How Tyler Herro has Elevated the League’s Top Scoring Bench

/0 Comments/in , /by

The raw numbers speak for themselves when it comes to Tyler Herro this season, averaging 21 points a game on 44% shooting along with 5 rebounds and 4 assists, plus he’s producing 23 a night since the All Star break.

But when zooming out a bit, this Heat bench has gotten them to this point, and now it’s time for the main cast to push them over the edge as they blend into the post-season.

The interesting part about that: Herro is starring in both that hot bench group and that main cast.

Miami currently averages the most bench points a game this season at 40 a night, which has bumped up even further post All Star break to 46 a game. But frankly, it isn’t just about the box score watching of how many points these guys are putting up.

They’re generating extremely positive minutes when plugging in for starters.

When looking over some of the best offensive two man combos for the Heat since the All Star break, here are the top five in offensive rating with at least 100 minutes played: Caleb Martin and Gabe Vincent, Martin and Max Strus, Martin and Herro, Bam Adebayo and Strus, then Strus and Herro.

That’s five combos, or 10 players, with only one Heat starter named. That simply isn’t a normal occurrence.

In terms of the X’s and O’s differences, one of the main reasons that those numbers looked like that is due to Miami’s spacing looking best in the second units night in and night out. Prolonged minutes of the Butler-Tucker-Adebayo front-court constantly meant a spaced out second unit was about to enter.

Now, they’ve spread it out evenly as we’ve been talking about a ton over the last 48 hours. Herro entering for Butler, maximizes spacing in those early minutes, as well as his shift to the 4 has opened things up.

In many ways, not only has the Heat’s depth gotten them to this point, but they were the trial runs for the coaching staff to gain clarity on what works best for this team offensively.

Loading
Loading...

Having that spacing off the bench is one thing with Strus’ outside shooting or Vincent and Martin’s surges this season into legitimate two way players, but it all comes down to having that head of the snake who knows what to do when actually given that space.

Tyler Herro has been that guy.

I mentioned that Herro insertion for Butler around the 6 minute mark over the last two games, and here was the very first offensive possession in both instances.

Herro comes off the hand-off, Jaylen Brown funnels him inside, Marcus Smart helps down off the corner, and Herro hits Bam on the roll for the eventual dunk. The primary element there, though, is the space that Adebayo had on the roll.

It’s one thing to have the space, but you need a guy in Herro to not only make the pass, but force three to collapse onto him on the ball.

Rewinding back to the game against the Kings, it was pretty much the same exact look, except Tucker standing in the strong-side dunker spot now meant even more room for Adebayo as the roller to operate.

How valuable is Herro to that bench unit, you may ask?

Well, a minor evaluation is that one of the last games he sat out, against the Golden State Warriors on the night of the bench blow-up, the Heat scored 13 bench points while 7 of those came from Victor Oladipo on 3 of 11 shooting.

It goes without saying, but Herro’s value to this team, and more specifically to this bench, is higher than anybody could’ve expected coming into the season.

For example, Martin and Strus have recorded an offensive rating of 114 this season when they share the floor without Herro, yet when Herro enters next to them, it bumps all the way up to 119.

It’s one of those things where the X’s and O’s completely are aligned with the stats. And well, if many want to all of a sudden drift away from the raw numbers for the 6th man of the year award this season, advanced statistics back up Herro’s outstanding season as well.

The bench unit continues to shift around Herro, but it continues to produce due to his strong level of play. From Martin to Vincent to Haywood Highsmith to Omer Yurtseven to Kyle Guy, for some reason Miami never looks shorthanded.

A big part of that is the Heat’s developmental program shining, but an even larger part of it is that Herro’s game has risen to a level that anyone can plug in next to him.

And well, that’s the exact definition of what a 6th man of the year winner should be made of.

 

For business window graphics, interior office signage, custom flags, custom banners and sign repair, reach out to SignsBrowardFortLauderdale

Marlins Bullpen

Marlins Bullpen In Question as Opening Day Nears

/0 Comments/in , /by

The Miami Marlins posted a 6-4 record through their first 10 games of Grapefruit League play in 2022. The team’s focus on adding offense provided immediate dividends in Spring Training, evidenced by their plus-13 run differential. But as Opening Day approaches, questions linger regarding roster construction, specifically with the Marlins bullpen.

Miami’s Offseason Approach Focused on Lineup

Marlins majority owner Bruce Sherman announced prior to Spring Training: “We have money, and we will spend it.” That said, the Marlins still find themselves in the bottom-5 of the MLB in payroll for 2022.

But the fact is, Miami did spend this offseason. The current $67 million payroll is about $10 million more than 2021. The free-agent additions of Avisail Garcia and Jorge Soler cost $89 million. Extensions for Sandy Alcantara, Richard Bleier, and Miguel Rojas added another $72 million. Couple those moves with the $7.1 million assumed in the Jacob Stallings and Joey Wendle trades, and Miami’s on the hook for more than $168 million this offseason.

This much-improved lineup will no doubt help keep the Marlins competitive this season, but the lack of bullpen moves remains frustrating to fans.

Back in December, Marlins general manager Kim Ng admitted the bullpen was not the team’s primary focus and that the reliever market was typically slow to unfold.

But last Wednesday, Ng admitted “now we’re definitely focused on relievers” following the team’s signing of Soler. The remaining free-agent relievers, though, are underwhelming, and the team has yet to execute a trade to bolster the bullpen.

Last season, the Marlins bullpen sported a 3.81 ERA, seventh-lowest in MLB, and a 1.26 WHIP, eighth-lowest. And although Miami relief pitchers posted the sixth-fewest saves (33) in 2021, they registered the ninth-fewest blown saves (25). Many of those relievers have returned, but there’s not an established, high-leverage closer among them.

Miami is prepared to ride the early part of the season with what they have, opting for an offense-first approach (much like the Phillies).

Marlins Bullpen Remains in Question

Further complicating matters for the Fish, Dylan Floro, Miami’s closer last season, might not be ready for Opening Day after dealing with arm soreness.

An IL-stint to start the season may force the team’s hand in a trade, but it also likely signals Anthony Bender taking the closer role early on. Bender registered three saves last season, though he did blow two opportunities. The 27-year-old righty registered 12 holds and posted a 2.79 ERA with a 1.06 WHIP over 61.1 innings pitched.

Marlins manager Don Mattingly’s track record indicates he prefers players to have set roles, especially in the bullpen. But injuries and uncertainty may force his hand toward a closer-by-committee approach.

“I think we’re going to be more of a mix-and-match club,” Mattingly said recently when asked about save situations.

If that’s the case, Anthony Bass may get another turn as closer, too. Bass was brought in last season to anchor the backend of the bullpen but blew his first two save chances. Yimi Garcia took over, and Floro from there, once Garcia was traded to Houston. However, over Bass’ final 67 outings last season, he managed a 3.05 ERA, with 19 holds and only two blown saves.

Beyond those names, Bleier could get a turn if the opposing lineup is loaded with lefties. But he’s struggled this spring, giving up seven hits, including two homers, and six earned runs over 1.2 innings pitched. Other holdovers from last year’s Marlins bullpen include Steven Okert and Zach Pop.

Miami’s confident in its developmental system and is leaning toward internal options for their ‘pen. The team’s ability to groom Major League-caliber arms remains evident in its starting rotation, where four of the five projected starters all spent significant time in their system. But the Marlins bullpen is another matter.

The Other Names in Play

The Marlins added to their bullpen this offseason by trading for right-hander Louis Head from Tampa Bay. The 32-year-old reliever made his MLB debut in 2021, posting a 2.31 ERA over 35 innings out of Tampa’s ‘pen. Head has three appearances this spring, allowing one earned run over four innings.

Miami signed righty Jimmy Yacabonis to a minor league deal and there’s a chance he makes the club, too. Over 104 career MLB innings with the Orioles and Mariners, Yacabonis posted a 5.71 ERA. He’s made four appearances this spring, pitching to a 1.80 ERA over five innings.

Right-hander Huascar Brazoban also came on a minor league deal. The 32-year-old has yet to make his MLB debut, but he’s thrown four innings and allowed one run so far in Grapefruit League play.

Another minor league deal brought left-hander Grant Dayton. The 34-year-old has a 3.43 ERA over 102.1 MLB innings in his career. The Marlins drafted Dayton in the 11th round in 2010, and he spent five years in Miami’s system before being traded.

The Marlins like Shawn Armstrong, a non-roster invitee this spring who’s pitched 2.1 innings so far. He has no walks, two strikeouts, and is yet to give up a run over three appearances so far.

Miami claimed right-hander Tommy Nance from the Cubs this week, too. The 31-year-old made his MLB debut last season, posting a 7.22 ERA over 28.2 innings. Although he struggled for Chicago, Nance posted a 2.35 ERA over 15.1 innings, with a walk rate of just 5.3 percent at Triple-A.

25-year-old lefty Sean Guenther is also with the club this spring. He pitched with the Marlins late last season, posting a 9.30 ERA over 20.1 innings. Guenther’s made two appearances this spring, with no earned runs over two innings.

Filling Out the Marlins Bullpen

MLB and the players union agreed to a series of rule changes recently, including expanded rosters in April. Teams will have two extra spots following the abbreviated spring training. This should help the early-season workloads for pitchers. FanGraphs projects the Marlins to carry 15 pitchers coming out of spring.

With the extra roster spots, and considering the versatile utility players on their bench, the Marlins bullpen could get a couple more arms. Miami will more than likely need at least one long reliever in the mix, especially early on.

Paul Campbell, Daniel Castano, Braxton Garrett, and Cody Poteet all remain with the big club this spring, and all have MLB experience that could translate to the long reliever role. The Marlins optioned Nick Neidert to Triple-A Jacksonville recently, despite Neidert’s change to reliever.

Miami may opt to give one of those players the role, but if Edward Cabrera makes a bid for the starting rotation, the Marlins could move Elieser Hernandez to the bullpen.

The 23-year-old Cabrera threw three scoreless innings, with three strikeouts, in his Grapefruit League debut earlier this week. After being delayed to start the spring with a visa issue, Cabrera’s emerged as a darkhorse to open in the starting rotation.

Hernandez seems well-suited for long relief, considering the struggles he’s had the third time through an opponent’s order. Over his career, Hernandez sees his batting-average-against jump to .346, with an OPS of 1.185, when batters get a third plate appearance against him in the same game. Batters sport a .233 and .230 batting average in their first and second at-bats versus Hernandez.

Closing Thoughts

Floro struggled at times last season in high-leverage situations, as evidenced by his six blown saves. What’s more, he made 32 appearances last season in “save situations” and pitched to a 5.53 ERA with a 1.66 WHIP. In high-leverage situations, opposing batters hit .252 against him, with a .658 OPS. The Marlins are banking on his experience and overall effectiveness as a reliever (3.18 career ERA) to get them through.

Bender could be best suited for the closer role in the long run. Although it’s a small sample size, Bender pitched to a 1.10 ERA and 0.98 WHIP in save situations last season. His batting-average-against in that spot was .203.

Some scouts foresee 2020 first-round pick Max Meyer eventually becoming a reliever, maybe a closer, but the Marlins don’t see it that way. At least for now. Mattingly admitted Meyer could probably pitch out of the bullpen at this point, but the Marlins continue to groom him as a starter, a role he should thrive in for the Jumbo Shrimp with his solid three-pitch mix.

Adding an established closer (who performs well, obviously) puts this Marlins team in striking distance of the playoffs. Toss in an established centerfielder on top of that, and Miami’s a legitimate postseason contender.

Check Out Man On Second

Don’t miss Man On Second’s Early Spring Training Takeaways, including a discussion about the Marlins bullpen!

Five Takeaways from Heat’s Win Over the Celtics

/0 Comments/in , /by

The Heat played a big one on Wednesday night against the Celtics in Boston, and they stood strong in many of the weaknesses they had attached to them.

Max Strus came up huge after shaky moments, Kyle Lowry took over, and the Heat stepped up big in clutch time.

So, here are some takeaways from this one…

#1: Tyler Herro and Miami making adjustments to start.

As Miami walked into the locker room at halftime, it was clear a 1 point lead was a win for them. A second quarter run from Boston raised an eyebrow at Miami potentially bouncing back, but the adjustments for Tyler Herro were interesting to me in general. There’s still much less comfort against switching than drop, but lucky for him, it’s a pick your poison thing with this impressive Celtics defense. Herro was being swarmed a ton in his early minutes, mostly since he was running into easy switches with guys like Jimmy Butler or PJ Tucker screening. Simply, he needs Bam Adebayo to set him up. The reasoning was that he needed to gain a rhythm by going at Al Horford in that drop. He did climb up to 10 points at the half, and it leads to a takeaway that Spoelstra seems to feel most comfortable shifting Herro around offensively than anybody.

#2: The broad idea of pace fluctuations.

Speaking of that Boston run in the second quarter, it looked like Miami was rattled for a minute. Turnovers were peaking, they began to play faster as Boston had transition success, and the lead began to swing. Aside from this game in itself, I truly believe it’s something to keep an eye on. Why? Well, the person that controls the pace in a game that the Miami Heat are involved seems to be a bigger swing than it should be. When Miami starts trailing the play-style of the opponent, things don’t lean in their favor. It doesn’t matter if it’s that they need to slow it down or speed it up in a certain span, but just having that control is an important element of this basketball team.

#3: Bam Adebayo’s defensive importance: something you know already.

While many were probably screaming at their TV at times in the first half for Bam Adebayo to begin attacking Boston’s bigs, it must be reminded that there are two sides of the ball. And for a portion of the game, Adebayo was wrecking first options for the Celtics very often. Many times we see it through Miami’s game-plan of forcing Tucker and Adebayo to switch onto the respective guard and big on that team, but they went the Giannis Antetokounmpo route in this one. What I mean by that is he shifted to weak-side excellence in this one, and his help was pretty elite for what he had to deal with on the other side, in Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown. You may hear a lot about Smart and Williams on the ESPN broadcast for defensive player of the year, but the ability to move Bam around defensively will be Spoelstra’s key defensive card in the playoffs.

#4: Kyle Lowry’s “real season” coming alive?

When zooming in on the third quarter specifically, Kyle Lowry was the definition of their offense from start to finish. He kicked off with two pull-up triples out of the high pick and roll, which is one of the most important elements of this team. Yes, not just Lowry, but this team. Defenses worrying about that shot gives Lowry all of his powers to dissect coverages in the half-court with his passing. That led to an immediate zip to Bam Adebayo in the middle of the floor, and a perfect feed on a backdoor cut to Jimmy Butler to begin the 3rd. The one question that I had walking away from that quarter was this: what happens when Lowry exits? That’s how big he was in terms of total control, which ties into recent discussions about spacing. It’s clear that when the playoffs roll around, Lowry needs the ball in his hands. A lot.

Loading
Loading...

#5: Late-game offense evaluation time.

When heading into this game, I said on a Five Reasons Sports pregame show that the topic of the game would be late-game offense. For one it’s just that type of match-up, and second of all, there are two high level shot creators to create in clutch time during the Heat’s biggest time of weakness. As the score stayed close and the time trickled down, we saw Miami staying in base sets for a decent amount of time starting at the 6 minute mark. As Lowry checked back in the 4th, it was clear that the clutch time offense starts now in a game like this. But more importantly, the base sets were familiar since there was space to operate, as Butler stayed at the 4. Miami continued to spam one thing and one thing only: Lowry/Bam PnR, Strus/Herro spacing in each corner, Butler looming. That’s the formula to good looks in the clutch.

 

For business window graphics, interior office signage, custom flags, custom banners and sign repair, reach out to SignsBrowardFortLauderdale

Miami Hurricanes

Miami Hurricanes to host five-star QB Jaden Rashada on two-day visit

/2 Comments/in , /by

The Miami Hurricanes have continued to recruit at a torrid pace, and they will have a quarterback from California coming in later this week. 2023 five-star quarterback Jaden Rashada will be at Miami this Thursday and Friday per Matt Shodell of CaneSport.com.

Rashada is the best overall quarterback in the 2023 class. He is also the fifth overall player in the class from the state of California per the 247Sports Composite Rankings. He does not have any Crystal Ball predictions at this time. Boasting over 30 offers, Oklahoma, Miami, Oregon, and Tennessee are all ones of note.

Measuring in at 6-foot-4, 185 pounds, Rashada is a pocket-passing quarterback. One of the strengths of his game is his arm strength. Mobility is not something that he brings to his game necessarily. However, he has other skills that make up for it.

With that being said, he can step up in the pocket and make throws , especially if he feels the pocket collapsing. He can throw the deep pass with ease, and he also does so accurately. He is the type of quarterback that you need in today’s game, as he can stretch the field and get the ball down the field in a hurry.

Rashada would give Miami get yet another tool in the chest at the quarterback position. The 2023 recruiting class is shaping up to be a very strong one. It ranks 19th nationally and third overall in the ACC per the 247Sports Composite Rankings. The class itself only has four commitments, but more will undoubtedly be on the way.

With this being a two-day visit, this could work in the Miami Hurricanes favor. If they were able to land Rashada, this would give them another big-time weapon for the future. Stability under center is a hallmark of successful collegiate programs. A commitment here would point Miami in the right direction.

 

For business window graphics, interior office signage, custom flags, custom banners and sign repair, reach out to SignsBrowardFortLauderdale.

Five Takeaways from Heat’s Win Over the Kings

/0 Comments/in , /by

The Miami Heat had their roughest week of the season by far this week, but took care of business on Monday night against the Sacramento Kings. Some changes were made, the top guys elevated, and Miami got back in some type of a rhythm.

So, here are some of my primary evaluations from this one…

#1: The rotation changes in this one for the Heat.

Thirty minutes prior to the game, it was announced that Max Strus would start over Duncan Robinson, which raised an eyebrow. Other than some reasoning that involves allowing the starters to figure stuff out together, it was clear Spoelstra wanted some different looks and ultimately flow into a new look rotation. Gabe Vincent and Duncan Robinson came off the bench with the usual Tyler Herro and Dewayne Dedmon combo, which left Victor Oladipo and Markieff Morris out of the mix. To look even further, I don’t believe this will be the end game nine man rotation. Caleb Martin needs to play off the bench, meaning it all comes down to two players: who gets the final starting spot? Duncan Robinson or Max Strus.

#2: Another change that could be even more important: substitution patterns.

When looking at Miami’s usual substitution pattern, Jimmy Butler stays in the game to start as Bam Adebayo and Kyle Lowry exit, allowing him to run with Tyler Herro and the second unit. Tonight, though, Butler exited first. For Herro. That shift makes things look a lot cleaner for a few reasons. It means Herro and Adebayo can get a longer look together early on, plus it’s one of the lineups that allows Tucker at the 4 to fit in well. But more importantly, it means that Butler re-entering is him at the 4 with shooters, instead of him at the 3 next to Tucker and Dedmon. Certain patterns can change, but the point is more about zooming out. This team has revolved things around the depth all season, but now it’s time to make the changes that benefit the top four guys on the roster. That’s how they excel in the post-season.

#3: The constant question: how to maximize Butler and Adebayo offensively?

I’ve talked a lot about rotations and stuff of those sorts to start this piece, but one play kind of said a lot about how to maximize Butler and Bam together at times. Tyler Herro sets up the offense on the right wing, as two shooters line up on the weak-side, and Butler and Adebayo begin their action. As both are under the goal, Bam screens down for Butler to rise up, as Herro hits him in stride. But as I explained, this down screen wasn’t the usual look. The lower you screen for two guys of this caliber, the harder it is for a defense to manipulate. They can’t just recover by going under a screen, since there’s no room for any of that. Butler rises up for the and-1, which signifies a lot about how they can be used, beginning with Butler playing at the 4. Putting 3 shooters around them is always the way.

#4: Tyler Herro and Kyle Lowry controlling.

To carry on the theme of how things were being handled offensively for Miami, Kyle Lowry and Tyler Herro seemed to take total control of the handling duties for their half-court sets. Part of that ties into Herro entering for Butler, but this was a Spo change as he had to regroup after the 4 game losing streak. As the third quarter came to a close, Kyle Lowry and Tyler Herro had 6 assists a piece, and both of them had enough moments. Well, Herro had plenty at least. Watching him play with his food against this Kings’ defense was a sight, as he did it at all three levels. He’s specifically doing most of his work at the first and third level, which is interesting since the second level is probably his best area. Simply, the team needs those two guys to have the ball in their hands. That’s when things flow, and guys get their best looks.

Loading
Loading...

#5: Some of my most notable Heat set combos.

The Heat’s two man combo has been a staple of theirs for years. Even thinking in really recent years, the Robinson-Adebayo DHO basically got them through their season in the bubble year. But looking at some positive two-man combos at the moment, aside from the obvious ones, I’d start with the newly adjusted Tucker DHO. It’s just something he does quickly when the shot isn’t there, to basically trigger an action, but way too often was Butler on the receiving end. Defender goes under, Tucker in no man’s land, and a 24 second violation is on the way. In this one, we saw some Tucker-Lowry DHO’s which is as good as it gets. Defender has to go over and two are forced to go to the ball, leading to the floater. On the obvious side, as the spacing tries to be fixed around Butler, him screening for Herro is the way in the middle of the floor. Shooters waiting for the spray if they tag, and it’s a win-win all the way around.

 

For business window graphics, interior office signage, custom flags, custom banners and sign repair, reach out to SignsBrowardFortLauderdale

Miami Hurricanes

Miami Hurricanes want five-star CB to start off 2024 class

/0 Comments/in , /by

The Miami Hurricanes have been on a torrid pace on the recruiting trail. Now, they want to begin recruiting for the 2024 class. One of their targets is 2024 five-star cornerback Desmond Ricks.

Ricks goes to IMG Academy. He is the top player in the 2024 class. He has a 247Sports Composite Ranking of over 99.

As expected, he has a bunch of offers on the table. In addition to Miami, is also hearing from in North Carolina, Alabama, Auburn, Florida State, and Miami among others. Right now, 247Sports has him trending towards North Carolina.

What could he bring to the Miami Hurricanes?

Ricks measures in at six-foot-one, 170 pounds. In watching his highlights, several things were noticeable. For one, he has long arms. That allows him to break up a play and helps him cover his side of the field. He is very physical, and is not afraid to bump a receiver off his route. That allows him to gain the upper hand on his matchup.

The Hurricanes want the 2024 class to start with Ricks per CaneSport’s Gary Furman. They extended him an offer last week. He would certainly be a cornerstone recruit for the class.

The corner position has been a strong one in terms of recruitment for the Miami hurricanes. In the 2022 class, they loaded up on the corner position. Chris Graves and Jaden Harris are the headliners at the position. West Virginia transfer Daryl Porter should also add some depth at the position. The secondary should be strong in the coming years. This has been an area of focus, and so far the Miami Hurricanes have landed some talent at the position.

This news just speaks to how hard the Miami Hurricanes have been recruiting. They are aiming for the big fish, and a player like Ricks would definitely get the ball rolling for 2024.

 

For business window graphics, interior office signage, custom flags, custom banners and sign repair, reach out to SignsBrowardFortLauderdale.

Inter Miami CF: The Problem With Passivity

/0 Comments/in , /by

Inter Miami is going through a rough patch, to say the least.

Despite an encouraging result against the Chicago Fire in their home opener, Phil Neville’s men have struggled to look competitive through their first four games.  Miami’s latest loss to FC Cincinnati was another example of how, at times, tactically poor the South Florida club has looked this season.

What’s going wrong? Can it be fixed? 

Let’s dissect.

Lack Of Consistent Creation

The biggest issue facing Inter Miami on the field as of today is the lack of a consistent creator. Though Gonzalo Higuain has put it on himself to be the main distributor for the Herons, the team’s tactical shape and lack of real penetration in the final third has caused the attack to sputter.

Let’s take a look at some numbers:

In Miami’s last match, they had 26 progressive carries while Cincinnati had 37. A progressive carry is any movement that moves that ball at least five yards towards an opponent’s goal, or any carry into the opposition penalty area.

When a team can’t progress the ball well, they won’t create chances in the attacking third. 

Due to this, Miami’s SCA (shot-creating action) number against Cincinnati was poor. The Herons had 19 SCA to Cincinnati’s 30.

The Heron’s inability to progress the ball out of the back has hindered them.

Their heatmap against Cincinnati gives us an even clearer picture. The majority of Miami’s touches were on the right side of the defensive third:

The pass maps from the game also show that the bulk of Miami’s passes were towards DeAndre Yedlin, Damion Lowe, and Chris McVey who are all defenders – not ideal:

If Miami wants to dig themselves out of this hole, they need to start progressing the ball up the field quicker and be a bit braver in their passing.

Defensive Passivity

Not only is Miami struggling on the offensive side, but defensively, they don’t fair much better either. This could be due to the lack of high press.

MLS is a high-intensity league where high pressing is valuable. In Miami’s case, they are happy to sit back in a midblock and keep their shape. They’ll often let the opposition have the ball until they threaten in the final third:

However, this strategy hasn’t been working too well. Miami’s passivity in defense has seen them concede 10 goals in four games.

Passing Patterns and Situational Awareness

Lastly, though it may seem trivial to some, the importance of working on progressive passing patterns and being situationally aware is important.

Based on their last four games, Inter Miami looks like they struggle with this. 

Oftentimes, whoever has the ball will outstretch their arms, shrug their shoulders, and ask a teammate to come closer to them so they don’t lose possession.

On the flip side, like in the video below, a player will wave their hands frantically asking for the ball to be passed to them only to be ignored or unchecked:

Take this instance from Miami’s loss to Austin FC. Christopher McVey gets impatient and forces the ball into a heavy traffic area:

When he does this, Austin’s attackers pounce and punish Miami’s slack passing.

This could’ve been prevented had the Herons slowed the game down, gotten Gregore to drop in between the two center backs, and build out from there. Or McVey could’ve passed to ball over to his center-back partner Jairo Quinteros.

Four games in and these issues pop up repeatedly. The failure to find the open man has cost them and opposing teams take advantage of that. 

The same instance happened against Cincinnati as well, but this time on the offensive side. 

Robbie Robinson plays a good ball into Gregore who does well to get a shot off, but, had he picked up his head, seen Ariel Lassiter lurking in the penalty box, and tried to squeeze through a pass, perhaps Miami would’ve tested the keeper a tad more:

Situational awareness, defensive passivity, lack of progressive ball movement, and the inability to create consistent chances see Inter Miami lingering at the bottom of the Eastern Conference. 

What’s Next?

If Miami want to bounce back, unfortunately, their upcoming fixtures don’t look promising:

This is crunch time for Inter Miami and Neville.

At the beginning of the season, Chris Henderson stated that despite the sanctions the team wants to remain competitive.  Though it’s early days, Miami is struggling to do so. 

Of course, they can always turn it around.

MLS is a league where teams can start slow and still make the playoffs later, but, the South Florida club currently looks far off the pace.

With their upcoming home match against the Houston Dynamo, the Herons will have a solid opportunity to kick start their season into gear.

Will they be able to bounce back?

Five Takeaways from Heat’s Loss to the Nets

/0 Comments/in , /by

The Miami Heat were looking for a bounce back night after being embarrassed three games in a row, and well, they followed all of that up with an absolute obliteration from the Brooklyn Nets.

The team isn’t in a good spot right now, obviously. The offense has hit a wall, hard, and just simply seems like it can’t hang with a Durant, Irving offense when playing this lackluster.

But, here are some takeaways from this one…

#1: The inconsistency of the Heat’s shot profile on display.

As the Heat fell behind by 21 at the half, many questions are presented. Some could be asked about Miami’s interior defense falling apart, but a lot of their buckets was Kevin Durant doing Kevin Durant things. But the main issue: the offense. When I say there’s inconsistencies in the team’s shot profile, I mean from possession to possession. Threes aren’t falling, the off-ball sets aren’t as crisp as they were early on, and their best players aren’t able to make plays on any given possession. It’s clear that the offense has hit a wall in that way. Kyle Lowry had moments, Tyler Herro was inefficient to start but did good things. But Bam Adebayo and Jimmy Butler have the eyes on them. Butler needs to figure out himself offensively at this stage, and Adebayo needs an obvious shift in his spots and scoring outlook.

#2: So, about Victor Oladipo…

Watching Victor Oladipo enter the game tonight, things quickly spiraled out of control from there. Not to say that was on him, but there are clear takeaways from getting an extended look at him. For starters, the gelling hasn’t been there. Tyler Herro and him haven’t been the greatest combo in that back-court, and Jimmy Butler has been mirrored with him a ton, which in my opinion isn’t a good thing. The reason for that is we’re watching two guys run the offense as the defense goes under the screen. We know how they defend Butler, but teams are daring Dipo to make that quick pull-up. Safe to say I’m not the biggest fan of those two together, as well as the constant pairing of Dedmon. If you’re going to go to Dipo, give him Bam who is a quick roller and shooters. If not, I think Gabe Vincent plugging back in come playoff time is a real possibility.

#3: PJ Tucker’s offensive need.

When talking about PJ Tucker as of late, we quickly equate every game he struggles to needing rest and simply missing that open corner three. But the thing about his play early in the season, was that he wasn’t strictly that corner threat. We praised the team for elevating his game from past corner spectating with past teams, but that has declined heavily since the all star break. Guys returning meant less offense would be worked through him, leaving me with a simple question: why? To maximize spacing in a lineup with Tucker and Butler, weak-side spot-ups isn’t the way. When the Heat caught some momentum in the 3rd against the Warriors after the altercation, the offense was being worked through Tucker for a good period of time. Some post-splits. Some fake hand-offs. Just something to give him more of a selection.

#4: Oh hey, Goran Dragic’s back. Yeah, that’s my takeaway from this one…

Loading
Loading...

#5: Time to look at the upcoming stretch.

This is about as bad of a 4 game stretch as it possibly gets. A loss to the 76ers without Joel Embiid and James Harden. A loss to the Warriors without Steph Curry, Klay Thompson, and Draymond Green, including a big bench blow up. A loss to the Knicks where the had a 17 point lead in the 4th. And now, an obliteration against the Brooklyn Nets. I’ve talked enough about that past stretch, so let’s take a quick look up ahead. They play Monday night against the Kings, which is the ultimate team to get back in the win column against, but we know how things have gone. Then Wednesday is against the red hot Boston Celtics, who provide their own problems with that switching defense. This blends into an April back to back on the weekend against the Bulls and Raptors, both on the road. The path isn’t getting much clearer, but the teams they’re playing aren’t the issue. It’s themselves. And there are clear issues.

 

For business window graphics, interior office signage, custom flags, custom banners and sign repair, reach out to SignsBrowardFortLauderdale

Five Takeaways from Heat’s Loss to Knicks

/0 Comments/in , /by

The Heat led the entire way against the New York Knicks on Friday night, yet folded late in the 4th.

They were outscored in the 4th 38-15. Clearly, problematic…

#1: A different look bench group gives Miami a decent boost.

When looking at Miami’s bench unit no matter who is playing on any given night, it’s always guard heavy. The way to know that is because Caleb Martin and Max Strus switch off playing the 4 from lineup to lineup. Yet tonight, those two guys were the smalls in the bench lineup. With Tyler Herro, Gabe Vincent, and Victor Oladipo out, those two along with Markieff Morris and Dewayne Dedmon were the 4 next to one starter. I was a bit skeptical about the offensive spacing, but it went way above expectations. The reasoning: Morris and Dedmon spacing the floor effectively allowed it to work. Morris hit two threes and Dedmon added in a corner triple in that first half, opening up the motion sets for Strus and a driving lane for Butler. That group clearly didn’t lack size, which is a good change of pace from previous games.

#2: Jimmy Butler assertive and dishing early.

After the bench altercation in the last game against the Warriors, Jimmy Butler came out in the exact manner that you’d hope. Not only for aggression purposes, but using that into his facilitating favor. He had 6 assists in that first half, but that doesn’t illustrate the “over-passing” he was providing on the floor, which I’m not sure was coincidental. His chemistry looked as good as ever, as two late buckets in the second quarter consisted of him waving on the opposite side of the floor in direction of Kyle Lowry, while the Knicks were shooting free throws. Lowry bombs it, Butler takes advantage. He was taking smart shots, getting to the basket when he wants, and was really physical in the painted area. A good thing to see at this point in time.

#3: Caleb Martin is the ultimate Swiss Army knife, but why didn’t he close?

When hearing Coach Spo talk about Caleb Martin after games, you often hear the phrase “swiss army knife.” The reason is that you can place him in so many different lineups, against so many different match-ups, and a new thing that was picked up on, in so many different positions and spots on the floor. As I said a little earlier, Martin saw a shift up to the 3 with Morris and Dedmon entering the lineup. But forget the 3, since he actually went from corner spot-up and dunker spot spacer to running Miami’s actions. It’s clearly not his biggest strength, but he can get the job done, by making insert passes and exploding to the rim from time to time either for a bucket or some needed rim pressure. We know he’s a rotation lock, but this stuff can’t just slip under the radar. And more importantly, when Strus is getting hunted late like he was, Martin needs to be utilized as a closer. But that’s not on him.

#4: Bam Adebayo having moments as tough shot maker, yet quickly blends into team closing issues.

After Bam Adebayo finished off his third quarter stint, he walked to the bench with 16 points on 6 of 6 shooting. Usually when you see those type of clean and perfect field goal percentages, it equates to easy looks or more opportunities as a roller. Yet, that wasn’t really the case. His shots were far from easy, as he was taking some tough shots while knocking them down at a high rate. Early on, he went to a half spin fake before spinning baseline twice in a small portion of time. Why is that important? Well, for one, it felt like that was just added to his bag recently. And secondly, it was showing that his on-ball usage was a bit higher, for the lack of guards that I mentioned before. He even ran a few inverted pick and rolls with Kyle Lowry, which shouldn’t have the adjective “few” attached. When that is seen, good things happen. But lastly, good things didn’t happen late for this team tonight. All of the good I talked about from top players, disappeared in closing time, which continues to be a mystery.

Loading
Loading...

#5: Jimmy Butler vs Udonis Haslem? Here’s my final statement:

For business window graphics, interior office signage, custom flags, custom banners and sign repair, reach out to SignsBrowardFortLauderdale

Miami Hurricanes land former UCLA edge defender Mitchell Agude

/7 Comments/in , /by

The Miami hurricanes were able to continue the positive vibes from Thursday night, as they were able to land a commitment on Friday. UCLA edge defender Mitchell Agude committed to the program.

Agude chose Miami over Oregon, Washington, and Tennessee. He had a host of people involved in his recruitment. Defensive analyst Jason Taylor, defensive line coach Joe Salave’a, and defensive ends coach Rod Wright were all involved in his recruitment. As Gaby Urrutia noted in his report, this was something Agude took notice of.

This is another big grab for the Hurricanes in terms of edge defenders. In the last two seasons at UCLA, he recorded 78 tackles, 15.5 tackles for loss, 4 ½ sacks, and seven forced fumbles. His explosiveness off the edge is something that Miami has been looking for. When you think about how the edge position has evolved over the years, it’s now gone from a niche position to something that coaches recruit heavily.

 

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Mitchell Agude (@officialagude)

Miami Hurricanes have benefited from transfer portal

 

As a senior, he will have only one more year of eligibility. His addition now marks the seventh transfer for the Miami Hurricanes. In this particular class, defense has been something that the Miami Hurricanes have been able to land via the portal. Some of the more notable names include defensive lineman Jake Lichtenstein , defensive lineman Antonio Moultrie, and cornerback Daryl Porter.

Agude will have a chance to make an immediate impact, and this should allow him to be a key part of the defensive line. Miami wants to establish dominance at the edge position, and it’s interesting to see things come full circle. Who knows about dominance at the edge position? Jason Taylor.

Now Agude will have a chance to make a mark of his own, as the Miami Hurricanes look to usher in a new era of football. One thing appears to be certain. Defensive experience is a priority for the program. In terms of recruiting, Mario Cristobal is red hot right now.