Three Ugly Observations From Inter Miami’s Loss Against Austin FC

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Inter Miami’s dire performance against Austin FC is sounding some alarms.

While it’s still very early in the season, and Miami may very well turn it around, there were some concerning trends during Sunday’s loss that, hopefully, won’t continue throughout the year.

With that said, here are three ugly observations from Miami’s loss vs Austin.

Formation Merry-Go-Round 

Football is a peculiar sport, but it is also very simple.

Oftentimes, the need for various formations seems frivolous. In its essence, every formation can be traced back to the standard 4-3-3, including Phil Neville’s preferred back three:

That being said, with Sunday afternoon’s result in Austin the “Inter Miami back three experiment” could very well be over. 

Miami couldn’t get control of the game in the first 20 minutes. They struggled to build out of the back and Austin’s high press stymied any progress they wanted to make through the middle.

With it being an away match, it was Austin’s responsibility to play attacking football. But, as the game went on Miami never gave themselves a chance at getting back in it. By halftime, Miami was down by two and never seemed to have a game plan.

At the start of the second half, Neville switched the Herons to a more conventional 4-4-2. Realistically, the team only looked better in that formation once Austin stopped pressing because they had a multiple-goal lead. 

The Problem with Higuain

This begs the question: why a back three?

In short, Miami needs to find a way to get the best out of their only Designated Player on the field, Gonzalo Higuain. Despite the poor team performance, Higuain had a decent game that saw him get an assist and four key passes.

With the 3-5-2, it disguises a lot of the 34-year-old’s weaknesses. Looking fbref’s advanced stats, Higuain is in the 17th percentile of pressures per 90:

That’s not good. 

This essentially means that Higuain is not going to press the opposition defense that much.

Because Higuain won’t press, Neville has to switch up his tactics in order to accommodate him:

Miami pressed less in the final third in 2021 compared to the 2020 season. Against Austin, that much was evident.

The Herons sat in a midblock 5-3-2 formation, daring Austin to pull them out of their defensive shape. The only press that Miam implemented was when Austin pushed the ball out wide:

In modern football, you need 11 players to defend starting at the front.

Higuain, as stated above, doesn’t do that.

Neville has a dilemma here.

Higuain is without a doubt, one of Miami’s most potent passers. The 34-year-old had 11 key passes in Miami’s first two matches. At the same time, it’s difficult to play a high press style with him starting up top.

How does Miami fix this? Switch to a 4-4-2 or keep the 3-5-2? 

Lowe Was Missed

Naturally, when a defense concedes five goals, fingers will point to the starting center backs. The presence of Damion Lowe was missed. Not only is the Jamaican a vocal leader on the backline, but he also has enough recovery speed and positional awareness to mop up any mistakes.

When fit, Lowe is an automatic starter. Unfortunately, per Neville, the 28-year-old will be out for 10 days, which is a huge blow.

Hopefully, Lowe will be able to make a swift recovery and return to action as quickly as possible.

What’s Next?

It’s a long season, and this result may have hurt, but Miami has the opportunity to bounce back against LAFC at home this weekend.

It’ll be a tough match.

LAFC has some of the best attackers in the league with Carlos Vela, Christian Arango, and Brian Rodriguez, and if Miami’s game against Austin was any indication, LA will be able to slice and dice the Herons open on the counter if they find an opening:

Depending on what formation Miami rolls out in, they must bounce back from the 5-1 drubbing they received on Sunday.

What better time to do that than at home against one of the best team’s in the league? 

Five Takeaways from Heat’s Win Over Rockets

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The Miami Heat played the Houston Rockets on Monday night, but that wasn’t the important headline.

It was Dipo Day.

In Victor Oladipo’s return, it started out a bit rocky for the team, but nothing was rocky about Dipo’s composure on both ends in this debut.

Anyway, here are some takeaways from Heat’s win over Houston…

#1: There are rhythm players. And then there’s Tyler Herro.

On Dipo day, Tyler Herro quickly seemed to turn the second quarter into Tyler time. 8 of 9 from the field. 5 of 6 from three. 21 points. Those were just the stats from the second quarter if you are wondering. We saw a continuation of Herro’s recent PnR on-ball surge, where he kept getting by that initial defender and began to make plays. Not many players were making plays around him, so he took it upon himself. Began attacking the drop defender, drawing two defenders regularly, yet continuing to prance into pull-up jumpers or simple swings and relocations. But the key there is “relocation.” As the increased number of bodies begin to rotate over to him on the ball, it opens up his off-ball game. He can move without the ball and make defenses pay. Plus, aside from the X’s and O’s, he’s just the rhythm player of all rhythm players.

#2: Houston’s shot making providing early problems.

Looking across the Rockets’ roster tonight, guys like Jalen Green and Kevin Porter Jr popped due to their high level shot making ability and freedom to get plenty of shots up. Green opened up that dialogue by knocking down an early 4 threes, which should be said weren’t easy shots. The Heat were doing the thing where PJ Tucker would switch onto the big as Bam Adebayo switched onto Green or Porter, leaving them with a tough shot each possession. The issue was that when that switch wasn’t made, and he was pulled away from the possession, Miami’s rotations weren’t there. That was kind of expected, as this team is the anti-Bulls. They play their game against high level competition, but play down to teams like the Rockets. That’s what happens after a tough gauntlet of a week, but should be noted in terms of game flow.

#3: Jimmy Butler doing Jimmy Butler things early.

If it wasn’t for Tyler Herro going absolutely nuclear in that second quarter, Jimmy Butler’s name would be thrown around much more often in that first half. Herro settled them and gave Miami that much needed boost, but Butler was consistently himself, which is all they need. He was finishing well around the rim, but more importantly, he was getting to the line per usual. To tie these two guys together a bit, as they combined for 39 in the first half, we saw some empty corner PnR’s between the two. The reason that’s important is they were adjusting to what was happening. Herro was placing major pressure on the Rockets defense, meaning an empty corner eliminates strong side help. And with Butler looking strong on the interior, using him as a roller in space is useful. When Butler’s post efficient and getting to the line, that’s all you need.

#4: The Miami Heat’s interesting rotation questions.

As Kyle Lowry and Victor Oladipo return on the same night, Gabe Vincent and Max Strus get caught watching on the sideline as Erik Spoelstra rolls out a nine man rotation. I feel like that was an expected element to all of this, partly in preparation for the post-season. The way I’ve come down on the whole process is Caleb Martin is the true lock to the bottom half of the rotation, due to his big moments late in games and overall length he provides defensively. With that said, Vincent and Strus, but Vincent more specifically, are the sparks on either end when needed. If the point of attack has some holes that needs to be patched, Vincent enters. If the team needs some type of scoring guard play in light of a rough night for Herro or Dipo, Vincent enters. If it’s a rough go for Duncan Robinson, enter Max Strus potentially. As great as Vincent has been, situational sparks may be their late playoff role. But in terms of the regular season, guys will be in and out, meaning he will still have plenty of minutes, and even a few starts.

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#5: Oh yeah, Victor Oladipo is back.

So the highly anticipated return of Victor Oladipo is upon us, and well, I’d say it went well. Before dissecting what was seen, it should be said that I’ve been saying for some time that the defensive end should be the area to watch instead of the potential rust offensively. With that said, that was my initial observation. Aside from the two charges drawn, he really looked sound on that end from the jump. He doesn’t give up any ground 1-on-1, and more importantly, he’s not a guy that derives strictly off speed. He’s a guy that uses his body to his advantage, and knows how to keep that ball in front of him. On the other side of the ball, there were clearly moments. He had an early corner triple, a nice 1-on-1 drive off the attack a bit later for a right handed scoop, and a fourth quarter hesitation and burst in the PnR for an explosive dunk. It’s only game one, and things will evolve, but that entry level defensive showing is a very important element.

 

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Early favorites for this year’s NCAA Tournament

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The 2022 March Madness NCAA Tournament is right around the corner, with the incredibly enjoyable and rather hectic college basketball competition set to commence with Selection Sunday on March 13, before the First Four matches begin between March 15-16.

 

With that in mind, now might seem like an opportune time to take a look at who the early favorites are to win this year’s competition, especially as there are a number of exceptional sportsbook promo codes listed on gamble-usa.com already available to take advantage of.

 

What is March Madness?

 

To begin, it might be worth pointing out what March Madness is and what viewers should anticipate and expect if they are yet to witness what the iconic college basketball competition is all about.

 

March Madness is the annual NCAA Division I men’s college basketball championship tournament. The tournament began in 1939 and is now a 68-team event that takes place over three weekends in March and April. The Final Four, the semifinals and finals of the tournament, are played at a single site, usually a stadium or arena in a major city.

 

The tournament is one of the most popular sporting events in the United States. It generates over $1 billion in revenue each year, making it one of the most profitable sporting events in the world. In addition to the money generated by ticket sales and television rights, businesses, and schools across the country benefit from March Madness-related advertising and merchandise sales.

 

March Madness has also been a boon to college basketball players. The tournament has provided many players with the opportunity to showcase their skills on a national stage and has helped them earn lucrative contracts in the NBA. Some of the most famous alumni of the NCAA Tournament include Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson, Larry Bird, and LeBron James.

 

What is the schedule for March Madness 2022?

 

This is what the current schedule of the upcoming competition looks like:

 

  • Selection Sunday: 6 p.m. ET March 13.
  • First Four: March 15-16.
  • First round: March 17-18.
  • Second round: March 19-20.
  • Sweet 16: March 24-25.
  • Elite Eight: March 26-27.
  • Final Four: April 2.
  • NCAA championship game: April 4.

Who are the early favorites to win?

 

So, for those who are perhaps trying to identify and pick out a winner of the upcoming 2022 March Madness competition, this section is perhaps the most important of the article.

 

Indeed, we all want to be able to pick the winner of the competition, although we know that the bracket system that is used can make proceedings rather unpredictable at times, with shocks and upsets rather commonplace in this tournament.

 

Nonetheless, the early favorite to win the NCAA Division I tournament this season would have to be Gonzaga Bulldogs.

 

Gonzaga Bulldogs favorites

 

The Gonzaga Bulldogs almost managed to win the competition last season, however they fell short in the NCAA Championship Game to Baylor. However, that loss perhaps fuelled the fire and hunger for the team to win the championship even further as they have largely picked up from where they left off.

 

This season, the college basketball program lost just three regular-season games ahead of the West Coast Conference Tournament. The final game of their WCC regular-season game ended in a surprising 57-67 defeat to the No. 19 Saint Mary’s Gaels team, but that could have been a timely reminder ahead of the WCC and March Madness.

 

Who else is in the running?

 

The Kentucky Wildcats are perhaps the other team to really take note of at the moment as we head into March Madness, as they had also enjoyed a rather decent campaign on the court.

 

The team did suffer more defeats than the Bulldogs throughout the campaign, having lost six games ahead of their match on March 5 with the Florida Gators, but there are many that would not be surprised to see them in the Final Four at the very least.

Recapping Inter Miami’s 5-1 Loss in Austin

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Coming off their first-ever point in a season opener in the club’s history, Inter Miami CF was looking to carry any positive momentum from the Chicago Fire match last Saturday into Austin, Texas, at Q2 Stadium on Sunday. Unfortunately, with injuries at play and an attack that has now scored just once in over 180 minutes, Miami couldn’t come away with any points following a dominant 5-1 performance by Austin FC.

First-half goals from Sebastian Driussi and Julio Cascante set the tone for the game, especially in the first half, where Austin FC controlled the match with over 67% possession. Noah Allen, Miami’s 17-year-old wing-back who made his second consecutive MLS start, was beaten to the byline by MLS Veteran Diego Fagundez on the first goal, who found Driussi beautifully with a pass at the back post. Driussi slotted his shot past Miami’s keeper Clement Diop, who seemed slow to attempt a save. Cascante’s goal, which followed the 22nd-minute goal from Driussi by just four minutes, was an easy header from a set-piece play in which Miami’s defender Brek Shea held him onside.

Going into the second half, Phil Neville decided to make changes to get back into the match. From a back five to a back four, Allen and Mo Adams were replaced by Robert Taylor and Leonardo Campana, who played on the left-wing and as a striker, respectively, in a 4-2-3-1 (or 4-4-2, depending on where Higuain was). Lassiter was switched from a striker to the right-wing, and Shea went from a third center back to a left-back with Jairo Quinteros and Christopher McVey handling the middle.

Offensively, based on a single statistic, and the most important one at that (goal-scoring), the change in formation was positive. Campana, the Ecuadorean International, bagged Inter Miami’s first goal of the season after receiving a pass at the top of the box from Gonzalo Higuain in the 54th minute. Unfortunately for the Heron’s, that wasn’t before Austin FC had scored their third to put this game out of reach.

In the 51st minute, for the third of Austin FC’s five goals in the match, Miami’s two center backs were split wide open, then caught completely too narrow as Austin toyed with the ball in the area and, after an abundance of passes, slotted home a chance with Diop nowhere to be found.

After Campana’s goal, Austin FC went a little on the back foot and was starting to concede a barrage of chances as Miami was looking more and more lively. Robert Taylor, who was working along the left side, was responsible for five of Miami’s eight shots in the second half, netting an xG (expected goals) number of 0.21. That number is 37.5% of Miami’s total xG (0.54).

Another statistic here: Of Miami’s thirteen total shots in the match, only four came inside the 18-yard-box; one of those four was Leonardo Campana’s 54th-minute goal. For Austin FC and their eight total shots (which netted an xG number of 1.34), all but two shots came from inside the box, and of those six, five went in.

Defensively, Miami struggled to stay compact and shut down Austin attacks before they worked their way into the area. The absence of Damion Lowe was truly felt. As a leader and organizer of his stature, and one who is also able to help distribute out of the back, he was missed on Sunday night.

Obviously, by going down two goals, Neville had to instruct Miami to go for goals in the rest of the match. That, along with the switch to play with one less central defender, was a considerable risk that ultimately didn’t pay off, as Austin FC scored three in the second half and threatened most the time as well.

Austin FC’s final two goals were both scored by Ethan Finley (64′, 90′). A header near the six-yard box from an Alex Ring cross and a shot rifled past Diop from a Fagundez pass set him up beautifully in the penalty box. Those two, and probably the first alone, was enough to do Miami in and send them home with nothing to take from the match.

Miami’s next match is at DRV PNK Stadium against a heavy opponent in LAFC, who roster one of MLS’s best, attacker Carlos Vela.

Miami will look to grab at least another point at home next Saturday before going on another away trip to TQL Stadium in Cincinnati.

Tyler Herro’s Making the Inside the Arc Leap

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Victor Oladipo’s return day is finally upon us, as he’s expected to play on Monday night against the Houston Rockets, leaving many other story-lines flying under the radar.

The Heat just went 3-1, which could’ve been 4-0 if it wasn’t for poor late game execution and a rough go for Jimmy Butler vs the Bucks, against the premier teams in the Eastern Conference over a week span. The team was obviously without Kyle Lowry, Bam Adebayo continued to hit offensive strides, the team’s defense could be at its best, and the depth of this group looks to be their biggest strength.

But among all of that, Tyler Herro is quietly making the biggest offensive shift of his career, just at the right time.

In a fake world, if you were to build the perfect counterpart to Herro off the bench, it would probably look identical to a healthy Victor Oladipo. We don’t know about the “healthy” part clearly, but we do know about the “Victor Oladipo” part.

Either way, Herro is currently doing things on the offensive end that transcends any numbers he put up early in the season, which he’s currently averaging 21 a night off the bench and is top 15 in 4th quarter scoring per game.

We know he has that coveted mid-range pull-up that has been a staple of his for quite some time against drop coverage.

We know he has a three ball unlocked in both catch and shoot and pull-up situations.

But all eyes have been on that first level, and he’s now exceeding at that too.

So, how is he evolving currently in that element of his game?

I could stretch some game film out to three games ago against Milwaukee where he dropped 30 points in a total pull-up shooting display, but let’s just simplify it down to the past two games of floater dominance.

Looking at the play above, what is the initial thing that is noticed?

Seems to be just a normal pick and roll where Herro keeps his defender on his back for the 2 on 1, flowing right into that floater that he just can’t get enough of lately. But let’s rewind back a bit more to the beginning.

As he immediately comes off the screen, he doesn’t burst into that open floor right in front of him. He gives a subtle hesitation before the attack, but why is that?

Well, staying at the speed of your roller is pretty essential when talking about enhancing every option on the floor in a PnR. And when that guy is a slower footed LaMarcus Aldridge, look what that one move does to his feet. His waist turns toward Dewayne Dedmon, leaving Herro with the clear lane to go up for the bucket.

That’s the new part of this.

Another instance, we see a much better fitted match-up for Herro to stick on him following the screen, in Bruce Brown. Herro still ends up finding space in front of him again, but he doesn’t just burst forward into the open floor.

That would lead to an easy recovery, so he pauses, bumps, and sprints. That gives him the and-1 finish on the back-pedaling Andre Drummond, but the outcome isn’t as important as the process.

We continue to see him mix in these minor elements to broaden his bag, which is simply making him harder to guard with a higher on-ball usage.

Not only is he gaining confidence in top of the key PnR sets, but he’s also not afraid to take that extra step in on that baseline. Here, we see Miami set some staggers for Herro to catch it on the inbound–which by the way, a baseline inbound for Miami almost always means a baseline shot attempt–and now it’s decision making time.

He isn’t looking at the basket, or the defender in front of him. He’s looking back at how Mills recovers on that stagger. And as he edges around, Herro loops in one more step which eliminates any back-side contest.

Once again, easy floater.

Same shot, different process.

Something I asked Herro about recently was not only the use of the floater, but the disguise of linking it with the lob pass. That is something guys like James Harden and Trae Young have mastered, since it just puts that dropping big in a very awkward position.

The reason is that there can never be total commitment on one or the other, since they look the same on the wind-up.

Looking at the play above, here’s an example of that. Herro once again gives that hesitation following the Dedmon screen to stay at his pace, and the 2 on 1 is in their favor. He skies his floater up in the air, as Dedmon is still trying to figure out if that was on the way up for him to throw down, or a shot attempt.

“I try to switch it up, and take that 1 or 2 extra dribbles in the pocket to be able to make the right read,” Herro said.

“Whether it’s a lob when the big’s coming up, or if the big’s back it’s a lay-up or a floater. So just being able to make the right read, being patient, and keeping my dribble alive.”

Fast forwarding to this past game against the Philadelphia 76ers, we got to see more of that PnR manipulation on that dropping big man.

When watching this play above slowly, there are two elements to it.

Herro comes off the screen and fakes the long range runner to freeze Paul Millsap just enough. As he keeps his dribble alive, he gets up in the air which appears to be a lob to Bam Adebayo, before he quickly adjusts in mid-air to go right back to the floater.

It’s one thing to have a go-to shot against drop coverage like he did last year with the elbow pull-up. But this evolving factor of freezing these bigs within the action is next level.

When listening to players talk post-game most nights, you probably hear the word “reads” used a ton. Upon hearing that term, the things that immediately strike your mind is a skip pass, beating a coverage, or taking a shot that is being given to you.

But the main part of making “reads” is knowing exactly what that second defender in an action, or a potential help defender, is doing at all times. That’s what makes the league’s top players elite.

And with the extended bodies Herro’s been seeing lately, it’s interesting to watch this slowly develop.

Looking at the possession above, Matisse Thybulle begins to hedge the PnR as Tobias Harris simultaneously begins to fight over. Herro seeing that, he rejects the screen immediately and bursts down the left side of the floor for the easy lay-in, since the Joel Embiid help isn’t all the way there.

In a playoff series, there will be plenty of stints where things won’t just come down to Herro as a scorer, but Herro as a primary on-ball offensive piece. And with these type of decisions, I have a feeling they could go quite well.

I know the focus is the on-ball stuff with him, but the truth is that once the playoffs come, rotations shrink. Herro will be sharing the floor with the three of Butler, Adebayo, and Lowry much more often, meaning he will have to work into his spots off the ball as well.

Right here, Butler sits in the post split with the movement beginning to set in, and Herro improvises early in the action. While Herro is the first player to shoot off into space, he cuts back-door on Maxey as the expectation is that an end-around DHO is coming.

But even when off the ball, he gets to that coveted floater in the middle of the floor yet again.

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The reason this all ties into the Oladipo return is that Herro is making these strides at just the right time. There won’t be a need for a major adjustment period for the young guard, since he’s been put in so many different spots already this season and succeeded.

It’s been noticeable that Oladipo’s catch and shoot attempts always rise following a return from injury, making this combo even more seamless on paper. They should be able to bounce off each other well, but what is the number one focus when talking about an Oladipo offensive insertion?

Rim pressure.

And right now, Tyler Herro is providing that at an all time high.

The story-line surrounding the Miami Heat right now is obviously Oladipo for good reasons, but what makes this whole thing so interesting is the meshing point with the current level of Herro.

With that floater, that pick and roll dissection, and that confidence, it’s hard not to fit alongside him on that end of the floor.

 

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Five Takeaways from Heat’s Win Over 76ers

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The Miami Heat faced the Philadelphia 76ers on Saturday night, and a relatively healthy group without Kyle Lowry took care of business.

Zone defenses were a highlight element of this one, but as Philly edged back late, Caleb Martin came up big time on both ends, completely shifting the feel of the game.

Anyway, here are some takeaways from this one…

#1: Once again, Miami simply loves inside the arc offenses, and it relies on two specific things.

When evaluating this Heat defense against this Philadelphia 76ers offense, we didn’t get the true full look. The reason is that although I’ve been saying Miami can excel against this offense for this very reason, James Harden changes things clearly. But well, it was shown tonight why it falls in Miami’s favor. For one, the one-on-one match-ups are clear, which is that PJ Tucker will guard Harden, as he did against Tyrese Maxey tonight, as Bam Adebayo sticks Joel Embiid. They do that to predict the switch, which is winnable on both ends. If they attack Tucker with Embiid on the block, that second defender is coming. Then a third. When watching this plan that we all expected play out, the obvious thing that sticks out is the swarming group in Embiid’s face. But what makes that all possible is the back-side rotations, due to the fact they can afford to fully double and leave their individual assignment. That’s the difference with this group.

#2: The three-point element, but more importantly, the Duncan Robinson element.

The Heat started out pretty hot from beyond the arc, while the 76ers began in just the opposite fashion. Six different Heat players knocked down at least one three in that first half, but it’s more about how they’re generated. Hence, the Duncan Robinson element. With Joel Embiid planted in that deep drop, it’s single coverage for a hand-off guy/screener and the movement shooter. So when that pairing is Adebayo and Robinson, it just comes down to the elimination of the defender on that individual shooter. That means it all comes down to Robinson hitting the shots that he has hit so consistently across his Heat career. We don’t know how seeding will shape out, but Robinson would be absolutely essential to set them apart in this Philly match-up. If he causes the 76ers to shift their defensive base, point Miami.

#3: Jimmy Butler returns in attack mode.

Jimmy Butler’s 14 point first half tonight was a bit surprising since it came in the natural flow of the offense. That number might’ve shocked some when reading it at the half, and that’s when Butler is most impactful. He combined the two elements that shifts his offensive outlook: efficient scoring at the rim and free throw shooting. He got to the line 6 times in the first 24 minutes, and that is another key aspect in this potential series with the pace setting Embiid and Harden with getting to the line. But if this Heat team is going to try and capitalize on elite defense on the other end, while neutralizing Embiid and the 76ers strong attack on the boards, efficient nights at the rim are important. The bunnies were dropping, he was getting to his spots, and like I said, these weren’t isolations. It was coming naturally within the offense.

#4: The Heat’s need to dissect what they’ve mastered: 2-3 zone edition.

We’ve spent a lot of time of talking about the Miami Heat and the 2-3 zone, but not in this specific manner. They’ve mastered it themselves, but tonight, the Philadelphia 76ers threw it right at Miami to see how they’d react, which wasn’t well. Miami likes to edge up the guys on the box in their zone, as Philly elects to rise up their man in the middle. It mucks up that middle of the floor entry pass, and forces you to make quick decisions. For the first 6 minutes of the third, it was clear they had no willing zone buster on the floor. Bam Adebayo and Jimmy Butler splitting reps in that spot of the floor, but neither would take that willing mid-range jumper. And if you don’t take that, every other option on the floor is restricted. Which speaking of restricted, that essentially ties PJ Tucker’s hands behind his back offensively. The only willing zone buster was Tyler Herro, as he continued to attack and split the front two, as he flowed into that coveted floater. But to force Philly, or any teams, out of it, you have to capitalize on that middle of the floor option.

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#5: A Heat lineup to keep in mind.

There’s a lineup that has stuck out for quite some time, and it’s probably not one you’d expect. A bench lineup of Gabe Vincent-Tyler Herro-Max Strus-Caleb Martin-Dewayne Dedmon has provided a clear spark when healthy, but one shift within that lineup has been even more flexible. With Bam Adebayo exiting earlier, he then enters for Dedmon for a pretty versatile and young group. It’s a perfect combination of shooting and defense, and gives the veteran group a healthy breather. Tonight, we saw both of those variation for a decent amount of the fourth quarter, and they cracked the code on Philly’s defense for stretches. That has a lot to do with Herro doing Herro things, but even Vincent bailed them out possession after possession. Victor Oladipo could potentially plug into that spark lineup, but it’s something to keep in mind for now.

 

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Miami Hurricanes

Miami Hurricanes trying to flip Oklahoma OL commit Joshua Bates

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Miami Hurricanes head coach Mario Cristobal is a master recruiter, and it appears he is trying to flip  an Oklahoma commitment. Miami is going after offensive lineman Joshua Bates, per CaneSports’ Matt Shodell.

Bates is the 36th overall interior offensive lineman in his class, and the fourth overall player in his class from the state of Colorado per the 247Sports Composite Rankings. He committed to the Oklahoma Sooners on August 13, 2021

Offensive  line coach Alex Mirabal is Bates’ primary recruiter for Miami.

What could Bates bring to Miami Hurricanes?

Measuring in at 6-foot-3, 280 pounds, base is extremely physical on the line. Once the ball is snapped, he is immediately able to get leverage on his man. He extends his hands quickly, and that allows him to use his physicality and when the snap. This is something that is common with the type of lineman that this Miami staff wants. They have to be physical, and they have to be able to create holes quickly. Bates can certainly do that, and his physicality is one of his biggest assets.

Even with only two commitments in the 2020 recruiting class, the class itself ranks 30th nationally and fifth overall in the ACC per the 247Sports Team Rankings. This is the first opportunity that the Miami hurricanes  will have to put together a full recruiting class with this staff. With the prospects they are going after, we could see this class turn into a top 15 one very soon.

With Miami looking for impactful offensive lineman it makes sense that Bates is on their radar. Especially with the Mirabal connection, it would be difficult to count Miami out  on his recruitment. Time will tell if the coaching staff will be able to  pry Bates away from Oklahoma. Nevertheless, they have begun to at least put their feelers out on his recruitment.

 

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Day 2 NFL Combine Takeaways

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Day 2 of the 2022 NFL Scouting combine is in the books here are 3 takeaways from the second day of on-field workouts.

40 times (again)

Remember Thursday night at the scouting combine, when the receivers blew the roof off like they were on the racetrack?

It extended to Friday’s offensive line drills, when we saw a display of pure speed from Hog Mollies we’ve never seen before.

It’s as if monster trucks beat Dale Earnhardt Jr. by one-tenth of a second.

There were six offensive linemen with official sub-5.0 40 times in the first group, and six in the second. The previous record was six, and there were 11 sub-4.5 40-yard dashes overall in the last three combines.
Rutgers’ Isiah Pacheco and South Dakota State’s Pierre Strong tied for the fastest running back at the 2022 combine with 40 times of 4.37 seconds.
https://twitter.com/brgridiron/status/1499968529856188416?s=20&t=qqh9-WqPIMlqPs6QOBwK2A
Notre Dame’s Kyren Williams caught flak for his 4.7 40 yard dash time as many expected him to run faster.
https://twitter.com/DP_NFL/status/1500124754837131267?s=20&t=KZeswPrZHw85YSWx0Y-Ahg

However for RB’s there are more important factors and measurables at play than 40 times.

Zion Johnson’s Big Day

Zion Johnson played tackle and guard at Boston College, and then took reps at center during Senior Bowl week. Johnson has showcased his versatility and followed it up with a fantastic combine performance.

Few offensive linemen are as undersized like Johnson at 6-foot-3 and 312 pounds, but few had better combines than Johnson. He ran a 5.18 40-yard dash aced other drills, and looked very smooth and powerful on the field.

Johnson needed to show some athleticism to go with his play strength, and he took care of that admirably. He led all lineman with 32 bench press reps and showed off his movement in space with the wave drill

The Boston College product was showing an ability to create power without planting during on-field drills.

Johnson is an easy mover, and you can see how he’s able to gain power and efficiency from that. He has separated himself as one of the top interior offensive linemen.

James is Cooking

In today’s league, top running backs threaten defenses on third down with their receiving skills, and NFL teams loved what they saw in James Cook on Friday.

Cook ran a 4.42 40 times and made seamless cuts with the ball in his hands during the on-field drills. He looked natural in space, secured all of his passes and caught the ball with his soft hands like a natural receiver.

At Georgia, Cook only logged 230 carries, so he doesn’t have mileage on him; however, he can project as a featured ball-carrier primed to log 15-plus carries a game.

Furthermore, Cook can become a matchup nightmare on crucial downs either in the slot or on short routes in the middle of the field.

*** This article was originally posted at ATB Network***
Hussam Patel is a Miami Dolphins contributor at Five Reasons Sports Network, Director of Scouting at PhinManiacs and Editor at Dolphins ATB. Follow him on Twitter at @HussamPatel

Day 1 NFL Combine Takeaways

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Day 1 of the 2022 NFL Scouting combine is in the books here are the 3 takeaways from the first day of on-field workouts.

40 times

The first night of on-field workouts was a speed thrill. In a city that celebrates speed with Indy cars , the wide receivers at the NFL scouting combine matched a record Thursday that would have NASCAR opening their eyes.

The group of pass catchers left dust, as the eight sub-4.4 clockings tied the most by the wide receivers at the combine in any year evaluated since 2006.

Tyquan Thornton had the only official time under 4.3, as Tennessee wide receiver Velus Jones Jr., had the second fastest official clocking at 4.31.

Many unofficial times had to be changed and chatter around the league was this years class of pass catchers is the fastest in NFL History OR the 40 times were off

Kenny Pickett’s Hand Size

It is hands-down the most critiqued quality attached to NFL quarterback prospects each year.

As a potential first round pick, Pickett‘s hand size has been scrutinized heavily. His hands officially measured in at 8 1/2″ at the NFL Combine. This makes Pickett’s hands the smallest of any quarterback in the NFL.

“The reason I didn’t measure at the Senior Bowl was just to have those extra couple weeks, just kind of a commonsense thing, to have more time working the exercises…Whatever it measures, it measures, I’m sure that won’t be the end of it, but that will be the last measurement I’m sure I’ll take of it.”

– Kenny Pickett

According to ESPN Stats & Information data, average hand size for quarterbacks taken in the first round from 2008 to 2020 is 9 7/10 inches.

Christian Watsons big day

Watson won the day at the receiver position. He’s 6-4 and 210 pounds, one of the most sizable receivers in this class.

He ran 4.36 with a 38.5-inch vertical jump and an 11-foot, four-inch broad jump, one of the longest in combine history.

“He’s a special dude. You can see that just physically, how big he is, how fast he is. Great person to be around, obviously one of my closest friends. Someone that helped me get to where I am right now. I wouldn’t be here without Christian.”

–Trey Lance on Christian Watson

I wrote about Christian Watson last summer and how the Miami Dolphins should take a chance on him.

Now, I’m not sure if Watson lasts till the end of the 2nd round, he’s highly thought off in league circles.

*** This article was originally posted at ATB Network***

Hussam Patel is a Miami Dolphins contributor at Five Reasons Sports Network, Director of Scouting at PhinManiacs and Editor at Dolphins ATB. Follow him on Twitter at @HussamPatel

Five Takeaways from Heat’s Win Over Nets

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The Miami Heat were in a similar position tonight as they were last, as they were sitting with a 12 point lead with 4 minutes left, yet the Nets stormed back.

Bam Adebayo and Tyler Herro stood strong to hold them off on a terrific night for each of them.

So, here are some takeaways from this one…

#1: The process to try and stop the unstoppable Kevin Durant.

When heading into return night for Kevin Durant without Jimmy Butler and PJ Tucker, it’s clear that it is going to be a challenge. The early idea was to place Bam Adebayo on him immediately, while starting Omer Yurtseven at the 5 next to him. But as we know, it really doesn’t matter who you throw at him because he will get into his shot no matter the contest. Then we saw him hunting some switches, which just puts so much pressure on a Heat defense. When guys like Tyler Herro find themselves in space, Miami was forced to send that double across, which most of the time was Caleb Martin. The issue with that is you have the rely heavily on rotations on a night where you aren’t able to play your best defensive 5, leading to hot streaks from Patty Mills and others.

#2: The Heat’s free throw line antics keeping them alive.

After the Heat only got to the line 12 times a night ago in Milwaukee, they tied a season high with 21 first half attempts tonight in Brooklyn. When looking at this team on paper in this game, then watching them play in real time, the big key was that they did not have enough attackers out there to provide that rim pressure. That also limits space that shooters are getting on the perimeter. That’s where Bam Adebayo and Tyler Herro entered. They were the only ball-handlers who could truly provide that, and they added 13 of the 21 first half trips to the line. I truly believe Jimmy Butler would be huge in a potential Nets series, and that has a lot to do with the ability to switch smaller guys onto him and getting to the line without true rim protection on that back-line. But tonight, drawing fouls kept them above water.

#3: Caleb Martin: a lock in a potential Nets playoff series.

Speaking of a potential playoff series against the Brooklyn Nets, one specific player jumped off the screen today as the perfect rotation piece for that match-up: Caleb Martin. That was even before he provided big time offensive energy in that first half for increased scoring and pace. The reasoning has a lot to do with the guard firepower off that Nets bench. When looking at Patty Mills and Cam Thomas, Martin is the perfect bench piece to enter with Herro to hound those talented scoring guards. Obviously there’s a lot that could change with possible Heat rotations by that time, but for now, that’s a pretty obvious baseline to lay down. And if he can provide the stuff he showcased offensively tonight, it’ll definitely be tough to look away from him.

#4: This is the match-up for Bam Adebayo…clearly.

We’ve seen Bam Adebayo put points up in this building before, as he glided to a 41 point night in there last year. But he picked right back up where he left off tonight. It was clear from the jump that this match-up really favors him schematically. With the spacing around him due to constant shooting, combined with this Nets defense having a perimeter base, pocket passes are there all game. Meaning: Bam Adebayo is there all game. Aside from that schematic element, the fact that Andre Drummond is his 1-on-1 match-up on most face-ups speaks volume, and tells him that it’s go time. When Adebayo is flying to the rim like he was in this one, you can see why he’s so special. But it just comes down to the consistent trust to run offense through him completely, more specifically on isolations.

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#5: The Duncan Robinson-Max Strus dynamic tonight.

When looking at this game big picture, Bam Adebayo and Tyler Herro are definitely the story-lines. But a major element of this game was the Duncan Robinson and Max Strus dynamic, and they weren’t for the same reasons. Strus simply caught fire in that third quarter, providing a huge boost for this group who struggled hitting from deep tonight. Robinson, on the other hand, was one of those “struggling from deep” in this one. Yet, he still impacted the game in quite some fashion, and that was through his passing. As I said before, this is a Nets defense that focuses heavily on perimeter related stuff, meaning Robinson continued to see two in his face. Pocket passes were made for Adebayo runways, but that wasn’t all. He was getting into the lane a bit, which led to a big play in the third where he threw a two handed kick-out to the opposite corner for a Strus 3. That combo was huge, but clearly for different reasons.

 

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