Do’s and Don’ts of a Personal Injury Claim

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When it comes to a personal injury claim, many people have a basic idea of what to do, but oftentimes many specifics are forgotten or outright discarded. This can be dangerous for you as your whole case can become void in certain circumstances. Therefore, it is incredibly important that you know what to do should you find yourself in a position to make a personal injury claim. In a way your future depends on it because your financial situation might become heavily impacted by the injury. Here are some of the do’s and don’t of a personal injury claim.

DO: Hire an Attorney

If you find yourself in a position where you are hurt and have to seek compensation, one of the first things that you should be doing is contacting an attorney. An attorney at Jackson, MS Personal Injury Lawyers mentions that hiring an attorney not only greatly increases your chances of winning the case, but also can greatly increase the amount of compensation that you get if you win. A common fear people have when it comes to attorneys is that they can be rather expensive.

 

While they can be pricey, in most situations, an attorney only gets paid if they can successfully get you the money that you are fighting for. Wouldn’t you rather give up some of your earnings than sit there and lose a court case? Attorneys will put you in the best possible position through their expertise and skills. The other benefit to hiring an attorney is that they will put the entire case together, giving you time to rest up, relax, and recuperate. If you find yourself in a situation where you need to file a personal injury claim, please don’t hesitate to hire an attorney.

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DON’T: Leave the Scene of the Injury

If you have been injured, it is extremely important that you stay at the scene till you are given permission to leave. If you find yourself in a car accident where police are notified, it is actually a criminal charge for you to leave beforehand. Leaving the scene will also greatly hurt your chances of winning your personal injury claim and might even void it entirely. If you are seriously injured, emergency medical care will be sent and you will be attended to. The worst thing for you to do in a situation like that is an attempt to leave.

DO: Collect Information

When the injury happens, if you are in a state where you can collect information from other people at the scene, it is encouraged that you do so. If it is a work-related injury, getting the information and testimony of any workers who witnessed the accident can greatly bolster your case and put you in a much better position to win. 

 

If it is a car accident, you need to get the information of the other driver. This means getting their contact information, driver’s license number, insurance information and more. The more information you can get at the scene of the accident, the better your chances will be and the easier it will be for your lawyer as well.

DON’T: Admit Guilt or Apologize

One of the biggest mistakes people make when they are involved in a personal injury claim is admit some form of guilt or apologize. This is most common in car accidents where one driver will by reflex apologize for something that was not their fault in any way. As soon as you have spoken those words, the other driver can use that to say that you have admitted fault for the accident. While this doesn’t close a case, it does put yourself in a position where you are at a disadvantage.

 

When you find yourself injured, simply do not say anything regarding the incident and instead ask for medical care. Admitting guilt or apologizing will put you in an uphill battle and will make things quite difficult for your lawyer moving forward.

DO: Call and Cooperate with the Police

Even if you find that you were the cause of a car accident, you have to ensure that you are calling the police and 911 to come to the scene. Why is this important? A police report might show up showing that you were not entirely at fault or might state that there was negligence on behalf of the other driver. Police will gather evidence at the scene and this can also be accessed by your lawyer during the trial.

 

When you do activate 911, we highly recommend that you cooperate with the police during the investigation. Even if they are blaming you for the incident, just remain calm through it all and be ready to call an attorney. You could also find yourself facing charges if you fail to cooperate with them. This means do not attempt to hide any evidence or change anything at the scene. You will be charged with obstruction of justice in this kind of circumstance and your case might even be thrown out.

DON’T: Discuss the Incident With Anyone

As humans, it is normal for us to want to talk about major issues in our lives. The one issue with talking about an injury incident is that often we remember things differently and recite the details differently each time. This is normally not on purpose, but these story changes can have devastating effects on your court case, especially if you were speaking to insurance. If you have been in an accident, a lawyer will recommend that you do not talk about it at all till everything has been settled. This will make it so you don’t say anything accidentally that can harm your case. You’d be surprised at what a few words can do.

 

These are just a few of the do’s and don’ts of a personal injury claim. Hiring an attorney is the most important thing that you can do for yourself as it will give you the best chance to win. Once you have done that, focus on resting up and recovering so you can get your life back to normal as soon as possible. What do you plan on doing if you find yourself in a personal injury claim situation?

Five Takeaways from Heat’s Shorthanded Win Over Rockets

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The Miami Heat got a win over the Houston Rockets on the second night of a back to back, without Jimmy Butler, Bam Adebayo, and Tyler Herro. The entire supporting cast stepped up on the offensive end all the way through, headlined by a pretty impressive night for Kendrick Nunn. Anyway, here are five takeaways from this game…

#1: Kendrick Nunn stepping up early as expected, continuing his catch and shoot clinic.

Since Miami was far from complete on Monday night, Kendrick Nunn was one of the few names that stood out when evaluating a possible explosive performance on the ball. And as expected, Miami relied on him heavily whenever he was on the floor, and he produced. He was forced to become even more involved as a passer, as the PnR’s were used over and over with Precious Achiuwa as the sole lob threat. But his offense that has really stood out lately is his shooting from the outside. This was mentioned after yesterday’s game as well, but it really unlocks a lot of things for this team when fully healthy. If he can be utilized as an off-ball threat next to a guy like Duncan Robinson, it makes their offense pretty interesting while Victor Oladipo is out.

#2: Andre Iguodala: The one calming hand.

Andre Iguodala was labeled as questionable before tonight’s game, which seemed as if he would be ruled out on the second night of a back to back. He did end up suiting up though, and it was definitely for the best when looking at Miami’s offense when he was on the floor compared to off of it. Many would expect that drop-off to occur on the defensive end, but it was actually that facilitating presence on offense that kept Miami going. He is actually capable of getting guys different looks other than the normal PnR, and more importantly, everybody just seemed much more comfortable when he was on the floor. Although some of the pull-up jumpers could’ve been eliminated tonight, he gave Miami an offensive element that they obviously missed.

#3: KZ Okpala truly misses those extra reps away from actual NBA games.

A pretty obvious takeaway is the fact that KZ Okpala really could’ve used those extra reps in a Summer League or G-League atmosphere. All of his experience has been him getting thrown into odd situations, which he’s far from being able to fill. One game he doesn’t look at the rim at all, while other games he looks at it a bit too much with the amount of space he’s given when standing beyond the arc. He’s clearly talented, but he just doesn’t seem to know how to use that talent at this stage, which is expected. One thing that is widely known is that he’s not a catch and shoot player, but he always seems to be plugged into that type of role. He won’t truly make a leap in impact until he’s able to play his own game, when playing freely off the dribble and in transition, which once again, will not occur until he gets additional opportunities in other areas.

#4: Dewayne Dedmon playing his role to perfection.

When Erik Spoelstra made the comments about utilizing youth before tonight’s game, it was pretty obvious he was going to insert Precious Achiuwa into that starting role, and keep Dewayne Dedmon as the back-up big. And the same thing stuck out tonight as it did yesterday, which is Dedmon plays his role to perfection, doing what he does well consistently. He truly battles on the boards, but most importantly, the constant effort on the offensive glass creates extra opportunities for the Heat’s offense. He’s also a very good defender in the paint, since he does a good job of contesting attackers without getting off his feet to foul them. There’s zero doubt that Dedmon has that back-up big spot for good with the way he’s been playing lately.

#5: Duncan Robinson showcasing an unfamiliar attribute: Shooting.

Most of these takeaway pieces involving individual player evaluations consists of discussion about the undercover areas of their games. But tonight, the most obvious attribute for Duncan Robinson cannot go without discussing, since he was lighting it up from deep on a night where the defense was expecting it even more. He’s on the top of the scouting reports every night, but when Bam Adebayo and Jimmy Butler aren’t next to him in the starting lineup, it felt like a lot of those looks generated by Adebayo screens would be out the window. But they weren’t, and in fact, this may be the type of game that gives him a bit more variety moving forward with his scoring abilities.

Breaking Down Miami’s Late Game Execution Against Brooklyn

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After a dramatic finish in Miami against the Brooklyn Nets on Sunday afternoon, all eyes are on Bam Adebayo’s finishing touch to put the game away at the buzzer. Now, although that shot was an incredible boost for this team after the recent losing streak, it’s mostly about the boost in confidence it can give Adebayo. And just plainly, he deserved that moment.

But instead of just focusing on that one shot, let’s take a ride through Miami’s execution under 4 minutes to go, since that final stretch really showed a lot of things about this team’s character in a game without Jimmy Butler.

– Trevor Ariza doing the small things

On this possession, Goran Dragic brings the ball down as Duncan Robinson runs over and slips the screen to allow him to flow into a PnR on the opposite side. They forced a switch as Bruce Brown went under to guard Adebayo, giving Dragic just enough room to pull.

Although it clanked off the rim, go back and watch Trevor Ariza on this play. When he sees Dragic get into shooting motion, he slowly crashes toward the basket. Most players would immediately bolt there when trying to get an offensive rebound, but Ariza slowly times it.

Knowing Adebayo was waiting under the rim with nobody his size next to him, Ariza taps it over to him, leading to an and-1, which was a very important spark for their offense. As much as people are pointing toward Ariza’s defense on small guards or outstanding shooting stretch, the small things that he does is the real reason for his effectiveness.

– Dragic generating offense down the stretch

One of Miami’s go to sets down the stretch of games with Goran Dragic as a ball-handler looks just like this, except it’s usually Jimmy Butler as the screener. Dragic/Butler PnR’s have been a huge bright spot in Miami’s late game offense, since they have everyone clear out, and allow Butler to catch the ball in stride on the roll where he’s at his best.

But with no Butler, they decided to do something similar yesterday, as Adebayo was the one on the roll. This is a much easier pass for Dragic to make, since they clear out the lane, meaning the only option here is to throw the lob pass.

Although there have been some down moments from Dragic recently, he’s still one of their most trusted decision makers, since his general basketball IQ makes up for that slight lack of quickness. And that was shown yesterday when the 34 year old veteran was the one making plays at the guard spot, instead of their evolving young back-court.

– Bam Adebayo predicting the offenses next move

One area of growth in Adebayo’s game has been his defensive IQ, since he’s reading offenses much quicker. Although different switches are harped on at times, that’s a scheme thing that he is asked to do, and most nights is effective when relying on backside rotations.

On this play, Bruce Brown sets the screen for Kyrie Irving, and Adebayo immediately reacts to cut him off on the roll. Another element to this is Adebayo’s comfort level when Iguodala is on the backside, since when he noticed him on that side, he knew he could roam a bit. This also shows some of Duncan Robinson’s defensive abilities from a team perspective, since he does a good job filling in the empty spots on the rotations.

This leads to a stop, but also take a look at what happens next. Something else that stuck out here is Miami’s offense looking their best when they immediately flow into their sets. It led to a foul call, but it would’ve led to an early shot either way, which shows some of the growth in their late game execution.

– Defensive IQ to offensive grit

There’s a lot to unpack here on this play, and it was by far the most impressive stretch of the game. Much like in the last clip, Ariza and Robinson blitz Irving at the top of the key, while Adebayo slides over for the cut-off. Robinson does a good job of filling in once again, as Adebayo absolutely blankets Landry Shamet, forcing a contested Jeff Green jumper.

Now, on the offensive side of the ball, Miami works the ball into Adebayo halfway through the shot-clock as he’s being fronted by Brown once again. Irving comes over for the double as he catches it, meaning he has somebody open on the opposite side. Dragic’s cut to the basket is the most underrated part of this possession, since that eliminates Green from being able to recover on a kick-out.

Ariza missed the open three, but after Adebayo and Dragic fight for the board down low, Dragic ends up with it and kicks it out to Ariza again. Except this time, he blows by Green and takes the contact to convert on a tough layup to cut the lead to two. Once again, he does the small things, but obviously this time it wasn’t so small. When re-watching this fourth quarter, I was really surprised how active he was on every single play, ultimately becoming a major reason that Miami came out with a win.

– The positive Adebayo switches

There’s a chance the title of this article could be called the Adebayo and Ariza show, since that’s basically what it came down to on most possessions. A major reason the Ariza pick-up was so crucial for Miami to plug into the starting four spot, was for plays like this, where Adebayo is able to switch without worrying about a fellow big struggling with the switch.

As I’ve repeated over and over, Ariza defends guards as good as anybody, meaning late game situations when he’s guarding Irving, leads to the ball-handler searching for a switch that doesn’t get much easier. Adebayo gets put on an island with him, and does what he does best, make shooters uncomfortable.

Irving’s signature behind the back dribble eliminates most players from the play immediately, but not Adebayo. He recovers rather effortlessly, as it clanks off the rim, giving Miami another opportunity. Oh and by the way, Irving was 0 for 8 from the field yesterday when Adebayo was defending him.

– Iguodala clamps to a downhill Dragic

The best intro to this possession would just be listening to what Mark Jones says to begin the play. “Iguodala this time on Irving, last time it was Ariza.” Since that right there is what makes this Heat team so interesting, due to the fact that they can throw a bunch of versatile and veteran wings on star players.

Iguodala doesn’t budge one bit when sticking with Irving, which may have a bit to do with him guarding him time and time again in past Finals match-ups. He finally falls for the ball-fake in the corner, but well, somehow stays with it to alter Irving’s shot again.

As Dragic grabs the ball off the rim, it’s pretty clear that there wasn’t any additional thoughts about what he was going to do on this play. It doesn’t matter if it’s Dragic in his rookie season or his 13th season, he’s still pretty close to unstoppable when he gets that type of momentum on a fast-break. He converts on the layup to tie this thing up for Miami.

– The shot

And finally, the play that doesn’t stop popping up on every social media platform you click on, and rightfully so. Before diving into that play, let’s rewind a few seconds prior, since honestly, that part is the most impressive.

One more time of Ariza guarding Irving, leading right into a swarming switch, and I don’t think there’s a better way to contest that jumper from Irving. That’s a shot he’s knocked down plenty of times in his career, and Adebayo especially does a good job of not fouling and giving Miami a final opportunity.

Then, the ball finds Adebayo’s hands with 11 seconds on the clock. If you take a close look, he looks over at the sideline by Erik Spoelstra, since he wanted to make sure that they weren’t going to call a timeout. Dragic sets a screen for Robinson, as he clears to the corner to eliminate any help from the weak-side.

As Dragic pops out to the perimeter, Adebayo motions his hand to basically say: I got this. And well, he did have it. He sizes up Green, takes three dribble to his left, and leans back into a smooth jumper that rolls in the basket as time expires.

That ladies and gentleman, is Adebayo’s first time in that type of situation, and I can comfortably say that it will most definitely not be his last.

5 Takeaways from a week of Marlins Baseball

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After taking 3 of 4 from the Atlanta Braves early last week, the Marlins came home and took 2 of 3 from the San Francisco Giants. This caps a week of positives for the Fish, as they look forward to a much easier schedule in the coming weeks. After a slow and demoralizing start, the pieces are starting to come together in Miami. 

 

Here are 5 takeaways from a successful Marlins run:

 

Marlins Win When They Score

 

I know, isn’t that the basics of baseball? You score and you win, simple. For the Marlins, it hasn’t been so easy. With a consistent lack of production from the bats earlier in the season, the Fish put together a strong set of games offensively. The Marlins are now 5-1 in games where they score 5 or more runs and a whopping 2-7 in games where they don’t. Regardless of who is on the mound, the bats are determinant of when and how the Marlins win.

 

Especially with the talent the Marlins have in pitching, it makes it more strange that this season will come down to how well the bats can perform consistently. Nevertheless, the Marlins found a way to win low scoring games last season, and they need to start doing so this year to keep the pressure off of an inconsistent lineup.

Jorge Alfaro is a fine option

 

Out of 54 qualified catchers in the early 2021 season, Jorge Alfaro ranks 16th in framing. Obviously, he is no Russell Martin behind the plate, but he is actually performing well-above expectations defensively. The passed balls he has allowed have skewed the narrative on his performance. Now, with his bat finally waking up, he may be the best option the Marlins have at the catcher’s position. He is not a juggernaut offensively or defensively, but all he needs to be is average.

 

Trade rumors have circulated for months about Wilson Contreras replacing Alfaro/Wallach in Miami. Contreras, although a superior hitter, is 41st among qualified catchers in framing. At this point in the year, the Marlins should focus on putting their young pitchers in the best situation possible. A good defensive catcher gives them even more leeway to develop further. 

Adam Duvall can carry an offense

 

It is no secret that the former Brave can swing the bat. He terrorized his old team in Atlanta, especially in Tuesday’s game where he went 4-5 with 2 home runs and 7 RBIs. He is still trying to figure out how to hit elsewhere, but once he does, he can carry this Miami offense on nights where the rest of the lineup is faltering. His bat alone almost won that game in Atlanta on a night where the Braves scored 8 runs, as he accounted for half of the runs in a 14-8 win. Duvall getting his bat consistent is a central key to this Marlins team’s future. 

Starling Marte is… clutch

Marte is central to every operation on this Miami Marlins team. He is invaluable offensively and defensively, and he is the guy who picks up the important hits in key situations. In Friday’s win versus the Giants, his 3-run homer in the 8th sealed the deal. On Saturday, his 2-out RBI single in the 9th tied the game, leading to an eventual win. In Sunday’s 1-0 loss, Marte elft the game with an apparent injury in the bottom of the 9th. In Don Mattingly’s post-game interview, he expressed the “Next man up” mentality that the Marlins have.

 

There may not be a next man up to replace anything near what Marte provides. Hopefully, for the Marlins sake, it isn’t that serious.

Marlins compete versus good teams

 

It is no easy feat to start a season versus the defending AL Champs, the presumptive NL Central winners in St. Louis, a revamped first place Mets team, and a Braves team that was one game away from the World Series. The Marlins left those games just 2-games under .500, and now sit one game under heading into a much easier schedule. They play the Orioles, Giants (again), Milwaukee, Arizona, and Washington. 

 

This set of games may be the most important of the season for the Marlins as they try to take advantage and gain ground in the standings. They don’t play the Mets until late-May and the Braves until early June, so this is the time for the Marlins to show what they are capable of. 

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Marlins Overall Takeaway

 

There is something special brewing in Miami (and not just Marlins Lager from Biscayne Bay Brewing). This team feels different from even last year’s squad. Baseball is fun to watch again in Miami, and this Marlins team still has a lot to prove. Enjoy a fun week of Marlins baseball ahead, Marlins fans.

 

Five Takeaways from Heat’s Win Over Brooklyn

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The Miami Heat take down the Brooklyn Nets on a game winning jumper from Bam Adebayo. That one shot basically washed away everyone of these takeaways in terms of importance, but take a look at five takeaways from this game….

#1: Early Dewayne Dedmon minutes, effective Dewayne Dedmon minutes.

Something that wasn’t originally expected today was to see an abundance of Dewayne Dedmon throughout, especially immediately when Bam Adebayo exited. For starters, he gave Miami something that they’ve continually missed in a back-up big, which is consistency. Not consistency over a period of games, but consistency in his role. Precious Achiuwa has been a guy that you didn’t know what you were going to get on any given night, but Dedmon’s role was clear as soon as he checked in. A very smart rebounder, meaning he knows how to box out correctly and knows how to use his length to his advantage. The offensive boards was a particular area of strength, giving Miami extra opportunities, but he also showcased an ability to alter shots at the rim, which is quite the attribute for their back-up big spot.

#2: Trevor Ariza giving Miami the same thing every single game.

Not to harp on the adjective consistency too much, but that’s probably Trevor Ariza’s most unexpected attribute this early in his insertion. He is now giving Miami the same thing every game on the offensive end, since the defensive side of the ball was a given from the first game on. He’s shooting the ball very well, filling in the one thing Andre Iguodala minutes have missed at times, trusting the corner three kick-out. He’s also a pretty underrated passer, which is just a proponent of his IQ, which is something Jimmy Butler harped on recently when I asked him about Ariza’s defensive presence. And if the supporting cast elevates back into their usual offensive selves while Ariza keeps this up, it makes them a different team.

#3: Goran Dragic and Kendrick Nunn stepping up early…..in the game together.

Trevor Ariza wasn’t the only one to score 11 points in the first half, since Goran Dragic and Kendrick Nunn put up that exact stat-line. Dragic really needed this type of scoring stretch early, so he can get back into his usual trust levels in his jumper, since that’s the element he will have to rely on while age increases by the day. Nunn also looked good early, particularly as a deep threat as well, which is an interesting topic with Nunn. He’s been plugged into a starting point guard role for some time, running PnR’s, pulling up from mid-range, and getting to the basket, but he actually looks most comfortable when he can shoot on spot-ups when others attack. The surprising element with these two as well is that they’re doing it on the floor together, since that duo tandem struggled a lot last season. And due to Erik Spoelstra’s sudden urge to roll out 3 guard lineups, Dragic and Nunn clicking is crucial.

#4: The obvious observation: Miami’s offense clicking, but missing one thing….Jimmy Butler.

Miami’s shooting was off the charts for a good portion of this game, and that’s been something that hasn’t been a strength of theirs to this point. Now, it’s great when it is clicking, but when a dry spell occurs, it becomes a lot of looking around for an attacker that they don’t have, leading to Andre Iguodala pull-ups. It goes unsaid, but that’s where Jimmy Butler comes into play, or better yet, Victor Oladipo. There have been some pieces of reporting that have pointed toward Oladipo returning sometime this season, and when that type of attacking gets inserted into this type of shooting, that elevates Miami to an Eastern Conference threat. But for now, it’s all about awaiting the occasional Dragic drive-by or Herro open layup off of a cut.

#5: Miami doesn’t have that one player takeover, but playing incredible team ball through passing.

When the team is without Butler, it’s pretty clear that they were going to have to play team basketball to compete, or Bam Adebayo fully stepping up like he did against Brooklyn earlier in the season. They went the team ball route, assisting on a good portion of their field goal makes throughout. To that point, the unselfishness of this team automatically means ball flow is fluid throughout, sometimes too much. But that is what basically sustained that type of offense, that usually completely falls off of a cliff as the game progresses. The Heat were in need of a game like this that they can build off of, and most importantly, instill confidence in Butler that this team is capable of battling with the best of them.

2021 Spring Game recap: Which Canes stood out on Saturday?

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For the first time in 2 years, the Hurricanes were able to hold their annual spring football game. I gotta tell you, not only was it hot as hell but I was very excited just to see certain players in action instead of just going by either what they tell us in Zoom conferences and the cut-up highlights that the UM video department decides to give us. Let’s start off with some of my standouts from Saturday’s scrimmage.

 

1. QB Jake Garcia

 

Canes fans finally got a glimpse of the highly-touted true freshman QB and wow, he was a lot better than I thought. Jake finished 19/25 for 255 yards and 2 TD’s and that total could’ve been much higher considering a couple of dropped passes. Even as is, that’s a 78% completion percentage. But his body language was what stood out the most to me. If you’re going off just the eye test, he looked very poised and he threw every pass with confidence. Accuracy was not lacking either. He did catch flak from OC Rhett Lashlee for taking four sacks, but other than that, there’s a good chance you watched his performance and thought that Miami’s in good hands at QB for the next couple of years.

 

2. WR Charleston Rambo

 

WR1. Without a doubt. Rambo was a reliable receiver for both Garcia and Tyler Van Dyke all game. Rambo ended up transferring from Oklahoma due to a loaded depth chart but now finds himself as Miami’s best receiver. Following the scrimmage, he noted that he worked on his route running, blocking, and separation this spring and it definitely showed. 7 catches for 74 yards, including 3 in one drive with Garcia, he was always finding the open spaces within the defense and is looking an instant playmaker for Rhett Lashlee’s offense.

 

3. WR Keyshawn Smith

 

It looked like Smith has taken the next step in his game and will be vying for serious playing time in 2021. Even watching him last year, he’d play a lot bigger than his height at 6’0”. He finished 3 catches for 63 yards and 2 TD’s with one of those TD’s coming on a nice move making the catch on the outside and cutting inside. 

 

4. WR Xavier Restrepo

 

Much like Smith, Restrepo flashed his improvement from Year 1 to Year 2 in the spring game, looking noticeably stronger and even a little twitchier and faster. X finished with 4 catches for 42 yards, including catching an incredible touchdown on a corner route from Tyler Van Dyke. 

 

5. WR Dante Johnson

 

In case you wondering who #88 was making all those catches, his name is Dante Johnson. The JUCO walk-on transfer made quite a handful of catches and was a great safety blanket for every quarterback today. He’s listed as a WR but it’s almost as if he played tight end in lieu of all the absences at the position. Even Charleston Rambo calls him “Dez” in reference to Dez Bryant, noting that he’s very tough to tackle. 

6. S Avantae Williams

 

Where do I even start. Even after missing his freshman year, Williams looks like he hasn’t skipped a beat from being previously named the top safety in the country coming out of high school. It was very hard to miss #15 on defense and not only was his coverage solid, but you can tell he’s a very physical safety who is not afraid to lay the wood down on any receiver coming down the middle.

 

7. S Kamren Kinchens

 

Although a blue-chip recruit in this recruiting class, Kinchens hasn’t received nearly enough attention as five-star James Williams, who will arrive in Coral Gables in the summer. But Kinchens has an edge right now, enrolling in January and showing that he should find himself in the rotation this season. The 6’0” Kinchens had 6 tackles and added an interception on Saturday. 

8. ST/LB Chase Smith 

 

Miami created the striker position a few years ago for a player who you could consider positionless and versatile, and that’s exactly what Manny Diaz had in mind when he recruited Smith during this past recruiting cycle. Smith got a lot of run during the scrimmage and just like much of the other freshmen mentioned, he didn’t play like his age. He was tied for the most tackles with 6 and added 1 PBU. It seemed like he had a good nose for the ball on short-yardage plays. He tackles like a linebacker but also tracks the ball like a safety. I feel like the team’s decision to move Keontra Smith to linebacker was heavily influenced by how well Smith has been playing this spring. 

 

9. DE Deandre Johnson

 

Another great addition from the transfer portal, Johnson’s starting to find his footing within the Miami defense. Johnson was wreaking havoc on Jake Garcia and the offensive line, finishing with 2.5 tackles for loss and 1 sack on a safety. It’s looking like he’s making the most of his opportunity to not only come back home to play in front of friends and family but also to improve under the lead of DL coach Jess Simpson. 

 

10. CB Isaiah Dunson

 

Canes fans awaited the appearance of Georgia transfer Tyrique Stevenson on Saturday, and don’t get me wrong, he definitely took care of business and played great coverage throughout the day. But like the safeties, it seemed to me that Dunson was already around the ball when it was thrown to the outside. In fact, he had a would-be interception on Peyton Matocha’s first throw if he was able to stay inbounds. Dunson finished with 5.5 tackles, 1 PBU, and 1 fumble recovery. 

 

Other notes:

 

* The spring game was a tough one for Mark Pope. Like I’ve reiterated time and time again, the biggest thing I was looking forward to in spring practice was how Mark and Dee Wiggins would respond to the team deciding to add Charleston Rambo to the fold when the former two are seniors. Two drops, including one with no defender within 8 yards, marred a six catch, 115-yard performance. 

 

* I didn’t even mention Keyshawn Washington’s name but I saw him around the ball plenty. With much of the attention focused on the 2021 freshmen, he’s definitely a sleeper on this loaded safety unit. He had a big hit on Daz Worsham in the first quarter that led to a fumble and left Worsham noticeably shaken. 

 

* Wearing a very stylish and loud arm sleeve, freshman kicker Andres Borregales made all 3 of his field goal attempts from 43, 21, and 32 yards with ease. Miami’s in a very fortunate position to recover from losing Andres’ older brother Jose to the NFL. 

 

* Tyler Van Dyke also had a solid day, completing 12/17 passes for 102 yards and 1 TD. He still had a slight edge with the QB2 battle just off his knowledge with the offense, but I’d imagine that next year, when Garcia becomes more comfortable with the offense and takes the next step, this could make for a very interesting battle next year. And that’s not even including the impending addition of four-star QB Jacurri Brown. 

 

* Overall, for a spring game, the game wasn’t really sloppy by any means. A couple of false start penalties but the offensive line also played relatively well. Canes fans should be excited about the team heading into fall camp.

 

Inter Miami CF v. LA Galaxy – Preview

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A game meant to take place last season is finally here.

Inter Miami CF is set to take on LA Galaxy at 3 pm here in Fort Lauderdale. DRV PNK Stadium will host about 8,000 fans in the stands today as the two clubs face off on MLS Opening Weekend. Beckham’s old club, versus the one he owns, the storylines write themselves.

As for what it means for both sides, it’s ideally everything. Both clubs went through highly underwhelming 2020 season’s and kicking off 2021 with three points could mean a ton. For Miami, making DRV PNK Stadium a “fortress” is undoubtedly a priority. And for LA, improving on last season’s sub-par away game record (2-2-5) is theirs.

How Miami Will Lineup

The expectations of Phil Neville in this first game, and his entire first season, are massive. Before landing the Inter Miami job, his coaching resume was well short of what his predecessor, Diego Alonso’s, was. With that said, it doesn’t mean Neville isn’t the man for the job. He knows what he wants to do in terms of his formation and tactics and will try to get the most out of his players.

We’ll likely see a 4-3-3 formation in today’s match, with Pizarro, Matuidi, and Gregore handling the midfield roles. As confirmed by Jorge Mas, John McCarthy will start in between the sticks, playing in front of a backline that’ll likely consist of Joevin Jones, Leandro Gonzalez Pirez, Nico Figal, and Kelvin Leerdam.

And up top, expect a front three of Robbie Robinson, Gonzalo Higuain, and Lewis Morgan.

Neville spoke highly of LA Galaxy striker Javier “Chicharito” Hernandez before today’s, catch and I’m sure the emphasis on both center-backs, LGP and Figal, will be to limit his chances and be disciplined in and around the box when he’s on the ball.

The midfield three is looking solid. Expect Gregore to be that protector of the backline who looks to connect play from back to front, and Matuidi to play just ahead of him as a box-to-box midfielder. The Gregore signing is massive, considering Miami went without a true center-defensive-mid all of last season. Gregore will get stuck in, make tackles, close down balls early, and relieve Matuidi of a lot of pressure.

Pizarro’s role will be to play as a number 1o. Neville wants his best players on the ball as they’ll look to dominate possession and control the tempo of the game. Pizarro will have to look to provide the front three, especially Higuain, a ton of service in order to create chances and tire out this Galaxy defense.

As for Lewis Morgan, his role will be different from what it was last season under Alonso. Our 2020 MVP won’t just be asked to run down the wing and whip in crosses. Morgan will whip in crosses, sure, but look for him to be taking on defenders more one on one, centrally. Neville wants Morgan on the ball just as much as he wants Pizarro on the ball; they’re the playmakers of this roster. Morgan is in for a better season than his MVP one last year, so lookout.

And then there’s the question of Robbie Robinson. The number one SuperDraft pick in 2020 had a rough season, especially as our striker. With Higuain coming in and Pellegrini off to Fort Lauderdale CF, Neville has looked to convert Robbie into a winger. His time at Clemson saw him playing all over one of the best front three’s NCAA soccer has ever seen. If Neville has coached him well enough, he could be very serviceable for Miami in a wing role.

Game Prediction

LA Galaxy has lost a lot of quality from last year to this. Miami should control the midfield battle and possession, and the chances should come off of that. If the Herons can hold down Chicharito and be efficient in their own final third, Miami could come out with a multiple-goal win.

I’m going with a 3-1 Inter Miami win.

The Miami Heat’s Season Riding on the Next Decision of Bam Adebayo

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Through a lot of the Miami Heat’s struggles, Bam Adebayo has become a type of scapegoat. Usually that means a player isn’t performing to the level many expected, or possibly doing too much to ruin the team’s chances of winning.

The interesting part about this situation though, is that it’s the complete opposite of that, since he’s playing well, but not on high volume. He has the defensive attributes, the passing abilities, the offensive focal point status, and much more. But there’s only one issue, he does all of that and treats his scoring technique as if he is a role player.

And well, even if you’ve had certain doubts about that being all he is capable of, just take some time out of your day to scan through some highlights when he played the Brooklyn Nets earlier in the season. It’s in there. We know it. Jimmy Butler knows it. Erik Spoelstra knows it. But does Adebayo know it?

A very underrated part of his game up to this point has been his level of efficiency on a night to night basis, especially since he’s not a traditional big who only scores at the rim. The only downfall of that element of his game at this stage is that it honestly does not help this team win basketball games.

He has shot over 65% from the field in 14 games this season, which the initial observation would be that’s a pretty impressive thing to do. But then as you drag your finger across the box score to the win column, you’d notice the Heat are 3-11 in those games.

This team is not in need of an efficient Adebayo, or a facilitating Adebayo, or most importantly an unselfish Adebayo. They’re actually in need of that second go-to guy while Jimmy Butler continues to put the team on his back against teams like the Minnesota Timberwolves, still not translating to wins.

Butler notices this as well, saying “I want Bam to attack the rim, cause nobody can stay in front of him…I like the mid-range jumper, but he lets people off the hook. I like bully ball.”

When many people first heard or read this quote, they immediately picked out the first and last line due to the tone he said it in, and necessity for Adebayo to hear it. But the middle sentence is actually the most important. Even when Adebayo scored 41 points against the Nets, my primary takeaway was that he must attack the basket more than he relies on the jumper. That mid-range is a small percentage of his game that can tie everything together, but the off the dribble stuff is his foundation and strong base.

So, all of this is fairly clear. Attempts must increase instead of field goal percentage. His unselfish needs to fade away at times. He needs to take Butler’s advice. But what is next from this point?

Well, a favorable match-up against the Brooklyn Nets would be a good start on Sunday afternoon, since it’s the team he recently dominated. Now, I’m not so sure if that makes it more or less likely, due to the fact that even if Adebayo is up for it, the Nets may be more prepared to stop it. But let’s just say they are fully ready for an aggressive Adebayo, as Butler said, nobody can stay in front of him. It doesn’t matter who they throw on him, he is capable of getting to the rim with ease.

The current traffic stop for Adebayo right now is much more mental than physical. He’s clearly got people in his head about it, especially after a disappointing night from him against Phoenix, he came out the following night with an aggressive mindset, while still trying to play his same game as a facilitator.

And ladies and gentleman, that’s the next leap. That current choice to either sit back and wait for the puzzle pieces to fall into place, or step up like the star player that he is more than capable of being right this moment.

Also, this shouldn’t be much of a pressured decision, since frankly, this team has nothing to lose as they sit at the seventh seed in the East, looking around for some type of boost. That boost was Victor Oladipo for a short period of time, but due to the continued uncertainties with his injury, that can’t be harped on.

There’s only one other thing that can fully propel this team into Eastern Conference contention, and that’s the upcoming decision of Bam Adebayo.

5 Takeaways from Heat’s Loss to Minnesota

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Well, the Miami Heat get handed an unexpected loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves, who currently hold the worst record in the league. All of the issues that are continually mentioned can be thrown around again, but after a loss like this, it’s truly tough to pinpoint the small stuff. Anyway, let’s take a look at five takeaways from this game specifically…

#1: An inconsistent first half strikes again.

There’s been a common theme for the Miami Heat over this past stretch, which is a super explosive first quarter, followed by a tough start to the second quarter. Now, they did turn it around to finish the second quarter, but the defense just never seems to turn it on at that point. A big reason for that is the personnel being so one sided in the rotation, due to the bench having some defensive liabilities, which is noticed even more with Andre Iguodala out. But they also need offensive consistency, which falls on the back-up back-court with Goran Dragic and Tyler Herro. One seems to be getting held back due to lack of burst, while the other is just holding himself back. When they aren’t being selfish with the ball in their hands, no offense is generated, while the starters get into their offense much quicker.

#2: The evolving offensive fit of Trevor Ariza.

Trevor Ariza has been one of the five takeaways over the past three games, and everyone of these quick evaluations are getting better and better. The first time just talked about his continued defensive fit, since he was effective on that end immediately with instinctive doubles and ability to hit passing lanes at an elite level. He led the way for Miami at the half with 16 points, showcasing that 3 and D label in an advanced way. Although we’ve basically expected that shot to fall eventually, the part that must be harped on is his growing fit in the scheme. That was headlined tonight by the off-ball cutting throughout, leading to easy layups or open kick-outs. They’ve missed that ability at the four spot for some time, but now they have somebody who can give them just about everything.

#3: Max Strus in, Max Strus producing.

Well, Max Strus got some run tonight, which may have had something to do with Iguodala being out, or possibly to spark the offense. And that’s the part that I’ve been harping on for some time, since if nobody can spark offense, why not throw in that type of shooting who produces every time he gets an opportunity? When I say immediately produce, I mean just that, since he knocked down a corner three in a matter of seconds of being checked in. They’re getting to a point where he must be utilized more, and possibly in a variety of ways. When having a shooter like Duncan Robinson on the roster, it’s not just about interchanging the two, but more importantly using them together to possibly generate more looks for Robinson, or get even more looks for Strus due to the amount of attention Robinson gets.

#4: Stating the obvious: Jimmy Butler the continued engine.

Not mentioning Jimmy Butler following this game would be offensive to post-game analysis. He is the engine of this team on both ends of the floor, which is an obvious statement, but the fact that he is the sole reason they stayed in a game against the worst team in the league is an interesting statement. For starters, the continued discussion with this team is that he is their only downhill threat, but he’s a pretty good one to have. He can collapse the entire defense by just one slight decline in his shoulder, which is quite the ability to have. He also becomes the forever moving defender when Adebayo is on the sideline, as he doubles, picks up bigs in the post, and wrecks havoc on the perimeter to clog passing lanes and create transition offense. And when discussing transition offense, Butler is the only guy who can consistently take it up strong on the fast-break.

#5: Another rough night for Tyler Herro, so what is next?

Tyler Herro struggled once again tonight, with a low point performance, but more importantly a low efficiency night. As I’ve discussed many times, this team can’t afford this type of production from Herro, since the bench drop-off has shown to be quite the issue up until this point. This refers back to guys like Max Strus and Gabe Vincent being inserted, due to the continued search for any type of spark. But what is next for Herro? Well, a Miami Heat coach/player answer will be that it will fall into place eventually, just like the Duncan Robinson slump, but I’m not so sure it’s that simple. They moved him to the bench so he can thrive in a comfortable role, but the issue is that he hasn’t looked comfortable at all lately. It doesn’t mean his role in the rotation should change, but I do believe there can be certain places to insert him in the offense to push him back in the right direction.

Marlins vs Giants Preview

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The Marlins dropped the 4th and final game of the series against the Atlanta Braves today in dramatic fashion. A Dansby Swanson single capped the third blown save of the young Miami Marlins season, as the Braves won 7-6. The Marlins dropped to 5-7, blowing two different leads Thursday and the opportunity for the first 4 game sweep in Atlanta in team history.

Don’t let yesterday’s ending fool you: the “Bottom Feeders” are back. Miami had a gauntlet of an opening schedule that included 4 teams predicted to make the playoffs. Yes, the Fish are 5-7, but these games proved that this team can compete with anyone when they score. The Marlins now head to Miami for a 5-game homestand versus the Giants and Orioles. Here is what you can expect their series with San Francisco that starts tonight:

 

Game 1 : Daniel Castano (0-0, — ERA) vs Anthony DeSclafani (1-0, .82 ERA)

 

Keys to the game for Marlins: The bats stay awake, bullpen

 

Coming off a series in Atlanta with no rest in between, it makes sense that Daniel Castano is the man to get the ball on Friday night. It will be his first start of the season, as he looks to cement himself on the roster. The real question for tonight: Can the Marlins hit at home? The answer so far has undoubtedly been no. In Atlanta, the bats made the Marlins look like a playoff team; however, at home, they have looked like they would be lucky to scratch 60 wins. If the Marlins can carry this offensive explosion (or at least some of it) into tonight, they have a chance to win a game without their aces. 

In other words, Jazz needs to stay Jazzy.

 

Game 2 : Sandy Alcantara (0-1 2.45 ERA) vs Aaron Sanchez (0-1, 2.70 ERA)

 

Keys to the game for Marlins: Sandy has his A(ce) game

 

Aaron Sanchez is a solid arm facing a Marlins lineup at home. Much like game 1 versus DeSclafani, we can guess what is going to happen. Hitting at home has not been the Marlins strong suit to say the least, and whether it’s the dimensions or humidifier, we can expect the struggle to continue. The Marlins route to victory Saturday night will be carried on the arm of Sandy. If Sandy can leverage his changeup effectively and pitch to quick outs throughout the ballgame, allowing him to pitch deep into the game, the Fish will be in good shape.

Game 3: Pablo Lopez (0-1, 4.60 ERA) vs Alex Wood (0-0, — ERA)

 

Keys to the game for the Marlins: Pablo overcomes last outing, bullpen does it’s job

 

In the Marlins 14-8 win against the Braves, Pablo Lopez allowed 6 earned runs over 4 innings pitched. The bats waking up overshadowed the worst start of his season, but that won’t be happening in Miami. Lopez needs to put together a start much like his first two. This game has the highest potential of the 3 for the Marlins offense to perform at home. Alex Wood is on the backend of a solid career, having posted subpar numbers over the last few seasons. He makes his first start this season for the Giants, so a well-adjusted Miami offense should be able to figure him out enough to give Pablo a cushion. 

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Overall for Marlins

 

Look, this team could be 8-4 like the Giants if they didn’t blow 3 saves. The Marlins are playing good baseball for the most part, and as their schedule eases up in difficulty, they should be able to put together more consistent wins. The bats are awake, the starting pitching is electric, so all that is remaining is the “revamped bullpen” to look revamped. It will take time, but the progress is being made slowly as it seems all Marlins operations do.