Marlins Jorge Soler

Marlins Add Impact Bat with Jorge Soler

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The Miami Marlins continued to add proven bats to their lineup for 2022. Over the weekend, the club came to an agreement with veteran slugger Jorge Soler on a three-year, $36 million deal. The eight-year, Cuban-born corner outfielder comes to Miami following his World Series MVP run with the Atlanta Braves.

The 2021 season found Miami mired near the bottom in most impact offensive categories. This offseason spending spree (by Marlins’ standards) goes a long way to addressing some of those failings. The addition of Soler, as well as those of Avisail Garcia, Jacob Stallings, and Joey Wendle, provides Marlins’ manager Don Mattingly options to consistently field a competent lineup.

 

Soler Provides Power to Marlins Lineup

Jorge Soler provides the punchless Marlins offense with some real power. The 30-year-old led the American League in home runs (48) in 2019 while playing with the Kansas City Royals. He helped propel the Braves to their World Series title last season, connecting on three blasts during the six-game series.

Soler struggled to start last season in Kansas City, but once he made it to the Braves, he broke out. With Atlanta, Soler slashed .269/.358/.524, with 14 homers and 33 RBI. In the World Series, he slashed .300/.391/.800 with those three homers. His performance earned him MVP, joining Marlins pitcher Livan Hernandez (1997) as the only Cuban-born winners of the honor.

His addition to the lineup can only improve last year’s results. Miami languished near the bottom in most offensive metrics. The Marlins ranked 29th in RBI (594), Runs (623), Slugging Percentage (.372), and OPS (.670). Miami finished 28th in Home Runs (158) and 27th in Doubles (226).

The Marlins signing of Jorge Soler continues an offseason push to add more pop at the plate. Prior to the lockout, Miami inked Garcia to a four-year, $53 million deal. Since the start of 2019, those two have combined to hit over 150 home runs.

Miami wasn’t the only team in on Soler, either. MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand noted more than a half dozen teams showed interest, including the Braves, Padres, and Rockies. Soler becomes the 11th Cuban-born player in Marlins history and first outfielder. (10th, if don’t count RHP Yoan López who the team claimed off waivers from the Philadelphia Phillies last week.)

Marlins Might Not Be Done

Last Friday, Marlins general manager Kim Ng said the team still sought “a center fielder who is an offensive threat.” Ng called it the team’s “primary objective.” She noted they were ready to pivot toward “Plan B,” which apparently was the signing of Jorge Soler.

Jesus Sanchez now looks like the potential Opening Day centerfielder, flanked defensively by Soler in left and Garcia in right. That’s not to say the Marlins are done dealing, though.

Efforts to acquire Pirates centerfielder Bryan Reynolds seem to have stalled, with the Marlins balking at Pittsburgh’s asking price. According to Man On Second’s Joe Frisaro, the Marlins “weren’t planning on” trading either J.J. Bleday or Max Meyer in a package for Reynolds.

The teams could still circle around toward a deal, especially since Reynolds has reportedly turned down multiple extension offers from the Pirates. The Marlins have already made a trade with Pittsburgh this offseason, acquiring catcher Jacob Stallings in exchange for RHP Zach Thompson, and two of Miami’s Top-30 Prospects, RHP Kyle Nicolas (No. 16) and OF Connor Scott (No. 23).

With the lineup seemingly set, the Marlins should look to secure another high-leverage arm for the bullpen. At present, Dylan Floro and Anthony Bender stand as Miami’s primary options at closer.

Floro pitched well last season, posting a 2.81 ERA and 1.22 WHIP, with 15 saves (all coming after the July trade of Yimi Garcia). He did have six blown saves, though. Bender posted a 2.79 ERA and 1.06 WHIP, with three saves and two blown saves as a rookie.

Some interesting names remain among free-agent relievers, including several former Marlins. Miami could turn to the trade market here once again, maybe for someone like White Sox reliever Craig Kimbrel, who’s in a suddenly crowded bullpen in Chicago.

More on Marlins Signing of Jorge Soler

Check out the Five Reasons Sports YouTube channel for more on the Marlins signing of Jorge Soler!

The Markieff Morris Experiment, Not Actually an Experiment?

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As Markieff Morris made his Heat return about a week ago, the role he would play was fairly obvious. Around that time, Caleb Martin just went down which left a glaring hole at the back-up front-court positions, needing to be filled.

That said, the role many had in mind was regular season bench filler, somebody who can give some of the vets like PJ Tucker some games off, and ultimately eat up some minutes across this final stretch of the regular season.

And while it’s only been 3 games that we’ve seen him play since his return, the entire perception on him with this team has shifted completely. Well, for me at least.

Erik Spoelstra has shown all season that he has major flexibility and trust all the way down the roster, but almost all of the surprising lineup adjustments have been with the Heat’s guard depth. Plugging in Gabe Vincent or Max Strus into different spots, or even moving Caleb Martin down to the 4 in most situations.

When I asked Spo about that exact flexibility with Martin, he responded, “He’s the definition of a swiss army knife. You can plug him into a lot of different roles and with different lineups, and he’ll find a way to make it work.”

“He can defend so many different positions,” he continued. “We’ve missed that, his presence on the ball. And then those plays inbetween. Those are winning plays that don’t necessarily show up anywhere, but they’re the hustle plays, the deflections, the extra possessions, the tip-outs, the cuts. All of those different things contribute to winning in a big time way, and it’s great to have him back.”

A lot of the Caleb Martin and Markieff Morris talk all season has been an either/or thing, which has heavily leaned toward Martin with his constant production all season. Yet after getting a long look at the rotation on Friday night against the Thunder, it may be an “and” instead of “or.”

Dewayne Dedmon sitting had a lot to do with him needing some rest in a big way, but that was also Spoelstra getting a look at something that wasn’t a one time thing. You can experiment against a team like the Thunder, and I don’t believe it’ll be an experiment for long.

When looking across the Eastern Conference, there are many match-ups where you can survive with Morris as your back-up big. It gives this team a different dynamic, or better yet a consistent dynamic, since the drop-off between the starting center, Bam Adebayo, and back-up big, Markieff Morris, won’t be too major in terms of offensive operation.

They can continue to switch on the defensive end, and as Spo has mentioned frequently, he can be used in a “Bam-like role.”

But more importantly, Morris is just himself every day of the week.

Consistency in shot making is one of the most closely watched things in the sport of basketball. A game finishes, you may glance at the points scored first, but the next thing your eye lands on is the field goal percentage.

Yet, consistency in shot selection may be more important than consistency in shot making, specifically when talking about role players.

Looking at the clips above, this is where every bucket of Morris against OKC came from essentially. He gives this team a mid-range element that they don’t really have among their big men, except for Adebayo.

PJ Tucker, Caleb Martin, and Dewayne Dedmon all have their biggest strengths, but among those things isn’t a mid-post presence or even a mid-range jumper. Hence, the comparison to Bam’s role comes into play.

I asked Morris about that connection between their games, which he said, “Bam, his offensive game is evolving. I always tell him he’s trying to steal my game from back in the day…I just try to takeover the role, and just try to do the exact same thing. Be aggressive when I have smalls, make plays in the pocket, and just make the game easier for my teammates.”

The final thing he mentioned about being aggressive against smalls is something that Morris has mastered completely, and that’ll be the next torch passing in terms of Bam’s game.

He sees so many reps on that mid-post insertion, which usually is the initial feed before Miami runs their post split, but the main part to mention is what comes after the passing lanes are blocked.

When all of the cutters are blanketed, that’s an immediate signal to Morris to work his defender as low as possible, before turning right into that mid-range fade. That’s his shot, that’s his spot, that’s his game. And the clips above clearly put a stamp on that.

As seen to start this possession, it’s an example of the defense eliminating all options within the post split. On queue, Morris gets into good position, turns, pump-fakes, then lets the shot go. Yes, this one clanked off the rim, but it’s more about the process of good looking possessions and reads.

Now, the Heat ended up getting the rebound, which leads right into my next point.

After the miss, Morris slowly fades all the way out to that corner three for maximum spacing purposes. Tucker flows to his right for a potential DHO, but fakes it instead due to the overplay. As he drives to the basket, why is he able to finish like that at the rim?

Morris’ spacing doesn’t allow his defender to pull down for the tag. Clearly, there’s something with these small ball lineups, and more specifically, the Tucker-Morris combo.

I asked Spo how he feels about this front-court pairing moving forward, which he said, “I’m interested in it, for sure.”

“It felt like there’s space, there’s toughness,” he continued. “The skill-set that Markieff brings really fits this group, and it’s not like we’re reinventing who he’s been, this has been who he’s been his entire career…It’s something we’ve talked about a lot as a staff, and I’m glad that we were pushed into that immediately in the third quarter. There were a lot of positives with that unit.”

When listing those positives specifically, Morris and Tucker being effective together isn’t as much about them being successful themselves. It’s about what it creates for others.

And among those “others,” nobody benefits more from that offensive spacing than Tyler Herro. His driving lanes open up, guard screening becomes more effective which leaves Max Strus slip screens as a key offensive element, and defenses have to make decisions on those corner shooters.

Speaking of those decisions, much of it comes down to the readiness of Tucker and Morris to immediately pull before the close-out comes flying at them quickly. This play above was the finish of an end of quarter Spoelstra tweak, where Herro and Lowry operated from each wing with at least 3 drives, kicks, and resets.

The final one included Lowry sinking that strong-side down a bit, ending with that corner three that we just spoke about.

These examples may be the Thunder and Pistons, but every defense will be asked to make these same decisions. And most teams are going to primarily eliminate that middle of the lane guard dissection from Herro and Lowry, ultimately opening up Morris and Tucker as scorers.

Morris at the five clearly downgrades some size in terms of rebounding, but it allows them to continue that physical switching on the perimeter.

When running a double drag above, no mismatches are able to be drawn, since the size and perimeter off-ball quickness from this switchy front-court roster leaves no advantages. Ended in a Jerami Grant contested pull-up, but much of that has to do with the fact that teams don’t view Morris down low as a mismatch.

His size on paper may say differently, but going at Morris on the block is definitely an offensive choice.

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You can probably make the case for about 12 guys on this team to crack the playoff rotation, but the fact of the matter is that it isn’t realistic. But it isn’t crazy to say that all 12 of those guys will probably crack the 9 man rotation at different times.

Dedmon will still be a major part of this team since his back-up big minutes aren’t going anywhere, but when the playoff rotation shrinks even more, and they match up with a team like Chicago or Boston in that second round, I’m pretty comfortable saying that Morris will be the back-up 5.

This week stretch has felt like a lot of tinkering from Spo by placing Morris in different spots, but this is much bigger than an experiment or a Dedmon off day. This is a preview of what will be seen down the line.

And with that different dynamic that Morris provides, specifically offensively, he could make the difference in those 8-10 minutes that Adebayo sits in the post-season.

“We like to hit the pocket pass to be able to have a big to make plays. I fit that spot perfect,” Morris said earlier in the week when I asked him about his mid-range comfort and offensive role. And I would have to agree.

He does fit that spot perfectly, which is exactly why Spo will continue to test the waters with different combos.

 

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3 Milestones LeBron James Could Reach by the End of the 2021-22 NBA Season

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Whenever the NBA is involved, the annual milestone watch is always fun to watch. A few star players around the league are chasing historical milestones this season, so let’s look at a few of them before the season begins. In addition, it would be far more interesting for those who are involved in sports betting markets to bet on to gamble on this kind of event

So here in this article, we will focus on 3 key milestones of LeBron James that he might achieve by the end of the 2021-22 NBA season. Let’s get started!

3 milestones LeBron James could achieve during the NBA season 2021-22

1. 2nd in scoring all-time

LeBron James has averaged at least 25 points per game in 18 of his last 19 seasons. Kevin Durant is in second place with 13 points, while Kobe Bryant, Karl Malone, and Michael Jordan are tied for third place with 12 points each. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, the all-time leading scorer, only had ten of these seasons in his career.

LeBron James is only 514 points away from overtaking Karl Malone as the all-time leading scorer. For the remaining 34 games, he must only score 15.1 points per game.

This season, the soon-to-be 18-time All-Star is averaging nearly double what is required (29.1 PPG). The cherry on top may be achieving the feat against his former team, the Cleveland Cavaliers, in his home state of Ohio.

2. The 6th most assists of all time

With the Los Angeles Lakers’ win over the Brooklyn Nets, LeBron James now has 9923 assists. In fact, he is just 218 dimes from tying another legend on the list. Bringing championship #17 is just a step ahead of the superstar Magic Johnson brought to the franchise.

If there is no injury or virus entry, the purple and gold player could overtake Johnson for ninth place in all-time assists. James needs to average 6.4 assists to keep pace with Johnson this season.

It’s very possible that James may surpass his friend and former boss, given how much the Lakers depend on his playmaking. James has been dishing out an average of 6.3 dishes per game this season. He might be able to set another record if he increases his average.

The only member of the 30K points, 10K rebounds, and 9K assists club is James. He is next to Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, who has 5K+ assists. As James passes Magic Johnson in scoring, rebounds, assists, and 10K rebounds, he becomes the first player to ever amass all three distinctions.

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3. LeBron James could be the ninth most steals in NBA history

He is only 40 swipes away from tying Hakeem Olajuwon, the legendary Houston Rocket and four-time champion. It has been his steals, rather than his highlight-reel chase-down blocks, that have caused nuisance throughout his 19 seasons in the league.

Countless rim-rattling dunks and momentum-swaying assists at the other end have occurred because of his ability to read an opponent’s defense and anticipate passes. One of the most frightening sights for defenders is watching LeBron James run downhill at full speed after a steal. Getting points on fast breaks has been a steady source of points for him.

LA Lakers’ win over Brooklyn Nets was a perfect example of James’ ability to disrupt games with two straight steals. To tie Olajuwon, James will need to average just 1.17 steals per game over the remaining 34 games. His season average is 1.6 SPGs, which is also his career average. As long as he keeps up his pace, he would pass the ‘Dream’ on the career steals list by the end of the season.

Final Note

At 37 years old, LeBron James currently posts the most points per game (30.1). It is also amazing that he is the youngest player to reach at least 25 PPG after he totaled 27.2 in his second year in the NBA.

It is the only time in the history of the NBA that a player ranked in the top 10 for scoring, assists, and steals. There’s only a matter of time before Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s once unreachable record of all-time scoring is surpassed.

 

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Five Takeaways from Heat’s Win Over Thunder

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The Miami Heat faced the Oklahoma City Thunder on Friday night, and it went as you would expect.

A bunch of guys chipped in, leading to an easy win in the process.

So, here are some takeaways from this one…

#1: Duncan Robinson, literally telling opposing teams to step up in that drop coverage.

Duncan Robinson opened up this game against the Oklahoma City Thunder in a way many would want to see, but more importantly, in a way many should expect due to the extra space he sees against drop coverage. Hits three straight triples to start this game out, and they all looked identical. Same hand-off guy, in Bam Adebayo. Same defenders both on the ball and in that drop. Same look on that curl. After making the third, he runs down the floor as the Thunder call timeout, telling the bench that someone needs to step up. A lot can be talked about from these short bursts that many want to see, but he needs that confidence back. It’s one thing to hit threes, but it’s another thing to get back in some type of comfortable NBA rhythm.

#2: The real winner of the PJ Tucker-Markieff Morris minutes is a 22 year old guard that you may know of.

The more we see the PJ Tucker-Markieff Morris front-court, the more there is to like. PJ Tucker can take care of his hammer screens and hand-offs, while Morris runs the post-splits and takes the mid-range jumper when it’s presented within the post. The common thread: both can space at a very high level. And due to that specific spacing, mostly within the two corners, Tyler Herro benefits greatly. We know the usage has been high for Herro, but as seen early in this one, it consists of a lot of crowded drives where four guys collapse down. In this lineup, there’s some reluctant variants where guys think twice before dropping off the shooters. This lineup will be seen frequently, as the new question becomes depending on match-up: Dewayne Dedmon or Markieff Morris?

#3: Max Strus: king of the slip screen.

You already know we must take at least one section in every one of these to talk about the minor “basketball” aspect of things. Tonight’s topic is something I’ve brought up frequently, but it shines more and more every time Max Strus plays. If he’s coming to set a screen, he’s slipping it. Yet, it feels like every team he faces isn’t ready for that specific burst. Ghost screens with guys like Herro right now are pure gold, since teams are more worried about keeping two on the ball than trailing the shooter. In a playoff series, teams could obviously adjust, but with the discussed role of Strus in the post-season of small spark bursts, teams may not have time to figure it out.

#4: Tyler Herro scaring Heat nation for a bit.

As Herro runs another pick and roll midway through the third, this one goes a bit differently. He throws a skip pass to the weak-side corner in mid-air, but lands awkwardly. Didn’t seem to be a consensus if it was a slight ankle twist or a knee buckle, but either way he was down in pain. A lot of pain. Face first into the hardwood as everybody in the building held their breath. Spo made his way out there as Herro rolled over before walking off on his own. He stretched out on the bench for a bit, then headed back to the locker room. Clearly, his night was over. Yet, that wasn’t the case? Everybody got to breathe a little as he made his way back onto the Heat bench, but better yet, he made his way to the scorers table to enter. Why, you may ask? I simply have no idea.

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#5: Time to get some guys an off day.

Some people hate to hear when certain guys are taking games off, but others really do need it. Jimmy Butler getting it right now isn’t the worst thing as Caleb Martin returns, but a front-court mate needs to take it when it’s there as well: PJ Tucker. Now that they’re getting healthier on the front line, Tucker’s going to need to sit a few going down the stretch of the season. He’s been one of the few constants all year, but the problem is that if he gets in his car to drive to the arena, or goes through warm-ups with a questionable tag, he’s going to play. Dewayne Dedmon is another name that fits into this conversation, but Miami did it in their own way with him. With the ability to go small and versatile, Dedmon wasn’t a part of the 9 man tonight. And as I hinted at before, could be a consistent trend at times.

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Miami Hurricanes

Miami Hurricanes: WR Brandon Inniss sets visit date to Coral Gables

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Things have picked up for the Miami Hurricanes on the recruiting trail, and they are going to get a visit from a wide receiver target next Thursday. Five-star wide receiver Brandon Inniss is set to visit Coral Gables on March 24. He made the announcement via Twitter.

Inniss is the top wide receiver in the 2023 class, and the third overall player in his class from the state of Florida per the 247Sports composite rankings. Right now, he has been leaning towards USC, according to Crystal Ball predictions.

Even though Miami is not appear to be the favorite for his recruitment, the Hurricanes have still managed to stay in contact with him. Back in January, Mario Cristobal was still frequently in contact with the wide receiver.

With the type of recruiter that Cristobal is, the Hurricanes are certainly not out  of Inniss’s recruitment by any means. A visit to Miami could change his mind. Cristobal’s recruiting pitches are detailed, and set clear expectations. Getting the receiver to the campus to hear that pitch could work in the Hurricanes favor.

Innis would strengthen Miami Hurricanes recruiting class

Inniss’s would be an ideal downfield threat for the Hurricanes. He possesses that playmaking ability, and is able to make things happen after the catch. His speed and ability to get by defenders are two of his biggest assets.

Currently, the 2023 Miami recruiting class is setting up to be a good one. The class itself currently ranks 24th nationally and third overall in ACC per the 247Sports Composite Rankings. Antonio Tripp was the most recent commit for the class. The class has three commitments overall.

Even though the Miami Hurricanes may be on the outside looking in,  Inniss’s visit to campus next Thursday will be important. Whether or not Miami will be able to make any headway remains to be seen. Nevertheless, they will give it their best shot.

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Panthers acquire Ben Chiarot from Montreal, Trade Frank Vatrano to Rangers

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The Florida Panthers got an early jump on NHL trade deadline week with a pair of trades on Wednesday afternoon.

 

Earlier in the day, Florida sent long-time Panther forward, Frank Vatrano, to the New York Rangers in exchange for a fourth-round pick in 2022.

 

This trade cleared over $2.5M in cap space for the Panthers, giving them more flexibility to add another player prior to the March 21 trade deadline.

 

Florida wasted no time getting their guy as they made another trade Wednesday night, acquiring defenseman Ben Chiarot from the Montreal Canadiens in exchange for prospect Ty Smilanic, a first-round pick in 2023 and a fourth-round pick in 2022.

 

Montreal is retaining half of Chiarot’s $3.5M cap hit for this season. Chiarot will be a Unrestricted Free Agent this summer.

 

With the acquisition of Chiarot, Florida gets a left-shot defenseman that can slot anywhere in their top-six. Chiarot, 30, helped Montreal to a Stanley Cup Finals appearance last year. The 6’3, 234-pound blue liner has played in 469 career NHL games. He has appeared in 56 playoff games with Montreal and Winnipeg.

 

Multiple reports have also said that this trade does not take Florida out of the running for Philadelphia Flyers captain Claude Giroux.

According to David Dwork of WPLGLocal10, a Giroux to Florida trade is ” still very much a possibility, per source.”

 

Giroux is expected to be traded prior to the deadline, he is set to play in his 1,000 NHL game tomorrow.

Five Takeaways from Heat’s Win Over Pistons

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The Miami Heat played a weird one against the Detroit Pistons on Tuesday night, yet came away with the win in wild fashion.

Tyler Herro and Max Strus keep the team afloat throughout on the offensive end to get Miami over the top.

Some takeaways from this one…

#1: Tyler Herro can score the basketball, but doing it in the first half mud is something else.

The Heat offense in the first 24 minutes was probably the worst half of offensive basketball I’ve seen from them this season. Over-passing, Jimmy Butler’s obvious struggles, and an inability to trigger any base sets. But then, Tyler Herro happened, per usual. We’ve seen Herro scoring out-pours before, but this one was different. Being able to do it in a clunky offense, and in a game that is completely in the mud, is some of the most promising things we’ve seen from him this year. With the Pistons swarming, he made it his only objective to get to the rim, and consequently get to the line. That kept Miami somewhat afloat offensively before the end of second quarter perimeter scoring spree. He’s doing big time stuff, but finishing that muddy first half with 20 points somehow is simply different.

#2: Navigating the good and the bad of Heat combos.

When looking at the way the first half developed in this one, there were some clear offensive combos that aren’t meshing at peak levels. The one I’ve monitored, and mentioned, quite a few times is the Butler-Tucker-Dedmon front-court. Not enough creation, not enough spacing. Yet since Bam and Lowry usually exit together first, we see it frequently. Oladipo and Herro are still trying to find their way of balancing on-ball reps, but that shouldn’t be a worrisome note. But on the positive side of things, during Herro’s second quarter spurt, the front-court in those minutes were Tucker and Morris. Now that’s a lineup that has plenty of spacing for the creators to work, yet may be troublesome on the boards in certain match-ups. But not tonight, and it’s something that was peaking right before Morris went down with injury.

#3: A minor note: a 2-3 zone best case scenario.

When watching Oladipo’s placing in the 2-3 zone since returning, it wasn’t as simple as slotting into the Gabe Vincent role. He was playing that bottom box often, as Herro rotated to the top of the zone. Tonight, on the other hand, Oladipo played at that top spot next to Herro with Caleb Martin out. Simply, that’s the spot you feel much more comfortable with him playing due to his natural quickness and activity. That said, it gets you thinking about a healthy rotation. In a perfect world, Oladipo and Martin headlining that bench 2-3 is best case scenario. Two guys with total speed, defensive skill, and length is the ultimate dictionary description for a dominant half-court zone. Yet it may be kept on the low, as a playoff surprise that we know Spo likes to keep handy…

#4: Jimmy Butler struggles, Jimmy Butler goes out.

When harping on offensive struggles, Jimmy Butler has to be the headliner to say the least. An offense that relies on his on-ball attack, needs him to actually be able to convert on those downhill attempts. His first half concluded with 2 of 9 shooting, which always seems to blend into something like this: 0 of 2 from deep. When he can’t convert inside, it’s a mind game that leads to an unwillingness to get back to that attacking grind, which ends in some three-point chucks. Aside from that, on one of his drives in the second quarter, he tweaked his right ankle which left him hobbling. He stayed on the floor but ultimately was held out in the second half. That was the right call for obvious reasons, but this team’s reliance on his downhill juice is evident. Tyler Herro can only get them so far as a scorer.

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#5: Max Strus doing Max Strus things.

After Bam Adebayo got himself in some foul trouble and Butler went out with injury, the rotation was forced into a major shift in the second half. Vincent started, Morris jumped into Adebayo’s minutes to start the third, and Strus entered in Morris’ spot. Strus had a quiet 4 minute finish to the third, but then the 4th quarter happened. 13 points in 3 minutes just defines both Strus and his role. Slipping screens is his specialty, but Detroit was nonreactive to it every possession, which reflects the pressure Herro puts on a defense. And once Strus gets one to fall, more are coming. He doesn’t see contests, and even doesn’t see weak-side defenders as he tried to punch one down in that stretch which got denied. Either way, he’s a “situational player” as Spo likes to call it, but he plays with a very Heat-like chip on his shoulder every night. That small stint we saw tonight, will be his playoff role. Game in the mud, time for Strus to try and get them out of it.

 

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Four Observations From Inter Miami’s Loss To LAFC

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Inter Miami suffered their second loss of the season with a 2-0 defeat to LAFC.

Though the Herons played better than they did against last week’s opponents Austin FC, the South Florida club still couldn’t manage to get a win.

Much like the weather that day, it’s starting to get a bit ugly in Fort Lauderdale.

Here are four observations from Inter Miami’s loss to LAFC.

Higuain The Playmaker?

Where does Gonzalo Higuain fit into this team?

Going into 2022, there was talk (mainly from media and fans) about the 34-year-old taking on a more creative role on the pitch.

Three games in and it’s not going as planned.

While Higuain’s passing ability is arguably the best on the squad, when he’s not providing dangerous passes into the final third, unfortunately, there appears to be no real upside besides that.

The match against LAFC was a perfect example.

Higuain ended the match with only 25 touches (the second least out of the starting eleven) and zero key passes. When he wasn’t on the ball, oftentimes you could see him walking around, not pressing and when he did have the ball he would get caught in possession and cause a turnover. His poor performance on Saturday saw him substituted out in the 68th minute. 

However, despite all this, Phil Neville has insisted that the 34-year-old “hasn’t changed positions.”

Looking through the statistics, this doesn’t seem true. Through three games this season, Higuain has had more key passes (11) than total shots (2).

It seems as if the Argentine has taken it upon himself to be the main playmaker for the team even though Neville has said this isn’t what he wants him to do:

Inter Miami has a dilemma. 

These comments suggest that there is a tad bit of miscommunication between Neville and Higuain. 

On the pitch, Higuain is playing as a creator when Neville wants him higher up the field. In order to accommodate that in previous games, Miami deployed a 3-5-2 to counteract some of the Argentinian’s weaknesses. But, seeing as though Neville has gone back to a more traditional four at the back, that experiment looks to be over.

Whatever change Neville does next needs to be quick. Miami’s next opponents are FC Cincinnati. Though they had a slow start to the year, Pat Noonan’s men are talented enough to be able to hurt the Herons – especially at home:

Damion Lowe

The return of Damion Lowe can’t be understated. The Jamaican international played a key part in keeping LAFC’s offense at bay. Not only did he play as a “sweeper” effectively tackling every LAFC player in his path, but he was also a calm and steady presence that got the best out of his teammates:

When fit he is, arguably, the first name on the team sheet.

The Endless Cycle of Route One Football

Playing with four of the back may have helped Miami in defense, but offensively, once again the Herons seemed lost.

Looking at the statistics, LAFC had more possession in Miami’s half of the field:

Miami’s passive defensive tactics and lack of inability to play out of the back have been a recurring theme during Neville’s reign.

A majority of Miami’s touches came in their defensive half:

That doesn’t bode well for the offense.

The long ball style that the Herons have been playing is antithetical to possession. Saturday’s passing maps tell an even bigger story:

The disconnect between the attack and midfield is evident.

Miami struggles to play through their middle third. Because of this, they will resort to punting the ball upfield with the hope of a central forward winning the header, only for them to lose possession and start the cycle all over again.

The team doesn’t have a true creative midfielder that could help connect defense to attack. That’s the main reason why Higuain took it upon himself to drop deeper in order to collect the ball, but it’s just not clicking for the Herons.

The match against LAFC was just another case of Inter Miami’s tactical setup going poorly.

Mota and Mo impress

Lastly, the midfield duo of Jean Mota and Mo Adams impressed. 

Adams had his best game in an Inter Miami kit. The Englishman ended the match with the most duels and the most tackles. He also completed 86% of his passes and had seven recoveries. 

Deployed in a right-wing role, Mota was equally as impressive. The 28-year-old had the most key passes in the match (2) and had six recoveries. 

 

What Does Kyle Lowry in the “Real Season” Look Like?

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“I’m just getting prepared for the real season,” Kyle Lowry stated after the Heat’s loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves on Saturday night.

It’s one of those things that you love to hear, but have to see before completely believing. Lowry has been huge all season in terms of team impact, just through the ways of both calming and setting up this Heat offense in a fashion this group hasn’t seen in recent years.

When projecting forward into that “real season,” the ceiling of this group seems to rely on one player much more than the rest. Of course certain match-ups can be discussed, but this team’s success is going to mirror the things that lie under Bam Adebayo’s offensive umbrella come playoff time.

But it’s up to those around him to elevate that element even further, which is exactly what would enter this group into that true championship tier.

And that elevation element has a lot to do with veteran point guard Kyle Lowry.

Many will focus on the shot attempts solely, because it’s the easiest thing to point to, but it’s more about where and when he’s taking specific shots. Looking in recent years, there’s never been a major jump in shot attempts from him when comparing the regular season to the playoffs.

For example here, when watching his 4 for 12 night against Minnesota on Saturday, this shot stood out from the rest. Part of it is that it’s there for him way too often not to take advantage of, and secondly, this is the shot that can change Miami’s half-court offensive attack in the post-season, specifically in that starting unit.

A simple Lowry-Bam PnR in the middle of the floor takes place against another form of drop coverage that we see so often. Duncan Robinson plants on that strong-side wing, which spectator mode from him is enough impact on the possession already. The reasoning is that spacing immediately eliminates any type of help at the nail on Lowry’s attack.

The defender dips off that corner shooter instead, in Gabe Vincent, which would usually be Jimmy Butler in a healthy lineup. Yet, the spacing would look quite similar.

All of that said, the way the defense is positioned basically enhances Lowry into that bounce back mid-range jumper, which is a shot he is surely comfortable in taking. Here, he buries it, but it’s much more about taking it whenever it’s sitting there in the “real season,” since that causes defenses to adjust quickly.

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But realistically, that specific shot will only be sitting there in certain scenarios, while the primary element of his shot profile is sitting right in front of our eyes each and every night.

Scoring off the attack.

When Lowry was brought to Miami, running pick and rolls next to Bam Adebayo was the immediate clip that played in every Heat fans head. Forcing 2-on-1’s and lobbing up the perfect lob pass to Adebayo with his insanely elite passing skill.

And well, that projected illustration has been seen quite frequently this season.

But is it crazy to say we’ve seen it too* frequently?

Lowry is averaging 7.8 drives per game so far this season. Yet among players averaging at least 7 drives per game, which includes 89 players, Lowry is dead last in shot attempts within those possessions at 2.2 field goal attempts.

When we talk about Lowry magically transitioning into the “real season,” that’s the wild shift that is coming. A 1 of 4 finish in a win against Cleveland may stand out, but the issue was that all 4 shots came from beyond the arc.

For this team to truly take that next offensive level once Lowry starts to increase his scoring aggression, the jump in paint touches and scoring at the rim is the key.

Back into the film, the way that this begins to change possessions is that it puts so much pressure on defenses to have multiple attackers/play-makers on the floor, which will lead to an uptick in outside shooting that ranks dead last in spot-up frequency at this point in time.

Evaluating the play above, this was a drawn up play from Erik Spoelstra after some free throws were taken by the Timberwolves on the other side. Max Strus and Duncan Robinson in the game together for this possession so they can camp out in each corner, simply daring the defense to dip off of them in the slightest.

Three-man game at the top between Lowry, Bam, and Herro.

Herro inserts to Lowry, flies off the Bam screen as Lowry hits him in stride, and the first downhill contact is seen.

Naz Reid, who is supposed to be guarding Adebayo on the roll, steps up onto Herro for the help. Anthony Edwards has to help down, Herro zips it back across court to Lowry, leading right back into a misdirection from Lowry into the lane as the defense is in a recovery frenzy.

Ends in a Lowry miss, but this is what attackers do in the half-court. More movement, better shots.

I asked Lowry about the need for rim pressure and trying to make up for it without Butler, which he responded, “We can’t duplicate what Jimmy does. We gotta go out there and do things that we can do to try and win the game…It’s just different. We can’t make up for what that guy brings.”

That stuff is all true, but Lowry’s attacking is going to be mostly predicated on nights that Butler is* on the floor and suiting up.

Lowry has been an elite offensive player for this Heat team without even scoring the basketball in crazy fashion, but change is coming. And as noted, those driving numbers potentially changing could shift the entire offense.

Not at the expense of anybody else. But just in bail out times where this team goes cold. His job is to get them out of the mud, and that specific part of his skill-set will do that.

 

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Five Takeaways from Heat’s Loss to Timberwolves

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The Miami Heat fall late to the Minnesota Timberwolves on Saturday night, even considering Tyler Herro had a 30 point night.

Minnesota got hot from the outside, and they couldn’t counter.

Well, here are some takeaways from this one…

#1: Max Strus making his rotation case yet again.

Max Strus walked away as the player of the half over the first 24 minutes just from a spark perspective. He’s clearly not afraid to shoot it, but he also went 4 for 7 from deep in that span. Part of that had a lot to do with Miami’s attackers, which is a fantastic story-line considering they were without Jimmy Butler. Guys were getting into the teeth of the defense, allowing Strus to thrive as that extra pass in the corner or wing. Aside from that, his shot creation goes under the radar a bit in terms of screen navigation. One play to start off his offensive night began with him refusing a screen with a spin, turning into a wing pull-up. His catch and shoot is his base, but the on-ball creation is what makes his rotation case interesting. But simply, once the playoffs get here, a potential offensive spark when needed will be his primary role.

#2: Bam Adebayo making a small offensive critique.

Looking at Bam Adebayo’s offensive punch as of late, we’ve seen it in a different light. We’ve seen the big time performances when the jumper begins to fall, but this interior stuff is new. I talked about his presence down there against the lengthier Cleveland, but he wasted no time going right at the bigger Karl Anthony Towns. And it’s one thing to score frequently inside, and another thing to do it with complete authority and bully ball. That’s the key. Everybody highlights the need for more post-ups in his game, but when he’s going strong and using his body before going up is essential. The foul calls will come, but not shying away from that size is important. And man is he using that right shoulder before going up in the painted area.

#3: Heat edging away on the boards.

When monitoring the rebounding situation from Miami in this one, the Heat kept chipping away against a Timberwolves team that didn’t have Vanderbuilt who is one of their better rebounders. This isn’t to say that the simple Markieff Morris insertion means they need to go big to win that battle, but part if it was on Bam Adebayo, and the rest was just pure team crashing. We’ve seen Miami’s defensive plan against teams like Minnesota, where PJ Tucker and Bam Adebayo switch every pick and roll on a talented combo, like Towns and Edwards. The issue is that sometimes means Tucker is battling on the boards against that much bigger center. Yet tonight, I felt like there are some positives to getting by that, mostly through Bam sagging off the shooter immediately after that ball goes up, leading to the crash.

#4: Tyler Herro silently sliding under the scoring radar, but not from the Timberwolves’ perspective.

When going down the Heat roster tonight, many guys popped in the scoring column from the eye test. Strus was shooting really well, Adebayo was attacking. But somehow Herro’s 21 first half points outdid them all, and from my perspective, it didn’t feel like he was the leading scorer by that margin at that point. The reasoning: it’s the typical at this point. He was facing a Minnesota team that doesn’t allow many mid-range jumpers, meaning he would have to alter his shot profile slightly. Cutting that mid-range out is a quick indication to Herro that he’s going to get his three-ball up, which led to a plethora of pull-up jumpers. We saw that against Milwaukee about a week ago, which is a good sign for the playoffs. When it becomes half-court basketball and they limit him, stretch out into high pick and rolls then go to work. And if they throw extra bodies at him like Minnesota did, it all comes down to the supporting cast hitting shots.

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#5: Markieff Morris return: sticking to an offensive base.

Markieff Morris returned essentially out of nowhere hours before tonight’s game, as some other key wings took the night off. I think we know what he is at this stage, so no major surprises, but I’m pretty sure the reliance on him as a play-maker would need to decline, even though I’ve highlighted his previous comfort in mid-post sets. Either way, that “mid-post” phrase is the key to anything involving Morris. His three-ball isn’t a consistently trusted piece of his offensive package, and the rolling reps are a bit uneven, other than transition. But a simple slip at the top of they key into the mid-range is his home, and Kyle Lowry will hit him in his “home.” He still provides obvious components defensively and on the boards, but his role moving forward is still in question. Another big man insurance piece to potentially insert in, since it still feels Caleb Martin has his rotation spot locked up.

 

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