out every part of his game throughout his slump stands out more. An off-ball guard had to turn into an on-ball threat real quick, as he told me before the season. Yet, his handles look as crisp as anybody on this team currently. It’s not just about the highlight-like pull-back dribbles for good looking threes, but instead keeping his dribble alive, constantly shifting the defenders body, and much more. If you asked me what’s been the biggest young guy growth, my answer would 100% be Vincent’s handle.

#5: Tyler Herro is back.

I think many of us were viewing the name Tyler Herro as a name on the injury report too much, instead of the complete offensive player that can come back and make an immediate impact. I wouldn’t say this was his best game tonight, but that’s what you would expect when first returning. Shots will be short, but his ability to still impact the game in his minutes and shoot through the slight “off” early is big time. Then, all of a sudden, another burst has arrived. One three here, another mid-range fade there. And well, that’s just Herro at this stage. Coming into the season, if you were to tell me you knew what you were getting from Herro on a night to night basis more than any of the top guys, I’d push back a bit. But that has been the case. Tyler Herro is back, and they’ve missed him.

 

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Zylan Cheatham Shows Signs of a Miami Heat Guy

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After taking a look at the clip above, what stands out?

An explosive roller who can slip screens with ease? Maybe. A quick trigger around the rim? Possibly. But the main thing that sticks out to me here: physicality.

When looking at the Miami Heat’s G-League scouting in the past, they never go for that killer scorer who can’t be stopped. It’s not that flashy on-ball guy who they want to put the ball in the basket. Instead, they look for certain team’s glue guys, who possibly are setting up that big time scorer.

In many ways, that seems to be the job of Zylan Cheatham. A tough guy, rebounds the basketball with great enthusiasm, takes most of his pride on the defensive end. That’s a Heat guy.

Looking at the Heat’s current situation, they’re down 5 rotational guys at the moment, who are all front-court defensive minded players. With that said, it was clear what kind of player they’d use their 10 day contract on.

When I mention Miami searching for “glue guys” or certain set-up players, these are the plays that stick out to the Heat scouting group. A guy that can be relied on down on the defensive end, while being able to stick in the middle of a 2-3 zone to find the open man. Honestly, looks like a young version of current and previous Heat come-ups.

That one pass may look simple in the clip above, but it’s something that guys like KZ Okpala have struggled with over this recent run. Now, this is against G-League talent, so Okpala may be able to do something similar in that setting, but if he can have similar control at the next level, that’s all he needs to be serviceable.

The other part of his game, as I mentioned before, that sticks out is his rebounding. Since Bam Adebayo went down, the Heat are 27th in the league in rebounds per game. Although Cheatham’s height seems to differ depending on what website you look at, it’s clear that his length isn’t what makes him a good rebounder.

Once again, something the Heat absolutely love. Just ask some Heat personnel about PJ Tucker’s recent presence.

As Jonathon Givony of Draft Express said about Cheatham, “I think will have a chance to stick if he can show that his 3-ball is for real, because he does everything else.” And man, that isn’t the first Heat prospect I’ve heard that description for.

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The thing about his current role over the next 10 days is that threes won’t be an absolute necessary factor. He will be an elbow guy, a dunker spot guy, and asked to slightly facilitate the ball around the perimeter, while semi-pulling a big from the basket on guard drives to the basket.

It’s simple. Miami loves to simplify guys games like himself when put in this setting, but the difference now compared to any other circumstance, his opportunity should come immediately. This Heat team is rolling out the same 9 guys every single night, just because they only have 9 available guys.

If that drops down to eight, or even if it stays at nine, Cheatham will get his shot.

Speaking of a dunker spot role, there’s no better player to throw in that spot than an explosive high flyer like himself.

(Derrick Jones Jr anyone?)

We can talk about many things the Heat lacked against Detroit the other night, but one of the major factors was the void of energy, excitement, and enthusiasm. And well, as wild as it may sound, Cheatham could potentially provide that if he gets going upon immediately being scooped up.

One fast-break 360 dunk from Cheatham, and the energy around a game could flip. I guess we’ll see where this goes over the next week and a half, but there’s no doubt this guy is a Heat prospect.

Not about total scoring, defensive minded, energetic rebounder, and a guy who has come up through the mud.

Who would’ve thought?

 

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Five Takeaways from Heat’s Loss to the Pistons

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The Miami Heat dropped this one to the Detroit Pistons, as fatigue shines through as the leading factor. Short on jumpers, late on rotations, getting out-rebounded. All factors of a tired group at the end of a road trip.

Anyway, here are the five takeaways from this one…

#1: Duncan Robinson’s expanding bag creating more lineup flexibility, yet individual shot-making restricting.

Little by little, the fits surrounding Duncan Robinson are coming together. Robinson himself, on the other hand, is a completely different story tonight that I’ll have to wait to discuss. On paper, it’s one of these easiest combinations to make work. One of the league’s top 3 point specialists is a simple pair for any NBA player, but extra avenues are being explored. We’ve seen Robinson’s inside game more and more lately: the mid-range pull-up, pin-downs/back-cuts, and now dribble penetration. He drives down the lane, 3 Pistons collapse, and hits Max Strus in the corner off a hammer screen. That’s big time for Robinson, since as I said, it changes the equation for certain lineups to push a Strus and Robinson for longer minutes. Another example of flexibility is within the scheme. To start the game, he came up to screen for Kyle Lowry, Detroit blitzed, and well, that’s the last thing you want to do with Robinson as the screener. He hit that three, but none seemed to follow. And that’s tough when you’re without Butler, Adebayo, Herro, Morris, Martin, etc.

#2: The Max Strus conversation continues.

Max Strus happened again. 15 points at the half for Miami, while the second leading scorer in the entire game was Hamidou Diallo with 9 points. When talking about future lineups for this Heat team when fully healthy, it’s clear Max Strus has earned his stay. I don’t know if that means he will crack that rotation, but it should definitely take some strong consideration. On a team where the two best players don’t shoot the three-ball, Strus feels like the perfect bench piece at the back-end of the rotation. He’s consistent, he plays a simple game, and as we’ve seen over the last 2 years, his teammates are very comfortable with him on the floor, and even more importantly, highly confident in his abilities. Robinson’s degree of difficulty is unmatched, but in an open gym, Strus is evenly aligned with him. But adding the steady efficiency recently with the tougher looks he’s getting equals a rotation player on this team.

#3: Three-point attempts continue to skyrocket.

Erik Spoelstra in tonight’s pregame media availability made sure to note that it’s much more than just three-point shots rising. But in the big picture, it’s clear that is the only true outlet at this time. It’s not just about the correlation of no Butler or Bam meaning more threes, but it’s much more about being without those two leading to less rim pressure overall. Guys like Gabe Vincent and Kyle Lowry are still generating it at a high rate, but that downhill scoring presence hasn’t really been displayed. The team’s new paint touches are worked more through quick passes off back-cuts than pure drives, which leads to a higher rate of three-point shots and quick kick-outs off spiraling defensive rotations. And when the three isn’t falling, it’ll be a long night for Miami no matter who they’re facing.

#4: Does Miami act as if Bam Adebayo is on the floor too often?

When talking about losing a franchise player for a few months, it’s hard for a group of guys to fully adjust at the snap of a finger. But with some weeks lingering by, it feels like there continues to be a reliance on finding the big on the floor in an unorthodox way. It has been the case with Dewayne Dedmon as he’d lurk sideline to sideline for hand-offs, but now Omer Yurtseven turned into that guy. For an entirety of the third quarter, the ball just kept being worked into him, which is an area of his game he’s not comfortable with at this moment. Why have PJ Tucker-KZ Okpala lineups worked seamlessly in the past? Because the team knows there isn’t a big on the floor to overwork. That’s going to be key as they move forward, and much of that usage can flip when Tyler Herro and Jimmy Butler get back in the mix.

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#5: The importance of PJ Tucker shines.

I hinted at it slightly in the last takeaway, but this topic needs its own section. A Caleb Martin can pick up for Jimmy Butler some nights. A Max Strus can pick up for Tyler Herro some nights. But only PJ Tucker can pick up for Bam Adebayo. When Tucker went down to begin that third quarter, as I highlighted in the last section, an over-reliance on others occurred. Simply, I don’t see a way to overcome the loss of Adebayo and Tucker, even against teams like this. I can go through the catalog of guys they are missing, but everything seems to get flushed without that steady offensive rock who can get them into their sets. Without that “rock,” perimeter play is spammed, the one outlet of rim pressure with off-ball cuts is eliminated, and that three-point surge is put on display even more. I’d expect Tucker to be fine, but Miami wasn’t fine tonight.

 

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