5 Comments from Media Session with Spoelstra, Robinson, Budenholzer

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Erik Spoelstra and Duncan Robinson talked with media today, following an overtime loss in game 4 against the Giannis-less Milwaukee Bucks. All of the players shared a mutual theme post-game, which was the Bucks deserved to win. Here’s what was said today…

Post-Practice Comment #1:

Erik Spoelstra talked a little about yesterday’s game, but mentions that now it’s time to focus on the next game. He says, “It’s about getting to our game more consistently.” Some of that had to do with their stagnant offense yesterday, which many players noted post-game. Another reason for that was the fact that Jimmy Butler waited a little too long to get in a rhythm with the ball in his hands, which then it was too late. Spo also mentioned that they are now preparing for the Bucks with and without Giannis. This was a big reason Miami struggled on defense. Miami had to adjust mid-game from a Giannis centric defense scheme to a Khris Middleton and perimeter stopping defense. Now that Miami has time to prepare, they should be in much better shape either way.

Post-Practice Comment #2:

Tyler Herro did a bunch of Tyler Herro things late in yesterday’s game, hitting big shot after big shot. Erik Spoelstra discussed Tyler for a little bit, saying “His game continues to grow, and we’re going to ask more of him as the series goes on.” It truly is amazing that they are putting so much trust in a 20 year old rookie in the playoffs, but Tyler truly is built for this. One of his main attributes with his scoring that puts him over the top is his high level confidence. He wasn’t having the best game early, but still had the mental toughness to shoot those shots in stride in overtime. This is why Tyler Herro plays so many fourth quarter minutes. The coaches believe in him. His teammates believe in him. And most importantly he believes in himself.

Post-Practice Comment #3:

Milwaukee Bucks head coach, Mike Budenholzer, talked about the current status of Giannis Antetokounmpo’s injury. He said that he’s “getting treatment around the clock.” It was also reported that Giannis was seen at practice today with a boot on, and was walking with a hint of a limp, which is much expected. Budenholzer also mentioned that Giannis is doing “everything he can to make himself available.” Andre Iguodala mentioned today that Miami expects Giannis to play. Either way, Miami is now prepared for the Bucks with or without Giannis as Spo mentioned earlier, but this status will be something to keep an eye on over the next 24 hours.

Post-Practice Comment #4:

After Coach Erik Spoelstra touched on Tyler Herro’s play, Duncan expanded on it a little more. He said, “His confidence is special for sure, but the are he’s grown a lot is his feel.” He mentioned that the game is beginning to slow down a lot for him, and his decision making continues to stand out. He says that although he’s made a bunch of big shots throughout this series, some of his passes he’s made have been much more impressive. He finishes the conversation with “The best is yet to come with him.” And that’s indeed the truth. This team knows the upside that he has, which is why they trust him with the ball in his hands at the end of games.

Post-Practice Comment #5:

Duncan Robinson talked about the aggression he must bring on the offensive side of the ball every game. He said, “They’ve made adjustments to take away certain things that I like to do, but you must make adjustments to the adjustments.” He follows that saying that the most important thing for him is to continue to search for open shots. He also credited Milwaukee’s defense on him, but he knows he is still able to do what he has done all season. He finishes saying that he’s been very focused on trying to improve in that area, which is why he won’t get away from it. Duncan hit six threes in yesterday’s game against Milwaukee, which means he will be watched closely yet again in game five tomorrow.

5 Takeaways from Heat’s Late Loss to Milwaukee in Game Four

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The Miami Heat came up short against the Milwaukee Bucks in overtime, with a score of 118-115. After Giannis Antetokounmpo went out with an injury, Khris Middleton stepped up and ultimately led the Bucks to a win. Here are five takeaways from the game…

#1: Giannis Antetokounmpo comes out the gate hungry, but ultimately goes out with injury.

Giannis Antetokounmpo was playing with a purpose out the gate, scoring 19 points in only 11 minutes. But eventually, stepped awkwardly on his injured right ankle, which put him out for the remainder of the game. This consequently fell on the supporting cast of the Milwaukee Bucks. As I’ve mentioned during the series, the only way for the Bucks to compete is if the rest of the team shows up. And after Giannis went out, George Hill and Eric Bledsoe stepped up to finish the second quarter, which put them up 2 at the half. Khris Middleton also stepped up for Milwaukee in the third quarter, scoring 21 in that stretch. He iced the game with a late three to put the game away.

#2: Jae Crowder doesn’t get enough credit for his elite shooting abilties.

Jae Crowder has clearly been a key piece for this Heat team all season, but especially in the bubble. First off, he deserves major credit for his ability to guard Giannis the whole series, which is a tough task in itself. He brings physicality on the defensive end on every possession, which further proves the fact that he’s a Miami Heat type player. And now to his offense. He has continued to be one of Miami’s most consistent and trusted offensive players in the postseason, especially with his shooting. Milwaukee is basically daring Jae to shoot threes for some reason, which definitely benefits Miami. And his on-court chemistry with Jimmy Butler has been clear in this series, since they constantly bounce off each other for offensive sparks.

#3: Miami’s bench unit struggles on the offensive end.

One of Miami’s biggest strengths and advantages this season has been their talented depth on the roster. Tyler Herro, Kelly Olynyk, Andre Iguodala, and others usually give Miami a huge offensive spark, but that wasn’t the case today. Miami’s bench scored 5 points in the first half, which ultimately led to Miami trailing by two at the half. What sets the Heat apart from others is that there is no drop off when their bench enters the game. With others, that’s not the case. But the problem is that if Miami’s bench doesn’t totally show up, they usually struggle. Today, their bench ended up scoring 17 points, with most coming from Tyler Herro at the end of the fourth quarter.

#4: Bam Adebayo is special. Very special.

It’s evident that Bam is the most impactful player on the floor at all times, due to all of the small things he does so well. He’s proved to be an absolute force throughout this whole series around the rim, but what everyone has been waiting for is his mid-range jump shot. And well, not only was he attempting these shots, he was making them. His confidence with the ball in his hands seems to be getting better and better. And with Giannis going out, this also opened up Miami’s offense for Bam inside. And once the defense began to key on him, this led to him utilizing his unique play-making ability, which is clearly his biggest strength. Bam’s ability to take over a game in so many ways was on full display today.

#5: Although a tough outcome, Miami’s in good shape.

The Miami Heat may have lost this game in a tough fashion, but it definitely wasn’t their best performance. Other than Bam Adebayo, Duncan Robinson, and Jae Crowder’s good games, there’s wasn’t much contribution from anybody else on the offensive end. As mentioned before, Miami’s bench didn’t show up today, scoring fourteen points. And most importantly, Jimmy Butler wasn’t able to get in a rhythm with the ball in his hands. Although all of this seems problematic, Miami won’t have these scoring issues many times, which means their shouldn’t be much worry heading into game five. And there’s just not much you can do with a scorching hot Khris Middleton.

5 Takeaways from Heat’s Comeback Win in Game Three over Bucks

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The Milwaukee Bucks seemed to pull away late in the third quarter, but Miami stormed back to win, 115-100. Once again, this was led by the Miami Heat’s superstar Jimmy Butler. Here are my five takeaways from the game…

#1: Bam Adebayo gets busy offensively, but it results in early foul trouble.

Bam Adebayo was searching for baskets on the offensive end tonight, which was much needed for Miami. He was very active around the rim throughout, especially on second chance points. The problem with this aggression though, is that it results in offensive fouls. This is very similar to the offensive play style of Giannis Antetokounmpo, since his aggressiveness results in Miami drawing charges as well. Either way, Bam does so many things without the ball in his hands, that it doesn’t matter much. But he has the capability of making big plays offensively, as he did in the fourth quarter in the paint.

#2: Tyler Herro showcases his importance once again.

Tyler Herro clearly hasn’t been shy of the moment throughout the playoffs, and this continued tonight. It’s obvious that he’s an outstanding player scoring the ball, since he can both shoot and attack the rim. He displayed this with his ability to hit big shots, like the one with the shot clock expiring. It truly is amazing that Coach Erik Spoelstra has this amount of trust in his rookie Tyler Herro, to play major minutes in a playoff series. This is because he has the ability to make smart, veteran passes late in games, along with his elite scoring. But as many have said, Tyler Herro is not viewed as a rookie. He has a veteran mindset to make winning plays, which is why he’s the future of this team.

#3: Derrick Jones Jr steps up again off the bench, but in a different way. 

Derrick Jones Jr got some playing time once again, since Kelly Olynyk didn’t play tonight. It was clear that he’d give quality minutes on the defensive end, which he did, but he actually inserted himself on the offensive end. The reason he’s had issues offensively is because he’s unable to stretch the floor with a respected jump shot. But his jumper was respected tonight, since he hit two first-half threes with zero hesitation. And back to the defensive side, he not only made Giannis uncomfortable in many instances, he made everyone uncomfortable. This is because his defensive instincts allow him to make quick decisions, which disrupt different jump shooters. Although he only got first half minutes, those minutes were a huge contribution to this Heat win.

#4: Brook Lopez becomes a problem for Miami.

Brook Lopez played pretty similarly to the way he played in the first half of game one. Not only a threat from beyond the arc, but also a threat around the rim. This may have a little something to do with the absence of Kelly Olynyk and Bam Adebayo’s foul count, which is why Brook got aggressive. Either way, Miami will need to stop role players, like Brook, in this series, since Miami earned an advantage over Milwaukee in games one and two by stopping their supporting cast. Coach Spo seemed to adjust at halftime, which led to Miami shutting these guys down once again. Erik Spoelstra may be one of the biggest reasons for this Heat win.

#5: Jimmy Butler comes alive in the second half once again.

Jimmy Butler was 1 of 3 from the field mid-way through the third quarter, but then he turned the switch. He went on an 8-0 run, including two tough three pointers. When people talk about Jimmy Butler, they think he’s a pure scorer. But he’s not, he’s an important scorer. He knows when he needs to step up and score, and he also knows when to get his teammates involved and play his role. This was displayed when he made a huge pass to Jae Crowder late in the fourth. But most importantly, he has the ability to attack the basket at will, which usually results in a trip to the free throw line. This is what he got back to in the fourth quarter, which brought Miami all the way back, and ultimately led them to a win. Ladies and gentleman, this is Jimmy Butler.

5 Post-Practice Comments from Spoelstra, Crowder, Dragic

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The Miami Heat had another early practice on Thursday, following Wednesday’s crazy finish against the Milwaukee Bucks. Erik Spoelstra most likely focused on late game execution today in practice, since it was pretty choppy for Miami down the stretch. Anyway, here’s what was said in today’s media session…

Post-Practice Comment #1:

Erik Spoelstra mentioned Goran Dragic’s winning mentality that was displayed yesterday. He said, “He’s one of the more skilled, experienced winners in this league.” It’s been pretty clear that Goran has yet to have a bad game in the playoffs thus far. He has the ability to attack the rim at will, which he constantly uses his backboard floater, and also his elite shooting ability makes him that much more of a threat. But most of all, as Spo mentioned, Goran is a winner. That’s why he fits in so well with teammate Jimmy Butler. For example, though he’s not a great defender, Goran made a crucial steal in game one which iced the game, and even poked the ball loose from Khris Middleton in game two, which slowed the game down. That’s why he will be on the court to close games no matter the situation.

Post-Practice Comment #2:

Erik Spoelstra was asked about an update on veteran Andre Iguodala, after he turned it pretty severely in yesterday’s game. Erik responded with “there’s no new update.” That definitely isn’t the best news, considering there was supposed to be an update today. If Andre was to be out a few games, that would mean Derrick Jones Jr would be back in Miami’s rotation. Derrick gave some pretty solid minutes in game two, especially with his scrappiness on the defensive end. It did seem as if he may be too small to guard Giannis one-on-one, which is why we will see him in lineups with Jae Crowder or Bam Adebayo. This will allow him to play off the ball, and do what he does best, which is utilizing his instinctive help defense.

Post-Practice Comment #3:

Jae Crowder was asked about his current feeling on this Heat team being up 2-0 on the Milwaukee Bucks. He said, “It’s definitely nothing right now.” The key for this Heat team now is to not get complacent. The reason I don’t think Miami will is because they have still yet to play their best game in this series. Jae also mentioned that he’s been down 2-0 before and still won the series. And honestly, Jae doesn’t seem to get enough credit for what he is doing in this Milwaukee series. For one, he’s knocked down some big shots for Miami down the stretches of both games. And second, he’s been an absolute Giannis stopper. Well, sort of. There’s no way to stop Giannis, but Jae Crowder does as good of a job as anybody guarding him, due to his size and physicality.

Post-Practice Comment #4:

Goran Dragic talked a little about the controversial call when he fouled Khris Middleton on a three point attempt. He said, “You can’t give a referee a chance to put the game in their hands.” He then mentioned how he needs to do a much better job to avoid fouling jump shooters, especially at the end of a game. He also mentioned, “You have smart players, too. They know how to flop.” This comment may have a little something to do with that Khris Middleton shot as well, when Khris made sure to absolutely sell the foul call. But, if Miami can win a game like this, they can win any game.

Post-Practice Comment #5:

Goran Dragic capped off his media session with the quote of the day. He said, “I’m 34 years old. I feel awesome.” As I’ve mentioned previously, some of the reason for Goran’s current play is because of the huge break, which seemed to get him back to his early season self. Another factor could be because of the current environment, which Goran mentioned today feels very similar to his summer three years ago when Slovenia won EuroBasket. Either way, Goran is 34 years old playing 34 minutes a game, and these are very quality minutes. Some also thought it had something to do with the match-ups, but Goran proved that wasn’t the case since he did pretty much whatever he wanted against Eric Bledsoe as well. If Goran keeps up this hot streak, this Miami team is a tough team to beat.

5 Takeaways from Heat’s Victory over Bucks in Game Two

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It was a bit of a choppy game for both the Heat and the Bucks throughout, but Miami rallied through to get the win, 116-114. A couple of late game foul calls, resulted in two free throws for Jimmy Butler to win the game. Here are five takeaways from the game…

#1: Once again, Goran Dragic too much for Milwaukee back-court.

It’s pretty clear that you have to mention Goran Dragic after every one of these games, since he truly hasn’t had a bad game. Some talked about Goran possibly having a tougher time with Eric Bledsoe matched up with him, but that was not the case. He pretty much did whatever he wanted to do on the court, since he was an absolute threat from deep, and also got to the basket at will using his usual backboard floater. Goran is the piece on this team that is looked to during tough stretches, since he always delivers. Hopefully he’s on these takeaway pieces for many games to come, and I have a feeling he will be.

#2: Heat’s bench group comes up big throughout, as they did in regular season.

The Miami Heat’s bench group struggled a bit shooting the ball in game one, which is very unusual. But, this wasn’t the case today since Tyler Herro, Kendrick Nunn, and Kelly Olynyk made huge contributions offensively. This is what I mentioned previously about this team. The team does not run on the fact of Jimmy Butler’s scoring, it runs on the shooting of their supporting cast. Tyler Herro’s outstanding ability to score the ball during tough stretches was on full effect tonight. If the bench can continue to take the offensive load off of Jimmy, this will consequently make a much more effective Jimmy Butler.

#3: Jimmy reverts back to his usual role.

Jimmy Butler got a bit of a wrap, after game one against Milwaukee, that he is an unstoppable scorer. And well, that’s exactly what Jimmy wants people to think. He definitely has the ability to step up as a scorer for this team late, but he truly wants to be a facilitator that can get his teammates going. As he said before the game, “I hope it’s Goran tonight, I hope it’s Tyler, I hope it’s Duncan.” The reason he says that is because he knows the key to winning these games is to get those types of guys going, which is what he did. Jimmy also likes to let everyone know that he has his teammates back, when he pushed Wesley Matthews after a hard foul on Bam in the third quarter. That was and will always be Jimmy’s role, especially on this current Heat team.

#4: Miami slows down Giannis Antetokounmpo, but he powered through with the help of the officials.

It’s clear Giannis Antetokounmpo can not be fully stopped, since he’s an absolute offensive force. But, he can definitely be slowed down. He may get his points, but he has to work for them majorly. And by work for them, I mean running through the lane to constantly draw a foul. The officials were definitely generous for Giannis Antetokounmpo and others throughout, since there was zero leeway for Miami defenders to be physical. Giannis was able to thrive a bit more in the fourth quarter once Derrick Jones Jr entered the game for an injured Andre Iguodala. DJJ clearly isn’t big enough to guard Giannis, but made some scrappy plays which is what he usually does. If Miami is able to be a bit more physical with Giannis the rest of the series, it definitely favors the Heat. The officials ended up giving one call back to Jimmy Butler and the Miami Heat, which resulted in Jimmy Butler’s game winning free throws.

#5: Bam Adebayo’s impacted the game off the ball as much as he possibly could.

Bam Adebayo was such a presence throughout this game around the rim. On both sides of the ball, he was as scrappy as ever with his rebounding efforts. This may have a little something to do with the fact that he has been watching film and working on his rebounding with Heat’s veteran Udonis Haslem. But that’s not the only part of his game that he made an impact on. He was an outstanding screen setter throughout, as he usually is, but his ability to get guys free against this drop scheme proved to be very essential. It would be great for this Heat team if he’d be aggressive with the ball in his hands throughout, but Spo constantly reiterates that he wants Bam to play to his strengths instead.

 

5 Post-Practice Comments from Spoelstra, Dragic, Nunn

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The Miami Heat talked with some media after practice again today, after their huge game one win over Milwaukee.  Goran Dragic talked about his relationship with his teammates, while Kendrick Nunn discussed his adjustment to his new role. Here’s what was said…

Post Practice Comment #1:

After Kendrick Nunn seems to have locked up the ninth man in the rotation, Erik Spoelstra touched on his importance. He said, “He’s been one of our most important players all season long.” He was pretty solid yesterday in game one scoring 6 points, but was a plus-8 in the game. And as talked about many times, if he can knock down some jumpers in this series, that may be the difference maker. Tyler Herro was the only player on the team for a stretch that utilized the mid-range, which is something Kendrick has done well all season. Goran praised Kendrick for adjusting to his new role, saying “We tell him, stay with it, we’re going to need you in the series.” Spo also mentioned how happy he is for Kendrick, saying “These are not easy circumstances…Covid is real.”

Post-Practice Comment #2:

When Goran Dragic was asked about yesterday’s game, he began with “We didn’t do anything yet.” He knows that although both him and Jimmy are playing at an elite level, the rest of their team hasn’t even gotten started. Goran mentioned that “This is the best basketball I’ve played in the playoffs.” He said he was a bit worried with the week layoff after the first round sweep, saying “I didn’t want to lose that consistency and everything.” Well, that hasn’t proved to be an issue after Goran put up 27 in game one. Not even that is enough for Goran and this Heat team, since he said they haven’t done anything yet.

Post-Practice Comment #3:

It’s clear that Goran Dragic is having the time of his life playing basketball this season. He reiterated that point after practice, saying “I’m just enjoying myself…I love my teammates. For me, it feels like I’m back with the national team.” This starts with his relationship with Jimmy Butler, who continue to improve their on-court play the longer they play together. And it’s a good thing Goran likes his teammates, since that’s all he has around him for this long stretch of time. Goran mentioned that both him and Jimmy will not have their families come to the bubble, since “It’s a business trip.” He followed that with “The focus is to win a championship,” and if they sustain their current play, there’s a possibility it could happen.

Post-Practice Comment #4:

Kendrick Nunn talked about trying to adapt to his new role off of the bench. He started off saying that Spo told him heading into the series that he would be in the rotation, since he was a key contributor in the regular season wins against Milwaukee. Kendrick also touched on the difference between his starting role and rotational role. He said, “It’s a little bit different. Everything is more limited. You’ve got to pick and choose when to be aggressive.” Another part of the adjustment is that he’s playing with the bench unit, which he didn’t play much with all season. But as long as he gets back to his regular season self, which was a pure scorer, he will fit in with anybody. And like he said, “I’ve been able to get my rhythm back.”

Post-Practice Comment #5:

Kendrick Nunn spoke about the lineup that included him, Goran Dragic, and Tyler Herro that was used in game one. He said, “It gives us an advantage because obviously our speed kills. I love playing with two guards.” This lineup also benefits Kendrick since he doesn’t have to be the primary ball handler. He also seems to have a bit of a connection with Tyler Herro, since they played for a bit in summer league and throughout the regular season. Goran also discussed the three guard lineup, saying “All three of us can shoot the ball. It’s not tough because nobody is selfish on this team.” And obviously shooting will be needed as much as possible in this Bucks series, due to their defensive drop scheme.

5 Post-Practice Comments from Milwaukee Bucks

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As we’ve been diving into a bunch of post-practice comments from the Miami Heat as of late, here’s a glimpse at some comments from the Milwaukee Buck’s Khris Middleton, Kyle Korver, and Mike Budenholzer. They all pretty much shared a mutual feeling about yesterday’s game, which all began with Miami’s star Jimmy Butler. Here’s what was said…

Post-Practice Comment #1:

Kyle Korver gave Miami major props for yesterday’s win, saying “A healthy respect and a healthy fear of our opponent.” Kyle got his shooting going in the second half a bit, but the respect mechanism had to have come on the defensive side. Since Miami runs lineups late in games with a bunch of two-way guys, Kyle would have to face some tough match-ups. Also, it’s been pretty obvious that Milwaukee has had a bit of a “fear” against Miami, since they were the only team to slow down their star, Giannis Antetokounmpo, in the regular season. And well, that carried over into game one, which Miami held Giannis to 18 points. In my opinion, the “fear” was displayed throughout the night on Giannis’ free throws, which it showed that Miami was truly in his head.

Post-Practice Comment #2:

The Khris Middleton and Giannis Antetokounmpo pick and role combo has worked pretty well this season, but Miami made sure to pounce on that early. Khris said, “Me and Giannis have seen this before…They know what we like to do.” That was led by Miami’s Jimmy Butler, since his defensive IQ kicked in throughout, which led to Miami shutting Khris Middleton down in the second half. You could also tell they got away from their pick and roll stuff early, when Khris began to get his one-on-one stuff going. As mentioned before, not only does Miami’s defensive success come from their physicality, it’s also the fact that they are slowly wearing down Milwaukee mentally.

Post-Practice Comment #3:

Khris Middleton talked a little about trying to stop Jimmy Butler. He said, “He’s a great one-on-one player, and we allowed him to play one-on-one.” This was especially displayed down the stretch of the fourth quarter, when Jimmy told his teammates “I’m not passing.” He also mentioned that their team defense must be better to try and stop Jimmy. But, this is not Jimmy’s priority in these games. His first option will be to get his shooters going early, as he’s continually said all season, and if they aren’t hitting their shots then he will take over. If Milwaukee prioritizes stopping Jimmy Butler, he will have a field day by using his strength all game, which is his elite play-making abilities.

Post-Practice Comments #4:

Mike Budenholzer quickly mentioned after practice today that Eric Bledsoe practiced a bit today. And since Milwaukee’s supporting cast struggled in game one, they will need Eric Bledose to add some scoring to their team upon his return. He will have a winnable match-up on the offensive side of the ball, since he will be able to take Goran Dragic off the dribble a lot. But, if Eric sits out game 2 as well, they will need yet another huge game for Khris Middleton, which seems like a lot to hope for.

Post-Practice Comment #5:

Mike Budenholzer also mentioned their defensive assignment of Jimmy Butler. He said, “I think being better on both Butler and Dragic is probably where it starts.” If you were looking at the stat sheet from game one, you would definitely agree. But if you watched the Heat all season, you may disagree. Although Duncan Robinson didn’t have a great game yesterday, that won’t last long. He has not had bad back-to-back games all season. And if Milwaukee keys on both Jimmy and Goran tomorrow, Duncan will likely explode like he usually does after a tough shooting game.

5 Takeaways from Heat’s Game 1 Win over Milwaukee

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The Miami Heat played a much anticipated game 1 against the Milwaukee Bucks, and came away with the win, 115-104. Miami definitely didn’t have a great shooting night, but Miami’s toughness overcame it behind Goran Dragic and Jimmy Butler. Here are my five takeaways…

#1:Goran Dragic begins, Jimmy Butler finishes. 

Goran Dragic has pretty much been the Miami Heat’s bubble MVP thus far, since it seems as if he can’t have a bad game scoring the ball. Goran played a huge first half role for Miami, scoring 19 points on 75% shooting. And what was so special about this was that he was able to score at all three levels. He clearly is a three point threat, but really thrived in the mid-range area using his bank-shot floaters. Jimmy Butler, on the other hand, struggled in the first half with the ball in his hands, but got back to Playoff Jimmy status in the second half when he hit big shot after big shot in the fourth quarter. He finished the game with 40 points, and went 2 for 2 from beyond the arc. Like I said before, this is officially Jimmy’s time.

#2: Miami forces Milwaukee turnovers, which led to fast-break opportunities.

Miami has been the one team in the NBA that was able to disrupt Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Milwaukee Bucks this season. And though they were unable to disrupt them in the first quarter, they began to force turnover after turnover in the second quarter. Not only did they get a bunch of steals, but every one of those led to a basket on the other end. Some have talked about Miami slowing the game down a bit against this team, but on a night that their offense is struggling, it seemed essential to get the ball and run on the break.

#3: Surprisingly, Miami’s paint work against Milwaukee was utilized more than their perimeter shooting tonight, which will ultimately lead to more threes.

It’s been talked about over and over that Miami’s shooting would look to expose Milwaukee’s drop scheme in the series, since it allows so may threes. But it was actually the complete opposite. Guys like Bam Adebayo, Jimmy Butler, and Goran Dragic were able to attack the basket pretty effectively, which was a great sign for Miami. It did seem as if Milwaukee didn’t drop as much as usual, since they were very aware of Miami’s dribble hand-off scheme, which resulted in Duncan Robinson attempting one shot in the first half. If Miami can get their usual elite shooting going for the rest of the series, along with their penetration abilities, it makes an interesting series.

#4: Bam Adebayo plays much different role than he did in Indiana series.

Bam Adebayo didn’t have much of a scoring role against the Indiana Pacers in the first round, but he had such a huge impact in the series through his play-making and defensive abilities. Today though, he seemed to have a major role on offense around the rim, which as mentioned previously, was not expected since they pack the paint. Bam Adebayo also had the task of guarding (MVP candidate) Giannis Antetokounmpo, which he did as good of a job as you could possibly do against him. Bam also attempted some mid-range jumpers that were given to him, but they didn’t fall. Except for a clutch late game jumper after an exceptional jab step on Marvin Williams. If he can get some jumpers to fall, that not only opens up the floor for him, but also the rest of the team.

#5: Miami must prioritize slowing down Buck’s primary players, including Antetokounmpo, Middleton, Lopez.

Giannis Antetokounmpo, Khris Middleton, and Brook Lopez seemed to be Milwaukee’s only source of offense. Their supporting cast didn’t provide much offense, but they didn’t seem to need to at times, since their stars took the whole offensive load and thrived. Brook Lopez was a plus-30 in their three regular season games against Miami this season, and today he provided his scoring side. It’s pretty clear you’re not going to totally stop Giannis, which means it may be of their best interest to shut down Khris Middleton. This is something we saw Miami start to do in the second half, which ultimately helped them. It’ll be interesting to see some other schemes Coach Erik Spoelstra uses against this Milwaukee Bucks team.

5 Comments from Media Session with Spoelstra, Haslem, Butler

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The Miami Heat went through their last practice on Sunday before facing the Milwaukee Bucks in Game 1 of the second round. Udonis Haslem gave his opinion about the Heat’s chances, while Jimmy Butler spoke about the team’s current mindset. Here’s what was said…

Post-Practice Comment #1:

Udonis Haslem was asked about the Heat’s chances heading into the match-up with Milwaukee. He said, “The Miami Heat is built for anything.” And if anybody knows about how this team is built, it’s UD. He continues to be not only a major voice for serious issues, but also a guy that player’s look to during games. Even veteran point guard Goran Dragic walks up to him on the sideline during games to get input, since that seems to be his role. Udonis also is a major voice with instilling a winning mentality into the guys in the locker room. He’s played a big role in the development of (Miami’s young star) Bam Adebayo, both on and off the floor. If Udonis believes in this team, everyone believes.

Post-Practice Comment #2:

Erik Spoelstra, Miami Heat’s head coach, spoke about their recent success guarding Giannis Antetokounmpo. He said, “When you think you play him well, he’s always dancing around a triple-double.” Though this is true, stopping Giannis does not mean cutting down his numbers entirely. What the Heat do with Giannis seems to be more mental. They try to frustrate him by throwing a bunch of wing defenders on him who are physical, which consequently increased the amount of turnovers for Giannis. Another way they attacked Giannis was by using Bam on offense to try and get him in foul trouble. This means that Bam’s scoring numbers may not be high in this series, but he will have one of the biggest impacts in the series.

Post-Practice Comment #3:

Jimmy Butler seemed to have a bit of an issue with his left shoulder during last game, which led to him sitting for extended minutes in the first half. But when asked about his shoulder after practice today, he said “I’m good to go.” It sounds as if Jae Crowder will be good to go as well tomorrow, since he practiced the past two days. Jimmy Butler was also seen shooting left-handed free throws during practice, which further proves how ready his shoulder is. He may need to shoot some left-handed free throws in this series, since he gets to the line so many times a game, his right arm may be tired. And although Milwaukee uses a drop scheme, Jimmy Butler will continue to do what he does best in this series, which is attacking the basket.

Post-Practice Comment #4:

Erik Spoelstra reflected back to Miami acquiring their “perfect fits,” in Jimmy Butler and Jae Crowder. He said, “Well, they speak our language.” Everybody knew the fit of Miami and Jimmy Butler was pretty ideal, since it’s a hard wrking organization mixed with a hard-working player. But I don’t think many realized how great of a fit Jae Crowder would be. He was clearly a physical, scrappy defensive guy which was something the Heat needed at the time, but the improvement in his shooting has put Miami over the top. Not only is he able to knock down a bunch of threes a game, but’s he’s doing it at an exceptional percentage. This propelled him into the starting lineup, and will be a key piece in the second round on both sides of the ball, since he will have the assignment of Giannis Antetokounmpo and have to sustain his high-level shooting against their drop scheme.

Post-Practice Comment #5:

After a lot of people have been predicting that Miami will take down the Bucks, Jimmy Butler was asked if he’d rather be doubted or get recognition. He said, “We don’t care if you pick us to win or you pick us to lose, we’re gonna go out their and compete.” As mentioned previously, this team doesn’t care who believes in them because they believe in themselves. This is mostly because they have a locker room that is filled with experienced veterans. Also, there’s been a lot of talk about Miami’s shooters and Bam Adebayo heading into the series against Milwaukee, but not a lot of Jimmy Butler talk. This series against the Bucks is the reason Jimmy came to Miami, so he could lead the team in the postseason. This is officially Jimmy’s time.

5 Comments from Spoelstra, Iguodala, Adebayo of Miami Heat

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The Miami Heat officially returned to practice yesterday morning, but cancelled the post-practice media session. But today they got to speak with media, mostly about their current mental state due to what has been going on. Here’s what was said…

Post-Practice Comment #1:

Erik Spoelstra, coach of the Miami Heat, started off the media session saying that everyone on the team practiced today, including Jimmy Butler and Jae Crowder. He also talked about the team getting back to normal, both physically and mentally. He said, “We had a couple really good days of work. Nobody was in the mood to work on Wednesday or Thursday.” But now, they are back to their focused routine, since Spo mentioned they will be watching the Bucks-Magic game this afternoon. If the Milwaukee Bucks win, Miami will be facing them in the second round starting on Monday.

Post-Practice Comment #2:

Andre Iguodala touched on the current movement that is being led by the NBA. He said, “I think it’s a simple message: We just want to stop being targeted.” Spo also applauded the player’s leadership lately, saying “The league is in a great place moving forward with our players leading the way.” Andre Iguodala has played a huge part in what the league is doing, since he is the union’s Vice President. Bam also gave his opinion on what has been going on, saying “Our people are being harmed. So it’s kind of difficult to focus on basketball because we all have families at home.” Bam also mentioned that it’s “hard to stay in a positive place” at the moment, especially being in the bubble away from his family. He also said that he’s been telling his family to “stay safe and do the things necessary.”

Post-Practice Comment #3:

Bam Adebayo talked a little about the basketball side of things, which clearly hasn’t been discussed in a while. He said, “As a team, I feel like we have a great balance.” Not only does he mean a balanced roster, but balanced personalities. He mentions that they are at a stage where “anybody can go talk to anybody,” which is great since no one will take it personal. We have seen this with Bam a few times during games in the bubble, where he would be vocal if someone like (Miami Heat rookie) Tyler Herro messed up. But that is true leadership, which is why there’s a whole lot of mutual respect in that locker room.

Post-Practice Comment #4:

Bam also mentioned that he doesn’t really have a huge voice right now on these topics since he’s so young. But mentions that for him, “It’s if we have a chance to speak our minds every single night on national TV and keep bring awareness to it.” That’s the reason it was important for many to continue the season, so they could use their platform to make people aware of what is going on. He also said he was “on the fence” about continuing the season. He said that he wanted to go back home to help people, but ultimately thought the right decision would be to bring awareness through media and TV.

Post-Practice Comment #5:

Bam Adebayo, one of the Miami Heat’s two All-Stars, finished the media session talking about the importance of using American Airlines Arena as a polling place. He mentions that it’s important “so you don’t have to go out of your way to vote.” He then related this topic to his personal life, mentioning how voter suppression has affected his family. He says it was as simple as a polling place being too far from a workplace and a boss not letting his mother vote. This is why this clearly hits home for Bam, which is why him and the team will continue to use their voices to make change.