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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Miami Hurricanes swing for fences with Jason Taylor hire

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As Mario Cristobal continues to build a top-notch coaching staff, another big name be added to the fold. Hall of Famer Jason Taylor is expected to join the Miami hurricanes staff in an off-field role per InsideTheU’s Gaby Urrutia.

Taylor made his name first on the gridiron, as he recorded 520 tackles, 139.5 sacks and 40 forced fumble’s while a member of the Miami Dolphins. Taylor spent 13 years with Miami finding tremendous personal success.

Taylor has been able to find success in the coaching ranks as well. Currently the defensive coordinator at St. Thomas Aquinas, the school has been able to win three consecutive 7A state titles.

This hire is just another notch in the belt for both Cristobal and the Miami Hurricanes. We have talked about the depth of the coaching staff ever since the head coach was hired. Every coaching position is one of strength on this staff.

 

What can Taylor do for Miami Hurricanes?

Bringing in a guy like Taylor will be able to just give the coaching staff another set of eyes. Taylor was one of the best ever do it at his position. Another important piece to this is that he could help the Miami Hurricanes in recruiting. He is a familiar face in  not only the Miami area but the state of Florida. That combined with his knowledge of the game makes this a big get for the Miami Hurricanes program.

As far as coaching positions are concerned,  Cristobal has swung for the fences. Having somebody with as much football talent as Taylor in an analyst role just speaks to how deep this coaching staff truly is. It’s a testament to how people believe in what Cristobal is doing, and how people want to work for him.

Results on the field are what matter. However, at the end of the day, bringing Taylor into the program is a win for the Miami Hurricanes.

 

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Five Takeaways from Heat’s Loss to Bucks

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Heat fall short to Bucks as they storm back.

Here are some takeaways from this one…

#1: Hometown Tyler Herro, pull-up killer Tyler Herro.

Some may begin Tyler Herro evaluation tonight by pointing out his hometown return, but you guys already know how I roll with throwing narrative right out the window. The more important aspect is the way he was generating his looks, as he pranced into a 17 point first half. Pointing out that he was facing drop coverage is a great starting point, but it’s a bit different look than he’s used to. This is a crowded drop, which means the attack element of a pick and roll could be taken away. His floater has been surging as of late, but as he started off this game a bit rocky, I pointed one thing out on Twitter: abort that floater. The mid-range pull-up is sitting there for you to take, so it must be utilized. But instead, Herro spaced out into more high PnR sets, flowing right into that pull-up three. Stretching out the floor in that way is the exact read, and I’m not sure if the credit goes to him or the coaching staff yet.

#2: Duncan Robinson finding his set, and finding his rhythm.

Speaking of strong first half performances, Duncan Robinson was soaring from deep to begin this one. 5 for 6 from deep at the half I’d say is a pretty decent stat line for him in a potential Eastern Conference Finals preview. But this wasn’t the same as Herro shifting his shot profile against this specific defense. Instead, it was the exact opposite. Duncan Robinson thrives against a crowded drop coverage, since it basically translates to DHO fun. Only one defender is needed to eliminate with a screen, which means the next step is turning the corner, squaring up, and firing away. Robinson has seen these looks recently, but the simple analysis is that he was able to knock them down in this match-up. Shooting the lights out against this team is always going to be the game-plan, but this version of Robinson changes things dramatically for the offense.

#3: The transition narrative.

I’d like to take a second to address transition offense in a few different lights, which is odd due to the fact Kyle Lowry wasn’t associated with this game. It started when Bam Adebayo couldn’t put the ball in the basket, then all of a sudden, a quick steal, fast-break run, and mid-air switch of the hands for the and-1 finish shed some light on this topic: Bam Adebayo is a different player on the break. It means that he can be instinctive, he can be physical, and it allows him to find a scoring rhythm. Now, some may counter that by saying that avenue can’t be explored as often in a playoff series. And to that I’d say that’s partially true. There seems to be this overarching narrative that playoff basketball is a half-court game, which is true, but it should be noted that transition play and a faster pace can still be explored in that setting. It almost feels like some imagine that to be fully eliminated when that time comes, and it should be said with this specific team especially, it’ll be explored frequently with the young bench unit.

#4: Third quarter analysis: Gabe Vincent’s spark, Jimmy Butler’s struggles.

To hone in on player specifics a bit more, Gabe Vincent had as good of a start as humanly possible in this third quarter. Three straight offensive possessions, three straight Vincent triples. The interesting part about that is it wasn’t because he was being left open off the catch. It was just pure strong side dominance, due to defenders going under screens or PJ Tucker utilizing his hammer screen specialty. On the other side of things for Miami in the third, Jimmy Butler restricted some things. 2 for 13 from the field was where he stood entering the fourth quarter, but it transcends a stat sheet, since it’s actually about the half-court shift for Miami. With his top of the key ball dominance, especially without Lowry, he relies heavily on that help at the nail. That allows him to manipulate the strong side to his advantage as that defender drops. And well, that defender wasn’t dropping tonight. It limits thing, which leads to them looking in the direction of guys like Herro even more often.

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#5: Heat fall late due to poor execution.

We’ve seen Erik Spoelstra’s ATO excellence work in the past, but that needs to be addressed in the larger scheme of things. It’s one thing to bring up Miami’s 3 man offense late in games, while Tucker and Vincent land immobile in the corners, but it’s another thing to fall short on an inbound up 1. They tried to go to the usual ATO with two guys in the back-court, but a timeout was forced. The next trial run was to only leave one guy in the back-court, and have three in the front flash. Nothing was there, and he lobbed it up to Butler which led to a jump ball. Late-game execution lost them this game, and well, a poor Jimmy Butler performance.

Bam’s Leap: A Statistical Look into Bam Adebayo’s Impressive Month of February

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Before the month of February, Bam Adebayo was objectively having his worst season as a starter in the NBA. All numbers were down and efficiency was easily the lowest it’s ever been. While some pointed to simple regression, the reasoning behind this drop-off was largely related to a massive and necessary role change for Adebayo. The addition of Kyle Lowry meant Adebayo needed to change from “play initiator” to “play-finisher”, a crucial piece of development for the Miami Heat’s championship title aspirations.

 

Since the calendar hit February, Adebayo has learned to thrive in the role of a play-finisher, while simultaneously being the best defender on the planet. Looking back on Adebayo’s last month of basketball being played, it’s completely fair for Heat fans to wonder “are we seeing a real leap from Bam Adebayo?” Let’s dive into some of the numbers from the best month of Adebayo’s career: 

 

Bam’s offense going downhill….  is a good thing? 

To this juncture in his career, Adebayo’s Achilles heel as a face-up scorer had been his inability to get downhill consistently off the dribble. The Heat could mismatch hunt to find a favorable matchup for Adebayo but the aggression necessary to get all the way to the rim was not there. After being hardwired to create easy looks for others, Adebayo seems to have made it through the natural adjustment period to understand that it is OK to create easy looks for himself. 

 

The change in disposition (S/o Ariel Attias) when driving to the basket should not be something that’s quantifiable as Adebayo has never been a high-volume rim pressure guy with the ball in his own hands, however; the numbers show a staggering difference when Adebayo would attempt to go to the rim on his own in the month of February: 

 

 

In the chart shown above you will see Bam Adebayo’s February stats in blue and his Pre-February stats in orange. In his 11 games played in the month of February Adebayo showed an increase in these driving stats relative to his performance before the injury: Drives (+.7), Field Goals Made (+.5), Field Goals Attempted (+.6), Free Throws made (+.8), Free throws Attempted (+1) , Points (+1,8), Points Per Drive (+.33) and saw a decrease in Passes (-.4) and turnover % (-4.6%). While the volume of those numbers doesn’t pop off the screen, it is important to understand the picture that the numbers paint: Bam Adebayo is now going to the rim with the exclusive intention of scoring the basketball. A massive development for Adebayo to be able to anchor non-Jimmy Butler lineups on both ends of the floor. 

 

Where is all the efficiency coming from? 

 

Over the first 26 games leading up to the month of February, Bam Adebayo had been shooting 12.8 shots per game on 51.2% efficiency. Over the 11 games of February, Adebayo averaged 15 shots per game on 57.6% efficiency. An increase in volume typically tends to lead to a decrease in efficiency, for Adebayo it has done the opposite, why? 

 

The simple answer, Adebayo isn’t just adding more shots, he’s adding the right kind of shots. Adebayo’s increase in field goal attempt volume is coming exclusively from within 5 feet of the basket. 1.9 of his 2.2 “new” shots each game are either layups or dunks, with the other .3 coming on hook shots. The most exciting part about this increase is Adebayo is creating more of these looks on his own. Before February, Adebayo was unassisted on 21% of his dunks and 48% of his layups. During February, Adebayo was unassisted on 31% of his dunks and 50% of his layups. 

 

Adding the right kind of shots is important. Being able to create the right shots at will and doing it consistently shows a concerted effort to eliminate all variables except the most important person in the equation: Bam Adebayo. It doesn’t matter who he shares the floor with, this newly adopted “flat-out scorer” mindset is exactly what this Heat team needs. 

 

A leap on defense? 

 

Anyone who has watched the Miami Heat play basketball over the last 3 seasons would be able to tell you Bam Adebayo has been a great defender. Is it possible that the All-NBA defender could be even better? There aren’t many statistics to quantify the impact that Adebayo has on the defensive end, however; seeing Adebayo have the 4th most Stocks (Steals + Blocks) in the month of February will help bolster his DPOY candidacy in a major way. The Heat’s ability to force teams into contested jump shots as opposed to rim attempts has been detrimental to Adebayo’s individual statistics, but his improvement as a weak-side help defender has helped him overcome this obstacle and still take the “statistical” leap from a second team All-Defense defender to one the media can’t deny for the DPOY award. 

 

FAQ’s on Bam’s month of February

While Adebayo played a near perfect month of basketball, the inevitable questions will be asked: Is this sustainable? How does this affect the Heat’s playoff outlook? Where else can Bam improve? 

 

Let’s answer those questions: 

 

Is this sustainable? 

Yes. There will be fluctuation from a scoring perspective on a nightly basis but what Adebayo has done isn’t relying on some sort of irreplicable jump shooting efficiency (He’s actually struggling as a jump shooter), he’s simply putting his head down and using his athletic gifts more consistently. It’s completely possible, and in my opinion quite likely, that Bam Adebayo averages 20 points per game over the remaining portion of the season.

 

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How does this affect the Heat’s playoff outlook?

The recipe for slowing down the Heat over the last few years has been to put an athletic big on Jimmy Butler in hopes of making anyone else beat you from the Heat’s roster. Previously teams could get away with stuffing a smaller, quicker defender on Bam Adebayo but that *might* be a thing of the past. If Adebayo can sustain some self-created offense against mismatches, this will force teams to choose which of the Heat’s stars they wish to slow down, and there may never be a right answer. Until the jump shooting normalizes for Adebayo, beating drop coverage remains a question mark but Kyle Lowry, Tyler Herro and crew have shown the ability to beat it when necessary. 

 

Where else can Bam improve? 

The toughest dynamic to figure out is the Heat’s late game offense with a healthy Miami Heat team. There is an overreliance on Jimmy Butler and a shocking lack of Bam Adebayo. Whether it is by design or not, there needs to be a shift in the team’s process when the game slows down. Adebayo’s continued struggles from mid-range (29.2 during February) and his overall lack of volume as a pick-and-pop big (10 attempts over last 11 games) have paved the way for the smaller role in clutch moments, but can also be the reason for the Heat having a big turnaround in late game offense. 

 

These two facets of offense were Adebayo’s strength in the 2020 playoffs as he shot 46% from mid-range and 51.5% on catch-and-shoot opportunities over a 19-game span. While improvement as a jump shooter isn’t the only path to success for this Heat team, having Adebayo function as an efficient two-level scorer will put defenses into an unsolvable bind and make life easier on everyone who plays for the Heat. 

 

*All stats provided from https://www.nba.com/stats/

 

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Miami Hurricanes: Josh Gattis wants to revitalize running game

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As a new era of Miami Hurricanes football begins, we are already seeing some of the members of the coaching staff wanting to set expectations. For offensive coordinator Josh Gattis, getting the run game going is important.

Miami certainly has work to do in that area. They averaged 127 yards per game in 2021, which ranked 97th in the country and 12 in the ACC. They averaged 3.69 yards per carry, which was 102nd in the country.

Obviously, those are not exactly great numbers. However, if you look at what Gattis has been able to get out of his running game recently, there are certainly reasons for hope.

In 2021, Michigan’s rushing attack was one of the best in the country. Hassan Haskins was second in the Big Ten in rushing yards with 1,327. His positional partner Blake Corum had 952 yards on the ground, good enough for eighth in the Big Ten. Haskins averaged 4.9 yards per carry, Corum averaged 6.6. Together, they were able to help pace a Michigan offense that led all of the Big Ten with 39 touchdowns.

Recent trends bode well for Miami Hurricanes

If getting the run game going is a focus for Miami, they certainly have a good coordinator to get it done with. Not only do they have a good coordinator, they have a running back room with depth. Two guys that should be able to help get the job done are Henry Parrish and Jaylan Knighton.

Knighton  had 561 yards and eight touchdowns in eight games. He averaged 3.9 yards per carry. Parrish rushed for 551 yards and three touchdowns as the third-string running back for Ole Miss last season. For a third-string back, that is certainly decent production.

There is no doubt that Haskins and Corum were good at Michigan. I have reason to believe that Knighton and Parrish can be a formidable one-two tandem as well. When you look at how those Michigan running backs were able to help the Michigan offense, they were put in positions to succeed via good playcalling. Now it’s up to Gattis to make sure the Miami Hurricanes running back room is in a similar position. Can he make that happen? If recent history is any indication, I would say yes.

Gattis wants the running game to be a focus, and he has a recent track record of success that indicates he can get that done. It is an achievable goal, and it will be intriguing to see how it develops over the course of the spring.

 

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2022 NFL Scouting Combine Preview

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The NFL Combine kicks off on March 1st and ends on March 7th. The 2022 NFL Combine will take place in Lucas Oil Stadium. 

NFL Network will be covering the 2022 NFL Combine:

  • March 3rd: quarterbacks, wide receivers and tight ends from 4 p.m. ET to 11 p.m. ET 
  • March 4th: running backs, offensive linemen and special teams from 4 pm. ET to 10 p.m. ET 
  • March 5th: Five hours of live coverage of defensive linemen and linebackers from 4 p.m. ET to 9 p.m. 
  • March 6th: Five hours of live coverage of defensive backs from 2 p.m. ET to 7 p.m. ET 

What it is

The 2022 NFL Scouting Combine allows prospects to participate in on-field drills in front of NFL evaluators. Additionally, prospects have the opportunity to interview with NFL teams.

There are around 324 total combine participants ranging from SEC powerhouses to FCS and HBCU players. 

Analysis

The NFL combine is the biggest draft-centric event of the year. A year after its full cancellation, the NFL combine is returning this year but the National Invitational Camp planned to implement several COVID-19 protocols, including a “bubble.” 

However, The NFL Combine is lifting bubble restrictions shortly after the news that player agents were organizing a boycott.

Most prospects train for the NFL Combine right after the season ends. Each prospect has a team of nutritionists, agents, and trainers- to help them with their testing, nutrition, training and even sleep schedule.

Training for the combine is no joke as it is the biggest interview of prospects lives.

It may be entertaining for fans and media alike to enjoy the testing events such as the 40 yard dash and even the bench press. NFL teams view the medical evaluations as the most vital aspect of the combine.

These medical evaluations are critical in decision making for NFL teams. At times if a player fails the evaluation it may knock them off a teams board or may even shatter their dreams of playing in the NFL.

Interviews with NFL team evaluators is the second most important part of the combine process. It’s a rare opportunity for scouts, coaches, and general managers to get to know players in a one-on-one format. 

This allows players to understand what teams are looking for in them and teams to really pick a prospects brain and see if they can be a cultural fit within their organization.

Prospects see a volatile change in their training regimen for the NFL Combine. The Combine itself has a different structure compared to how players train.

Players are in a new uncomfortable environment which interferes in how they go about doing things. It’s not an optimal environment that will translate into testing numbers they usually hit.

Furthermore, it’s why teams go to prospects pro days. Pro days are similar to the NFL combine except colleges host it for their players. This allows prospects to be comfortable in familiar circumstances to put their best foot forward.

Pro days are essentially structured by college training staffs where players know the surface they are working on. In short, players create the workout during pro days where the combine creates the work for them.

Conclusion

For many of us in the draft world, analysts don’t “trust” the pro day testing numbers as they want to see how prospects react to different environments as it translates to prospects figuring out things in the league and on game days.

Agents of prospects sometimes tell them to forgo the combine testing and do the medical testing and interviews with teams. Teams still take into account pro day numbers and can use their evaluation criteria to better judge players.

 

*** This article was originally posted at PhinManiacs***

 

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