5 Takeaways from Miami’s Loss to Denver

/1 Comment/in , /by

The Miami Heat drop yet another game tonight, this time to the Denver Nuggets. The Heat were without Jimmy Butler, Tyler Herro, and Goran Dragic tonight, which gives you a sense of the way this game went. Miami will be playing tomorrow night as well on a back to back, against a depleted Los Angeles Clippers team, so it’ll be necessary to get a  win. Anyway, here are five takeaways…

#1: Well, the issues were apparent tonight, but it starts with shot making.

It’s hard to start in one certain area when diving into Miami’s performance tonight, but the most obvious issue was just plainly shot making. If Miami wanted a chance in this game, while being shorthanded once again, the role players were needed to hit open shots. And well, that didn’t happen. Three point shooting was a huge issue throughout, which is exactly what occurred in the last game against Brooklyn. They shot 19% from three in the first half, which was not that high for a good portion of the half. Thirty-three points in a half is clearly problematic, even without some key players. Some guys inability to step up right now with players out is an eye opener for the long term vision for some player’s roles.

#2: A glimpse of Bam Adebayo and Precious Achiuwa minutes.

The one positive thing from the night is that we got the first glimpse of Bam Adebayo and Precious Achiuwa together. The reason it has been looked upon so much is because it’s the hopeful future of this team, and people want assurance about that plan moving forward. The reason the fit was in question before was because of the offensive spacing that held some question marks. But with Bam Adebayo continuing to expand his range, it makes more and more sense right now. The only reason it was gone to in this game is because of their lackluster play, and Coach Spo wanted a spark. They actually played good defensively for that small stretch, but it’s hard to truly evaluate it in a game where nothing is being generated on either end of the floor.

#3: Duncan Robinson struggles continue.

I don’t think many people are used to Duncan Robinson struggling shooting the ball for three games in a row. And it’s not just about constant doubles or overplaying, since he seems to be getting good looks throughout, he just can’t capitalize. Now, as I’ve discussed before, Jimmy Butler holds major value over the success of Duncan, but I feel it’s much more than lineups. All shooters have slumps, and it begins with the mental toughness to overcome it by continuing to have the confidence to shoot the basketball. He has gotten the ball up quite a lot through this stretch, but nothing is being generated. For a lot of players, getting to the basket or finding other ways to score gets players out of a slump, but sprinting around the perimeter seems to be the only source of offense right now for him.

#4: Andre Iguodala’s on court leadership has been huge, but his surprising offense as well.

Andre Iguodala has been known to do everything for this Miami Heat second unit for some time. Well, except shoot the ball consistently. But that’s actually been a pretty positive element of his game lately, especially tonight. He hit some much needed shots when Miami needed a bucket, which proves his ability to run lineups while Jimmy Butler gets rest in the future. His ability to lock somebody up on defense, while having the quickness to rotate defensively has been huge for this team. With the lack of veteran leadership in the rotation right now, he was very important to take control. Not only is it great to see from him right now, but it’s great to know what Miami has moving closer to the end of the season.

#5: No Jimmy Butler, No Tyler Herro, No Goran Dragic, No excuse. But there’s a necessary realistic element.

The first instinct after watching this game is clearly a bit of panic for many, but things need to be noted without it being labeled as an excuse. For starters, Jimmy Butler and Tyler Herro were still out tonight, and Goran Dragic got thrown into that group as well. Every single player combination has been seen over the last few weeks with the constant rotation of players interchanging in and out of the lineup. That opinion and takeaway can be used without being called an excuse, since it’s just the reality of their current situation. Everything that could happen to a team this season, has happened, and even if they’re not play to the standard many are used to, it’s hard to generate anything in a basketball game when you don’t know who is on your team every single night. Miami’s schedule begins to ease up starting now, but will Miami’s health situations begin to ease up? Well, that’s the big question, and nobody has that answer since things are changing every single moment.

Five Takeaways from Florida Panthers’ win over Blue Jackets

/0 Comments/in /by

The Florida Panthers came out on top of a wild comeback thriller against the Columbus Blue Jackets on Tuesday night. This was Florida’s first game in a week after their two game series against Carolina was postponed due to a COVID-19 outbreak within the Hurricanes organization. Florida looked like the stronger team tonight but it wasn’t the prettiest of wins. Here are the takeaways from the game.

 

#1: Sergei Bobrovsky’s play put the Panthers in a hole early on.

 

After a subpar 2019-2020 campaign with the Panthers, the $70 million goalie looks like he hasn’t changed. In the opening minutes of the game, Bobrovsky gave up two weak goals on Columbus’ first two shots. After the Panthers clawed back to make it a 2-2 game, Bobrovsky let in a short handed goal on another saveable puck. The two-time Vezina winner couldn’t seem to find his groove in regulation despite his team keeping Columbus to just 17 shots through three periods. Bob stood his ground in the overtime and shootout, but he didn’t help his team at all by giving up those early goals. If his performance continues to hinder the team like this, promoting Chris Dreidger to the starter shouldn’t be out of the question.

 

#2: The penalty kill was spectacular, going 6/6.

 

It’s never a good sight when your team takes six penalties in a game. Luckily for Florida, their 12 penalty minutes didn’t lead to a goal against. The penalty kill (pk) unit was able to not only kill off all the penalties, but also generate a few short handed chances the other way. Each time Florida killed a penalty, it completely took the momentum away from Columbus. One of the six penalty kills came during the overtime when Frank Vatrano took a tripping penalty. The team had to kill a 4-on-3 to stay alive in the game. Last season the Panthers penalty kill ranked twentieth in the NHL with a 78.49 penalty killing percentage. An improved pk unit will be extremely valuable down the stretch in this condensed season. 

 

#3: New Panthers shine once again.

 

Florida’s team looks completely different this season. The offseason acquisitions of Carter Verhaeghe, Patric Hornqvist, Alexander Wennberg and Anthony Duclair paid dividends tonight against Columbus. The four first-year Panthers combined for six points, while Hornqvist got the game-tying goal with two seconds left in regulation and the shootout winner. Florida moved to 3-0-0 for the first time in franchise history.

 

#4: The first line controlled the game from the jump.

 

Aleksander Barkov is known around the league as one of the best two-way centres in the game. Heading into this season, head coach Joel Quenneville decided to split up Barkov and Jonathan Huberdeau to provide more balance across the top 6. As they did against Chicago, the line of Barkov, Verhaeghe and Duclair controlled the game. Columbus couldn’t find a way to stop the constant pressure from this unit. Between Verhaeghe winning loose puck battles, Duclair walking past defenders and Barkov ripping pucks towards goal, this line was nothing short of dominant. The three of them combined for two goals and five points on the night. 

 

#5: Aleksander Barkov was more aggressive.

 

Throughout his career, Barkov has never been a selfish player, sometimes he was too unselfish for his own benefit. In the past Barkov often looked to dish the puck to his teammates rather than taking the shot himself. It looked like Barkov flipped a switch tonight, he came into the game with a shooter’s mentality. The captain led the game with eight shots on goal and found the back of the net once on a beautiful shot from the slot. An aggressive Barkov will keep goalies guessing and it will ultimately help evolve his game more as a two-way playmaking centre.  

KZ Okpala “Has a Bright Future in this League,” But What Is Next?

/0 Comments/in , /by

After the Covid and contact tracing incidents that broke out on this Miami Heat team, opportunities occurred for many young players at the end of the roster. But the most intriguing player that has gotten minutes as of late is KZ Okpala.

He had a pretty big ask these past two games against Brooklyn, since he was asked to guard three of the league’s most prolific offensive players: Kevin Durant, James Harden, and Kyrie Irving.

The individual defense he displayed looked to impress, since although many are aware of this ability, it’s not easy to get thrown into a situation unexpectedly and lock up opposing superstars.

I asked Goran Dragic after the loss against Brooklyn about KZ Okpala’s defensive presence out on the floor, which he responded, “He has a bright future in this league.”

The issue with his game is not about the things he currently has in his arsenal, but instead the things he may need to develop. Goran Dragic said, “I’ve seen tremendous growth from both sides of the floor…He just needs to keep working.”

The comment about development and growth always seems to come up from Erik Spoelstra as well, which may be the reason he’s not getting the amount of floor time that some may expect.

The big difference between Precious Achiuwa and KZ Okpala is that Precious knows his exact offensive role, and can do it consistently. And I believe that may be the level of uncertainty in KZ, since although he’s shown a capability to hit some catch and shoot threes, his place in the offense has some question marks.

Coach Spo said, “More times in practice he’s made this type of impression.” But if this great impression continues to be on display, why are KZ Okpala’s opportunities much smaller than some other players at the end of the roster?

As I’ve mentioned before, there are clearly some areas of his game that need improvement, such as defensive awareness to understand when to go for the double and when to stay on the man or getting an NBA level feel for offensive spacing.

The thing is that the only way to improve either one of those things is through playing time. And with Avery Bradley and Jimmy Butler returning this week, he may be sliding down the roster once again.

The slogan for KZ Okpala all along has been about him being unleashed, but not many expected his leash to be so short.

It’ll be interesting to see if KZ can make his way into the rotation by the end of the season, which has a chance at happening if contact tracing protocols continue to occur, which won’t be going away any time soon.

KZ Okpala has continually been labeled as a long term project, but not many expected “long” term to be this lengthy. But with so many players being on board with KZ as a player right now, it seems clear he will be a key part of this team down the line.

When? Well, only time will tell.

Jimmy Butler Returns, Duncan Robinson Rises

/0 Comments/in , /by

This two game stretch against Brooklyn gave Duncan Robinson a sighting that he’s never seen before: A shooting slump.

At times, it didn’t seem like it was genuinely possible to have a shooting slump, since if he’s open, he hits it, and if he’s getting blanketed, he opens up the floor for others.

It’s pretty clear that this wouldn’t last very long in any circumstance, but especially since Jimmy Butler is set to return this week.

The Bam Adebayo and Duncan Robinson connection is always harped on, and rightfully so since that dribble hand-off is one of the most deadly offensive sets. But ultimately, Jimmy Butler impacts the game for Duncan more than anybody on the floor.

The reason is that both of them represent that offensive gravity in two opposite ways. Robinson out on the perimeter since a team can’t ever leave him open, and Butler around the rim since defenders collapse when he attacks the basket.

Once Jimmy Butler returns this week, you’ll begin to see more and more opportunities for Duncan begin to open up. And I think everybody’s confident that the shots will then begin to fall.

The stats prove this to be true as well, since when Duncan and Jimmy share the floor, it’s a top 3 duo in points, field goal %, assists, and more. Even though it’ll take time for Jimmy Butler to get back into a regular scoring role, his impact will be on display upon arrival, which is the moment everything changes for this team.

One thing I’ve mentioned about this team without Jimmy is that there’s a mutual theme. This team has enough heart to battle every single night while being shorthanded, but not having their closer ultimately means that the team comes out with a loss.

This translates to Duncan Robinson’s fourth quarter struggles as of late. This is the first time in his career that not only is he at the top of scouting reports, but also looked upon to lead Miami to victory at the end of the game. Jimmy Butler and Tyler Herro were the usual go to guys in those situations, while Duncan can hit a three here or there when necessary.

But now, everybody knows who the ball is going to when Miami needs a triple to get back into it.

We learned a lot about every single player on this team over this shorthanded stretch. And although Bam Adebayo’s breakout is headlining it, my point about Jimmy’s impact on Duncan has proved to be a true statement.

If Miami can become whole this week, everything should return normal. But the only thing that should stay the same is Miami’s new number one offensive option, Bam Adebayo.

5 Takeaways from Miami’s Loss to Brooklyn

/0 Comments/in , /by

The Miami Heat played the Brooklyn Nets once again on Monday night in yet another thriller, but came away with the same result. Miami showed the heart that they continue to put on display on a nightly basis, but not having their closer Jimmy Butler causes this similar result. Anyway, here are five takeaways…

#1: Bam Adebayo picks up where he left off.

After Bam Adebayo’s 41 point night on Saturday night, it didn’t seem possible for him to continue that unique shooting display. And well, he came out to begin the game shooting that same exact mid-range jumper. I think it was pretty clear that it wasn’t a fluke performance, since it’s been obvious that it was in his offensive package all along. It just came down to him getting the green light, and he will have that moving forward for good. The reason these games have been so impressive is because he’s currently the number one option with guys missing, so he’s clearly at the top of the scouting report. And for him to overlook that and get to his spots makes this offensive showing even more promising.

#2: Three-Point shooting is not always the way.

Three point shooting has been Miami’s sweet spot lately, especially this past season, but there are times when they aren’t falling, and dribble penetration is necessary. Miami shot 21% from three in the first half, while shooting 67% on 2 point attempts. And yet, unnecessary triples continued to get shot up instead of attacking the basket. Of course with the current personnel, shooting seems to be the only way to victory. But the way to beat a poor defensive Brooklyn Nets team is to attack their weaknesses. Bam Adebayo and Goran Dragic are probably the only two who can do that consistently, which is why the non-Goran and Bam minutes were some of the choppiest minutes in the game. The three point shot is essential when it’s dropping for Miami, but two point field goals must be the area they utilize more, which will happen when Jimmy Butler and Tyler Herro return.

#3: Precious Achiuwa’s early offensive presence kept Miami going.

As I mentioned previously, when Goran Dragic and Bam Adebayo are on the sideline at the same time, it’s hard for Miami to survive those minutes. Well, unless Precious Achiuwa steps up his offensive role. Andre Iguodala continued to breakdown Brooklyn’s defense in an early stretch, leading to 2 consecutive Precious dunks. Achiuwa giving Miami quality minutes gave Bam the ability to take a breather on the sideline, which was much needed in this type of game. The Precious Achiuwa minutes are clearly different than many are used to, and that’s because he isn’t currently sharing the floor with Bam. And with Miami shorthanded, Bam Adebayo’s minutes have taken an even bigger jump. Precious will get his normal role back once Miami gets their normal team back, but for now, adjustments were necessary and he’s done a pretty great job in that spot.

#4: KZ Okpala making his presence defensively seen.

KZ Okpala got the start tonight once again, and his defensive impact was definitely seen by many. For one, from an individual standpoint, being able to step right into a game without much NBA level playing time to guard three of the league’s most prolific scorers is impressive alone. But the part that truly stood out was his minutes next to Bam Adebayo. The confidence in one another to switch off of every single screen that came their way makes opposing players uncomfortable. But we know Bam is capable of wrecking havoc out on the perimeter, but seeing KZ Okpala step right up to the plate without hesitation is very promising for his future. His catch and shoot abilities have not looked too bad as well, but once he rounds out the rest of his offensive role with this Heat team, he will receive his regular and sustainable role.

#5: Andre Iguodala doing the small things to make an impact.

There’s always a certain part of the second half where veterans are needed to calm players down. And well, with no Jimmy Butler, Andre Iguodala stepped up as that guy once again. He utilized his passing abilities, rebounded the ball well, and most importantly, made necessary defensive plays that led to transition baskets. Andre will never be the guy that the team leans on for a needed bucket, but he will make the plays that give the team an opportunity at a bucket. As known from his past, he is just a winner, and with that comes a high IQ for the game of basketball. Watching him dissect a defense for easy baskets, or reading the game to find the hot hand at the moment is a very impressive skill.

The Evolution of Bam Adebayo: Creating Moments

/0 Comments/in , /by

Bam Adebayo has had a few games over the last couple months that put a staple on a certain part of his game.

A game saving block at the rim on Jayson Tatum to go up 1-0 in the Eastern Conference Finals showcased his will to win by making an impact on the defensive end.

A series clinching performance in that same series, where he gave a glimpse of what he’s capable of doing on the offensive end when necessary, scoring 32 points.

And now, the 41 point masterpiece he put on display against the Brooklyn Nets on Saturday night.

That game solidified a bunch of things for this Heat team from all angles. For one, in the big picture, the Miami Heat already have their whale. Of course trying to get more stars is a part of this business, but Bam Adebayo can clearly be that number one guy, even on a team with Jimmy Butler.

Oh and by the way, he’s still 23 years old.

Secondly, it’s the moment many will look back on down the line, as the game Bam figured out who he is as a player. He carries himself as a Jimmy Butler type guy who will just outwork anybody in any room, but there’s one huge difference.

His talent is actually his bigger strength, it just comes down to channeling it to takeover.

And it seems as if this may be the turning point in his game for good, as he discussed after the game.

The situation we are witnessing with Bam Adebayo is not very comparable. Usually when a guy has a 40 point night like he did, the first thought is about sustainability or being a fluke, but that’s not the case with this unique talent.

The actual thought is that once an offensive showcase like this was displayed, his game will just take massive leap after massive leap.

This may be the first ever Miami Heat win that didn’t end up in the win column. Of course there’s a certain level of disappointment in themselves when looking at their record even while being short-handed, but what occurred last night holds more importance than any regular season win.

Everybody that has seen Bam play at this NBA level knew he could develop into something incredibly unique in today’s league, but it wouldn’t transpire until he realized it himself.

And well, that time has come.

Whatever happens over the next few months in his overall game, this Brooklyn Nets match-up will continue to be harped on.

The reason Miami hasn’t been in panic mode is because they know their personnel. And they’re aware their evolving young star has a chance at being a completely different player by the time the postseason begins.

And I believe that may be the case.

5 Takeaways from Heat’s Loss to Nets

/0 Comments/in , /by

The Miami Heat were in an absolute battle with the Brooklyn Nets in Saturday night’s matchup, but fell short in a disappointing loss. Bam Adebayo was clearly the story of the night, but it’s much more than just a one night explosion. It’s mostly about what is to come in his game moving forward. Either way, here are five takeaways from the game….

#1: Bam Adebayo comes out aggressive early, showcasing his year to year growth.

It feels like everyone of these takeaway pieces as of late include advanced aggression in Bam Adebayo’s game. But instead of harping on his offensive initiative early, including a buzzer beating three before halftime, it’s necessary to look at these performances in the big picture. When Jimmy Butler and Tyler Herro return, it’s when it’ll be much more intriguing to evaluate his offensive game. Bam has done more than enough for this team over this long stretch, and it’s very promising to see him improving game-by-game. It’s not just about the length of shots increasing more and more. It’s more about the confidence that he’s taking these shots day-by-day.

#2: Shot attempts and turnovers not problematic early for Miami, but shot makes were.

The usual issues with this Heat team that are discussed are headlined by turnovers and lack of shot attempts, which go hand in hand. But those weren’t the true downfalls for this Heat team tonight. Instead, shot makes was the area that Miami was lacking, since the role players continued to struggle with three point shooting. This is another positive aspect for Bam Adebayo, since shooting elevates his abilities tremendously. And on these poor shooting nights, he continues to shine. There’s nothing really schematic to discuss when referring to lack of shot makes, especially when two of the primary contributors are out. Some players have struggled in their elevated roles throughout this unique stretch of games, while the hope is everything comes together with a healthy roster.

#3: The Kendrick Nunn ups and downs.

Kendrick Nunn needs to be noticed in tonight’s game as well, even after being discussed the last few games. For one, the first thing that has been in question with Kendrick is consistency, so getting a look at his game over a stretch of games is important. There’s no way to tell if this type of play is sustainable for a long time, but he clearly has the capability of making an impact on this current team. His role will change when Tyler Herro and Jimmy Butler return, but that will only benefit him as a player. His scoring is the primary part of his game, but the other areas of his game continue to be showcased. A tighter handle, quicker decision making, better defensive possessions. Those are the areas that lock up a spot in the rotation, so it’ll be interesting to see how he responds moving forward.

#4: KZ Okpala gets some minutes and has positive flashes.

After a Moe Harkless injury in the first half that caused him being out for the remainder of the game, KZ Okpala started the second half. He showed a bunch of positive flashes on the defensive end, one being an incredible block as he dropped down low. He can showcase those types of things, as well as his one-on-one defensive abilities, but the only downfall seems to be a certain level of understanding and decision making on defense. And that’s expected with the amount of floor time he has gotten in his career, and the only way for it to improve is floor time. He also can impact offensively when needed, which he looks very comfortable with the corner three. If he can polish up his offensive game with the ball in his hands, he will have a much bigger opportunity.

#5: Big picture evaluations must be looked upon.

Looking at things big picture is necessary in the current situation Miami is enduring, and that doesn’t mean creating excuses. It’s just being realistic. For one, as discussed previously, Bam Adebayo is making more than a simple leap. He’s becoming the player that he’s very capable of being. The reason big picture comes into play is because he’s doing this without Jimmy Butler and Tyler Herro. If he can sustain this into that stretch when the roster is fully healthy, it elevates the team tremendously. Duncan Robinson is another player to look into full picture since he went from being one of the priorities on opposing scouting reports, to basically becoming the actual number one player on the scouting report. Teams won’t be able to fulfill that total elimination when Miami’s guys return.

5 Takeaways from Miami’s Loss to Toronto

/0 Comments/in , /by

The Miami Heat played the Toronto Raptors once again on Friday night, and fell short this time. Miami’s early struggles put them in a hole, and a couple of late pushes just weren’t enough. Anyway, here are five takeaways from the game….

#1: Slow start for Miami, fast start for Toronto.

The first takeaway that was apparent tonight was the slow start Miami came out with. It didn’t seem to have anything to do with energy though, just mostly an inability to get into their normal offense. Toronto clearly made adjustments from Wednesday to Friday night, mostly by trying to eliminate Duncan Robinson and Bam Adebayo from the offense as much as possible due to constant double teams. And it’s hard to make adjustments to the adjustments when you don’t have Jimmy Butler or Tyler Herro, as well as Goran Dragic in early foul trouble. But those excuses are unnecessary, since they just beat this team the other night with Kyle Lowry. Either way, Miami’s poor shooting early was the primary reason for their early struggles, especially since the role players couldn’t capitalize.

#2: Kendrick Nunn not only looked like himself, but looked better.

Even when Miami’s entire offense could not get in a rhythm due to constant doubles on Bam and Duncan discussed earlier, Kendrick Nunn became the only reliable scorer. He continues to showcase the ability to get downhill and to the basket, but more importantly stop on a dime for the immediate pull-up jumper. The offense can be discussed continuously, but what really stood out was the defensive end. He was very active on that side of the floor all night, but really thrived once Miami switched into a 2-3 zone. That’s when he began to look most comfortable, and a high comfort level is the most important attribute for his overall game. Seeing Kendrick Nunn look like himself once again is terrific in itself, but seeing him look like an improved version of the guy who placed second in rookie of the year voting last season is even better.

#3: When the role players don’t play their roles early, it doesn’t end up well.

As discussed previously, Duncan Robinson and Bam Adebayo had their hands full with Toronto’s defense early, while Kendrick Nunn handled the offensive load. But what about the rest of the team? Well, Gabe Vincent and Max Strus had major opportunities but did not play very well on the offensive side of the ball. Kelly Olynyk did not have many early minutes after Toronto went small, which would’ve been a huge boost before the Raptors got an early lead. The surprising minutes stat line in the first half though was 5 minutes for Precious Achiuwa. That has a lot to do with Bam playing 18 first half minutes, and they never seem to get inserted together. When the role players struggle early as demonstrated here, it’s pretty obvious how Miami trailed throughout.

#4: Bam Adebayo increases energy to begin the second half.

Miami clearly needed a boost of some kind to begin the second half, and Bam Adebayo took that upon himself individually. Mid-range jumpers and skip passes aside, he just brought the energy that Miami needed to make a run to begin the quarter. That was mostly sparked on the defensive end, which is no surprise. When the team is without Jimmy Butler, it’s needed to have somebody they can look to for some type of spark, and it’s great to see that Bam continues to take on that leader role. As he has mentioned in the past, there’s a big difference between leading by example, and leading vocally, and he looks to be evolving in both areas.

#5: Erik Spoelstra utilized exactly what he was given, plain and simple.

Before people begin to make comments about certain rotational decisions in this game, it ultimately doesn’t change a thing. Coach Spo went as deep into the bench as he could, due to the absence of Jimmy Butler, Tyler Herro, and Avery Bradley. Some guys down the line may not have performed as great as many had hoped, but that doesn’t fall on coaching or lineup insertions. And playing Brooklyn tomorrow night on a back to back makes those decisions even more viable. He utilized the cards that he was given. The issue was that he just doesn’t have that many cards in his deck.

Marlins Sign Anthony Bass

/0 Comments/in /by

The Miami Marlins went out and signed Anthony Bass, former Toronto Blue Jays reliever on a 2-year deal with a club option for 2023. The Fish were in desperate need of a late-inning relief pitcher and Bass provided just that, as he led the Blue Jays with 7 saves in his 2020 campaign. 

 

Here are the main reasons there is a lot to like about this signing:

 

The Marlins continue to stabilize the bullpen without dishing out top prospects

 

Baseball America had 6 future or present Miami Marlins in the top 100 prospects throughout the MLB. With each passing day, Kim Ng and the front office shows more and more restraint to disrupt a flourishing farm system. This points towards the trust the Marlins have in what is to come from guys like Sixto Sanchez, Jazz Chisholm, and Trevor Rogers. The front office is effectively buying low-risk stocks that have a chance to boom without the additional risk of losing a bigger boom from younger guys.

 

Bass takes the pressure off of Yimi Garcia

 

Anthony Bass hasn’t been a closer throughout most of his career, but with 12 saves in the past two years, he can close games on back backs which alleviates some worries about potentially blown saves from overworking Yimi Garcia. In Bass’ past 3 seasons, he has put up solid 2.93, 3.56, and 3.51 ERAs respectively. He will provide a more stable option in the 7th-9th innings than what was available last season for the Marlins.

 

Another veteran for the younger Marlins pitchers to learn from

 

It is no secret that the Marlins’ young pitching talent is and will be lethal; however, the rotation and younger guys in the bullpen have little experience in a full season of baseball. Anthony Bass is a 9-year veteran. This could put him in a leadership role for the younger arms, much like we saw out of Brandon Kintzler last year. 

 

Overall

As the Marlins continue to put together a solid roster without spectacularly expensive (cough.. cough.. Mets), it will be interesting to see how well they can compete versus an objectively stacked NL East in a full 2021 season.

Bam and Duncan DHO Success to Precious and Tyler PnR Success

/0 Comments/in , /by

The Duncan Robinson and Bam Adebayo dribble hand-off combination has been known to be one of the best in the entire NBA.

The reason it has so much success is because it emphasizes each player’s biggest strength. Duncan Robinson shooting on the move with defenders flying high on him, and Bam Adebayo setting hard screens with the ability to put the ball on the floor when he catches on the roll.

There’s a reason Miami leads the league in field goal percentage when the roller gets the ball at 73% this season, and it’s because of the gravity of this duo.

But is there a new duo looking to do something similar?

The answer is yes. Tyler Herro and Precious Achiuwa’s unique pick and roll abilities have been one of the real bright spots to start the season.

As discussed with Duncan and Bam, it allows their biggest strengths to be utilized, and the same goes for Tyler and Precious.

Tyler can clearly score at all three levels, which makes for a good start to an efficient pick and roll. As seen above, there’s an opportunity for a pull-up three at all times, but that isn’t what makes this duo special.

Herro’s comfort level once he steps inside the three point line has been on display this far into the season. Once he gets the defender behind him, and gets into a 2 on 1 opportunity, it usually ends up in a score.

But why is that exactly?

For one, Tyler Herro’s tough in that mid-range area is great, which allows him to stop on a dime for a pull-up, go right up with a floater, or lay it up right at the rim.

The other reason is that Precious Achiuwa’s offensive activity around the rim has been remarkable. The ability to catch the lob with no problem, and can adjust when the ball comes his way as well.

I’m not sure if those off-season workouts allowed these two to have an immediate on-court connection, or their unique skill-sets just automatically aligned.

Either way, Miami has something with these two in the pick and roll offensive sets. Erik Spoelstra has been mentioning finding their identity since the start of the season, and I believe the best way to do that is placing players in spots that they’re most likely to thrive.

Duncan Robinson and Bam Adebayo’s ability to read each other’s game when running dribble hand-offs is one of the small parts that doesn’t get discussed. And since this Tyler Herro and Precious Achiuwa duo is only a few games in, it will continue to evolve. But seeing it to this extent this early in the season truly is promising.

These two unique offensive sets will create major headaches for opposing defenses, especially if all four share the floor together. But that doesn’t appear to happen anytime soon due to “simplifying” Precious’ game as much as possible.

But these flashes just reassure that this is the long term goal with this team. Not only Bam Adebayo and Precious Achiuwa wrecking havoc on the defensive end, but each having the ability to run individual sets that each continue to thrive in.