Miami Dolphins Training Camp Notes Day 10 (Xavien Howard, Gaskin, McKinney, more)

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This is day 10 of camp, and it starts with news that Xavien Howard has agreed to a re-structure that has some added guarantees, bonuses, so all is well on that front. On another front, not so good news. Late in practice, in the game sim portion of practice, Jacoby Brissett faced a 3rd and 14 and the Dolphins pass rush as he rifled a corner route to rookie Tight End Hunter Long for a first down. Long then ran out of bounds as he got tripped up, went down, and seemed hurt. Dolphins medical staff could then be seen looking at his left knee as he stayed down for a few minutes. Hunter Long was then helped to a cart, and was then taken into the facility. The optics were not good.

Xavien Howard. So, the deal is done, and so was this half hearted hold out, that never was. On the Three Yards Per Carry Podcast we had been predicting this exact outcome for a while now, and truth be told, it was not any inside info, or anything of the sort. It was common sense. If they wanted to keep him, they would. They did. As for practice, Xavien Howard had a Pass break up that drew loud cheers at the goal line on a Tua Tagovailoa slant to Isaiah Ford. Howard also received a round of applause when lining up for the stretch portion of practice.

Tua Tagovailoa. Some great moments, and general dominance on the goal line and red zone portions. Tua also seems to own the 6v8 portions. Now for the bad. In the 2 minute portion of practice, they start at their own 25 yard line and have 1:30 on the clock to get down field and score a TD or get a FG. Tua ran two plays in this portion of practice. Not on one series, but two series. Two interceptions. On the first play of his 1st 2 minute drill, Tua seemed to be looking for Adam Shaheen on an option route, and Tua threw it to the right of Shaheen, while Shaheen went left. Miscommunication on an option route. Intercepted by Eric Rowe. On the 1st play of the 2nd series,Tua had Jakeem grant streaking down the right sideline on a 9 route, and Tua just let it rip. Jevon Holland was coming off his hash in 2 deep all the way. Gimme Interception. This was not a good set of plays for Tua Tagovailoa.

Jevon Holland. I think it’s a safe bet to declare Jevon Holland a starter. He is playing in several spots on the secondary as well. Gone is the more elementary spots as a safety, and in is a more elaborate role. He had a pass break up on the goal line on a Tua to Mack Hollins slant, and of course, his interception of Tua in the 2 minute drill. Holland is beginning to understand the concepts in the install portions of practice, and it is beginning to show. Once that part is taken care of, his considerable physical skills will take over.

Bernardrick McKinney. The run defense is fixed? Maybe? McKinney has been rolling down hill and filling on over, and under fronts, and quite frankly, the combination of McKinney and Raekwon Davis are too tough to run on inside. Those two have dominated all camp, in 11v11 portions of practice. McKinney is reading his linemen, filling with confidence, and so far, he has been right with every decision based on what he is seeing. McKinney also packs a punch as a tackler, and his size is an obvious and important factor on the defense’s success defending the run this Training Camp.

Myles Gaskin. Myles Gaskin has quietly had a strong camp. Not so much that he is breaking long runs, but that he has become a pass catching weapon in the red zone, and has been a consistent outlet/safety valve for Tua Tagovailoa. On runs, he has finished runs strong, and has not shied from contact. Myles Gaskin has embraced the RB1 role, and has taken a noticeable leadership role on the RB unit. His work on his body int he offseason has also paid off, considering he is putting up a large rep load all camp, while not missing any portion so far.

NOTE: The team closed practice by running 10 gassers (Jaelen Phillips participated in the gassers, but did not practice), in which some coaches participated.
NOTE #2: Solomon Kindley had some good moments as a 2nd team LG, and also received a couple of reps on the 1st team as the LG as well.

Practice MVP: Jevon Holland
Struggled: 2nd team tackles (Brissett faced pressure throughout)

Alfredo Arteaga (@Alf_Arteaga) is one-third of the trio that does the Three Yards Per Carry (@3YardsPerCarry) podcast.

Full Breakdown on Markieff Morris’ Fit in Miami’s System

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In a pretty eventful free agency for the Miami Heat, they walked away with some enticing headliners for the 2021-2022 roster. Kyle Lowry is the starting point since it’s been the awaited piece for quite some time now, while reigning champion PJ Tucker was the unexpected addition that has people chirping.

But the guy who is going under the radar a bit with Miami’s latest acquisitions is Markieff Morris. After somewhat of an underwhelming role this past season with the Lakers, it feels like there will be much more of a natural fit on this Heat team, as he clearly fits the theme of the team.

So, let’s hop right into his biggest strengths, and how they will be utilized this upcoming season…

Spotting Up from Deep

The first one to note is absolutely zero surprise. When adding some wing depth to the roster, it was obvious that they must be able to stretch the floor next to Adebayo so he can have room to navigate.

As seen above, Morris has quite the resume in terms of shooting from different spots beyond the arc, since he’s not just a corner spacer like PJ Tucker. He’s pretty versatile when discussing the ways he will be used under Erik Spoelstra, but there’s no doubt it’ll involve plenty of popping out to the perimeter off pick and rolls or hand-offs.

In the last clip above, that’s probably the one thing that sets him apart when looking at his shooting from deep. He will not be shooting off the dribble, but he’s capable of creating that extra dribble of separation to get a good look. That one dribble side-step can go a long way, just ask Jae Crowder in the bubble…..

No matter the other points I’m about to make referring to other ways he can be used, we’re always going to come back to the floor spacing, since that will ultimately be what keeps him on the floor for extended stretches.

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More of an Inside Presence

I basically talked about every possible small ball four the Heat could get heading into free agency, and I felt like there would be a theme in terms of the player they would be looking for.

Yes, everybody can stretch the floor to a certain degree, but staggering usage up a bit with inside capabilities needed to be a sticking point. And well, Tucker and Morris fit that description in their own unique ways.

The clip above showcases the way he would be used in that sense, and it all starts from the beginning of the possession. In today’s game, you just don’t see many wings locating themselves inside the arc for a deep two off the catch, but Morris finds that area comfortable.

He then uses his body to get to the middle of the floor, giving a quick look to the corner to force the help-side to retreat to the three-point line, before knocking down the easy mid-range jumper. With Miami’s past guys at that position, they weren’t truly able to make an impact in the second level of the half-court.

Tucker definitely won’t be taking jumpers in that spot either, but being able to be inserted into the dunker spot for dump-offs and easy layups will be his way to alter spacing. Morris, on the other hand, won’t be asked to be on the ball a ton, but it’s fair to say he can get to his spots on the floor when posting up or attacking.

Utilization as a Roller

When thinking of the base sets he can be used in, many would probably start with being a pick and pop artist. That refers back to the continued usage as a floor spacer, but I think there’s other ways to mix things up with him.

The play above gives you an idea, since his mobility and size seems like the perfect fit for double drag. It’s simple: he rolls to the basket for a 2 on 1 opportunity with LeBron James and it leads to an easy layup. He doesn’t just have to be a popper, but his rolling can really unlock some things.

As I’ve touched on with Tucker, they’re going to have to pass on some of the responsibilities to the newcomers when discussing dribble hand-offs. Of course Adebayo will still get a fair share of them, even though some may not like that, but allowing Tucker and Morris types to run those actions with Adebayo on the weak-side can really give Miami a bunch of offensive options.

That is exactly where his rolling skill-set comes into play, since a Duncan Robinson pocket pass to Morris allows him to get to that mid-range jumper that I discussed previously, or dish it to Adebayo so he can score off the catch which is a major strength.

It’s definitely going to be something we see more of as we move forward, but the only question is if it will be with the starting group or as an effective reserve. In either lineup, that rolling skill can be utilized due to the fact it’s something the Heat kind of miss at this exact moment.

Above the Break Play-Making

You may be wondering why I’m touching on play-making when discussing Markieff Morris, since that has never been a staple of his game, but there’s some upside from one spot on the floor.

Kyle Lowry will definitely be the guy play-making from the top of the key, which Miami hasn’t seen in a very long time, but that’s the spot Morris can be most effective in the offense.

Looking at the clips above, he’s the perfect player to plug into a horns set, since it bends the defense a bit with Lowry dribble penetration, while the kick-out option is there for Morris. It then means he can be the decision maker as he surveys the floor, which led to a corner triple in the first play above.

In the second clip, instead of him being the main part of the action, it’s occurring off the ball while he has to make the pass. Miami will see plenty of these off-ball screens, so it’s good to see him getting plenty of reps in that department in the past. He drops in the over the top pass and it leads to yet another triple.

With Lowry, Jimmy Butler, and Bam Adebayo on the roster, we don’t really think of Morris taking any part in play-making duties, but they should definitely sprinkle it in. Put him in his comfort spots at the top, and let everything else flow from there.

Defensive Versatility

After looking up and down the Miami Heat’s roster on paper, it’s pretty obvious that’s enough offensive talk for one article. This team is going to be in your grill defensively, pressuring heavily on-ball, and swarming on the help-side. A bunch of quick, physical, and gritty defenders must be used in that way, and they undoubtedly will.

Another point I made time and time again heading into free agency was that they needed a guy who could size up defensively instead of size down. Trevor Ariza was the perfect plugging piece, since it fixed some of the point of attack problems, but it just led to more exposure on the block.

The Heat already have their big man that can guard the perimeter, so they need a four who can make up for those switches if they occur. And well, Morris can do just that.

He has guarded plenty of centers over the course of his career, which ties back to the point of Miami adding so much versatility on both sides of the ball. We see some of that perimeter defense in the first clip above, but the second clip is much more important.

Seeing him handle big men like that is the perfect person to place next to Adebayo. Yes, we’re constantly looking for the front-court pairing that pushes him in the right direction offensively, but that’s Lowry’s job now. Morris and Tucker are guys who can allow Adebayo to be more of a freelancer defensively and take a little weight off his shoulders, which is probably even more important.

Once again, these pick-ups feel to be a blend of Pat Riley and Erik Spoelstra’s preferences. The small ball fours who Spo likes to play down the stretch of games, but also Riley types who size up and play physical. The theme of this team is clear, and adding a bunch of players who won’t get bullied in any circumstance creates a very interesting dynamic in Miami.

 

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Miami Dolphins Training Camp Notes Day 9 (Tua, Xavien Howard, Shaheen, more)

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This is day 9 of camp, and the pads were on. Started with a heavy emphasis on the run game, but ended with Tua Tagovailoa fireworks. The offense did most of the winning on this day, and save for a few plays by the 2nd team, the defense was off balance for the most part.

Xavien Howard. Howard was a full participant in full uniform, but did sit out 11v11 portions of practice. Xavien Howard was also busy giving instruction to the secondary in the live portions. He participated in 1v1 tackle drills, and got beat by Lynn Bowden on a memorable juke move. Howard was also in the 6v8 portion and looked fluid. When practice was over, Xavien Howard could be seen running gassers with several players, including Jacoby Brissett.

Tua Tagovailoa. Another strong practice. Tua seems to have settled on punishing the Dolphins defense deep whenever they bring pressures. He had several hook ups with Jakeem Grant, and had a memorable jump ball 50 yard TD throw to Mack Hollins (Mack Hollins beat Byron Jones on it). His best play of the day came from the 25 yard line going in, where he recognized cover 2, and he dropped a throw behind Byron Jones, and in front of Eric Rowe for the Touchdown to DeVante Parker. On another play to Parker, the Dolphins dialed up a blitz, and Tua responded by throwing a deep fade to Parker on Jones, where Jones made the play. In my opinion, it was 50/50 on whether pass interference could have been called on that play. The Referee waved it incomplete. So good play by Byron Jones.

Jevon Holland. He had a miscommunication on a coverage, and allowed a big post completion to Albert Wilson. He was also a bit late on a 20 yard curl to Jakeem Grant, and those alone were a cause for further instruction, which he did receive from several players. It is not clear however, what exactly was the issue, although my best guess is that he failed to recognize route combinations that would allow him to come off routes and get a better break on the ball.

Adam Shaheen. Adam Shaheen is now the 1st team Tight End in 11 personnel in the absence of Mike Gesicki. Shaheen had a strong day, and considering the places he lined up at, and the plays he ran, you can tell he was in direct competition with Rookie Hunter Long on this day. Shaheen had a good day. After practice he also clarified (from a question asked by Joe Schad of The Palm Beach Post) that the “I will not comply” in his Twitter Bio has nothing to do with Covid, and everything to do with his strong belief in the 2nd amendment.

Jerome Baker. Jerome Baker and Bernardrick McKinney have gotten into a rhythm against the run, and Baker especially has had good moments in coverage this camp. His A gap blitzes are always there, but we are beginning to see him rush wide on passing situations, and he really looks the part as an edge rusher. Jerome Baker has consistently been a top camp performer and this season is no different. Andrew Van Ginkel was not in pads today, but was rather busy coaching up Jaelen Phillips in the install portions of practice.

Practice MVP: Tua Tagovailoa
Struggled: Byron Jones

Alfredo Arteaga (@Alf_Arteaga) is one-third of the trio that does the Three Yards Per Carry (@3YardsPerCarry) podcast.

Miami Dolphins Training Camp Notes Day 8 (Walk Through, Xavien Howard,more)

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This is day 8 of camp, and walk-through day. So, I won’t be posting formations, personnel packages, and plays here as that is frowned upon by the Dolphins and the NFL. So it was a lite day, so these will be lite camp notes.

Xavien Howard. Let’s not bury the lede. Xavien Howard was a full participant in the defensive walk through for base, Nickel, Dime, and other packages. He was preparing “to play”. So if today is any indication, he is preparing to return to practice/action after sitting out most of the start of camp with a reported ankle injury. Head Coach Brian Flores also spoke to the media before practice, and said he does not want to trade Xavien Howard. So Flores continues to make news/noise on the situation, with continued optimistic sounding quotes.

Jesse Davis. Jesse Davis is wearing a sleeve on his right leg, but he says he has no pain and is “ready to go”. He was also back to his 1st team duties at RT, and was spelled rarely. Jesse Davis when asked “what position” he actually plays (By Hal Habib of the Palm Beach Post),said he plays “Offensive Line for the Miami Dolphins. It will be interesting to see how the OL shakes out in the coming days.

Jevon Holland. There he was once again, on the 1st team, and he seemed to have a good grasp of what the team is trying to do with their coverages. Holland has not had the work load of let’s say a Jason McCourty (different positions), but he has had a very high rep count.

Larnel Coleman. This could be the story of camp. The 7th round draft pick out of Umass is firmly entrenched as what seems like the “swing tackle” on this team as he has seen 1st and 2nd team duty. The prototypical size, large frame, and obvious athleticism is worth an extended look. If Coleman pans out, the OL suddenly gets an injection of depth. On this day, Solomon Kindley seemed to get a promotion to the 2nd team, so things are beginning to look up a little bit for the OL unit.

Michael Palardy. Ok. This is now multiple times Michael Palardy has gotten his name into my notes. This time for a trick. I wasn’t going to offer a “Practice MVP” for this day since it was a walk through, but Michael Palardy was putting on a display that was rather entertaining. I’ll allow Travis Wingfield of MiamiDolphins.com fill you in, and yes, I have never seen anything like it either.

Practice MVP: Michael Palardy
Struggled: Nobody (walk through)

Alfredo Arteaga (@Alf_Arteaga) is one-third of the trio that does the Three Yards Per Carry (@3YardsPerCarry) podcast.

Breaking Down Heat’s Summer League Day 2

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The Miami Heat played their second game of Summer League in Sacramento last night, and some lineups looked a little different. For one, recently signed Max Strus was the headliner for this one, while guys who shined on day 1, like Marcus Garrett, immediately jumped into the starting group.

Omer Yurtseven is another guy that turned heads once again, since it basically appeared he wasn’t on the same level with opposing bigs in this environment. Skill-set, size, and much more seemed to set him apart.

So, let’s jump immediately into the main storylines of this game for Miami, looking into the film of guys who are in reach of a two-way contract on the Heat’s roster…

Max Strus:

Catch and Shoot Dominance 

Although I’ll touch on the emerging parts of Strus’ game next, we must start with the attribute that basically got him on a Heat roster in the first place: the dude can really shoot the ball.

Looking at the offense Miami was running last night, it looked like they were putting him in a lot of positions that they do Duncan Robinson, and this is not to just compare the two shooters for Miami. They’re testing to see how he can run off pin-downs and screens, his mechanics off the hand-off, and his range beyond the arc.

All of that flourished in this game, and more importantly, he looked comfortable in every area. When looking at the clips above, you’ll notice something interesting about his three-point jumper: every shot looks the same. Good shooters have a way to keep the same form, lift, and follow through on every shot, and that has been the case with Strus since joining.

The Heat have shown a real liking to him, due to his overall skill-set and dedicated ways that he goes about his body of work, and it feels like that will grow even more. In the Heat’s current state, it isn’t crazy to say Strus could be on his way to getting some solid bench minutes this season, and it feels like Coach Spo and the team wouldn’t bat an eye at that notion.

On-Ball Reps

The other part of Strus’ game that we haven’t seen much of is his on-ball skills. In Miami last season, he was given a role to just come off of screens or shoot over the top of defenders off the catch, and he has said many times in the past he will do exactly what the team tells him to do.

Much like Miami did with Robinson in Summer League a few years ago, they’re letting Strus roam freely on offense with the ball in his hands, just doing a little bit of trial and error with his offensive attributes.

Last season, we saw moments where he would fly down the lane to go dunk on somebody, but I’ve been curious what he’d look like running half-court sets. And after seeing him run some PnR’s for the first time yesterday, I am pleasantly surprised.

He’s capable of making simple reads in those spots, he can flow downhill to take contact instead of avoid it, and being a deep-ball threat makes him much more effective on the attack in this space. Do I see him being on the ball in a Miami Heat role this upcoming season? Definitely not, but some versatility in his youthful game will be something to monitor.

Omer Yurtseven:

Post-Up Master

Omer Yurtseven had another strong offensive display on Wednesday night, and one part of his game has continued to look like a focal point. Of course he has added length on most of his match-ups, but he has a good eye for noticing the switches and taking advantage of them.

If a switch is forced, he immediately closes out the defender for the entry pass, and goes to work. Drop-steps for dunks, nice-looking post-hooks, or fadeaway jumpers. His bag has been endless so far down there, but mostly due to the fact that his soft touch allows him to be effective in many areas of his game.

To look into the specifics, he has a go-to move that basically gets him into a certain rhythm down there. He uses his initial shoulder bump to back his defender down, before shifting in the other direction for a floater type shot.

By the way, he’s not shifting in the other direction in a turnaround manner. He’s going through that motion on the face-up to really maximize space. There is some curiosity to his game if it will translate to guys his size down there, but the ability that I will dive into next makes me think it definitely will.

Pick and Pop or Pick and Roll?

Once Yurtseven really masters the art of screening, I believe his offensive utilization can go in so many different directions. In these games, he is such a threat when he is in the action, since his length and rolling gravity leads to a clear lob opportunity as seen in the clips above, while popping out to the three-point line is just second nature to him.

He continues to shoot the ball well from deep, which is good to see him comfortably shooting over the top of smaller guys even when a hand is in his face. His high release point means that it’s a very hard shot to alter, while a big man defending it leads to a clear run-way for him to try and go for the drive-by.

When people are thinking into the future with Yurtseven, there’s no doubt that he would be able to play next to Adebayo. He’s not the greatest defender, but his length means that he can accumulate blocks down low while Adebayo roams the perimeter.

The spacing clearly wouldn’t be a problem, and he doesn’t fill up the same spots as Adebayo offensively. There would be opportunities for plenty of 4-5 PnR’s, due to Adebayo’s effectiveness off the dribble and Yurtseven’s choice between popping or rolling, as stated previously.

There’s no doubt that he is a special talent, but eyes are now turning toward the Heat to make sure they lock him up so they can see where it goes from here.

Marcus Garrett:

Two-Way Play Flashes

The reason the title of the Marcus Garrett section is “two-way play,” is due to his high level defensive antics and current placing in line to receive a two-way contract with Miami.

While the Yurtseven situation is pretty much a given for a two-way, Garrett is the type of player they like to grab early and see where it can possibly go. But if I’m going to be honest, when comparing him to past products that were similar, I don’t think any of them were as sound defensively as Garrett.

Outstanding ball pressure, quick hands to rack up constant steals, fights over screens, and just can’t be beat off the bounce. That’s a guy the Heat would definitely like to move up a tier on the roster, but some questions have come up if he really is a “two-way” player.

What I mean by that is his offensive skill-set was worrisome coming in, but he has had more flashes than I originally expected. Aside from the constant fast-break points after he picks someone’s pocket, he’s a pretty consistent finisher in the half-court.

And as seen in the first clip above, as physical and gritty that he is defensively, he brings that same fire on offense. Charging toward the basket and embracing contact for hard finishes screams Miami Heat player, and it’s going to take some big time performances from other guys on this roster to beat out Garrett for that spot.

Tyson Carter:

Point Guard Duties

Lastly, I dove into all of the top Heat performances in Summer League in my last piece, but one guy I didn’t get to was Tyson Carter. The reason for that was he did not have a great first game with the team, and that got cleared up a bit after yesterday’s game.

After a very strong game from Carter against the Warriors, I asked summer league coach Malik Allen about his ability to run the offense so smoothly at this point. He responded with the things he liked from him in that game, adding in that he was one of the last guys added to the roster, and was basically thrown into the fire in the first game.

Well, he turned his stock around after his 11 point performance on 67% shooting, while dishing out 5 assists as well. Out of all the point guards on this team, Carter looked the most under control and trustworthy on the floor.

He’s a very special passer with great court vision in the half-court, can shoot the three at a decent clip, and got to the rim whenever he chose out of the pick and roll. I wouldn’t be shocked if they move Carter up to starting point guard next game now that he is caught up a bit, and I think it’s somebody we will need to keep track of.

I’d say Yurtseven and Garrett are the two front-runners for the two-way spots, while Carter and DJ Stewart are somewhere in the background, one push away from being in that category.

 

Everything Tradeshows is a one-stop-shop for trade show exhibit rentals and custom exhibit display purchase solutions to companies of all sizes.

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Why cryptocurrency betting websites will become more popular

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People who still go to land-based casinos and betting shops know that they have to use cash when they want to bet. Fortunately, most online gamblinmg operators allow their clients to use all sorts of payment alternatives. Most websites provide as many e-wallets as possible because those things are trendy among punters.

 

Although Skrill and PayPal will continue to be the preferred option for many users, cryptocurrencies are slowly becoming the preferred alternative for many people. Most digital currencies offer fast transactions and are also safe to use, which is extremely important in online betting.

 

Due to their characteristics, many gambling websites have started to add them to their payment sections. In fact, silentbet has its own chart with betting sites accepting Bitcoin and other cryptos, so if this is something you are interested in, make sure to check it out. Every betting website has different sections, cool promotions, and features.

 

With that being said, here are some of the reasons why the so-called “cryptocurrency betting websites” will continue to become more prevalent in the future.

 

More and more people are using cryptocurrencies on a daily basis

 

Bitcoin is the most popular digital currency globally, and as you probably know, it began its existence back in 2009. You can read loads of information about it, but Bitcoin’s main goal was to substitute the fiat currencies that we use in our everyday life.

 

Judging by what’s happening today, things are not going as planned because most people see this cryptocurrency as an investment rather than an alternative to the US dollar, Euro, and so on. 

 

However, we expect things to change in the future because there are thousands of different digital currencies that we can choose from. Sooner or later, people will realize that those things can be used for other things besides investing/speculating, such as online betting.

 

Online casinos and bookmakers will promote the usage of cryptocurrencies

 

Although there are some exceptions, some betting websites that you will come across after reviewing Silentbet’s chart promote the usage of cryptocurrency. Some of them do that by providing their customers with different bonuses, access to special events, and even the chance to play unique casino games.

 

Interestingly, you can come across several crypto-only betting platforms where you can’t use any other payment option. Those sites weren’t that popular a few years ago, but since Ethereum, Bitcoin, and other cryptos are becoming more common in some countries, these sites are slowly becoming the preferred option for many clients.

 

Punters from some countries may not be able to use any other type of payment solution

 

Sadly, online gambling continues to be under the attack of many regulations. Even though some countries have started to accept online casinos and bookies, most of them still don’t allow their residents to access those websites. This means that the only way for those people to bet on the things they like is by using one of the cryptocurrencies.

 

Miami Dolphins Training Camp Notes Day 7 (Tua, B. Scarlett, Holland, more)

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This is day 7 of camp, and day 2 of pads. A much more balanced approach on offense saw 2nd year QB Tua Tagovailoa shine once again. Some interesting shuffling in the secondary, highlighted what they are trying to do on defense, and the tight end unit had a good day despite being short-handed.

Tua Tagovailoa. No other way to put it. This was an impressive day. First, the bad. Tua did have some throwaways on the goal line facing pressure. And he had pressure in his face, as he locked in on a deep over route to Waddle. On that play, Hunter Long was on the slant underneath as rookie Jevon Holland came off the hash to get wide and intercept the too wide, overthrown pass from Tua. Other than that, Tua was really sharp on RPO. He had a few escapes that led to big plays, and was generally in command as he had a great day throwing the football.

Brennan Scarlett. Brennan Scarlett played everywhere. First team, 2nd team, 3rd team, played buck linebacker (weakside), played end, rushed as a wide-9 specialist. Brennan Scarlett showed a motor today, and had at least one confirmed sack against Austin Jackson. When he was on 2nd team, he did a number on 2nd team LT, Timon Parris. You can see what they are thinking as far as depth with Scarlett. Both he and Shaquem Griffin are gobbling up special teams reps and being played essentially the same on 2nd and 3rd teams. Both players figure as roster players so far, as the reps are being evenly divided on defense, but are near 100% participation on punt/kickoff teams.

Larnel Coleman. Jesse Davis played a couple snaps, then sat out practice. Larnel Coleman came in, and acquitted himself well early on. Then Vince Biegel beat him for a late practice sack. At 6’6″, 315 pounds, Coleman is a noticeable athlete, with prototypical size. The 7th round pick out of Umass is one to watch in the preseason as he figures to play plenty with the 2nd unit. On this day, this was not a bad debut versus the 1st unit. Color me interested to see him play versus Chicago in a week’s time.

Jevon Holland. It took him a little while, but Jevon Holland saw first team snaps on this day, and made a few plays, including the interception mentioned above. He also participated in the install portion as Byron Jones watched it with Xavien Howard and Nik Needham. Holland is a long, lean, fast athlete, who was diagnosing plays well on this day. Holland also matched up with Hunter Long, several times, and was good to turn and run with the BC tight end. This was a bit of a coming out party for Holland, and if today is any indication, you can pencil in the rookie as a starter/top snap getter.

Noah Igbinoghene. This was not a good day for the 2nd year DB. Igbinoghene got beat badly by Isaiah Ford on a go route, then got beat again on a deep in-cut by Bowden. Then gives up a big play to Hurns. It was hard to put a finger on what was wrong with him today, other than his technique being sloppy, a bit choppy, and being a bit slow to get out of his backpedal. He worked on install, while a few veterans from last year did not, so that is anecdotal evidence that he might not have a full grasp of the coverages the Dolphins want to play. I am looking forward to seeing Igbinoghene bounce back on Friday when the team returns to practice.

Practice MVP: Tua Tagovailoa, Brennan Scarlett
Struggled: Noah Igbinoghene

Alfredo Arteaga (@Alf_Arteaga) is one-third of the trio that does the Three Yards Per Carry (@3YardsPerCarry) podcast.

Breaking Down Miami’s Top Summer League Performers

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The Miami Heat beat the Los Angeles Lakers in the opening Summer League match, 80-78, with some promising performances across the board for Miami.

One thing that should be made clear is the my continued point about the Heat’s known focus coming into this. On their current roster, a back-up point guard is the one major hole, and even though an undrafted guy being put into the role isn’t ideal, it seemed like a good idea to flood the summer league roster with two-way point guards.

The Heat’s biggest performance came from Omer Yurtseven who they know much more about than the other guys, which is exactly where we will kick this off…

Omer Yurtseven

After a quick 8-0 start alone, Yurtseven finished the game with 27 points and 19 rebounds. For starters, his length compared to others on the floor was pretty clear, but it was good to see him taking advantage of it.

The offense was being worked through him early, while he sprinkled in some adjusted possessions where he forced a switch in the post and took advantage.

The more important area to highlight was his efficient and smooth shooting from deep, going 3 for 7 from outside the arc. That length that I just touched on gives him quite the advantage when shooting over the top of smaller defenders, but the confidence element is pretty crucial as well.

He looked comfortable out there in that offensive heavy role, but there were definitely some defensive lapses at times. Yurtseven has recognized in the past that he’s going to work on pick and roll coverage and base defensive principles, and some of those raw abilities were seen today.

The other issue was the seven turnovers in this game, but I wouldn’t go too crazy about that due to him being the team’s focal point with a ton of offensive responsibility. Taking care of the ball will probably be the next step, but the natural skill-set of popping out to the perimeter, soft touch down low, and comfort in the mid-range is pretty intriguing to see this early.

Marcus Garrett

Let me start off by saying this: Marcus Garrett is a past defensive player of the year for a reason. Although I can’t fully count out all of the deflections and disruptions caused in clips above, you get the idea.

If you’re trying to imagine a Miami Heat Summer League guard in a general sense, you’d probably be thinking about Garrett’s play-style. Diving on the floor for the ball, fighting over screens, not giving up on plays. He truly is the full package on that end, and there were essentially zero lapses when he was on the floor.

Six steals doesn’t even do my previous points justice, since the amount of ball pressure he can provide is special. While we knew that was the case coming in, the question marks were next to his offensive play-style.

And one thing that must be made clear is that he isn’t afraid to attack the basket right into the body of a defender. Besides that physicality, he’s a very good finisher around the rim, and has a tight handle to create for himself.

As seen in the final clip above, that in and out into a crossover absolutely throws his defender to the side to give him an open lane for a nice reverse. Although Yurtseven was the big story with his monster stat-line, Garrett was probably the most promising.

DJ Stewart

A personal favorite of mine that was going under the radar was DJ Stewart. A pure scorer who loves to locate inside the arc, and becomes patient when trying to find his comfortable dead spots.

He finished with 11 points on 50% shooting, but I believe there is so much room to expand on that performance. For one, on a team with a ton of point guards, he is put into an odd role.

Stewart is much more of an on-ball scorer than an off-ball scorer, mostly since he relies on his slow pacing to find good shots in the mid-range. His favorite shot has shown to be the elbow pull-up or the elbow turnaround, and he went right to that early on.

As seen above, he searches for that spot, hesitates a bit to freeze the defense, then fires away for the bucket. I honestly believe he has the most upside of the bunch, and that will be seen as these games progress.

When the Heat are looking for two-way contracts to use up, I wouldn’t be shocked if Stewart receives one of them.

Javonte Smart

In terms of Miami’s point guards in this game, Javonte Smart probably showcased the most point guard qualities. He knocked down 2 triples and scored 10 points, but the efficiency wasn’t great, shooting 3 for 13 from the field.

I will say that his jumper looked a lot smoother than it did when looking over his college career, which is promising for a young player to be making minor tweaks at this stage. A faster trigger was going to be necessary and it seems like he’s adjusted that a bit.

Back to those point guard qualities, he’s a great floor general when it comes to half-court play. You can see him evaluating certain ways they defended the pick and roll, leading to that decisive lob on the roll to Yurtseven.

If the Heat were to put out there best group with the guys that played tonight, Smart would most likely be a part of that group, dribbling the ball down the floor. If the scoring consistency could trend in a positive direction in future games, then I think there may be something there.

Micah Potter

The reason that I believe Micah Potter must be touched on in this piece has a lot to do with the general perception of him. To start it off, the stuff we already know about him was reinstated.

He can stretch the floor from three, he’s comfortable in the mid-range on turnarounds, and loves to fill up the interior in the post. Potter did all of those things by scoring 9 points off the bench on 67% shooting, but some of his weaknesses didn’t look as apparent.

Many labeled some of his biggest downfalls occurring on the defensive end, but I actually believe he held his own in that area tonight. I definitely don’t think he will ever be a great perimeter defender, but he contained very well in the pick and roll in drop coverage, and even exploded with a nice block in the clip above.

One reason Miami didn’t go crazy with signing bigs is that they aren’t looking to develop them anymore, but secondly, they’re comfortable with the two they have on this team. Potter will only grow and improve with the more games he plays in this environment, and I’ve been impressed already.

Usually bigs like that all carry the same traits, but his added mobility compared to others feels like it sets him apart from the rest.

Dru Smith

The final guy that should be discussed here is Dru Smith. He was a late add to the roster, but he ended up getting the start in the game tonight.

I’ve touched on certain things that players did best tonight, and that adjective for Smith was comfort. He looked like one of the most ready players on the floor tonight, which is more important than some may think.

He scored 11 points on 50% shooting, while also throwing in 4 assists and 2 steals. Smith was basically a mixture of a few of the guards I talked about previously.

He was very calm as a passer, fluid as a shooter, and hounding as a defender. If I’m going to be honest, the immediate on-ball defensive impact was not my expectation of his play-style, but he really showed that tonight.

He seems like a trusted player who has a much higher floor than others on this team. Sometimes a safe bet is a very positive thing when trying to prove yourself in Summer League, and he’s shown a bit of that in just one game.

An expanded version of that play-style with some extra hard drives to the basket to score can truly get some extra eyes on him.

Many of Miami’s players had some positive flashes, but the next step will be seeing if there can be some sense of consistency. And working in some guys like Gabe Vincent and Max Strus will only make those other players easier to pick out.

 

Everything Tradeshows is a one-stop-shop for trade show exhibit rentals and custom exhibit display purchase solutions to companies of all sizes.

Visit them at EverythingTradeShows or call 954-791-8882

Miami Dolphins Camp Notes Day 6 (McKinney, Goal Line, Eichenberg, more)

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This is day 6 of camp, and the pads came on. Some Red Zone Install, and plenty of work on the run game as the Defense has a dominant day.

Bernardrick McKinney. Over front, under front, didn’t matter. McKinney was rolling downhill day and making plays on the run game. No missed tackles, one good hit on Myles Gaskin, but most importantly, Bernardrick McKinney was flowing to the ball, and making good decisions, with good angles. McKinney reading off of Raekwon Davis was almost not fair. The activity of Christian Wilkins/Zach Sieler won the day and McKinney was the big beneficiary. Practice MVP on this day.

Nik Needham. It’s official. Needham is first team in base, and was the LCB in a Nickel install that saw Needham and Byron Jones at corner, and Jason McCourty, Eric Rowe and Brandon Jones as Safeties. Jevon Holland, Noah Igbinoghene, Jamal Perry are the top performers on 2nd team, and are pushing for spots in the many groupings the Dolphins have for the secondary. Once or if Xavien Howard returns, (he watched practice from the end zone), the secondary will be very deep and talented. Nik Needham has made a statement in my estimation, and has been the top performer in the secondary this camp.

Liam Eichenberg. It was early when Liam Eichenberg had a “welcome to the NFL” moment with Zach Sieler. Early 1v1 rep, where Sieler blasted past Eichenberg and used a swim move to leave Eichenberg defeated, soundly on a very noticeable rep. Then a personal war developed and the rookie acquitted himself very well, engaging in physical play with all of the usual suspects (Davis, Sieler, Wilkins). The opening offensive line from left to right was Jackson, Eichenberg, Dieter, Hunt, Davis. Solomon Kindley was on 3rd team duty, and Matt Skura served as the 2nd team center. Larnel Coleman was off the Covid 19 list, and in full uniform. Coleman had a solid day in pass pro (2nd team) and had a couple of decent double teams with Hunter Long.

Durham Smythe. The defense may have beat the hell out of the Dolphins offensive line on this day, but Durham Smythe continues to show his value as a blocking specialist. His doubles, and combos with Austin Jackson and Jesse Davis were effective on this day. Problem was that the backs couldn’t get to landmarks to make decisions off his/the tackles’ blocks. Of the healthy TEs (Shaheen, Gesicki, Carter are on the Covid list) on this day, Smythe was the clear cut standout as a blocker, in a goal line/run heavy practice.

Myles Gaskin. What can you say for Myles Gaskin? Not his fault, the offense took a beating on goal line runs. What is apparent, is that they are exploring many options for goal line runners, and Malcolm Brown is the leader in the clubhouse. On this day, they used Carl Tucker, Durval Queiroz Neto, Solomon Kindley as lead blockers/fullbacks and of the three, I must say, Neto had a feel for it. Other than that, the Offense was completely dominated on the Goal line, save for a couple of 2nd team play action passes, and a Tua run. FAIR WARNING: This was a run heavy day, and Goal Line 2-3 Personnel packages essentially tell you what is coming. So, the defense had an advantage, but what a beating they laid upon the offense.

Practice MVP: Bernardrick McKinney
Struggled: Offensive Line

Alfredo Arteaga (@Alf_Arteaga) is one-third of the trio that does the Three Yards Per Carry (@3YardsPerCarry) podcast.

Breaking Down Miami’s Offense with Kyle Lowry and PJ Tucker

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The Miami Heat had a pretty eventful start to free agency on Monday night, as they secured their expected target, Kyle Lowry, while also signing a guy who wasn’t really being discussed, PJ Tucker.

This piece will be a little different than usual. I’ve already dove into the strengths of Lowry in Miami here, which is why I’m going to highlight what Tucker can bring to the table. To touch on Lowry in a different light, I’m going to breakdown some of the different sets Miami can form around him to maximize his offensive abilites.

Those weren’t the only moves that Miami made, since they also retained Duncan Robinson, Dewayne Dedmon, Max Strus, and Gabe Vincent. And well, they’re not done yet.

But before more of that speculation continues, let’s hop right into what the newest acquisitions will look like in a Heat uniform…

Defensive Stopper

The first thing I want to mention about Tucker is something you will notice when evaluating all three of these traits: he’s simple. The Miami Heat essentially need simplicity at that four spot, since they needed a guy who doesn’t stray off from his role often and somebody that you know what you’re going to get from night to night.

Tucker seems to fit that description perfectly.

To start it off on the defensive end, Erik Spoelstra is beginning to load up on defensive weapons, and it eliminates the need for him to stick a power forward on opposing point guards. A focus on front-court pairings, in my opinion, was that they needed a guy who could size up defensively instead of sizing down.

Miami has their point of attack defender now, in Lowry, meaning some size down low even without the length is important.

Even though people may want to look at the stat-sheet of Kevin Durant in the Bucks-Nets series, Tucker did his best to make his life difficult, since that’s all you can do against Durant. He can defend the post on those guys, use his hands actively for steals, and is just a physical body that you trust on that end.

In a Heat sense, Tucker really made Jimmy Butler’s life difficult in that opening playoff series as well, which it’s hard to truly get under Butler’s skin in that type of fashion. Just with the defensive stuff alone, Tucker seems like a pure fit.

The Heat needed more leadership and toughness at that position, and they got just that yesterday.

Spot-Up Threat

Once again, Tucker is not going to shine in certain offensive clips due to him being such a “simple” player. He’s not going to have a high number in the PPG column, but that doesn’t mean he won’t maximize spacing with his corner presence.

In 20 regular season games with the Milwaukee Bucks this past season, he shot slightly under 40% from three on 1.7 attempts per game. If Miami can get the Jae Crowder three-point boost that they did in their finals run, many of these things change quite a bit.

Retaining Duncan Robinson is very important to remember in these discussions. Yes, Tucker can stretch the floor on offense or locate in different spots, but more importantly he’s an unselfish player who can takeover the Adebayo lite role.

Trying to pry away Adebayo from full DHO mentality can consist of Tucker’s big body screening for Robinson in the high pick and roll. The reason that’s important to note is that can shift into a pick and pop type of play-style, while Adebayo can become more of an off the catch player on the weakside in those sets.

Tucker is a guy Erik Spoelstra will 100% trust at the end of games. Not just to hit a clutch corner three. Not only to get a stop. But to make the right play and keep others accountable in the leadership role.

Bam Adebayo Complement

The last thing that should be mentioned about Tucker is that he won’t just be a corner spacer. The continued theme of this piece is offensive versatility and giving Erik Spoelstra some options. And well, Tucker is a guy he can move around for others to become more effective.

One way to do that is by sticking him in the dunker spot (great podcast by the way) so he can fight on the offensive boards a bit, and more importantly, complement Adebayo in the offensive flow.

Adebayo has had an interesting ride with front-court pairings over the last few years: Meyers Leonard to Jae Crowder to Andre Iguodala to Kelly Olynyk to Trevor Ariza. The thing that all of those guys have in common is that they’re purely supposed to be used on the perimeter.

Allowing Adebayo to roam a bit more or expand his range is much smoother when a Tucker type is on the roster to locate in the interior. I’d expect him to get moved around much more than previous fours, and that’s a good thing for the team’s formation of Adebayo taking the next offensive step.

How will Miami use Kyle Lowry in the Offense?

The Downhill Finder

Now, on the Lowry side of things, we already know what he’s going to bring to the offense. Some three level scoring, play-making burden, and off-ball capabilities. But how will they base certain offensive actions around him?

The first one involves a potential connection with Adebayo, and this isn’t just about the pocket pass. As teams begin to blitz Lowry a bit more down the line, that one ability creates constant 4 on 3 opportunities on the back-side.

Aside from that, take a look at the play above for an example of how it will be used. An Adebayo hand-off to Lowry will kick it off, and against a switching defense, that floating pass over the top is the go-to. Why is that important? Well, Miami finally has a guard who can make that “floating pass.”

When defenses mix it up and pick up the rolling Adebayo, that will allow Lowry to get into his strengths. He’s such a fantastic pick and roll reader, meaning he knows when he can flow into his quick trigger beyond the arc once the defense doesn’t immediately react.

This is just some stuff that will be used with the ball in Lowry’s hands, and that may not even be his biggest overall strength.

Guard Screening

I’ve touched on this before, but there’s a reason that Goran Dragic-Jimmy Butler PnR’s were their most effective offensive set last season to a degree. Either normal pick and rolls or inverted pick and rolls, it got Jimmy Butler flowing downhill one way or another.

He either used the angled screen to his advantage for a strong attack, or caught an over-head pass on the roll by the basket. The Lowry-Butler combo can take that to another level.

Butler isn’t the only guard screener that will be used though, since a Robinson-Lowry duo feels to be the more commonly used set moving forward.

Looking at the clip above, that’s where I see that combo working. Robinson flashing up for a screen before slipping it, but obviously it would look much different. There wouldn’t be that slight hesitance, as there was above, when it’s Robinson shifting to the wing, and that just makes Lowry’s job so much easier.

Guard screening will be their ticket to success in the offense, in my opinion, and they now have that correct bunch of guards to make it work.

Keeping the Main Thing the Main Thing

As much as people want some different offensive scenery or a total revamp, that is just unrealistic. There’s a misconception about the dribble hand-off after Adebayo’s continued willingness to use it instead of score, but that action won’t just be eliminated. If anything, it will be expanded.

Robinson and Lowry on the same roster basically means DHO’s will need to be a semi-staple at times, but as mentioned before, it could be more of a Tucker designation.

Looking at the clip above, you can see Lowry’s ability to fire on the catch from anywhere on the floor off those hand-offs, and that one thing bends the defense greatly. In the off-ball role that I expect him to be in at times, he can be used as a threat off Adebayo and Butler play-making. Or better yet, he will be in the Robinson lite role when he exits the floor.

In the second clip above, it’s another example of keeping the main thing the main thing, as Pat Riley likes to say. They’re going to find ways to continually get him flowing downhill for hard drives and buckets, but the motion offense feels like it’ll benefit Lowry greatly.

As seen above, sending guys like Butler on streaks down the lane seems like the perfect way to utilize Lowry to the best of his abilities. These are just a few examples, but one thing this shows is that Spoelstra finally has some extra options to go to.

Although this move feels like the perfect way to propel Adebayo as a scorer or grab a close friend of Butler, the true winner here is Coach Erik Spoelstra.

 

Everything Tradeshows is a one-stop-shop for trade show exhibit rentals and custom exhibit display purchase solutions to companies of all sizes.

Visit them at EverythingTradeShows or call 954-791-8882