Canes add 4th commit for 2022 in CB Graves

/0 Comments/in , /by

Despite the big misses this past week, July is expected to be a big month for Miami on the recruiting trail, and it seems like we got the first taste of it on Friday afternoon.

Coaches got great news from 4-star CB Chris Graves out of Bishop Verot (Ft. Myers, FL), who committed to the Canes over LSU, UF, and South Carolina. The 4th commitment in the 2022 class, Graves is ranked as the 288th-best player in the country according the 247Sports’ Composite and the 15th-best athlete.

The 6’1″, 175 pound Graves, who doesn’t turn 18 until August 2022, is listed as an athlete because he is a converted wide receiver. Out wide, he totaled 500+ receiving yards as a junior.

 

But a couple of traits that DB coach Travaris Robinson coveted while recruiting him was his length and his physicality. 247Sports’ Andrew Ivins notes in his scouting report that he’ll likely fit in a system that likes to play a lot of press and/or bump coverage.

 

Another interesting tidbit that Ivins dropped was that another person who played a big role in bringing Graves to Miami is former South Carolina CB and recent NFL first-round pick Jaycee Horn of the Carolina Panthers.

 

Horn spoke to Graves Thursday night and convinced him that coach T-Rob could coach and develop him.

 

It’s no secret that cornerback was a huge position of need for Miami. Especially considering that with a sub-par performance from Miami’s corners in 2020, there was only one freshman newcomer in Malik Curtis, who happened to attend the same high school that Graves hails from.

 

Miami missed out on 3 big targets in the past week: CB Jacolby Spells (West Virginia), DL Zane Durant (Penn State), and LB Demario Tolan (LSU).

 

Tolan’s commitment especially hurt because Miami lost this battle to former Canes DC Blake Baker and some Canes fans have gone restless over the lack of excitement on the trail.

But as we talked about on the latest episode of The Sixth Ring, it’s still early to get an idea of what Miami’s class will look like, especially when no games have been played yet.

 

Miami is still in play for a lot of big fish, including Jaleel Skinner, who is the #1 ranked tight end in the country, and five-star CB Jaheim Singletary, who is currently committed to Ohio State.

 

Believe me when I say this: if Miami wins games, recruits will take notice and it’ll be hard to ignore.

 

Don’t forget to sign up for Prizepicks, the industry’s leading over/under fantasy game. Use the code “five” to get up to $100 matched on your initial deposit. They’re continuously adding more options so you can you predict even more specific stats when it comes to either the NBA Finals or the MLB regular season.

Five Takeaways from the McGregor-Poirier Presser

/0 Comments/in /by

Leading up to potentially the biggest fight in UFC history, Conor McGregor and Dustin Poirier took two completely different approaches going into the press conference. Conor came in as the Conor we knew when he made his phenomenal run, making quirky remarks, waging psychological warfare, and guaranteeing victory. On the other hand, Dustin kept everything strictly business, not biting at any bait thrown out by McGregor or paying any mind to the pro-Conor crowd. But he did not have a lack of confidence or focus coming in. This led to a perfect balance of two fighters on the opposite ends of the spectrum going right at each other. Let’s take a look at some of the top takeaways from the press conference 

 

  1. Dustin delivered the best line of the Press conference

Before I can deliver the line in a way that was as powerful as how Dustin said it, some context is needed. For the first 15 minutes of the press conference, McGregor would continually attack Dustin while Dustin would remain calm. After these continual attacks, one media member asked Conor why he went from being kind in the buildup to the last fight to now flipping the switch end being aggressive, as to which Dustin answered

 

 “Because he got knocked the f#%k out… Not McGregor Fast, McGregor sleep” 

 

This comment got the biggest pop of the night and left Conor unable to say anything. Dustin picked his shot perfectly and delivered exactly what needed to be delivered without overdoing it. He kept quiet for most of the time but when he spoke, it was worth listening to.. 

 

  1. Conor has no lack of volume on the Mic

 

It was very evident that from the start of the press conference, we were going to see the McGregor of old. The psychological warfare, the head games, the non stop verbal shots, it was all there for Conor. Every time a question was asked to Dustin, Conor would interject and trash Dustin in whichever way he could. Conor seemed to have prepared a myriad of one liners to try and get into Dustin’s head. From personal attacks to his wife to just saying he sees a dead man, there was no shortage of the verbal ammunition McGregor had prepared.

 

(Catch a preview of the fight with Alex Donno’s Five Rounds sponsored by Quarterdeck)

 

 

  1. Dustin was unaffected by the trash talk

The biggest growth for “The Diamond” from the first fight might be his mental growth. Undoubtedly his skills in the octagon have taken leaps and bounds but for Dustin, the mental edge that he brings into every fight is one that is rarely seen. He famously says 

“ A fight isn’t a fight until there’s something to overcome” 

In this press conference, Conor would continually cut Dustin off, talk trash to him, get the crowd riled up and even try to make things personal by bringing up his wife. At the end of all of it, Dustin was completely unphased by any of it, smiling away. When one reporter asked both guys if they respect each other, Conor gave his classic “ I don’t give a fook” while Dustin said yes I respect Conor and everything he’s done. At that moment the world knew that the pressure from early in his career has made The Diamond unbreakable. 

 

  1. Conor’s losses have affected his luster 

When Conor McGregor was going to face Jose Aldo for the UFC Featherweight championship, he was the winner of 15 straight. That type of winning against top level competition was nearly unheard of and the way he was knocking people out left and right touted his left hand “The Kiss of Death”. Even going into the Khabib fight he was the winner of 18 of his last 19 in the UFC so the star still shined. But now being 3-3 in his last 6 with his only win since 2016 being a win over a past-prime Cowboy Cerrone, that threat and mystique of Conor is no longer there. Of course he is still the sport’s biggest star, but is he still the top of the competitive mountain? Absolutely not. He got knocked out by Dustin Poirier and  choked out by Khabib and Nate Diaz. Those losses take away the invincibility factor and make his words have less meaning. Athletes now understand it’s what’s done inside the Octagon that really counts, and Conor can only affect you if you buy into what he says. 

 

  1. Dustin won the Press Conference 

When it came down to it, we saw what we thought we would see with both guys. Conor came out constantly attacking Dustin and on the other hand Dustin would let most of it slide. But when it came to delivering the KO punch, Dustin delivered it perfectly, getting the biggest reaction from a Pro-McGregor Crowd. Add that on to the unphased mentality of Dustin Poirier and it was clear that McGregor was unable to get into Dustin’s head. Conversely, the small lines that Dustin did say would shut Conor up completely, taking him out of his element and looking starved for a comeback. Of course we will see how it plays out in the octagon but when it came to the verbal warfare, tally this win down for Dustin Poirier.

 

You can follow Johnathan on Twitter @ThreePieceCombo

How Would Jeff Green Plug into the Miami Heat’s Roster?

/0 Comments/in , /by

After diving into a bunch of top free agency and trade options for the Miami Heat this off-season, it’s time to take a look down the depth chart a bit more. In a perfect scenario, the Heat snag their point guard as free agency opens, and possibly get a deal done for a three level scorer through a trade.

No matter the situation, cheaper guys will need to be added to fulfill the rotation. And as much as I touch on a young big being slotted in next to Bam Adebayo being super ideal in a long term sense, it just doesn’t seem like a viable option at the current moment with what is out there.

One group of guys that is for sure out there though is cheaper wings and bigs that can be plugged into that four spot next to Adebayo. There is still a chance that Trevor Ariza could be back on a similar deal, but it seems like certain guys on the same money-line may be better fits for next year’s roster.

The first guy up is Jeff Green, who is getting up there in age, but doesn’t seem to matter considering the fact it’ll be a short-term deal and he’s still contributing at a high level. So, what exactly does he bring to the table at this stage, specifically in a Miami Heat system?

Pick and Pop Specialist or Pure Floor Spacer

When watching Jeff Green this past season with the Brooklyn Nets, next to a big three of that caliber, he found himself as the corner spacer a lot of the time. He’s the perfect guy for the job, since his smooth looking jumper took a three-point shooting leap to the best mark of his career.

Shooting 41% from three on a little under 4 attempts a game is impressive, but the spot-up numbers made it look even better. Almost all of his threes come off the catch and shoot, but untimely possessions force some stats to become jumbled. On set jumpers though, he shot 44% this past season, while it jumped to 56% in the post-season in a small sample size.

Most of these options that I will discuss are capable of knocking down that corner three to eliminate easy tags on the roll. But incorporating more than the corner three shifts this conversation.

In a Brooklyn offense, he played a good amount of small ball 5, meaning he was a constant screener in many lineups. And when guys like James Harden or Kevin Durant are in the PnR, easy wing threes are a result as seen above.

Relating back to the Heat, the question becomes: would those looks be similar without Nets-level rim pressure? As mentioned earlier, in this scenario, I’m acting as if they completed their agenda by adding a veteran point guard in free agency. And if you give Jimmy Butler another attacker and facilitator, like Kyle Lowry, then things can look similar.

But those type of vets can obviously mesh with a stretch four like himself, but what about Bam Adebayo?

The Bam Adebayo Complement

In simple terms, you can say it’s clear they would fit well together with his natural perimeter spacing, as pointed out in the previous shooting section. But I believe this conversation can be expanded in different ways.

For one, take a look at the first two video clips above. The outcome you may get from that is the same as before, a spot-up threat from deep, but that’s not the important part.

Instead, his area of operation strikes as an interesting point. Both of those possessions that resulted in a three began with him creating the space from the elbow. Who else loves those elbow jumpers? Bam Adebayo.

We’ve been talking about ways to push Adebayo into more of a scoring mentality, and this could be equally as important as a point guard. Guys like Jae Crowder and Trevor Arize didn’t operate from those type of spots inside the arc, forcing Adebayo to take advantage of it.

The only time actions on the wing were ran for him was when the shot clock was ticking down and he was forced to shoot. This acquisition may push him into different spots that can propel his offensive abilities. Why else should he relocate from the elbow at times? Well, look at the last clip above.

They must slowly back Adebayo away from the constant DHO’s, but that doesn’t mean they’re going to abort the entire offensive plan. To continue the spacing, hand-offs must be run to get guys like Adebayo into the right spots to be effective. But it just doesn’t always have to be Adebayo running that action.

As seen in that clip, they can expand Green off the free throw line into DHO’s, which we can call the Adebayo role. Now, don’t take this as Adebayo never occupying the free throw line, where he’s grown so comfortable, and Green leaving his second home in the corners. It’s just that this pick-up gives the offense some diversity, and it’s well known that Miami’s offense needs some additional options to keep it fresh.

Defensive Versatility

When I said he was playing a lot of small ball 5, it was mostly because he’s very capable of doing it, and that alone has to grab Miami’s attention. He’s able to switch onto smaller guys, much like Ariza did last season, while holding his ground on the block, much like Crowder did the year prior.

They need middle ground between those two players, and I believe Green can be that guy, regardless of his age. As seen above, easy rotations once guys get blown by at the top of the key became second nature for him, and that’s a necessary element on a Heat team with the lack of strong point of attack defense.

It’s not just about a guy that can handle a bigger match-up, which I’ll dive into next, but taking those match-ups mean that they have a viable weak side defender for Adebayo to roam the perimeter. Ariza’s quickness allowed him to be the perfect tagger when Butler and Adebayo were in the action, but once the big man got the reception, he was one drop step away from an easy basket.

So, could Green change that narrative in some ways?

He does a very good job at containing in a general sense, either the avoidance of biting on the perimeter or the non-committal play-style when defending the PnR. In the play above, he doesn’t overplay either one of them, forcing the ball-handler to dump it off to the big.

Alex Len gives Green that shoulder that usually works against those type of forwards, but he didn’t move him like he expected. He stays strong when he rises up, and gets the block to complete a great defensive possession.

The reason I included the word versatility to begin this topic is not just because of his ability to guard the perimeter and paint. It’s actually because he can be plugged into some different spots on that end of the floor, either as the help-side guy that I mentioned before, or the main defender in the action when Adebayo is on the sideline.

His length plays a big part in all of this, and his experience definitely helps a lot as well. At this stage of his career, he probably wants structure, and a coach like Erik Spoelstra would definitely give him that.

Secondary Offensive Options

To cap this off, it’s always great to talk about the “other” parts of his game. We know about the shooting stuff and his favorite spots on the floor, but what is his secondary option?

Well, he is not much of a mid-range player, but can knock it down when it is given to him. Going back to my point about his work on the elbow, that number may rise in a Heat offense.

Other than that, he shoots about 3 shots a game less than 10 feet from the basket, which is where he does his damage offensively when we aren’t discussing three-point shooting. And if we’re going to get very specific, a good portion of his two-point attempts are generated from the perimeter.

With slower bigs defending a quick trigger, it leads to plenty of pump-fakes into dribble drives. While Ariza lacked that type of rim pressure, Green can bring that when the triple is falling, which is super beneficial to the Heat’s motion offense.

The other way stuff inside the paint is generated is when he’s the screener. Once again, it helps when you’re playing with the offensive firepower the Nets have, due to constant blitzes becoming the theme, but it’s still his game when he receives it in there.

The Heat aren’t really known for those type of entry passes for post touches, but a point guard will get him that pocket pass when he needs it. Not only do we see another utilization of the pump-fake on the play above, but it’s another strong and hard take that Miami misses. They may not want to fully commit to a true big, but a stretch four that plays bigger than he is will truly be useful.

And going back to Adebayo, once he gets the confidence and offensive freedom next season, it makes all of these guys’ jobs easier. Cleaner spacing, some 4-5 pick and pops, and much more. It’ll be an Erik Spoelstra field day.

 

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

Visit them at EverythingTradeShows or call 954-791-8882

The Keys to the Rest of the NBA Finals

/1 Comment/in , /by

The Phoenix Suns are up 1-0 in the NBA Finals.

What determines the rest of the series?

 

1.Bucks figuring out the size issue vs Phoenix. In Game one Suns center Deandre Ayton had 22 points and 19 rebounds, if that happens every game it will be a short series for Milwaukee. Brook Lopez played just 23 minutes and when that happens there is nobody on the Bucks to battle Ayton’s size. Believe it or not this wasn’t just coach Bud not playing his starters heavy minutes like what happened in the bubble with Giannis last year. When Lopez was out there in game one Chris Paul and Devin Booker were hunting him on switches and made him unplayable. If Lopez is going to be on the floor Milwaukee needs to avoid Lopez being switched onto Paul or Booker plain and simple. Lopez shot 50 percent from the floor and finished with 17 points in his minutes which is good from a production standpoint. Although the +/- stat doesn’t say everything especially with a one game sample, Lopez had a team worst -17 last night which isn’t going to cut it. An answer for some of Lopez’s defensive struggles can be to keep him on Ayton and Ayton only. 

 

2. Free throw differential between the two teams. In game one the Bucks shot 9-16 from the line while Phoenix shot 25-26 from the line. Devin Booker himself shot 10 of 10 from the line and if he is going to make more free throws than the Bucks himself, I’m not sure this series is winnable for Milwaukee. Khris Middleton played 45 minutes in game one and didn’t shoot a single free throw and that must change moving forward. Middleton must match or be close to matching Devin Booker’s scoring in this series. A great way to do so is by getting to the line more often where Middleton shoots nearly 90 percent. Jrue Holiday got to the line just two times himself and that won’t cut it especially when he shoots 26 percent from the field as he did in game one. Two free throw attempts from Holiday and Middleton combined is something Phoenix will gladly take each game this series.

 

3. Jae Crowder’s scoring or lack of scoring. In game one Crowder played 33 minutes and shot 0-8 from the field and 0-5 from the three-point line. In the playoffs this year Crowder has averaged just under 10 points per game while shooting 39 percent from the field and 35 percent from three. Crowder needs to get back to those numbers especially as this series goes on the road to Milwaukee. Paul and Booker both had great games, so Crowder’s lack of scoring didn’t matter but that won’t be the case every game. Crowder has been a streaky shooter in his career but if he can shoot around his 35 percent from three playoff average it will greatly improve the Suns chances at raising the Larry O’Brien trophy at the end of this series. He is a great defender especially vs Giannis as Heat fans saw last year but he must provide something on offense to be a net positive for Phoenix. Suns forward Dario Saric tore his ACL in game one and Saric had been an underrated piece for the Suns in the playoffs. To help fill Saric’s minutes Crowder may be asked to play even more minutes than the 33 minutes he played in game one. 

 

4. Chris Paul’s and Giannis Antetokounmpo’s health. Paul suffered a shoulder injury in round one vs the Lakers and took most of the series to get back to form. Paul has had tough injury luck in the playoffs throughout his career. He’s missed time with the Clippers and Rockets in the past leaving people wondering what could have been had he not gotten injured. In game one Paul twisted his ankle when he was fouled on a three-point shot by Brook Lopez. Fortunately Paul was able to stay in the game and seems fine, but injuries are always a concern with Paul. Paul is an all-time great player and let’s hope that injuries stay out of the way as Paul seeks his first NBA championship in his legendary career. The other injury to watch in this series is with Giannis Antetokounmpo’s hyperextended knee he suffered in the eastern conference finals. Many people including Giannis himself thought his season was over and next season was in jeopardy. Thankfully the injury wasn’t as serious as initially thought but still many assumed Giannis was out for game one, but he surprised everyone and played. He looked very good in game one scoring 20 points and grabbing 17 rebounds in 35 minutes. While he was effective in the first game there is always a concern of reinjuring his knee much like Kevin Durant did with his Achilles in the 2019 NBA finals. The number of minutes Giannis plays is something to watch given he’s coming off an injury. Coach Bud has been heavily criticized in the past for not playing Giannis more minutes but now it may be justified to keep him around 35 minutes. When it gets to elimination games maybe Giannis will play as many minutes as it takes but it’s understandable to be slightly cautious the first couple games. The Bucks or Suns can’t win the NBA championship without Paul or Giannis and that’s why these two and their health is the biggest key to watch for in the series. 

 

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

Visit them at EverythingTradeShows or call 954-791-8882

Dolphins schedule

5 Things to know about the 2021 Miami Dolphins.

/1 Comment/in /by

What to Look For, Three Weeks Prior to Training Camp…

#1- The Dolphins will continue to be a “Blitz Heavy” Defense in 2021.

With the addition of Jaelen Phillips, a much needed boost to the pass rush was had, and a narrative developed that Miami can now “use 4” to get to the QB. Blitzing would not be as necessary, and the numbers they bring could go down. Not So. In 2020, Miami brought 5 or more rushers at the 5th highest rate in the NFL, and used Cover 0 at the highest rate PFF.com has tracked in the last 5 years. Miami likes to play Cover 1, and like to dictate to the offense on 3rd down. That entails fronts that make the offense adjust pass protection, and thus, requires multiple rushers in as many gaps as possible. Jaelen Phillips should help with the overall pass rush win rate which was mid pack at 40% last season. Sending numbers on defense is not a Bug for Miami, it’s a feature.

#2- Miami is now an 11 personnel team on offense. (3 WR, 1 TE, 1 RB)

Miami drafted a WR at 6th overall. That alone coupled with what they have on the roster says they need to get as many of these guys on the field as possible, but it doesn’t stop there. The signing of Will Fuller allows for more natural alignments with DeVante Parker, Preston Williams, etc. While Jaylen Waddle is the Slot threat, others can play alongside Fuller/Waddle in bunch formations, and force communication in the secondary. Getting speed on the field seems to be what the Dolphins were going for this offseason, and getting the defense to call switches will be a feature. While Waddle stretches the defense laterally, Fuller threatens vertically, Parker, Preston, etc., are free to negotiate routes they are best at running. Make no mistake, this unit was constructed to work in tandem, and thus, they must be on the field together.

#3- The “rebuild” is complete.

Miami tore down the roster, in it’s entirety in 2019, and has meticulously gone about filling every perceived hole on the roster. The Dolphins return 3 starters from 2019 to the 2021 team on offense (Jesse Davis, DeVante Parker, Mike Gesicki) and 4 on defense (Jerome Baker, Christian Wilkins, Eric Rowe, Xavien Howard). They have drafted, or signed, 15 starters for the 2021 team the last 2 offseasons. Most of these signings, represent longterm commitments from either, high Day 1, 2 draft picks, or significant free agent signings or trades. There is simply not as many holes to fill anymore. The Miami Dolphins window for a championship is now officially open.

Loading
Loading...

#4- The Miami Dolphins have high expectations.

On the gambling front, Miami is now favored in 9 of 17 games (was 10), and has an over/under win total that has reached 9.5 games. Both represent the highest numbers in near 20 years. Most analysts are picking the Dolphins to be a playoff team, and after nearly getting there last season, and winning 10 games, why not? Miami has also gotten praise for their offseason, from signing Will Fuller, to their latest draft class. Improvement is expected. Second year QB Tua Tagovailoa, has worked on his body, has had a complete offseason (no rehab) and is free of his obligations to rehabbing his Hip Injury from 2019. He should also be completely in tune with the playbook having immersed himself in it for an entire offseason. A big “jump” is expected from what by any measure was, a decent rookie year. 10 wins is not only a baseline for this team, but the minimum requirement.

#5- Miami might have the NFL’s most exciting team.

We know about the defense and it’s propensity to blitz, but the offense is now very different, and a far cry from it’s “ball control” tendencies in 2020. The Offense as constructed, is built to use combination routes to free up shot plays, and the acquisitions of Waddle/Fuller now open up the field laterally as well as vertically. Miami’s running game, should feature more outside zone, now boasting several RB’s that are very good at it (Myles Gaskin, Malcolm Brown, Salvon Ahmed). The return game has players such as Jaylen Waddle, and Jakeem Grant (if he makes it) which are threats to take every kickoff or punt they receive for a touchdown. Simply put, the 2021 Miami Dolphins have a young roster, that is constructed on speed and the big play on offense, pass pressure and turnovers on defense.

Stats are Courtesy of Pro Football Focus, Pro Football Reference, ESPN.

Alfredo Arteaga (@Alf_Arteaga) is one-third of the trio that does the Three Yards Per Carry (@3YardsPerCarry) podcast.

How Would Lonzo Ball Cover Up Some of Miami’s Issues?

/0 Comments/in , /by

Well, well, well. Another Miami Heat possible acquisition, another point guard. While the three different Heat needs are basically all over the board, it gives us some diversity to talk about certain options. But as I will continue to harp on, the other two needs just won’t work unless you fulfill the point guard position.

Unrestricted free agents like Kyle Lowry and Mike Conley are clear options, but why not talk about it in a more complicated fashion? Lonzo Ball will be a restricted free agent this off-season, and decisions will have to be made.

As I’ve talked about with players like CJ McCollum in the past, new coaches like to take the franchise player and try to build around him only. That leaves second and third options in a weird spot, which could either be used as a trade chip or just walk away.

The New Orleans Pelicans are going to have to immediately please Zion Williamson following recent reports, and the way to please him is to win. So, if they end up moving on from Ball, could the Miami Heat enter the discussion?

I believe so, but it’s going to come down to timing this off-season. As I usually do, let’s just jump right into his overall game, and evaluate the ways that he can patch up some of Miami’s weaknesses…

Oh, A Point Guard

If you’ve been watching Lonzo Ball for some time, you’d know that the clip above isn’t anything new. It was seen in AAU basketball, high school, college, and now the NBA. He’s a gifted passer, but more importantly, he’s a fast paced passer.

What that means is that he’s instinctive. Decision making is a key element to many young player’s games, especially most of the youthful Heat players on the current roster. The thing about that attribute is that it can always be improved, but it’s obvious that you either have it or you don’t.

Well, Ball has just that, and the Miami Heat need just that. Transition play-making aside, which I’ll dive into down the line, they need a guy who can set up half-court sets for guys like Bam Adebayo to truly thrive.

It’s not just about his passing opening guys up, but what that skill leads to. In a very odd New Orleans environment, including another point guard in the back-court and plenty of isolations for Brandon Ingram or post touches for Williamson, he had a bunch of off the ball reps. And that’s the one thing that prepared him for this type of offense.

Yes, Adebayo and others need a trusted facilitator to take the keys, but creating a free-flowing offensive rhythm is more than that. Those off-ball reps in New Orleans allowed him to be a screener in many actions, either slipping them for triples or getting guys moving downhill.

Not only does Adebayo need that guy to get him downhill, but being a threat when slipping screens eliminates the delayed recovery. Luckily for Ball, he’s become a threat in that area….

Increased Shooting

Entering the NBA draft, everybody had an opinion about Lonzo Ball’s crooked looking jumper. Would it work at the next level? Would he eventually tweak it or is it too late? And the answer to that last question was apparent recently.

As time progressed, the jumper began to look more and more fluid, which then leads us into the effectiveness of it. Last season, he was still trying to figure it out a bit, and shot 37% from three on 6 attempts.

Then we saw both numbers increase this past season, jumping up to 39% from deep on 8 attempts a game. And from the Heat’s perspective, I believe that’s what makes him so much more intriguing at this stage.

He’s still growing as a player and a shooter, since the pull-up triple territory definitely needs another numbers booth. But nobody expected his spot-up shooting to look so pure this soon, so I guess anything is possible. When comparing him to some of the Heat’s guards, I believe they share a mutual thing relating to the mental side of the game.

We’ve noticed Tyler Herro thriving with confidence and rhythm when a couple of shots fall early, and Ball looks to be that same way when looking at him under a microscope. Discussing physical growth and dedication to improve is one thing, but being willing to jump up to 8 three-point attempts a game following a previous play-style is clearly another thing. That type of willingness is something else Miami should be taking note of as their exact build.

How Do Things Look Inside the Arc?

When shifting into the other two parts of the half-court offense, the narrative changes a bit. Some of the offensive issues are shown when he’s put in these one-on-one or downhill situations, which is clearly something the Heat also lack.

He thrives in certain PnR sets, but not for the same reasons that many other players that I’ve discussed do. He doesn’t dominate with a great amount of separation or a go-to floater/mid-range pull-up. He pressures the rim with his gifted passing ability that the defense is awaiting.

It’s not that he’s incapable of surveying the mid-range for good looking buckets, since plenty of flashes came up like the one above. The beloved snake dribble and right to left step-back equals Lonzo Ball’s PnR peak scoring abilities. If they could get that consistently, this discussion changes.

I don’t want you to think everything is all good with this type of acquisition, even though I’m highlighting a lot of strengths. Miami would be putting a lot into this type of addition, so they will have to be absolutely confident that it makes sense for the team’s short-term and long-term success.

Will the inside the arc stuff be the deterrent for Miami’s interest? I don’t believe so, but the cost may do that for them instead. Once again, the timing of all this will be the true tell, since the Heat won’t be risking this off-season all together for Lonzo Ball. If things line up though at the right time, it’s definitely a possibility.

Some Fast-Break Control

Speaking of high school and college flashes, nothing has changed about Ball’s willingness to run the floor freely. As I touched on in my latest piece answering some off-season questions, transition buckets are an interesting way to view things.

Usually pure youth lineups are the team’s that dominate the fast-break, like the Charlotte Hornets, but with a “position-less” unit, it feels like that area should be harped on more. And after the latest playoff series with a general lack of half-court offense, opening up the floor wouldn’t be the worst thing.

In a lot of ways, the point guard this team ends up getting will tell you how things will operate offensively. The offense would look much different with Ball in it compared to Lowry or Conley, leaving this whole topic up in the air. But in the event that Ball does find himself in Miami, I believe we see an offensive shift.

As I touched on earlier, this type of move would be a pretty big risk for the Heat, so they must alter certain things to make it work. Ball is the type of player that can adjust rather quickly, and he would fit an Erik Spoelstra type of scheme. Why is that? Although Ball is linked to an AAU or high school play-style, Coach Spo is basically the same way, just in a much more complex way.

2-2-1 presses to 2-3 zones to defensive gems free lancing. He’s basically the ideal coach for a guy like Lonzo Ball, but how does he look on that end of the floor?

Point of Attack Defense Slotting In

To answer that question that I just proposed, he is known to create havoc on the defensive end. Unlike a lot of other defensive guys that I dove into so far, Ball isn’t good at just one specific spot of a defense, which is why I say that Coach Spoelstra would love that type of gem.

Active hands, quick feet, and other physical adjectives don’t do him justice, since his IQ is what makes him so impactful. Looking at the clip above, you’d notice at the beginning of the play that four Pelican defenders are guarding three Warriors players.

How did they not capitalize with Draymond Green surveying the floor? Well, that’s because of the small elements of Lonzo Ball’s game.

He was the one guarding Green on this play, which led to him dipping all the way down for tags, daring him to shoot the three. It leads to a bunch of switching and recovering, leaving Ball guarding Andrew Wiggins as Green drove to the basket.

If you watch the play slowly, you’d notice that Ball reacts as soon as Green goes into his spin. The thing about that is he knows the following step is usually the easy kick-out in motion. He jumps out onto Wiggins, putting his arm up in the air, without looking, to deflect the pass. The steal is obtained and into transition offense they go.

The phrase one-dimensional comes up a lot in all of these pieces, but Ball could be able to cure some of that with his diverse and growing game on both ends. To be honest, if you were to ask me if this acquisition is super likely, I would probably lean no due to the unrestricted free agents appearing to be the favorites, but anything can happen in an NBA off-season.

If some things go in a different direction over the next month or so, we may be having a different discussion about the new starting point guard of the Miami Heat, and I’d bet Lonzo Ball’s name has swarmed around the front office at times.

Loading
Loading...

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

Visit them at EverythingTradeShows or call 954-791-8882

Miami Dolphins release 2021 Training Camp Schedule, Ticket Info

/0 Comments/in , /by

The Miami Dolphins released their 2021 Training camp schedule earlier today, including 14 practices open to the public. Fans can reserve their FREE seats by clicking HERE. 

Earlier today, the Miami Dolphins released their official 2021 training camp schedule.

According to the team’s official press release, this year’s training camp will be at the Miami Dolphins’ new state-of-the-art Baptist Healthy Training Complex in Miami Gardens. And starting Saturday, July 31st, fans will have their first chance to see the 2021 team–and the new facility, in all its glory. Heck, maybe you’ll even have an opportunity to ride Stephen Ross’ iconic slide. Nevertheless, this is an opportunity fans won’t want to miss!

This will be the first training camp held at the Baptist Health Training Complex, a state-of-the-art, 227,000-square foot facility that will open in July 2021. The partnership with Baptist Health is an extension of a decades-long relationship with the Miami Dolphins. Baptist Health serves as the Official Medical Team and Official Wellness and Sports Medicine Provider of the Miami Dolphins and the Training Complex and is also a proud partner of the Miami Dolphins Foundation.

 

In addition to releasing their training camp schedule,  the team also announced the dates for their joint practices with the Atlanta Falcons, which will take place on August 17th and 18th.

Want to see Kyle Pitts vs. Eric Rowe?

What about Miami’s offense vs. Atlanta’s defense?

or maybe…..

Miami Dolphins quarterback and THE LEFT ARM OF GOD, TUANIGAMANUOLEPOLA TAGOVAILOA!?

The Franchise

Now. Is. Your. Chance.

The team also promises special festivities throughout this year’s training camp. BUT REMEMBER, YOU HAVE TO RESERVE YOUR FREE TICKETS NOW!

This year’s training camp will feature theme days, food trucks from local and minority-owned restaurants, face painting and the garage sale benefitting the Miami Dolphins Foundation.  Fans in attendance at the Baptist Health Training Complex will experience practices under a shaded canopy over the seating area, culinary options from Centerplate at two concession stands and fan festivities.

**************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************

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

Visit them at EverythingTradeShows or call 954-791-8882

Answering Your Heat Off-Season Questions

/0 Comments/in , /by

After spending quite some time diving into individual Heat players, or possible free agency/trade acquisitions, I want to talk about some things in the big picture.

So, I’m going to be answering all of your questions in this piece. Personal opinions on specific players, scenarios, and more. Well, let’s hop right into it…

Some may view this as a tough question to answer, but I believe the perfect combo for this current Heat team is a veteran point guard and a young big.

Now, this doesn’t mean that if a type of deal with Collin Sexton and Kevin Love came available that I wouldn’t do it. But when talking about players in a general sense, that is not only the best option in the short-term, but also the long term.

There are two point guard options that I believe are 1 and 2 on Miami’s priority list, and neither of them fall under the youth category. With the cap room that they have, it feels like Kyle Lowry or Mike Conley will be on this Heat team in a matter of time.

The reason I say that the youthful big man is the way to go seems pretty clear. Veteran front-court pairings is all Bam Adebayo knows in the NBA, and if they want to maximize his game, a viable sidekick is necessary. Not switching from Meyers Leonard to Jae Crowder one year, then reiterating the same thing with Kelly Olynyk and Trevor Ariza the next.

They did what they had to at that time and they plugged those holes, but if they can find a stretch four that they trust via trade, I believe they pull the trigger.

As much as I just harped on finding a young big, a cheap front-court filler seems to be the most likely option moving forward. I don’t believe Andre Iguodala will be back, while Trevor Ariza could be resigned to play a much different role.

But if both are off the table, there are plenty of guys to plug into that spot, and two of them come to mind for me.

The first one is Jeff Green, who is getting up there in age but continues to be effective. He’s coming off some big time playoff performances next to Kevin Durant, and obviously, that’s not what he would be asked to do in a Heat uniform.

Green fits the build of the players that they like to plug next to Adebayo, and could be plugged into whatever spot Coach Spo needs him to with the amount of experience he has.

The second guy that could be a possibility is soon to be NBA champion Torrey Craig. Not only is he about 5 years younger than Green, but he seems to me like the type of player that the Heat would like for super cheap. If a lot of the guys that we expect to be out the door for the Heat actually are, then cheap deals like this one will be neccessary.

Those are just two options, and I could spend much more time on that subject with the amount of guys that are in that play-style/money range.

For starters, I don’t believe there’s any way that the Heat would trade Bam Adebayo under any circumstance. The reason we have the timeline discussion with Jimmy Butler and Adebayo is that you have the other one to balance it. Jumping fully into the Butler age range just doesn’t seem remotely close to a smart idea.

Now, to answer your question, a team with Butler and Damian Lillard leading the way is a good way to start, but if you call beneficial becoming the Portland Trail Blazers of the East, then possibly. But frankly, that team will be having the same exact discussion the current team is having: how can we get that final piece?

Except in the Lillard-Butler world, you don’t have the option to go into a younger mode. This is clearly all of a fantasy discussion when talking about sending Adebayo out of Miami, especially when the team wouldn’t be seeing tremendous growth on what’s coming in.

If Duncan Robinson was able to become a reliable on-ball threat, it definitely changes the things that Adebayo and Butler are able to do offensively, but that just doesn’t seem likely.

Minor improvements will most likely be made over time for his ball-handling duties to increase, but the current focus for him this off-season has to be the second level of the half-court. He’s surprisingly efficient when he gets to the rim, while defenses know if he is chased off the perimeter, the mid-range pull-up isn’t an option.

But it should be.

Even a little bit of a mid-range game changes the things they can do in the offense, and all that includes is 1-2 dribbles. I don’t ever really see him becoming a true facilitator, but I do think he can be at least average once the true expansion occurs down the line.

I definitely agree that type of play-style should be integrated into the scheme regularly, but more importantly, it should be focused on with certain players.

The interesting part about it is that they focus so much on preventing it, but don’t harp on it themselves. For example, when the Heat miss a shot, the two guards are supposed to immediately sprint back to fill up the open court. It’s easy to scheme against, but harder to scheme for.

When I mentioned before that the focus should be for certain players, a guy on the top of that list is Bam Adebayo. When he decides to attack in transition, it always leads to good things, either with his pure ball-handling and speed or a nice looking DHO fake for an open lane.

The issue is that he always seems to be searching for a bull-dozing Butler when running the floor. He basically needs to obtain the Goran Dragic mentality, since he’s one of those guys that locks in on the basket when trotting down the floor at full speed.

In all, I think it’s more individual tweaks than scheme tweaks, but it should definitely be seen more on a versatile unit like Miami.

Unless those two close friends would really love to play together again, it would probably be hard to do. Both will be looking for similar money that the Heat would not be able to give. But in this sense, should the Heat even be willing to give it on a pay cut?

As stated in that question, three non-shooters would be a tough thing to see in today’s game. Andre Iguodala became the scapegoat at a lot of points this past season, but in reality, it was just the inability to play him next to two guys that can’t truly space the floor.

Demar DeRozen is no Andre Iguodala, but my point still stands. The only way I see the Heat doing this is if they’re very confident that Bam Adebayo expands his game to the perimeter at some point this season. Other than that, it just feels very complicated from every perspective of this addition.

If we’re talking about things that may not sound very realistic, I think they should sign Kyle Lowry for that point guard presence and Jimmy Butler pleasing, then flip Tyler Herro and other assets for a guy like CJ McCollum. Some cheap fillers to plug into the front-court will be needed, and you are good to go.

The issue is that the McCollum move may not be very likely, even though I believe he will be moved no matter what happens with the Lillard situation in Portland.

As I’ve listed many times, I have point guard and half-court scorer above front-court pairing in my priorities. As I mentioned earlier, the amount of veterans four’s that are out there make this even easier to focus on the main two things.

Grabbing either Lowry or Conley, then flipping assets for an all-around scorer feels to be the thing the Miami Heat’s front office would be eyeing.

And for my final bold statement, I believe they end up grabbing an undrafted player following this year’s draft who end up becoming a bottom of the rotation player for next season’s Heat team.

 

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

Visit them at EverythingTradeShows or call 954-791-8882

Diving into the Tim Hardaway Jr Option for the Miami Heat

/0 Comments/in , /by

After it was reported by Greg Sylvander that Tim Hardaway Jr is intrigued by the idea of landing in Miami and joining the Heat, it presents an interesting question: should the Heat share the same feelings?

Well, walking into the Heat’s arena and looking up at the ceiling may give you a certain answer, since his father, Tim Hardaway Sr, has his jersey retired in the rafters. But clearly, this front office is no longer in a sentimental state, they’re in a win at all costs state.

Although I’m going to dive into Hardaway Jr’s game in this piece, it should be noted that combining the money he’s looking for and the players that Miami needs, it just doesn’t seem to be something that the Heat would be focusing on. However, if other top options fall through, I could definitely see them checking back, but by then, I believe it will be too late.

He’s coming off an outstanding offensive season, as well as a progressive playoff showing. But would his strengths that he displayed be enough to elevate the current state of the Heat? Well, let’s hop right into it here…

The Special Ability

When people give him a label, they usually start with the term “streaky” shooter. The thing about a lot of streaky shooters is that “3 and D” seems to come up a lot when discussing them.

The difference is that his defense is much worse than the typical “3 and D” guy, while his three ball is much better than the average guy with that build.

It’s not just that the Heat need two-way players moving forward, but they need guys who can at least survive on both ends. When the front office and coaching staff come together, it feels like there will be a general agreement that’s the way they will operate moving forward.

Aside from that point, Hardaway Jr’s offensive game almost makes you forget about that other stuff. He may be up and down with his shooting at times, but that was flattened out a bit more this past season. And the “ups” were much higher than they’ve been in quite some time.

The part that makes this a bit more intriguing is that his offensive game isn’t one dimensional. He’s not a guy that’s just shooting off the catch every night, since his on-ball stuff seems much smoother when watching him play.

When looking at the first clip above, you see him awaiting the screener to dive before making his move. A crossover left before flowing right into his high arching jumper, and it leads to an and-1 triple.

Although that’s probably his best ability, playing next to Luka Doncic means that spot-up three will become your best friend even if you don’t want it to. He shot 41% on catch and shoot threes this past season, which is where 40% of his shot attempts came from.

In a Heat offense, the frequency would probably differ a bit, since they’d be looking to him as more than a spot-up guy. As I’ve listed in the past, the top three priorities should be a half-court scorer, point guard, and front-court pairing. If they circle back to a guy like Hardaway Jr, they have to believe he can give you that type of production on the ball at a much higher rate.

The pull-up three numbers definitely don’t look as good as it does when you’re watching, due to him shooting 35% this past season. But it still seems to be one of his biggest strengths, as well as his go-to that opens everything else up.

There are a ton of transition killers in the NBA, but none do it like Hardaway Jr. Running at full speed before stopping and popping on the perimeter like it’s nothing.

That one shot type fully explains why the outside shooting looks so pure and fluid for him. Just take a look at the clip above, and I’m sure we will agree what stands out most from that shot.

He’s a rhythm shooter, and that shot gets him into a comfortable motion. What is that motion exactly? His lift.

Go back and watch the clip again, focusing on the air time that he gets on his jumper. This can be evaluated from a couple different standpoints, but I’ll focus on the main two.

From a positive side of things, it’s a shot that is hard to guard to say the least. Shooting over the top of guys who are on their heels is a pretty interesting skill. It is why he finds himself in the high PnR so often, since he gets a head of steam while his defender trots backward, maximizing his best ability.

Now, we can also look at that shot above in a negative manner. He’s labeled as a hot and cold type of shooter, but can that be talked about further?

Aside from seeing the ball go in the basket a few times leading to a ton of confidence and rhythm, there’s more to it. Yes, that huge lift on that shot may translate to hard-to-guard buckets, but that may be what alters his shooting consistency.

When your lower body movements are constantly being changed depending on the shot type, it forces things to become unorthodox. It’s why Stephen Curry is such a special shooter, since it doesn’t matter if he’s shooting a mid-range pull-up or a half-court heave, the process of the jumper looks the same.

To finalize that rant, these small things that come up in his game may be enough to hold Miami from pursuing him. While certain parts of his game have been cleaned up with major improvements, I’m just not sure if it’s enough of a sway for Miami to fully go after him.

What Else is in the Offensive Bag?

The phrase “one dimensional” comes up at times when discussing his lack of defense, but it definitely wouldn’t be used to discredit his offense. He’s just one of those pure bucket-getters that I always discuss, mostly due to him switching it up when he has it going from deep.

The mid-range comes into play here, but I don’t believe it’s utilized enough for him when he has on-ball duties. In the play above, we see a normal occurrence for Hardaway Jr in the half-court, where he faces up to the basket and explodes.

Those transition pull-up shenanigans allow him to be so impressive in this spot of the floor. He rises up effortlessly on the baseline and knocks down the jumper. He shot 41% from that area of the floor, but the attempts was the bigger issue.

Only shooting 2 mid-range pull-ups per game seems to be something that would change in a Heat offense. It’s the thing I’ve talked about with Duncan Robinson, who is not even close to being an on-ball guy. If he’s going to be in that type of role, diversity would be key, and I believe he’s more than capable of doing just that.

Manipulating a Defense

In all of my pieces of diving into a possible acquisition, I always highlight a certain offensive set that Miami runs, and compare it to where the player fits in. Hardaway Jr could probably be placed into some of those off-ball screen actions for good looks off the catch, but as I’ve touched on, the Heat would be looking to expand that.

The double drag in the clip above is where I’d see him slotting into the Heat’s scheme. The interesting thing about him here is that he just puts a ton of stress on the defense, especially as he comes off the screen for a possible three.

A lot of the time he can force a favorable switch in these sets, which leads to him backpedaling out for a reset, leading to some of those isolation buckets that I touched on earlier.

But no switch is forced on this play, as he methodically uses the defender to his advantage. A couple shoulder bumps are utilized before he gets into his fade-away at the free throw line for a tough bucket.

Why is this important? Well, it wouldn’t just be about the perimeter shooting for him in a Heat uniform. Although I’ve pointed out a ton of reasons why it just doesn’t seem likely, the interest is obviously there on Hardaway Jr’s side and it’s still an option for the Heat to come back to.

Do I believe it will actually get to that point? Honestly, probably not due to the team’s point guard deficiency leaving them with a clear target in free agency. On a championship roster, Hardaway Jr is a great surrounding piece, but it just doesn’t seem possible to have him as a third option next to two guys who aren’t primary scorers.

Loading
Loading...

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

Visit them at EverythingTradeShows or call 954-791-8882

Breaking Down Mike Conley Possibly Being the Heat’s Back-Up Plan

/0 Comments/in , /by

Free agency will be a close watch for the Miami Heat this off-season, even though there seems to be a certain expectation about a certain acquisition, Kyle Lowry. It’s a position of need, he has a close relationship with Jimmy Butler, and it gives Miami a positive boost for the upcoming season.

But what if it doesn’t happen?

Many are approaching it as a guarantee, but that’s a tough way to operate in this business oriented league. If we’re acting as if Lowry slipped through their hands this off-season, it feels like Mike Conley is next in line.

Labeling him as a back-up plan definitely sells his overall abilities short. He’s coming off a pretty great individual season, which was important after he had a rough go the season prior. And with the Miami Heat, that’s a crucial part of things.

I think they’ve had enough of these short-term trials, such as Victor Oladipo, where they’re going to invest a whole lot into a guy that has question marks next to him. Not only does Conley no longer have as many question marks, he’s most likely not a short-term, or cheap, option.

This is known when discussing these veteran point guards like him or Lowry, but it’s clearly going to be the team’s number one priority. So, if things don’t end up working out with Lowry, let’s take a dive into how Conley would look in the Miami Heat’s system.

Finding a Trusted PG

The Heat and Conley will most likely be looking for similar things this off-season. Miami looking for a trusted point guard and Conley looking for a structured organization. At this point of his career, it doesn’t feel like mentor-ship is where he’s heading, but a team looking for that extra push may be enticing.

We obviously know the position doesn’t have to be harped on, due to the Heat playing a new version of position-less basketball. It’s more about the things that position generally brings to an NBA offense.

Loading
Loading...

Conley and unselfishness go together like Jimmy Butler and country music. When evaluating his game, it’s clear that his passing ability will always be utilized first. And well, that exact ability is what Butler and Bam Adebayo need to truly thrive.

When looking at the clips above, that point is seen further. He’s always one rotation ahead, which is just not a teachable tactic. Focusing on him running base offensive sets, we see him running the usual double drag, and the patience jumps off the screen.

After Paul George edges the screen, he splits the defense to get ahead of the play. In absolutely no rush, he lures Ivica Zubac away from the basket, and as soon as George makes his recovery leap, he feeds it inside to the rolling Rudy Gobert. It’s simple. It’s crisp. It’s Mike Conley.

The second clip above showcases the eyes that he draws with the ball in his hands, awaiting his decision on the side PnR. He avoids the Derrick Favors screen as both defenders are focused on him, ending in an easy bounce pass to the elbow for the jumper.

You may be thinking, that’s not a big deal. But it truly is considering that entry pass to Adebayo on the elbow has been missing all year. They need an alternative distributor, and Conley gives them that.

Using the Go-To

When thinking of Conley’s scoring skill-set over his career, his “go-to” immediately comes to mind since it just never changed: the floater. Right hand, left hand, it doesn’t matter. All that matters is that he’s going to get to his lifting area against drop defense, and a good portion of those are going to fall.

The reason this is important to note following the previous topic of his passing clinic is that exact ability opens up the floater. Take a look at the clip above. You see him turn his head to take a quick glance of the floor. Is he looking at Donovan Mitchell to eliminate George’s help defense? Is he giving the rolling Gobert a side eye to feel out his placing?

That’s a yes to both of those questions, since it’s the entire package of Conley’s offensive build. As I mentioned earlier, he’s always one rotation ahead of the defense, and that’s what is displayed here.

In previous pieces, I’ve touched on the exact meaning of a downhill threat that the Heat so very much need. It doesn’t just mean a guy like Butler who’s going to give you a shoulder to the chin every single drive, but it’s actually about putting pressure on the rim in some fashion.

Conley’s floater does just that, since it has become one of those player-basketball move NBA staples. James Harden and his step-backs, Kyrie Irving and his crossovers, or Trae Young and his shimmies. A bunch of players have their “thing,” but Conley’s under-the-radar type of play doesn’t allow it to be broadcasted on a greater scale.

But trust me, every NBA player is aware of it before playing him following the scouting report read.

A Major Deep Ball Skill

In this league, it’s pretty obvious that every player I’m going to discuss will have a three-ball attached to their offensive game. (Yes, that was a sign that there will be no Ben Simmons/Heat pieces moving forward)

Stand still threes are pretty much a given for veteran guards like Conley, who shot 41% on spot-ups this past season. Plenty of off-ball reps put him in line for that type of number, but I’ll dive into that a bit deeper later on.

He has a distinct skill when talking about his three-ball, and it’s actually about the pull-up triple. Among players who took 200 pull-up threes this past season, Conley ranked number one at 41.5%. For a further breakdown, that is far from an easy thing to do.

The Heat shifted into a heavy high PnR team down the stretch of the season, and that is essentially Conley’s happy place. It’s not just about the trusted jumper, but to reiterate a previous point, the interior domination with a looming floater takes a toll on a defense.

Why is it not just about the jumper itself? Well, take a look at the play above.

As Gobert comes to set the screen, he gives Reggie Jackson a mean jab step to totally take him out of defending territory. That means he can effortlessly trot into the pull-up, putting even more stress on the defense.

While we continue to connect some dots about his game, the high pick and roll effectiveness refers back to his passing. When blitzing begins to happen, pocket passes and skip passes get thrown into the queue, and then you’re just playing on Conley time.

How good is that 41.5% stat on pull-up threes? Stephen Curry ranks right behind him at number two, recording a number of 40.9%. Yeah, it’s definitely special.

Sprinkling in Some Defense

Conley on the defensive end is a fluctuating topic, due to the specifics carrying the answer to him on that end. When switches happen, he can be taken advantage of, but so could almost every other small guard in the league.

He’s not the physical defender that Lowry has shown to be, but he definitely uses his high IQ to his advantage. Passing lanes, passing lanes, and more passing lanes. That’s where he makes his impact on the defensive end.

Such as the clip above, making sure to come over for the tag before sprinting upward for the steal, flowing into transition offense. That exact type of defensive rep is what the Heat missed.

Of course they had a bunch of guys who were capable of doing so as defensive minded players, but the issue was that there wasn’t much being contributed by them on the offensive end. They clearly need more two-way guys, but in much simpler terms, they just need guys who can survive on the opposite end of their strengths.

This type of play-style just feels like something the Heat would turn into something greater, even being 33 years old, due to the fact we’ve seen this story so many times with Miami.

Picking Your Poison

Finally, it forces defenses into picking their poison. There are a couple ways to evaluate this, but for starters, Conley has an answer for basically any defense that is thrown at him, which just comes from experience. Teams must choose if they’re going to blitz him when he’s hot, ICE him when the floater is falling, or drop when he’s just putting on a passing clinic.

Loading
Loading...

Aside from that, it’s about Conley picking his poison between an on-ball controller or off-ball navigator. Why is that important? Well, because he’s capable of doing both of those things at a high level.

I’ve focused on a lot of on-ball stuff in this piece, but let’s look at one last example above. After looking at a ton of stuff with ball-screens, this one showcases his scoring in isolation. No screen, no problem.

Drives, stops, and fades. Another sequence of events that became a sticking point for him when getting into the teeth of the defense. That slight fade-away that you see on that jumper gives him such an advantage as the offensive player, forcing the defender to just contest as best as he can and live with the result.

He shot 45% on mid-range pull-ups this past season on only 2 attempts a game, which is pretty low for Conley, but I’m pretty confident that number would rise back up in a Heat uniform. Why did that number go down? Well, that leads me into my final point.

Playing next to a guy like Donovan Mitchell definitely means an off-ball role must be your thing at times. And clearly, that’ll need to be the case with the Heat.

Although I’ve highlighted a ton of positive things from Conley’s game, he wouldn’t be arriving in Miami to carry the entire offensive load. Either Adebayo must be in line for another big offensive leap, or the trade chips will be utilized to acquire a scorer to complement the other pieces.

If that was the case, Conley’s off-ball movement can be used freely, such as easy give-and-go’s off back cuts like shown above, or normal off-ball screens to set him up for easy spot-up opportunities. This topic is pretty similar to Lowry, since he was also forced into that type of role at times, and thrived in similar areas.

This wasn’t meant to be a Lowry vs Conley topic, but the point is that Conley as a back-up plan would not be a let down. For relationship sake and overall need, Lowry will be number one on the priority list in the near future, but I wouldn’t be shocked if Conley slid into that spot if things went south.

There isn’t just one need for this Heat team, but a trusted point guard can’t be passed up on when Pat Riley and others reach the decision making stage.

 

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

Visit them at EverythingTradeShows or call 954-791-8882