5 Takeaways from Heat’s Win Over Knicks

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The Miami Heat ended their 6 game losing streak with a win over the New York Knicks. It was a tale of two halves for Miami, after Jimmy Butler went into takeover mode in the second half. Anyway, here are five takeaways from this game…

#1: Well, this is Miami’s offense at times.

The reality is that this is Miami’s offense at times. Dissecting different reasons for the offensive struggles game after game have become a constant thing this season, meaning this is who they are. The leading scorer after 12 minutes of basketball from both teams was Tyler Herro with 6 points, which furthers the point about the overall stagnant offensive play. The only difference is that the Knicks went on spark runs by some of their primary players, as well as turning defense into offense. Miami wasn’t as lucky to have those scoring spurts, and it may have nothing to do with luck. There were small flashes of Bam Adebayo takeover, which never really panned out in the first half, which I will dive into next, but it’s clear that a passive Jimmy Butler in games like this always leads to them playing from behind, which turned around in the second half.

#2: Bam Adebayo having his moments, showcasing just an incredibly unique skill.

Now, I mentioned the small positive flashes from Adebayo early on, and although the Heat scored 36 points in the half, it must be touched upon. For starters, he scored 8 points in that stretch on 4 for 5 shooting, which is a major part of this. Efficiency is clearly a great attribute, but not when it’s costing the team points. Andre Iguodala having the same amount of shot attempts in the first half as Adebayo reiterates that point even more. The reason that I wanted to touch on his unique skill, which is widely known, is because he shows glimpses of realization then reverts right back. Pull-up jumpers with a behind the back dribble occurring right before seems like a moment where that Brooklyn Nets-like game takeover is coming, but the following play leads to off-ball screens and kick-outs to Miami’s different wings. Adebayo utilizes guard moves throughout the game, which is the perfect description since it happens pretty effortlessly.

#3: Precious Achiuwa struggles again, turning eyes toward buyout market.

The continued discussion surrounding last minute pick-ups for Miami have included the addition of a back-up big for the Heat. The non-Adebayo minutes have become just as bad as the non-Butler minutes lately, since they don’t have that big man who can keep them afloat. Achiuwa had flashes early in the year, but his offensive limitations and undersized build allow him to get lost rather quickly. Although most of the guys that are currently in the buyout market get labeled as “past their prime,” that attribute may be more helpful for this team than an inexperience rookie. It’s obvious that Miami will make a move in that area pretty soon, but the consistent hole in that spot should speed that process up in the coming days for the Heat’s front office.

#4: The Jimmy Butler takeover.

As I mentioned before the game, as well as halftime, a Jimmy Butler takeover was necessary. When offense is stagnant like it was tonight, it’s important for him to search to attack, but it’s even more clear when all of the signs are pointing in that direction. Butler seemed to be locked in as soon as some back and forth occurred between him and the Knicks, both the players on the court and sideline. When he’s locked in like that, he’s a hard man to stop, since it’s obvious that he is more than capable to score at the basket whenever he chooses. So, he did just that in the third quarter, turning a 36 point first half into a 39 point third quarter. And although the points he scored will be harped on, the intensity and energy that he brought changed the game for Miami.

#5: Duncan Robinson with one of his best all-around performances.

Duncan Robinson hit some nice shots on the outside, which may have sparked him moving forward, but that’s not what I want to discuss. The part that must be mentioned is that this game may be one of Robinson’s best all-around games of the season. For starters, he put the ball on the deck at an exceptional rate, which led to some very impressive passes. When defenses continue to fly out at him, that element will be essential, and adding the dump-off on the move to the cutter takes it to another level. The second part of tonight’s game for him was on the defensive end, which could’ve been one of his better defensive games of his career. Not only some big steals and deflections to get Miami into transition, but he also stayed in front of his guy individually much better than usual. This type of performance is all he needed to get back to normal, so we will see how this progresses.

Pat Riley’s “Different Dimension” Could be Found in DeMarcus Cousins

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As the list of buyout market options continues to get shorter, the name DeMarcus Cousins continues to climb up that list. Now, of course we are currently discussing a guy that is past his prime, but that is basically the definition of the buyout market.

Every player that has fallen into that category ended up there for a reason, so singling out Cousins doesn’t seem to make much sense.

Anyway, when evaluating the Cousins option for this team, a certain Pat Riley quote from his recent presser continues to pop out. He mentioned a big reason that adding Victor Oladipo was so important was due to it giving Miami a “different dimension.” And well, Cousins has a chance at giving that to Miami when placed into the correct role.

As I take a dive into the elements he can bring to this Heat team, there aren’t many diversified points like past articles have included. By that, I mean that his offensive abilities are pretty simple when discussing him as a fit, which I will address here…

– The primary “different dimension”

First and foremost, the role that he will be given on this current roster must be noted, which would most likely be the back-up big spot that Precious Achiuwa currently holds. And at this stage of Achiuwa’s young career, his offensive game is extremely limited.

Besides that, he is a bit undersized at times against opposing 5’s, which is something Cousins would not have an issue with. That “different dimension” that I keep harping on is the inside game. It may not be what it once was for him, but his wide frame allows him to get to it at a consistent rate, at least when he actually wants to.

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Other than Achiuwa’s inexperience and lowered trust levels when entering a playoff series, his offensive game only being generated above the rim will become even more problematic than it is right now. And if there’s any team that can insert a veteran into a certain role, while making sure he brings them that needed presence down low, it would have to be the Miami Heat.

There have been moments this season, like the video clip above, where Cousins has shown those interior flashes that I just discussed. Another thing to note here though is that he can grab a few more rebounds for the second unit when Bam Adebayo is off the floor.

A major part about Miami considering Cousins as an option would be the mental side of things. Is he willing to alter some things in his game and accept this certain role to help this team win? It’s a question that I’m unable to answer, but I can say that when it’s Pat Riley, or even Jimmy Butler, asking him that question, there’s a much better chance of that being a yes.

Let’s take a look at one more interior possession from this game against the Dallas Mavericks. The reason that I’m utilizing this game to dive into his interior play has a lot to do with him dropping 28 points and 17 rebounds in this game at the end of January.

While many are probably wondering about the fit next to Adebayo, I think the balance between these two guys interchanging is more intriguing. It’s pretty obvious that Adebayo is a player that loves to face the basket, due to his incredible intangibles to make plays as if he was a point guard.

With that being said, he has not been the biggest fan of backing guys down and creating from the post, which is another example of Cousins bringing another dimension. He isn’t afraid to use his size on the block, as seen here, which may benefit Adebayo as well to diversify their bigs, especially since Nemanja Bjelica brings something that neither of them do.

– The shooting aspect

The Kelly Olynyk roller coaster, when referring to the ups and downs of his shooting, could be reiterated by Cousins, which is not the worst thing for a back-up big. When I say this, I mean that he is capable of becoming an outside threat as he was early in this game against the Miami Heat, but there will also be a few down games sprinkled in.

But getting away from consistency and numbers, adding some type of floor spacer at the 5 is pretty important at this moment as well. Andre Iguodala will continue to get big time minutes off the bench, but while shooting isn’t his best attribute, the fit next to Achiuwa in that bench unit hasn’t been very effective.

Another primary part about Cousins, when comparing him to other buyout options, is that his peak is much higher than anybody else on that list. Although Miami may not want to take a chance at uncertainty at this time, he could be an outstanding spark at his best.

– Parked on the bottom block is beneficial for Miami’s offense

Although Cousins likes to space himself beyond the arc most of the time, as discussed previously, his spot on the bottom block could majorly impact Miami’s offense.

One reason for that is shown in this clip above, since Miami is one of the better cutting teams in the NBA, which leads to easy dump-off passes for easy opportunities.

After seeing that, can you hear Pat Riley saying the words “different dimension” as well? Because I can.

The overall consensus is that Miami just majorly needs some type of back-up big if they want to compete in the East, and beginning to win some games with their new pieces can impact who they get from that list. It’ll be interesting to see what happens, but the more days that go by, the higher Cousins’ name gets on that list.

 

5 Takeaways from Heat’s Loss to Charlotte

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The Miami Heat lost to the Charlotte Hornets on Friday night, which originally began as an absolute blowout, but ended as a close battle. Although the main takeaways are negative tonight due to the Heat’s poor play early on, it’s a constant theme of playing in a consistent fashion for 48 minutes, since they were really solid down the stretch. So, here are five takeaways from this game.

#1: Well, let’s start with allowing 72 points at the half.

Now, this clearly won’t be the most positive post-game piece after Charlotte pulled away much earlier than ever expected. Open triple after open triple led to the Hornets expanding their lead more and more, beginning with Malik Monk looking like the team’s owner, Michael Jordan, when he plays the Miami Heat. When evaluating the issues on the Heat’s end, it’s just clearly the definition of the second night of a back to back on the defensive end. Late rotations became the theme in the first half, while the effort on that end was not up to the expected level to begin the game, which is needed against the offensive firepower in Charlotte.

#2: That one player not able to break away from the pack in points category.

When scanning through the box score at the half, the biggest takeaway is that one player wasn’t able to break away from the rest in the scoring column. Butler and Nunn led with 10, while Ariza, Adebayo, and Robinson followed behind with 6 points. But on a night like tonight, they need that one guy to takeover for different stretches. Adebayo and Herro did that for Miami against Portland last night, but they combined for 10 points at the half tonight. Obviously Victor Oladipo, Nemanja Bjelica, and Goran Dragic are still not playing with this Heat team yet, but it’s no excuse when evaluating this team as a whole. They’re built as a team with a bunch of options, but none of those options seemed to have it tonight.

#3: The optimistic perspective.

After diving into each of Miami’s issues on both the offensive and defensive ends of the floor, is there anything positive to draw from this game? Well, I don’t know about the description positive, but this definitely puts some things in perspective, which is hard to do while the team is on a 6 game losing streak. So, take a look at the rotation tonight, since although they had more than enough guys to step up, the bench makes it quite interesting. For one, Max Strus and Gabe Vincent are getting consistent minutes, which isn’t a terrible thing since they’ve played well, but it’s a role that they won’t ever play for this team. Also, Precious Achiuwa is still the Adebayo relief guy, which may not be the case once Miami solidifies their signing from the buyout market. The point is that this rotation might look a lot different on Monday night, which may force you into a bit more of an optimistic view.

#4: Trevor Ariza’s high minutes changing Andre Iguodala’s role.

When discussing a change at a position, this does not consist of some young guys battling it out to stay in the rotation, such as a Kendrick Nunn. The actual positional battle I’m referring to is the two veteran wings, Andre Iguodala and Trevor Ariza. Aside from Ariza being inserted into the starting lineup next to Adebayo recently, there has seemed to be high trust levels in Ariza since he first joined the team. It’s widely known that Iguodala isn’t the biggest fan of regular season play, which makes this certain insertion even more effective, but some of the newcomers make this interesting. Not just Nemanja Bjelica, but also a possible LaMarcus Aldridge addition links some question marks to the rotation moving forward. Although it may not hold much importance at the current moment, it will for Coach Spoelstra as the season progresses, and he must choose between the better shooter and the better defender, who can each sprinkle in the opposite element.

#5: Miami battles until the final buzzer, showcasing some grit to fight back.

Although it’s still not the result many may want, it was a pretty impressive run that this Heat team went on beginning late in the third quarter. Although the offensive side of the ball will be looked toward first after they went on a 25-8 run, the defensive rotations were night and day compared to the first quarter. They were locked in on that end of the floor, didn’t foul as much, and contested well on those same Charlotte triples. The offensive side of the ball was a slow grind with a three here and a three there, but Tyler Herro was the headliner for a short stretch. He showcased that same confidence in his scoring abilities, but then it began to tail off as the fourth quarter progressed. Those same triples were not falling late in the fourth when they needed it most from him, but then Adebayo stepped up late in the fourth for an exceptional stretch under two minutes to go. This then leads to the constant eyebrow raises about Adebayo not realizing how talented he is all 48 minutes.

A Breakdown of Tyler Herro Against Portland

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Post trade deadline Tyler Herro was out in full effect on Thursday night against the Portland Trail Blazers. The Miami Heat had only 9 available players last night, while one of the guys out was Heat’s star Jimmy Butler, it was clear that Tyler Herro was going to need to step up as a scorer.

He not only did that, but he continued to show flashes in all facets of the game, which will be highlighted here. Although this game was a loss, it was a moral win, which is what we’re going to dive into here regarding Herro.

– The play-making abilities shine

One or two clips from last night’s game wouldn’t be able to fully explain the play-making strides that are being made. To start it off, he checks in the game in the first quarter, and immediately receives the ball on an off-ball screen to get downhill.

As Trevor Ariza’s man tries to eliminate that immediately, Herro makes a great read to pass it across his body back to the wing. Some of the issues involving his play-making lately has been the need to force certain passes, especially when he seems afraid to shoot. But that wasn’t the case last night, since he played with as much of a flow as ever.

As the game progressed and the number of attacks for Herro increased, which will be discussed later, the defense began to collapse. A lot.

On this particular play, all eyes are on Herro as he penetrates against the drop, which is his favorite time to attack the basket and play-make. A key element here is the patience he has when he gets to the basket, since that has been another area of struggle. He also doesn’t get stuck in the air, which leads to a perfect bounce pass and a perfect dunk.

Now, this sequence was by far the most impressive passing by Herro of the game, and maybe all season.

He runs a high pick and roll as both defenders try and trap, which pretty much leaves an open rolling Bam Adebayo, forcing the defense to rotate. Except, Herro didn’t make the pass to Adebayo on the roll, mostly since McCollum edged over and they probably would’ve recovered. He threw a cross-court pass to Gabe Vincent for a great look, which ended in three points.

The second play wasn’t as much Herro instincts since it was a designed play, but it’s still important to highlight. There’s a certain trust level in him to make these reads, especially in the fourth quarter of games when he is at his best.

Here’s another designed play where Duncan Robinson bunches up with Adebayo, as he goes to the three point line and Adebayo sets the screen for Herro into a pick and roll.

Yet another situation where Erik Spoelstra is putting the decision making in Herro’s hands, which is what he tends to do even more often when they’re without key players, since he wants him to take the reigns.

Herro reads the personnel well, since it’s an athletic freak rolling to the basket wearing that blue and pink, while a slow footed Enes Kanter is defending. He lobs it up and Adebayo throws it down, which was a bit risky at this back and forth point of the game.

– The two different aspects of his mid-range game

There are two elements to Herro’s evolving mid-range game, and the first one was on display here. And that element is separation, since it’s an ongoing discussing regarding his need for a constant screener.

When taking a look at this possession, there’s a slight dip he gives before pulling back, which gives him a total advantage. Once he develops these slight movements as a creator, which develops over time, it’ll make all the difference.

Herro mentioned in the past that he has watched film on his past two match-ups, Devin Booker and CJ McCollum, which is exactly what I asked him about following yesterday’s game:

The second element to Herro in the mid-range area is embracing the contact. This also is important to note when addressing his attacking abilities, since he seems to avoid contact often when shooting the ball, which could end up on a highlight reel or fast-break points for the opposing team.

After taking the contact on this play, he flows into a floater, which has been something he’s trusted a lot more lately. Decision making is very essential for young players, and that has a lot to do with choosing between different types of shot attempts. And the second level basically forces players to make quick decisions on their shots.

– Developing that gravity

The word gravity is used quite frequently when discussing this Heat team, either with Robinson beyond the arc or Butler on the drive. But sequences like this show clear flashes that Herro has a capability of holding a great amount of gravity on a defense.

The first clip shows Herro receiving the ball to begin the play, and he immediately pulls it since nobody is defending him. The second clip is the following play, which looks a whole lot different from the last one. He gets the ball in the same exact spot, except this time both defenders blitz him in the PnR, leading to an easy dunk for Adebayo.

– The downfall: the snake dribble

Although this possession ended in a bucket for Kendrick Nunn, the overuse of the snake dribble for Herro has been quite apparent. Most of the time when running a PnR, he either avoids the screen to go the opposite direction, or do what he did here.

Miami’s two bigs, Adebayo and Precious Achiuwa, are energetic and athletic figures as above the rim threats on the roll, but this one movement basically eliminates that. It creates poor spacing most of the time, since the defense knows how to cut it off, due to it probably headlining the film session early in the day.

It could have something to do with that mid-range confidence and contact layup hesitance that forces it, but either way it is something that must be addressed to maximize his offensive abilities.

 

Now, let’s take a look what happens when he flows normally in a pick and roll set. He patiently waits for the screen then explodes toward the basket, and as the defender lags behind, he goes immediately into that floater I discussed previously.

Not only is that floater hard to guard from the center’s perspective, but more importantly it puts the recovering guard in an awkward situation, which as seen here led to a foul. If this becomes his primary attribute in a PnR while sprinkling snake dribbles to find dead spots, it leads to a much cleaner offense.

– Some iso flashes?

A major reason the Victor Oladipo acquisition was so crucial was due to the lack of on-ball creators on this team’s current roster. But if Herro can bring that element even slightly off the bench, it absolutely changes everything for their offense.

That little step back to the left that was seen on the play above is one of his shots that he finds the most rhythm. And although the need for separation beyond the arc wasn’t even created on this play, he showed his ability to knock down contested jumpers, which honestly seem to be more natural than the wide open ones at this stage.

– Oh, by the way, the confidence is back

Confidence and Tyler Herro go together like country music and Jimmy Butler. And when he’s attempting shots from the logo in a tight game in the fourth quarter, it’s pretty obvious that confidence is fully back.

If it has something to do with escaping the trade deadline or not, this team just majorly needed that confidence and joy for the game to return for him. When diving into the mechanics of this play a bit more, it has everything to do with the one element I discuss every time involving Herro’s jumper: his lift.

When he rises up over the top of defenders like this, a miss becomes a rare occurrence. And the next thing that should become rare is Herro shying away from the ball throughout the game, since even though Butler and Oladipo will be added in pretty soon, this team needs their young spark to continue firing.

5 Takeways from Heat’s Late Loss to Portland

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The Miami Heat fell late to the Portland Trail Blazers, after a foul was called with 1 second left to put Damian Lillard on the line. Although it was a tough result, Miami showed incredible grit with only 9 available players. So, here are five takeaways from the game…

#1: No Jimmy Butler leads to early Bam Adebayo aggression.

In a game that Miami was without their star Jimmy Butler and newcomer Victor Oladipo, Bam Adebayo was clearly going to be needed. Not only as the primary play-maker and focal point of the offense, but also as the needed scorer. And well, that’s exactly what he was early on, getting to those 10 foot push shots that he loves, while also competing on the defensive end each and every play. An efficient 15 point first half is one thing in a short term view, but it’s quite interesting to dive into it in the big picture. As much as many may think this will lead to even less Adebayo scoring with Oladipo joining, I believe it’ll be just the opposite. It eliminates teams sending constant doubles when Adebayo receives the ball in the nucleus of the offense, which could lead to an even more ideal situation for him.

#2: Post trade deadline Tyler Herro and Duncan Robinson performances.

Now, before discussing Tyler Herro and Duncan Robinson early on in the game tonight, maybe it’s important to address a primary reason. It’s not an overstatement to mention trade rumors getting into the heads of certain players, and it’s no surprise that it played a role in the recent struggles. Robinson came out immediately with an apparent confidence in his jumper, while Herro began to heat up as the game progressed. He kept Miami going when Adebayo exited which was key due to the many players Miami were without. Although many will harp on the three-point shooting being the only change for Herro tonight, I believe it had more to do with the on-ball situations. He attacked consistently throughout which led to easy buckets, and that’s the area that will fully elevate his game over this next stretch of games. And well, a Lillard range three pointer in the fourth quarter against Damian Lillard pretty much solidified the point about relief occurring after trade rumors, leading to Herro’s comfort zone of straight confidence.

#3: Oladipo may have been most useful on the defensive end tonight.

Not to link everything from tonight’s game to Miami’s newest trade acquisition, but CJ McCollum’s scoring explosion made that come to mind immediately. Although the Heat’s interchanging defensive schemes may hide some of Miami’s weaker defenders at times, it has still been clear that point of attack defense needs a boost. McCollum’s 29 first half points shouldn’t be completely pointed to Miami’s guards, since they actually contested well on many possessions, but when it’s his night, there’s basically no way to slow him down. This is where Victor Oladipo comes into play though in the big picture, since Butler is constantly the guy who is forced to guard opposing team’s best guard on a nightly basis. Other than the scoring boost, it’s a great amount of weight off Butler’s shoulders through the different defensive match-ups.

#4: Trevor Ariza looking quite impressive in all aspects of the game.

I think there is general confidence that Trevor Ariza can become an ideal plug and play guy at the 4, mostly as a a catch and shoot threat. But in only his fourth game with the Miami Heat, he looked to show other areas of his offensive package, headlined by an ability to put the ball on the deck and get to the basket. He has some length to him and seems to have a great ability to utilize that length when slashing down the baseline. Now, the more important aspect is the element he brings moving forward, which is the perfect balance at the wing spot for Andre Iguodala. This gives Erik Spoelstra some options to decide between a versatile offensive player who can defend and an elite defender who can facilitate offense. Either way, the Ariza acquisition looks to have an even bigger impact than originally expected.

#5: Oh, the Heat will insert Jimmy Butler, Victor Oladipo, and Goran Dragic into this.

A major takeaway from this game, other than individual boosts from needed players, is the heart they showed with only nine available players. Not only through the trade deadline being over, but this game being a scheduled loss basically propels this team to play freely. But other than that being noted, a clear takeaway is that Butler and Oladipo will be awaiting to be inserted into this starting lineup, while Dragic can be thrown into that scrappy bench group. And that’s not even mentioning Nemanja Bjelica and a possible LaMarcus Aldridge pick-up. The reason this is being noted is to highlight the ceiling of this team, which is far from being seen, but much higher than many may expect.

What Does LaMarcus Aldridge Add to the Miami Heat?

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Instead of discussing more of those trade possibilities, involving who gets sent out of Miami and who could be on their way in, it’s important to take a look at the buyout market. There may be a need to sign some certain shooters, such as JJ Redick if Duncan Robinson or others are included in a deal, but let’s take a look at the one player on everyone’s mind.

It seems as if LaMarcus Aldridge will get bought out by the San Antonio Spurs, which many have speculated that Miami would be a front-runner to sign him. Now, although I want to dive into him as a fit primarily, it must be noted that there is a major need for any type of bigs, and not just as a Bam Adebayo sidekick.

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If the Heat were to trade for a guy like Kyle Lowry, Precious Achiuwa and Kelly Olynyk would most likely be included, meaning that Miami’s bigs would consist of Adebayo and Chris Silva, which is less than ideal.

So, although this may not be as fun as discussing the major improvements a shot-creating guard brings to the table, Aldridge may be able to bring the final element following the trade deadline at 3 p.m. tomorrow.

– The obvious element: a mid-range game

When talking about a team that is currently struggling from beyond the arc, adding a mid-range threat may not be the worst thing. It’s interesting to discuss the fit next to Adebayo, since he’s also a player that finds himself inside the arc as the guy the offense runs through.

The main difference is that Adebayo play-makes and runs sets in those spots, while Aldridge looks for shot attempts. It could create an intriguing balance when they share the floor, as well as defensive adjustments incoming when they interchange.

It seems as if praying for three balls to drop on any particular night is not the best offensive scheme, and diversifying the personnel a bit with an Aldridge type to compliment another acquisition may be the perfect choice.

– A stretch big, important above the break threat

Aldridge is currently shoot 36% from three this season, and it’s not just by making the occasional short corner triple. He will most likely find himself as that corner spacer frequently when sharing the floor with Adebayo, but the ability to make the above the break triples is a huge asset.

The growth in attempts is another positive sign, since he went from three balls being a rare thing to skyrocketing to 3 attempts per game over the past two seasons. It’s important for veterans to develop this skill organically as they age, since it becomes a crucial aspect when discussing the longevity of a player, especially bigs.

– Downhill threat to Aldridge buckets

Now, this play is a perfect example of how Aldridge would be able to thrive in a Heat offense. As seen above, DeMar DeRozan drives baseline while collapsing the defense, as Aldridge floats to the free throw line in the dead spot for an ideal jumper.

The reason this is important is when you replace Derozan with Jimmy Butler on this play. It’s widely known that Butler’s downhill gravity is an elite attribute, due to his methodical movements at the basket and capability to get to the free throw line with ease.

This creates yet another interesting aspect for Coach Erik Spoelstra’s play designing, since these type of possessions almost always end up in a three-point attempt, which could change Miami’s philosophy slightly.

– More pick and pop, including some 4-5 pick and pop

Aldridge gives Miami a much more trusted pick and pop action, but there a few extra elements to this importance.

For one, the reason Lowry and Victor Oladipo are such valued players for Miami is since they lack those on-ball threats who make a simple PnR and other sets more effective, since Butler is the only trusted guy who can consistently do that for this team. So, an attacking Lowry makes the Aldridge acquisition even more valuable, while sticking him around a bunch of shooters wouldn’t be the best situation.

The second part of these pick and pop sets is the ability to run them with Adebayo as the ball-handler. It’s not ideal for defenses to have their power forward and center defending on the perimeter, which makes this action even more effective against switch heavy schemes. Miami tries to run a lot of stuff like this with Adebayo and Kelly Olynyk, which may not look much different, except a bit more trust when it’s a savy vet like Aldridge.

– Some isolation ball

The non-Butler minutes are continually harped on with this Heat team for obvious reasons, and Aldridge may give Miami some different looks in those minutes. Now, this is not to say that he will be carrying offensive sets while Butler’s on the bench, since that is far from what I’m saying, but it’s all about those extra options to prevent stagnant offense.

Miami’s motion offense clearly leads to a bunch of back-cuts and things of that nature, but a guy that is capable of backing down a mismatch, as the rest of the team clears out, allows their usual motion to be even more of a threat.

Once again, this dive into Aldridge should not be twisted into any thoughts of this acquisition changing things for Miami dramatically, since it’s just about the minor improvements that’ll make the difference. And besides, a guy off the buy-out market isn’t expected to provide immediate and major changes, since that is what the trade market is for, which will continue to be explored over the next 24 hours.

5 Takeaways from Heat’s Loss to Suns

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The Miami Heat lost to the Phoenix Suns on Tuesday night in the last game before the trade deadline. Since there wasn’t many takeaways from this game particularly, I took some turns into trade additions. So, here are five takeaways from not only this game, but the team overall…

#1: The shot-creating/play-making absence apparent.

Instead of utilizing my first takeaway to discuss shooting struggles every single night, it’s important to instead evaluate the reasoning or replacement necessary. The shot-creators are the ones who are currently being discussed in possible trades, and tonight’s game only furthered that point of need. One example is the box score half-way through the second quarter. Miami’s bench included Trevor Ariza with 1 shot attempt, Tyler Herro with 3 shot attempts, Andre Iguodala with 0 shot attempts, and Gabe Vincent with 0 shot attempts. While this may not seem like a big deal to some, it just shows the areas that Miami takes a major decline in when Butler steps off the floor, which the struggles tonight were actually with Butler on the floor as well as I will discuss next.

#2: An off Jimmy Butler night early basically digs Miami a deeper hole.

When Butler finds himself on one of these pieces, it’s usually in a very positive manner. But tonight just was not his night, as he just looked out of sync on offense early on, leading to a 15 point deficit at the half. The point of this discussion is not to talk about Butler struggles, since an off-night was pretty much due. But it furthers the point about the supporting cast, since although the Heat have struggled on exceptional Butler nights, they just have zero chance when he has the slightest of issues. Now, not to insert the trade possibilities into every point, but this is another reason for that being a necessity. That Kyle Lowry or Victor Oladipo type is the guy who makes the difference when that occurs by taking over as an on-ball threat.

#3: The Bam Adebayo element: Reading the situation.

Bam Adebayo has a unique gift to read the floor, attack match-ups, and make the right decisions as an extraordinary play-maker. The only issue with that is sometimes that unselfishness takes control, leading to the constant worry of getting other players going. Butler has been a culprit of this as well over his Heat tenure, since he’s capable of dominating as soon as the ball is tipped, but decides to get his teammates into a flow. But this situation is completely different, since it’s been a common theme of offensive struggles with the over-reliance on role players. It’s just a clear area that may need a bit more selfishness inserted in order to give the team the best chance to win, since forcing back-door bounce passes to get another player into some sort of rhythm actually doesn’t help all the time.

#4: Kendrick Nunn silently having one of his better games of the season.

Now, while a lot of people may want to only hear Kendrick Nunn’s name when it’s attached to a trade deal, his performance tonight must be noted. When it seemed as if this game was clearly out of reach, Nunn battled in the third quarter scoring 13 points, and cutting the Suns’ lead down slightly. It’s no surprise that he can score the ball, especially after an incredible run after being inserted into the starting lineup, but then he began to fall off a bit for this last stretch. And well, that’s the Kendrick Nunn story, since consistency can’t really be counted on. Either way, his fight throughout this game to either try and win or to boost his personal stock seemed to work, as he showed the upside to his game, which begins and ends with scoring.

#5: Who could this be the last of with Miami?

The final and overall takeaway from this game is the looming thought of what this team may look like past the deadline. The Heat’s next game is on Thursday at 7:30 while the trade deadline is on Thursday at 3:00. So, that means this could be the last game for a few players wearing that Miami Heat jersey, or it could just be yet another game of many if they elect to keep this same team. While that may not be a statement many want to hear, it’s just something to prepare for if these discussed trades don’t work out. Now, in my opinion, instead of diving even deeper into trade packages, player fits, and more, this game tonight was basically the icing on the cake of this team needing a spark. And well, there are some “sparks” on Miami’s current radar.

How Does Victor Oladipo Elevate the Miami Heat?

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Victor Oladipo and the Miami Heat. It just rolls off the tongue since it’s the team that has been placed next to his name more than the four other franchises he’s actually played basketball for.

And as we get closer and closer to the trade deadline, it’s a name that will continue to be linked to Miami, as they’re searching for a shot-creating boost at guard, while Oladipo’s current team just went on a 20 game losing streak, before being snapped when he wasn’t even playing.

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Now, while the Kyle Lowry situation continues to be the headline, as I highlighted his fit with Miami previously, Oladipo fills some of those same holes as well.

Instead of diving into the many angles of a possible trade, since it can change by the minute leading up to Thursday, the actual areas of elevation seems to be the part to dive into.

The first part is the addition of that point of attack defender that gets harped on time and time again. Miami’s interchanging defensive scheme may have placed them at the top of the defensive rating statistic since Jimmy Butler returned, but there are still clear breakdowns that occur with the Heat’s defensive guards.

Miami’s 2-3 zone may be looked at as a natural change for the Heat’s approach, but a major reason for that has been to hide some of Miami’s poor defenders and allow them to thrive on that end. It’s the same situation as a Lowry insertion, since it automatically flips the identity of this team.

The offensive side of the ball has been a major issue for Miami, and you may think bringing in a 32% three-point shooter since joining Houston may not be the right call. But it’s not just about the shooting.

It’s pretty clear that even if Miami loses some shooting on the current roster, they can play the buy-out market, which will continue to heat up more and more with shooters. To that point, the actual need is a guy who can score the ball on his own. And by that I mean without the reliance of his counter parts.

The construction of this team is to place Butler and Bam Adebayo in spots for them to get to their peak level. And I honestly believe a shot-creator is the one piece that forces another Adebayo leap, and gives Butler the needed help to lift some of the weight off of his shoulders.

It seems like the Oladipo ordeal will be a situational thing for Miami once again, as they await some pieces to fall in place. But if there’s any general question marks next to the actual fit, other than the long-term uncertainties by waiting until free agency, there shouldn’t be.

It must be simplized to a player’s want to play for a certain team and the team’s need for an elevation in certain parts of the game. So the answer is yes, Oladipo does elevate this team at the current moment.

How Would Kyle Lowry Fit with the Miami Heat?

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The Kyle Lowry discussions have gained more and more traction after Kevin O’Connor of the Ringer reported that league sources say the Heat are pursuing a deal for Lowry harder than anyone. So, that obviously means the overall chatter has been about the pieces included in a deal, the long-term situation, and of course, the immediate fit.

To that point, it seems necessary to dive into the areas of this team that Lowry would be able to improve upon arrival. For starters, the relationship with Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo makes this even more interesting, while that big 3 can be the one counter to the Brooklyn Nets big 3.

It’s no surprise that the Nets will be able to score the ball at will when fully healthy, so why not try to rival that with a defensive core if you’re the Miami Heat? And well, although there is optimism about the offense returning to form, the defense seems to have the most potential.

This defensive trio can clearly wreck havoc on a night to night basis, so let’s dive into the opposite side of the ball to see the offensive adjustments if a Lowry pick-up was made.

– The extra attacker, the missing piece

Another article, another discussion about Miami’s need for an attacker. The three-point shooting has been harped on constantly over the last few games, but it’s actually magnified the point about the absence of a downhill threat next to Butler.

The reason that the main focus for Miami’s current personnel is to keep shooting is since they don’t have anything else to adjust to. They’ve got a few shooters who have trouble with finding separation at times, which leads to chaos when shots aren’t falling.

So, this leads us right into the Lowry fit, since as seen above, he gets the ball in transition and immediately gets to the rim with one of the league’s most versatile defenders guarding him. There’s a reason that so many transition plays end up in pull-up threes or setting up half-court offense. It’s because many players don’t have that in their arsenal at this stage, which occurs more and more when Butler is off the floor or even off the ball.

He works angles as an attacker as well, which is exactly what Butler does for Miami on a consistent basis. He’s a high IQ guy who can find favorable match-ups, as seen here when he turned the corner to force Kelly Olynyk to switch onto him.

Now, this is not one of those instances where you throw around the term “high IQ” as a viable description. It’s actually to showcase his knowledge of not only the game, but the league. He can control the pacing, much like Butler, by getting to the line late in games or utilizing exaggerated movements to maybe work an official.

– The Added Shooting Element

Well, here we are again, talking about shooting. Except this time it’s being discussed in a positive manner, since Lowry has been having a good year shooting from beyond the arc. He can be trusted to hit some catch and shoot triples as seen in that video clip, but more importantly, the above the break threes are the major addition.

Those three balls have gone from a major strength to a major weakness for the Miami Heat, which is halted even more with the limited offensive options that I discussed earlier. Even when discussing a lot of the Heat’s shooters during their hot stretches, they still create issues in other areas of the game.

But Lowry brings a defensive presence, a trusted play-making ability, and the primary element, a nightly closer.

– The Spo/Lowry duo leading to creativity

After depicting some of the obvious elements to Lowry’s fit with Miami, it’s time to discuss arguably the most intirguing duo if this deal was made: Erik Spoelstra and Kyle Lowry.

While I’ve discussed Butler and Lowry quite a lot, Bam Adebayo is still going to be the primary ball-handler and play-maker in most of the Heat’s advanced sets. Now, this means Lowry can be utilized in a completely different way off the ball, which seems to benefit him quite a lot.

If you are having trouble imagining what this may look like, watch the clip above while replacing Fred VanVleet with Butler and OG Anunoby with Adebayo.

I’ll wait.

Okay good, so now you see the Spoelstra element to this addition.

– The need for a “go get a bucket” guy

The Heat are 22nd in the NBA in points per possession in isolation, while being 3rd in points per possession off a screen. Now, that stat basically screams the lack of a guy who can create for himself to just get a bucket.

This in no way means Lowry would be utilized in an isolation fashion, but it does mean that he’s capable of doing so in a stagnant offense. In the clip above, Lowry makes a tough turnaround jumper with Butler blanketing him, which is the exact offensive element that this team misses when Butler isn’t trucking people to the basket.

Lastly, it’s important to analyze these type of things in a very simple way at times, since overthinking it may fog the original thought. And well, the simple takeaway is that if you have a chance to insert a six time All-Star and NBA champion next to Butler and Adebayo, it’s a natural fit.

5 Takeaways from Heat’s Overtime Loss to Indiana

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The Miami Heat lost in overtime to the Indiana Pacers on Sunday afternoon. It was a roller coaster of a game for Miami, going from constant struggles to great offensive runs to end regulation, then finishing overtime in a disappointing fashion. Anyway, here are five takeaways…

#1: A nightly takeaway: Miami’s shooting continues to be the downfall.

The first takeaway seems to be a copy and paste version on these pieces following every game, mostly since the issues being discussed hasn’t changed. Miami shooting 3 for 18 from beyond the arc in the first half is clearly no change in the offensive issues. Now, it must be noted that there aren’t many offensive adjustments to be made regarding three-point shooting, since the team’s personnel can’t afford to go away from it. They’ve lacked extra attackers in the rotation, which becomes even more apparent when the shots aren’t falling. Although it’s pretty much the entire team that is enduring these struggles, Duncan Robinson hasn’t made it any better, since his story went from lack of attempts early in the season to a lack of makes currently.

#2: Bam Adebayo early aggression kept Miami alive, and brings a bit more clarity.

Bam Adebayo was one of the few bright spots for Miami in the first half, since he not only brought the needed aggression, but also the essential energy. And that’s not just because of a highlight dunk early on, since the jumper was looking consistent as well. The non-Butler minutes are continually harped on for obvious reasons, but the non-Bam minutes looked even worse for Miami today. Now, this clarifies two things. For one, although Adebayo’s high impact play isn’t as clear when others are shooting poorly, it just makes his natural talent to score the ball more apparent. He continued to take advantage of switches when he got the ball in the paint, mostly when Myles Turner was off the floor or out of the play. The second element to this is the clear need for a front-court addition, since adding veteran wings to supply Butler is important, but Adebayo needs some relief guys or sidekicks since Achiuwa has become a non-factor.

#3: Jimmy Butler is Miami’s offense.

Well, here we are again, discussing the Miami Heat’s offense even more. Instead of looking at the exact numbers and reasons for the struggles, it’s important to note the only reason Miami continues to compete with teams considering the offensive trouble. Two words: Jimmy Butler. When you talk about consistent play this season for the Heat, you’d probably start and finish with Butler, since he finds himself with a similar box score every night. And with the lack of three-point shooting, his downhill impact is even more important. He put his head down per usual to flow into his close bank-shot or go-to floater, mostly since the usual drive and kicks are a non-factor in games like this. The way that Butler can keep this team competitive no matter the circumstance should truly not be overlooked.

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#4: A longer observation for Heat’s newest addition, Trevor Ariza.

Trevor Ariza got some increased run in today’s game against the Pacers, even becoming the first player off the bench in the second half. He played a major role late in the second half, as well as overtime, which says a lot about him as a player for the trust to already be that high. He hit a nice corner three, a solid drive, and some very positive defensive possessions throughout this game It just furthers my earlier point about that front-court addition, since when Adebayo has a versatile, small-ball four next to him who can shoot and get to the basket, it just creates for a natural flow on both ends. Although it’s unclear this early if Ariza will be that guy to that extent, it’s just a clear hole that he can possibly fill when he gets to his peak abilities at this stage.

#5: The two-way guys: One with a productive day and the other waiting to be utilized.

Gabe Vincent stepped into that back-up point guard role with Goran Dragic out, and he was probably the only guard who gave Miami any type of offense, while also competing on the defensive end. Miami’s 2-2-1 press is utilized religiously when Vincent is on the floor, since the tandem full-court with Andre Iguodala has proved to be highly effective. The other two-way guy, Max Strus, was not a factor in today’s game since he didn’t get any playing time, but it’s still a conversation to be had. Continued shooting struggles when being wide open is one thing, but not experimenting with a pure shooter during those spurts seems a bit interesting. He’s also another one of those guys who compete on the defensive end, which raises some question marks about the decision.