Brian Flores makes it clear that Tua Tagovailoa will be the Miami Dolphins quarterback when he is healty. (Craig Davis for Five Reasons Sports Network)

Quick Takes on Dolphins 2021 Draft

/1 Comment/in /by

No. 6 overall pick

Jaylen Waddle, WR

My take: I think this was Tua Tagovailoa’s pick. And I think it was a great one. The Miami Dolphins have released that Jaylen Waddle was their top pick no matter who was on the board. They wanted Waddle over Ja’marr Chase or Kyle Pitts if they were available. Tua used to play with Waddle on Alabama, and Waddle was his top target to throw to. Waddle is speedy, and adds an amazing slot-threat to The Dolphins offense.

 

No. 18 overall pick

Jaelan Phillips, DE

My take: I think this was an absolute steal. I don’t think Phillips should have dropped to the Dolphins, but I sure am happy he did. A pass-rusher is a huge edition for the team, and while it is a risky pick, Phillips is worth the possible reward.

 

No. 36 overall pick

Jevon Holland, S

My take: The Dolphins have been in dire need of a Slot Corner, and while Jevon Holland is a safety, he played 64% of his snaps at slot. The Dolphins used to play Nik Needham at Slot most of the time, and I can’t even count the amount of times I saw him get beat by his man. I think Jevon Holland could be a great defensive playmaker for the Dolphins Secondary.

 

No. 42 overall pick

Liam Eichenberg, OT

My take: While the Offensive Tackle isn’t the flashy pick, the Dolphins NEEDED some pass protection early on in this draft. Eichenberg is one of the best pass blockers in the draft, only allowing pressure on 1.1% of his blocks in the past two years.

 

Overall first two rounds: I think these were all amazing picks, and while the Dolphins didn’t pick a running back early on, they filled in some major holes that needed to be filled.

Takeaways from the Marlins Homestand

/0 Comments/in , /by

After a disappointing road trip that culminated in a sweep and an 11-16 record at the hands of the Washington Nationals, the Marlins went home to play the Diamondbacks and Brewers. They started hot, winning the first 4 of the homestand before dropping two to Milwaukee. The Marlins, now 15-18, sit 3 games back of the first place Mets, looking back at a lost opportunity to make up some ground while banged up. 

 

Recency bias pointed towards the last two games are sure to overshadow some clear positives from this past week, so rather than delving into the negatives, let’s take a look at what Miami did right. Because, with a 10-game road trip looming against the Diamondbacks, Dodgers, and Phillies, they will need every bit of help they can get.

 

Starting Pitching

 

Well, well, well. It’s no shock that the biggest positive in Miami is the starting pitching. But it sorely underappreciated just how good it has been. 

 

Sandy Alcantara, the sure ace (based on tenure and consistency) of this rotation, put together two gems in his outings at home: a combined 13 innings pitched allowing only 3 runs. These performances were good enough to net him 0 wins. The Marlins did win his first outing after Anthony Bass allowed the tying run to score in the 8th, but failed to win on Mother’s Day after Anthony Bass allowed the game winning run to score in the 10th. 

 

Pablo Lopez is not a flashy pitcher, and with gunslingers like Trevor Rogers and Sandy Alcantara behind him, his impact has been sorely unappreciated. He now has a 2.04 ERA this season, with 0 wins to show for it. He has been silently evolving into an elite starting pitcher, and a present and future consistency on the Marlins. His outing against the Diamondbacks showed that yet again, as he went 5 innings on no earned runs. 

 

Loading
Loading...

 

And finally, the NL Rookie of the Month in April Trevor Rogers continued his winning ways, going 5 innings of one run ball to lower his ERA to 1.89 on the season. He continues to show that his start to the season is no fluke, and that he will only continue to develop with time. 

 

The only thing more consistent than these guys are the Marlins lack of run support for each pitcher. Rogers leads the team in wins with 4, but with Pablo and Sandy having ERA’s below 3 and only 1 total win to show for it, there is a problem in Miami.

 

Timely hitting

 

Early on in the homestand, the Marlins put together timely hits in key situations. After losing the lead in game 1 in Arizona, the bats put together a 6-run 8th to win. In game 2, they scored consistently. In game 3, they had timely hits in the 7th to complete the sweep. Playoff teams win those types of games, but against Milwaukee it was a different story. 

 

Most notably in their final game, they failed to produce any runs outside of a Lewis Brinson solo homer in the 7th off J.P. Feyereisen. They missed key opportunities that could have sparked a much needed win.

 

On the bright side, the bats are putting together more clutch hits than they previously were. They are not hitting juggernauts, but have shown that there is a possibility for them to pull out close games with 2 out hits and early pressure. 

 

Overall

 

Look, this Marlins team is special on certain nights. They have energy and youth on their side, but those two attributes also bring immaturity at the plate. Even with a terrible run differential last season, the Fish made the playoffs on their ability to win close games. The Marlins won games when they were leading, and with the bullpen struggles of Anthony Bass and others late into the game, that has not been the case this season. With 10 extremely challenging games ahead, and a Jazz Chisholm Jr return impending, the Marlins need to win some close games to get back on track the rest of the way.

 

This team has the capability to do so, but only time will tell if they can figure it out.

Heat’s Hidden Gem: Star-less Success

/0 Comments/in , /by

There’s been a lot of discussion about the Miami Heat lately, beginning with their star Jimmy Butler. He’s having a career year in field goal %, rebounds, assists, double-doubles, and triple doubles, while the Heat are 30-19 when he plays.

After an absolute dominant performance against Boston to say the least, he’s the clear headliner when discussing this Miami team. A close second would be Butler’s sidekick, Bam Adebayo, who was close to perfect on Sunday afternoon against the Celtics as well.

These two guys are at the top of the list when discussing the reasons for the team’s success, but the true reason for the latest spark has to do with when they are off the floor.

Some of Miami’s worst minutes this season came when Adebayo exited the floor, since there was a clear drop-off at the center position. But well, they cleared up that issue with the recent acquisition of Dewayne Dedmon.

The Heat originally approached the back-up big spot as a player that can try to mirror some of the things Adebayo does, but that didn’t really work out in the short term with Precious Achiuwa. The Dedmon pick-up showed that they were willing to go in the complete opposite direction instead.

He’s an interior force on both ends of the floor, who has a veteran play style, which tends to their playoff hopes. The other set of minutes that have had trouble is the non-Butler minutes, due to the fact his offensive abilities weren’t being reiterated by an aging Goran Dragic and inconsistent Tyler Herro.

The last set of minutes that were absolutely atrocious were the non-Butler and Adebayo minutes, which weren’t seen much throughout the season. One of the two making an early exit in the first, followed by one subbing back in as the other got a breather, became the new normal on this team, which didn’t seem like a winning equation.

But they’ve turned that around recently, and it’s the one hidden gem when discussing the Miami Heat’s success.

A recent Dragic surge and Herro comeback have been the main reasons for this, since that back-court tandem has been on a roll lately. They combined for an efficient 50 points against the Minnesota Timberwolves on Friday night, which was an introduction to Miami’s new play-style.

Now, the Heat are able to leave Butler and Adebayo off the floor for longer periods than ever imagined, and not only have those lineups been stable, but they’ve boosted production. In the last two games, the bench lineup with Dragic-Herro-Iguodala-Dedmon, with Kendrick Nunn plugged in, has an offensive rating of 122 and a defensive rating of 97.

Although those numbers are exceptional, it’s a small sample size, but this shouldn’t be taken lightly. I don’t think anybody expected a lineup of Dragic, Nunn, and Herro to have a defensive rating of 97 over a two game span, but they’ve found a way through an effective scheme consisting of lots of blitzing and doubles. That defense also plays into their favor offensively while it allows them to get out in the open court and run.

The question now becomes, is it sustainable? It’s something that can’t be answered at the moment, but I will say that this Dragic run doesn’t seem to be temporary. The comfort levels with the three guard lineups have been a huge reason for the recent surge as well.

When I asked Erik Spoelstra about the lineups with Goran Dragic and Kendrick Nunn being so effective, he responded, “It wasn’t like jumping off the screen or in our reports and reviews until about two weeks ago. We started to notice that combination was actually being pretty effective. So it’s something that we will continue to explore.”

Well they’ve continued to explore it, and even thrown Herro into the mix with them, which has posted an offensive rating of 120 since his return.

This team has needed one more guy to step up for quite some time, and they currently have every role player doing that at the same time. If this team can at least stay afloat when Adebayo and Butler head to the bench over these last four games, there’s no doubt in my mind that they’ll have a week off while other teams battle it out in the play-in.

It’s a hidden gem that’s becoming not so hidden. And once that ability is noticed in a playoff setting, it leads them right back into Butler or Adebayo takeover mode, which is exactly what they want. As Adebayo said, “When we’re clicking on all cylinders, we’re a hard team to beat.” And their cylinders are currently clicking, due to this very reason: star-less success.

5 Takeaways from Heat’s Win Over Celtics

/0 Comments/in , /by

The Miami Heat beat the Boston Celtics, which originally looked like a blowout win for Miami, turning into a down to the wire finish. It was an all-around scoring performance for Miami with 6 guys in double figures, but Jimmy Butler was the leader as he was absolutely terrific on both ends. So, here are five takeaways from this game…

#1: Kendrick Nunn’s impressive offensive impact has become…normal.

Well, 79 points in the half against the Boston Celtics is pretty general, so it’s necessary to evaluate it individually. Before a lot of Miami’s headlines become the bench back-court and two stars, don’t let Kendrick Nunn get swept under the rug. That’s been a common theme of Nunn’s career, and a major reason at the moment is that his scoring abilities have become the new normal for this team. He was the initial stamp of offense in the first quarter, finding that mid-range space against drop coverage, and of course knocking down the not so occasional catch and shoot three. Saying Nunn has returned to his rookie season form would be quite the understatement, since he’s grown in every major element of his offensive game.

#2: Jimmy Butler does absolutely everything. And I mean everything.

This game was originally expected to be a Jimmy Butler game, where he took over offensively from the jump. Except, that didn’t happen, and he still was the best player on the floor. One shot attempt and one shot make at the half may make that hard to believe, but watching him on the defensive end is pure art. Forget steals, forget deflections, forget blocks. It isn’t about the stats for him, due to the fact his level of disruption is the true reason he has such success on that end. It wasn’t just defense either, since 7 first half assists doesn’t even do it justice. He’s the engine of this team on both ends, and it doesn’t matter if he’s putting the ball in the basket or not. The main element is that he brings a certain energy level, which he did today.

#3: Duncan Robinson impacting the game on…both ends?

In a very spread out scoring display for Miami, it’s clear that Duncan Robinson was a major part of that first half explosion. But that’s not what must be harped on, since an unexpected part of his game stood out: defense. Yes, you read that correctly. He found himself on an island with Jayson Tatum frequently, among other Celtics’ creators, and actually held his own. Just like I’ve discussed constantly in the past, he has the tools to be effective on that end, due to his length. When he’s able to contest Tatum’s baseline sidesteps over and over, it’s clear that he’s growing by the day on that end of the floor, which is probably the most important individual progression of the season for Miami. Of course, guys like Trevor Ariza came over for the double when that match-up came up, but that’s the theme of this defense to blitz the perimeter player and force others to beat you.

#4: Dragic and Herro giving Miami exactly what they need in first half: scoring and rest for stars.

Tyler Herro had another one of those scoring stretches in today’s game, but the reason that is so essential is much bigger than points in the scoring column. Much like the last game against Minnesota, Herro and Goran Dragic stepped up big time off the bench, which is so impactful for Miami’s stars, Butler and Bam Adebayo. Miami went most of the season where they couldn’t head to the bench at the same time, unless they wanted to absolutely plummet on both ends of the floor. Allowing both of them to enter at the same time in the second quarter, while keeping their foot on the gas, is one of the most underrated parts of this Heat team at the moment. As for Herro, he had his usual scoring flashes, but he had to adjust more than normal. When he began to get defended tighter and tighter, he was forced to throw his defender into off-ball screens to find open space. And that space shriveled down to almost nothing by the fourth quarter. He, also, was continually attacked on the defensive end, which is the next development in his game to take that next step.

#5: The importance of the Dewayne Dedmon pick-up.

Dewayne Dedmon won’t be one of the main discussions following this game, but he definitely should be. He’s not a guy that’s going to totally wow you in the scoring column, and that’s exactly the type of guy Miami likes. For one, while speaking about his offense, he has been unexpectedly efficient in his minutes. He doesn’t shoot much, but he usually finds away to flip it in or bank it in when he does. The real reason of impact was the overall non-Bam Adebayo minutes, since that was one of the biggest issues for Miami early in the season. Nobody was able to mirror Adebayo’s play on either end, but Dedmon does it in his own unique way. He doesn’t bring the same level of defensive versatility, but he impacts as a rim protector. He doesn’t bring the same facilitating ways on offense, but he impacts on the block. This addition of some diversity was so important for this team to round out their nine man rotation.

Jimmy Butler: The Art of the Steal

/0 Comments/in , /by

What makes Jimmy Butler so great at stealing the basketball? It’s a question that Butler had a hard time answering himself when I asked him after Friday’s win over the Minnesota Timberwolves.

The reason that is such a hard question to answer is that it’s not one specific thing. It’s not two specific things. It’s not three specific things. It’s just an abundance of abilities that all come to one single point when it’s time for Butler to lock in on an opponent.

When evaluating the most apparent areas of this skill-set, it must begin with the fact that he can hit the passing lanes as well as anybody:

The pick six is usually the result when Miami blitzes a pick and pop, since that allows Butler to split the difference between the two players on his side, then jump the route when that decision is made.

The thing that must be noted here is that he always has his eyes on the guy with the ball. Emphasis on always. He begins to jump that passing lane on this play immediately when the blitz occurs, knowing that Karl-Anthony Towns is going to turn and make that bullet pass to Ricky Rubio a few feet away.

It’s just the defensive mind of Jimmy Butler.

How about another one? This one doesn’t involve any type of blitz on the ball-handler, but the way that he doesn’t allow any space leads to a risky pass and a tough result for Minnesota.

The key about this ability displayed here is what that steal turns into. Although this play ended in a block by Anthony Edwards, the importance is that they get out and run in transition, which is when this offense really begins to make their runs.

Now, for the last example, it’s one where Butler is blitzing this time. He doesn’t over-commit in the slightest way, just knowing that Coby White is going to try to make that over the top pass to the roller, as he’s reading his eyes.

The thing about this type of patience is that it’s a risk. But not many things are risky for Butler due to the fact he has high trust in his own abilities, and lives with the result. One thing he said when I asked him about these risks, “If I don’t (get the steal), I gotta hear Spo telling me to stop doing it.” Coach Spo may not love those risky efforts, but Jimmy Butler lives for them.

Loading
Loading...

The next element to his stealing expertise is in the post. Yes, the post. Not many guys his size are known for their defensive abilities in the post against bigger players, but Butler is in a category of his own. He’s strong enough to stay with them and smart enough to become creative when he’s on an island with them.

In Miami’s switching scheme, he finds himself on centers all the time when Bam Adebayo rotates to the perimeter. When I asked Adebayo about that constant help mechanism, he said, “Whoever the weak side help is, probably will switch out, so it’s kind of like a triple switch.”

But to that point, it seems like that same mindset doesn’t occur when it’s Butler in the post. Those backside rotations stay put, knowing that Butler can handle his own on possessions like this:

 

No help in sight. Just Butler battling with him in the high post, then pulling the chair a bit to get positioning on the ball, which flipped up into the hands of Duncan Robinson.

Another theme shown on these steals is the offensive result: a three from Robinson. Defense to offense is a partial identity on this team, and even with the very relevant Adebayo defensive player of the year discussion, Butler has been on the forefront of generating offensive looks through disruption.

Yet another instance, except this time, Butler doesn’t let Nikola Vucevic get comfortable for one second in the post. His initial back-down turned into a pulled chair, and led to a Chicago Bulls turnover.

Although the headliner on these plays seem to be his use of the body, it’s actually the activity of his hands that make this possible.

Same spot, different player. Instead of allowing the entry pass, like he did against Vucevic, he went for pure denial on this possession. The bounce pass is made to Patrick Williams, and Butler reaches to his right to tip the ball away and obtain possession.

I don’t think some people understand the level of difficulty of that steal. Not jumping the entire pass to allow a possible layup opportunity with a spin, but keeps position and utilizes a long reach across Williams’ body to deny the pass.

A lot of these examples so far have been off-ball ones, which is interesting since Butler is known to be such a hounding on-ball defender on the perimeter. Well, here’s a quick refresher that he doesn’t skip a beat out there either:

White was about to flow into a double on-ball screen, but Butler applied the pressure before he even arrived at that second screener. One poke left, one gather right: cookies.

It’s just that simple when he gets put into those positions. Even though I’m harping on the result of a steal, it’s honestly just about the level of disruption he brings every play. That is what makes these types of plays possible, since the player has been getting pressed up the entire game, which is just Butler’s way of luring him into that thinking space.

Finally, the icing on the cake of Butler’s impressive stealing attributes: the unexpected double teaming. This has become as much of a staple for Butler as Andre Iguodala’s clean swipe downs. So, what makes this so elite?

A ton of actions are occurring on the strong side of the floor, leaving Adebayo and Butler on the weak side entry pass, which is exactly what you want if you’re Miami. But that’s not enough for Butler.

He makes a sprinting double toward the oblivious Naz Reid, and pokes it free, grabs it, and throws it down.

I asked Butler about these unexpected doubles, specifically the reasoning for him having so much success with them, and he responded, “I think you gotta look at who has the ball, right or left handed. What their skill-set is. And I guess some good timing and some timely gambles.”

One more thing that he left out after watching this play specifically is a great amount of instincts. If you were to ask me what one word describes Butler’s defensive tactics, I’d reply instinctive. Every single decision is made in the moment. On this play above, he seems locked in on Edwards with his body turned towards him, but darts across the floor right when he notices a slimmer of hope.

And that phrase is Jimmy Butler in a nutshell. All that he’s had his entire life is a slimmer of hope. And well, he’s taken that small amount and ran with it to become the player that he is today.

5 Takeaways from Heat’s Win Over Timberwolves

/0 Comments/in , /by

The Miami Heat got a much needed win against the Minnesota Timberwolves, headlined by their back-up back-court. Both Jimmy Butler and Tyler Herro returned to the lineup tonight, leaving only Victor Oladipo on the injury report. Anyway, here are five takeaways from this important win…

#1: Tyler Herro is….back.

Tyler Herro returned on Friday night against Minnesota with limited expectations. And that’s the best thing for Herro. He scored 14 points in the first half, including 4 for 4 from the three-point line. The one takeaway from that second quarter spurt from him is that he is such a rhythm shooter. When that first one falls, expect a few more to fall as well, since that type of lift and confidence translates to very good things. Herro’s role on this team must be that offensive boost that can be relied on nightly, since although spark scoring is obvious, consistency is next. Another thing to mention about his performance is that he did it in lineups without Jimmy Butler, which is usually some of his best minutes. If he can control lineups with Goran Dragic, who I will discuss next, this team can take that next step.

#2: Goran Dragic looks like a rejuvenated 35 year old.

After Goran Dragic turned 35 years old a day ago, he looked like a different player. He has caught some momentum over his past few games, but this was the icing on the cake. Although that impressive scoring stretch from Herro will be harped on, Dragic was the consistent offensive force that was looked to. Getting to the rim and making mid-range jumpers aside, one specific thing stood out in tonight’s game: he plays off of the defense. He was being guarded by a smaller Jordan McLaughlin, which means he adjusts his ways of scoring. An unexpected way tonight was in the high post, since the slight size advantage allowed him to not only find ways to score by backing him down, but also play-make with skip passes in the post. Dragic’s ability to adjust to a defense is one of his most underrated offensive abilities, and this corner he’s currently turning will further prove that.

#3: Miami’s bench outscores starters in first half, which is….different.

The starting lineup had 25 points at the half, while the bench ended up with 34, which is a very different scene on this Heat team. Miami went from trying to survive non-Bam and non-Butler minutes previously, to leaving them on the bench together for the longest period of the season. That just reiterates the first two takeaways of Herro and Dragic’s play, but don’t let Andre Iguodala and Dewayne Dedmon’s five combined points at the half confuse you. Iguodala was as active as ever on the defensive end, while Dedmon just mucked things up for Minnesota after Adebayo exited the game with some early foul trouble. The thing about these two guys is that they play their role perfectly, and it becomes even more apparent when their guard pairing among reserves really get going.

#4: A third quarter energy shift, sparked by Butler, Adebayo, and, oh, technicals.

When looking at the third quarter throughout the season, that’s usually Butler’s queue to begin to increase his aggression. Well, he did just that again tonight, mostly through Miami’s most effective bridge of offense, which begins on the defensive end. His defensive staple is the unexpected double on the perimeter to rip the ball away and play in transition. Adebayo also initiated offense a bit more after a tough first half for him, which seemed to be generated by some calls going in the opposite direction. And speaking of certain calls from the referees, some technical fouls were issued to a couple complaining Timberwolves, giving Miami some easy points, as well as D’Angelo Russell being ejected. One thing about this Heat team is that they thrive off of energy, and night’s like this further prove that point, no matter if they were facing a weaker match-up.

#5: Time to watch the standings.

As the Miami Heat are in play-in range, it’s important to keep your eyes on the teams that are fighting for those 4th, 5th, and 6th seeds. The Boston Celtics are the team to watch the closest if you’re Miami for a bunch of reasons. For one, they lost to the Chicago Bulls tonight, which means Miami’s currently in the 6th seed in the East. But once again, the next two games seem to be the deciding factor. The Heat’s next two games are the Celtics, meaning they must take care of business in those games and they can safely say that they get a week off while Boston’s fighting in the play-in. If anybody needs that extra time off, it’s this Heat team. Giving Butler and Dragic some rest, Herro some time to recover, and the entire team a mental reset will be huge if they want to make a push in the post-season once again.

Dolphins schedule

Miami Dolphins release updated jersey numbers for free agents and rookies

/0 Comments/in , /by

Shortly after the 2021 NFL draft concluded, Miami Dolphins fans everywhere began to ask the important questions.

What was the plan at running back?

Who will start at right tackle?

Which safety was going to be cut? 

And of course, what jersey numbers will the new players wear, now that the league has changed the rules, giving the players more options?

This was the real question on everyone’s mind and a few moments ago, the Miami Dolphins official Twitter account released this GIF revealing the new jersey numbers for the 2021 season.

 

Here’s a full list:

#2 Albert Wilson

#3 Will Fuller

#4 Reid Sinnet

#5 Micheal Palardy

#6 Lynn Bowden Jr.

#8 Allen Hurns

#9 Noah Igbinoghene 

#14 Jacoby Brissett

#15 Jaelan Phillips

#16 Robert Foster

#17 Jaylen Waddle

#22 Jevon Holland

#23 Gerrid Doaks

#28 Jordan Scarlett

#30 Jason McCourty

#34 Malcolm Brown

#35 Terrell Bonds

#44 Blake Ferguson

#45 Duke Riley

#50 Benardrick Mckinney

#52 Elandon Roberts

#57 Brennan Scarlett

#62 Matt Skura

#64 Cameron Tom 

#70 Adam Butler

#74 Liam Eichenberg

#75 Tyler Gauthier

#76 D.J Fluker

#79 Larnel Coleman

#82 Cethan Carter

#84 Hunter Long

#87 Kai Locksley

#89 Jibri Blount

#90 Jenkins

#93 Jonathan Ledbetter

#96 Tyshun Render

 

Which of these jerseys are you most looking forward to adding to your collection? For me, that Jaelan Phillips #15 is going to be hard to pass up.

 

 

 

 

Trevor Ariza: More than a 3 and D Guy

/0 Comments/in , /by

Meyers Leonard and a second round pick. That’s what it took to get one of Miami’s most important and consistent pieces, Trevor Ariza.

After he didn’t get any NBA run for over a year, he found a pretty good fit with the Heat this season, immediately being plugged into the starting lineup next to Bam Adebayo.

The public perception of his game has been that he’s a 3 and D guy, which is partly true due to his play-style, but that label would be selling him short. When I asked Adebayo about that label not saying enough about his overall game, he responded, “He’s definitely underrated. I feel the one thing that is underrated is his IQ. And most people think he’s 3 and D, but he can put it on the floor, defend, he can really shoot it, and he can also pass. He just makes our team better.”

So, to that point of addressing the things he does well, let’s dive into his game from this season. And although I want to look at elements aside from the 3 and D label, that part must be noted first…

– The Shooting Element

If you want an intro to the amount of impact Ariza can have for Miami’s offense as a shooter, look no further than the first couple minutes of the last game against the Dallas Mavericks, knocking down 3 consecutive threes to begin the game.

When looking at these three shots specifically, it shows the different ways that he’s capable of knocking it down. In the first clip, he looks to attack but notices the big switches onto him. He slowly pulls the ball back out to the three-point line, and knocks down an impressive triple.

The second and third clips show more of the catch and shoot element, which is his most frequent offensive role. Although he finds himself in the corner on most possessions as a spacer, this just shows the capability of pulling up over the top of guys in transition, as well as just catching and firing.

And by the way, the year off hasn’t slowed down that jumper one bit, due to the fact he’s shooting slightly over his career average from three since joining the Heat, which is a pretty ideal situation for Miami.

– Locking Up Guards and Wings Nightly

It’s not normal for there to be a steal and pick six on the first possession of the game, but that’s exactly the level of disruption that Ariza brings every night. The purpose of showing this clip is not because of the steal and bucket, but mostly due to his defensive placing.

He’s been guarding opposing team’s best guard on a nightly basis, but this proves his versatility being quite the formula for him defensively. He doesn’t defend guards due to an inability against bigger guys, but mostly since his biggest strength is when he’s wrecking havoc on the perimeter.

Another thing to note on this play that highlights his intangibles is his length leading to defensive success. The reason he’s so great at hitting passing lanes is due to the combination of quickness, length, and the one thing Adebayo mentioned is the most underrated, his IQ.

Now, this showcases Ariza against smaller guys, but also the things leading up to this defensive stop. Jimmy Butler, Adebayo, and Ariza in the front-court means they’re going to switch everything, especially since Butler and Ariza can handle bigs in the post. But the switching scheme is most effective when it’s Butler and Ariza thrown into a PnR as they can switch rather effortlessly.

Colin Sexton seems to beat Ariza initially to get to the rim, but that length allows him to recover and block the shot as Miami rolls right into transition. Speaking of transition, that has been Miami’s most trusted area of offense lately, and Ariza has a lot to do with it.

I’d pretty comfortably say that he forces the most fast-break opportunities when he’s on the floor, and that alone reflects the impact he has had to shift a team’s play-style upon arrival.

– The Effectiveness of the Attack

The main reason that I say Ariza is much more than a 3 and D guy is that his ability to put the ball on the floor and attack seems to be pushed aside. But it shouldn’t.

His dribble penetration is not only crucial for his own offensive success, but also the team’s success. On this play, he receives the ball on the wing with Luka Doncic defending, but that isn’t why he got to the rim with ease. It’s actually because he noticed he has Duncan Robinson sliding to the corner, which eliminates any chance of help defense on the attack.

Also, creating mismatches has been his offensive specialty many nights. Miami using him as a versatile screener for Robinson forces easier match-ups for the both of them, as shown on this play. And that attacking doesn’t let the defense get off the hook for that initial switch.

If you were to ask me, what is Ariza’s best play in a Miami Heat uniform, I’d probably show this clip. Not that it’s anything flashy. Not that it’s anything spectacular. But just because it defines Trevor Ariza.

The beginning of this play consisted of an Ariza corner three that he missed, but an offensive rebound led us right into this clip. He could’ve attempted that same shot in the corner when he received it, but he smartly put the ball on the floor to get to the rack. He flips up a wild left handed shot that goes in for a much needed bucket down the stretch.

Even though we’re coming off a monster three-point night from Ariza two days ago, I’d like to see that decision more often. Giving up a good shot for a great shot, especially while he’s proved to be very effective when he finds himself around the rim.

Here’s one more instance of him taking advantage of bigs rotating onto him. Not to shine any comparisons of Jimmy Butler onto his game, but he does have some methodical movements when going downhill in a similar fashion of Butler’s play-style.

The thing about those slower movements is that they’re usually used when a player lacks great speed, but as seen on this play specifically, he shows quite the burst on the initial dribble. The outside shot has become his comfort area over time, since the two point shot attempts have recently declined, but this may be key many nights to take advantage of opposing weaknesses.

– The Art of His Cutting

This article would be endless if I showcased the amount of cuts Ariza makes every night for easy layups or extra passes for buckets. But since there are so many, I’m going to just show this one that explains the reason for him being so great in that area.

The most important part of this play doesn’t come on the tough catch in traffic or impressive finish with the contest. It’s actually before the cut when he is standing in the corner. You can see him reading the entire situation before making that cut to the basket.

Low shot clock, his defender dropping off of him more and more, and Tyler Herro looks to be stuck. So, the only option is to make a play off the ball, which is exactly what he did. This attribute also refers back to the point about having a high IQ, since these aren’t just ordinary plays that he’s making every night. And well, they’re winning plays that truly can be a difference maker in important games.

– Sets that Benefit Him

Aside from evaluating his overall game, here are some of the set-ups that I believe can really maximize his play in the offense:

Jimmy Butler begins the possession in a familiar area in the high post with an empty corner. Ariza loops around as if the play was supposed to lead to an easy layup, but that was all a setup for the Dewayne Dedmon screen for an open look in the corner.

The Heat have gotten creative with their small ball four in a way they haven’t been able to with many of their past front-court mates. Just seeing them run stuff for him to get open looks shows the amount of trust they have in him already, and versatility of his offensive skill-set to be far more than just a decoy.

When he’s sharing the floor with a bunch of weapons like on this play, it makes him the real wild card. Bam Adebayo surveys the floor as some distractions are being made with a back-screen by Robinson for Butler, and Herro popping out to the three.

This creates chaos for the defense to communicate and pick a guy to switch onto. But the thing is, that switching confusion from that action means Ariza is wide open in the corner, leading to an open three. When Miami’s fully healthy, he will be able to benefit from lineups with offensive firepower, since the amount of open looks he gets will increase dramatically.

The final one is simple, but it also ties some of my past points together. Off-ball screening by Duncan Robinson usually means good things for the guy coming off that screen, especially when it’s occurring on the back-side with all eyes on Butler and Adebayo.

These actions also allow Ariza to get to his spots around the rim, which is when his passing abilities are on display the most. On this play, though, his craftiness with a couple pump-fakes allow him to get some space for the reverse.

Once again, the 3 and D status for Trevor Ariza may not be wrong, but it definitely doesn’t tell the full story. The one thing that does tell the full story, though, is film displayed here.

The On-Court Production of Tyler Herro Needs Some Perspective

/0 Comments/in , /by

Expectations are a pretty interesting thing in the NBA. One day you’re being drafted number 13, which many labeled the wrong choice, and the next instant you’re being looked at to step up in an NBA Finals game with all of the eyes on you.

And then, the title begins to shift from Boy Wonder to “one year wonder,” which once again just further proves this odd thing called expectations. But there are many reasons that point to this sharp turn being highly unreasonable.

Let’s start with this. Kendrick Nunn has been on an absolute tear this season since being plugged into the starting lineup, and it’s pretty clear he has his spot locked up as much as anybody in that starting lineup this season. But somehow, he averages less points per game than Tyler Herro over the course of the year.

The difference is that Nunn has been much more efficient and reliant, but for there to be two completely opposite perceptions about two players, who are pretty similar in the scoring column which is their roles, creates for an interesting debate.

There is no doubt that Herro has had his fair share of down games and rough stretches, but isn’t that expected for a second year guy selected in the late lottery? His three-point shooting numbers have taken a major dip from 39% to 34%, but still sustained a mutual field goal percentage overall due to the increase in two-point attempts.

When the public perception really began to spiral out of control was a recent three game stretch that consisted of a 5 point night on 2 for 10 shooting, a 4 point night on 1 for 7 shooting, and a 9 point night on 4 for 13 shooting. But the interesting part about that stretch is that he had a pretty decent bounce back in the two games before going out with injury, including a 22 point night against the Spurs with a fourth quarter explosion, and a 12 point night on 50% shooting against the Hawks.

Speaking of that fourth quarter, this is what it looked like, and it continues the discussion of his game relying so heavily on rhythm….

Even though numbers have declined slightly and there’s an abundance of guards on the roster at the moment, it just doesn’t seem likely that this team will bail on Herro as much as many observers have. The rotations and minutes are an Erik Spoelstra problem, and I can guarantee that his worries don’t include if Herro should get a majority of minutes.

He will still be in the game for many fourth quarters, he will still be running many bench units with Goran Dragic, and he will still be a guy that the guys on this team trust. Of course this is barring a healthy return from this foot injury that hasn’t been updated much, but it just seems that we’ve seen this situation play out way too often.

Also, I think this time off can play a big role in his overall production. Sometimes the fix for a player is just playing time, which was the case for Kendrick Nunn, but I believe a mental reset may be the solution for Herro’s struggles.

It’s just going to be up to him to see how he responds, since he will be thrown immediately back into the fire against some of the Eastern Conference’s most elite teams down the stretch, then an immediate transition into playoff time. And if there’s any stretch of games that can spark something in Herro, it’s that type of competitive stretch where the odds are against them, which is just how both he and the rest of the team likes it.

Five Takeaways from Heat’s Loss to Dallas

/0 Comments/in , /by

The Miami Heat lost to the Dallas Mavericks on Tuesday night, while Jimmy Butler, Tyler Herro, and Victor Oladipo were all out. Those guys were definitely missed, since the offense was missing for many stretches, but some extra defensive weapons against the Mavericks’ offensive shot creators would’ve been huge as well. Anyway, here are five takeaways from this game…

#1: Trevor Ariza may be more than a 3 and D guy, but there was some emphasis on the three element tonight.

I’ve talked a lot recently about Trevor Ariza’s elite levels off the ball with his cutting, as well as his underrated passing and driving abilities, which Bam Adebayo echoed when I asked him about it. The reason this is important to note is that the three ball can still be his biggest offensive threat, as shown in tonight’s game in the first quarter specifically. Knocking down 4 straight threes early on in the first quarter, while three of them being consecutive in the first few minutes, was absolutely necessary due to the drop-off in scoring with the starting lineup. When looking at the way Ariza has shot the ball since joining the team, it’s pretty obvious that he is a rhythm shooter. And when talking about that spot in the starting lineup that Kelly Olynyk once filled, it’s important for Miami to have capable shooting, while sprinkling in the utmost disruption on the perimeter defensively.

#2: Some first half Luka Magic with….premier defenders on him.

Even without Jimmy Butler, it felt like a swarming rotation of Bam Adebayo, Andre Iguodala, and Ariza guarding Luka Doncic would be enough. But well, it didn’t seem to matter who was guarding him. There’s only a certain amount of disruption that can be caused against him, since he is able to create any type of separation on every spot of the floor. Miami began to throw some more of that press and zone at them when Doncic was off the floor, which worked for a long stretch, but then some more blitzing came into play. The Heat were blitzing two of their best defenders at Doncic in the half-court, which puts a lot of pressure on Miami’s weaker defenders to scramble into recovery mode. That led to Tim Hardaway Jr getting hot, which is what they had to live with many possessions to get the ball out of Doncic’s hands.

#3: Has Miami become too reliant on Kendrick Nunn?

Kendrick Nunn has been hitting major strides as of late, but he had a rough shooting first half tonight, and it seemed like that was a main reason Miami had the lead slip away. Once again, without Butler, the creation on the floor at all times is pretty scarce, which is why I discussed that Ariza run being so important. They needed that on-ball mid-range killer that they’ve seen recently, but when shots weren’t falling for him, the entire offense began to plummet. Goran Dragic stepped up as that type of player when he checked in, keeping Miami afloat for many spurts. Of course there are down games that occur for every player, but this kind of showcased this team’s overall reliance on Nunn every night, which leads to the continued watch of Victor Oladipo and Tyler Herro’s status. As much as the topic has become who is the odd man out, I truly believe those guys returning can take a ton of pressure off Nunn, and end up benefiting him majorly.

#4: The expected Bam Adebayo scoring breakout wasn’t the case.

Bam Adebayo has a tendency of reading the room when Butler is out, since he can elect to be much more aggressive offensively when they lack creators. There was a point in the third quarter when Adebayo only had two more points than Dewayne Dedmon in the single digit range, which just can’t be the case on nights like this. He filled up the box score in the assist and rebound category per usual, due to the fact that he’s such a high impact player, but the continued point will be that impact wasn’t the needed area tonight. They were in need of a young star who is capable of initiating offense at any moment, mostly since he’s more than capable of doing so, but that wasn’t the case. It’s the next step in his game that will continually be harped on, but once again, it comes down to self realization.

#5: So, Jimmy Butler gets 4 days off.

As mentioned a few times earlier, Butler didn’t play tonight after he had some flu-like symptoms, which was not Covid related. And Miami getting two nights off before their game on Friday means that he got a 4 day break, leading to a possible positive result in the long run. The hope for Miami is that they can get another week off by avoiding the play-in round, but that is all in question at the current stage. Either way, it’s important for him to get some extra rest before this final push with quite the layout of Eastern Conference talent, including Philadelphia, Milwuakee, and Boston twice. They’re going to need their leader and focal point well rested for those games, which looks like it will be the case now. Other than some individual takeaways tonight, there just isn’t much that can be looked at from a team perspective other than the lack of on-ball offensive weapons.