5 Takeaways from Heat’s Victory Over Indiana

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The Miami Heat got a much needed win against the Indiana Pacers, expanding their win streak to 2 games, gaining great momentum for Victor Oladipo’s debut tomorrow night. This game had its ups and downs like every other Miami Heat game, but the defensive side of the ball was quite impressive tonight. Anyway, here are five takeaways from the game…

#1: Duncan Robinson and Goran Dragic were the Heat’s offense early.

While I’ll dive into the negative aspect of Miami’s offense next, Duncan Robinson and Goran Dragic were huge positives in their own ways. Robinson is back to his usual shooting ways, which means there is no more discussions about shots not falling, since the attempts are the main topic again. The only time it felt Miami was getting a good shot in the first half, was when Robinson was letting a three fly, which the efficiency numbers basically prove that to be true. Goran Dragic basically carried the offense as well after Robinson hit two threes to begin the game. It doesn’t take Dragic very long to get back into a rhythm, since it only took him one game to utilize his strong ability to get to the rim and kiss the ball off the glass.

#2: Shooting roller coaster continues for Miami.

The offensive observation tonight was more than the actual field goal percentage numbers, since the amount of time that nothing was generated truly stood out. Although Butler wasn’t his usual self early on, they missed him when he went to the sideline since it basically eliminates their drive and kick game, due to the lack of an attacking sidekick, who will make his debut tomorrow. The length of time that they couldn’t get a shot to drop, while settling for contested three point jumpers, basically sums up the overall takeaway of their offense that is displayed on every one of these takeaway pieces. Another way to look at the first half issues begins with their two stars, which I will dive into next, since when they aren’t clicking, it’s hard for others to do so as well.

#3: Trailing by 2 at the half, while Adebayo and Butler don’t have a made field goal, is…..interesting.

Usually it’s the complete opposite takeaway with the Miami Heat, since Adebayo and Butler step up when needed, but the counter parts aren’t able to capitalize on their strengths. But well, it was the complete opposite tonight, since Adebayo and Butler did not have a made field goal through the first 24 minutes of basketball. Now, there are a couple ways to look at this, since the positive outlook is that they only trailed by 2 although all of that occurred. It was also a good sign to see the role players step up at times to make certain pushes to at least keep them afloat. The negative outlook is that you’re two best players should probably have a field goal in a whole half, which turns the eyes back to that aggression. Myles Turner had a lot to do with that, since his paint presence may lead to decreasing Miami’s downhill abilities, but through long droughts, the reliance should be on the key guys, instead of awaiting for an Andre Iguodala or Trevor Ariza triple to drop.

#4: Butler’s third quarter defense changes the pace of the game.

Butler’s third quarter defensive impact was much more than the two early charges on Domantas Sabonis to give Miami extra offensive opportunities. Although he began to score well in the third as well, the amount of times that he deflected a pass or got a steal was just constant, as he wrecked havoc on that end of the floor. It’s aside from the numbers, since he also has a tendency to force players into bad shots or bad passes, due to his presence making ball-handlers uncomfortable. It’s not an easy task to change the pace of the game on the defensive end, especially when offense is stagnant, but Butler found a way to limit the Pacers’ scoring and created fast-break opportunities for the Heat.

#5: The Nemanja Bjelica role currently different than expected.

Nemanja Bjelica did not get minutes in the first half, and then checked in for a quick 5 minute stint in the third. Although there may not be a lot to observe from his game once again, since he still hasn’t attempted a shot up to this point, there are some initial things that have been noticed. For one, he does look a bit slow on the defensive end, as he flew out for three point contests, and was basically eliminated from the play completely. He hasn’t truly fit in with the Heat yet in his minutes, but that is expected due to the lack of major minutes so far. Trevor Ariza went through a similar process when first joining the team, except it’s pretty clear that Ariza doesn’t have any issues with getting his shots up. Bjelica may not be utilized in the expected role immediately, but it’s still early, so predictions shouldn’t be flying at the current stage.

Duncan Robinson’s Major Improvements Don’t Include Shooting

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Duncan Robinson has been rolling post trade-deadline, which may tell you exactly why there were some struggles occurring recently. Since the trade deadline, he’s knocked down 14 triples over the course of three games, shooting 58% from beyond the arc.

Although his jumper is looking as good as ever, that’s not the approach I’m taking today when discussing Robinson. He had one of the best all-around games of the season against the New York Knicks on Monday night, mostly due to playing a bit looser than usual on both sides of the floor.

So, let’s get right into it, and dive into Robinson’s major improvements aside from shooting the basketball.

– Play-Making

This play begins with the usual off-ball screen for Robinson, then reversing back into a dribble hand-off to try and find an open look. The only difference is that he is given a wide open baseline, which looks to be open on most nights as teams overplay the three-point line.

So, that means he must make them pay for it, which he did here, as well as many times throughout the game. On this play, he forces the Knicks defense into a rotation scramble, leading to the dump-off to Jimmy Butler on a great cut to the basket, then the extra pass to Bam Adebayo for the dunk.

Although this play ended in a turnover for Miami, that is not the important element to this play. The main part is that Robinson may have recorded a career high in dribbles on this possession, while also making the right read.

He has been much more willing to flow into pick and rolls lately, which is one of the only elements that can truly open up his offensive abilities on the outside. He gets RJ Barrett on his hip on this play, since he’s not expecting a dive to the basket, while also getting Nerlens Noel in the air.

Other than the fumble on the pass, these play-making flashes were fluid throughout the night, which just simply benefits him in the long run.

The defense is expecting the usual pick and pop between Butler and Robinson here, especially since they cleared that side of the floor. Instead, he cuts hard to the basket as Butler hits him in stride, forcing Taj Gibson to step up for the contest.

Robinson makes the correct read once again to find the roaming Precious Achiuwa baseline for the slam. If Robinson can do these types of things consistently, it will allow Coach Spoelstra to get much more creative with the offense. The Heat’s offense wasn’t so dynamic last year just because of Robinson knocking down triples off of dribble hand-offs, but actually since they generated a creative element to their system.

And although teams have eliminated that creative set from their offense, it seems like another one is forming. Victor Oladipo may play a major role in that development, but I wouldn’t be shocked if it includes Robinson being utilized in more actions like this.

This is another one of those plays where the result of the play should not be the part that is harped on. I’ve dove into Robinson’s passing abilities from this game, which is also on display here with a great kick-out on a fast-break, but that isn’t the part that stands out.

They’re two minutes into the fourth quarter at this point, and Tyler Herro just scored 5 straight points for Miami, looking like he was really getting into a flow. So, Robinson not only read the floor, but also the situation, since finding a rolling Herro may not be the worst thing.

 

– Pocket Pass

The pocket pass from Robinson has been utilized for quite some time now, ever since defenders began to double out on him when he even grazed the ball on the perimeter.

But as seen on this play, that one pass gives Miami a total advantage any time it is utilized. It’s mostly used with Adebayo and Robinson, which I will show next, but the one involving Butler is intriguing as well. Two Knicks defenders are out of the play, leaving the decision making to the high IQ Butler.

He takes it in to get to the free throw line, but this also could’ve led to an open triple. There is one defender on the opposite side covering both Trevor Ariza on the wing and Herro in the corner, which means one kick-out would’ve led to an open three, all because of one bounce pass from Robinson.

Once again, the result isn’t the part that is being observed, since the Knicks actually did a pretty good job of recovering on this play, especially due to a few passes being fumbled across the possession.

But this is the normal Robinson/Adebayo action when running the pick and roll on the wing, since both defenders contain Robinson primarily once again. The reason the Adebayo pull-up jumper is constantly harped on, is because of moments like this, as Robinson hands Adebayo a wide open elbow jumper every time this is run.

This is yet another example of the ability to be even more creative with these actions, like Goran Dragic possibly clearing to the opposite side to give Adebayo enough room to work.

– Defense

Duncan Robinson and defense haven’t been linked together much, unless being addressed in a negative manner, but strides are definitely being made in that area.

Now, although I wasn’t going to dive into Robinson’s jumper here, it plays a major role in what came next. It’s a widely known thing that shots being made on one end lead to elevated defensive effort on the other end, even for below average defenders.

On this play, it was probably one of Robinson’s best sequences of the season, as he nails a three, deflects the ball for a steal, and passes it to Butler for a fast-break opportunity in a matter of 20 seconds. Although there may be some attributes that restrict him on the defensive end, length is definitely not one of them, and it’s something that he must utilize to his advantage on that side of the floor.

Here is one more instance of that offense to defense theory, since that made shot is the primary reason for what occurs next.

As he is being run all around the floor the entire possession, the last part when Reggie Bullock slips the screen for Julius Randle stands out. He shows himself to Randle, but somehow recovers on the pass to Bullock with an open lane, taking the right angle to perfectly cut him off.

The slight Ariza show on the block helped as well, but if Robinson didn’t recover, it would’ve led to an absolute breakdown for Miami on the defensive end.

Another interesting part about Robinson on defense has been the level of containment when guys have the ball in their hands, specifically shooters.

He cuts off Barrett on this play, forcing the kick-out to Bullock, and immediately forces him out of a catch and shoot opportunity without overplaying. These are the plays that weren’t happening a couple of months ago, which is why it’s so important to note.

This play also refers back to reading a situation, since Bullock is a player that you want to force to put the ball on the floor, since he thrives as a set shooter, which Miami learned very quickly in their first match-up against the Knicks back in February.

– The Small Things

When evaluating Robinson from this game, it was very clear that he does a lot of small things on the floor that may not be noticed in real time.

This was the perfect example, since as the other four Heat players on the court began to watch the ball fly off the rim, Robinson sprinted in for the tip-out, while preventing what would’ve been a put-back by Gibson. This is also another instance of utilizing his length to his advantage, since this probably wouldn’t have been possible if this wasn’t the case.

Some of the other small things throughout a game include a screen assist with the amount of off-ball screens that occur, which honestly seems to become much more apparent when shots are dropping. The actual points that are inserted on the score board from Robinson triples isn’t the most essential part, since it’s actually what follows it.

– Clearing up the bench trash talk

There isn’t much to dive into here from an analysis perspective, but it was clear that there was some talking toward that Knicks bench from not only Jimmy Butler throughout, but also Robinson as seen here.

So, here’s what he said about it when I asked him post-game, which you can see what he meant when discussing the occurrence of a corner three:

– Well, let’s take a look at one jump shot

The elements aside from shooting was the primary reason for this piece, but come on, a Duncan Robinson article can’t be complete without diving into at least one jumper.

If you don’t think the mental side of things majorly impact a shooter, you’re just wrong. Even when comments are being made about the sustained confidence and getting shots up, it’s still obvious when a shooter is thinking too much. And shots like this show that shooting without thinking is the best formula, since he just allows his natural motion to do all of the work.

The point is that the recent slump for Robinson was much more mental than it was physical, and if these improvements continue to be made in his areas of weakness, it’ll take this team to a completely different level, especially considering the insertion of Oladipo.

Second seed Stefanos Tsitsipas defeats Kei Nishikori at Miami Open

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In a night that saw the humidity at Hard Rock Stadium at 72% and the temperature just below 80 degrees, second seed Stefanos Tsitsipas, drenched in sweat, took the win 6-3, 4-6, and 6-1 over Kei Nishikori at the Miami Open. 

Tsitsipas, ranked fifth in the ATP, looked strong in the first set, breaking Nishikori’s first serve and holding all of his own. Not once did he allow the 39th ranked player from Japan to achieve 40 points, and the set passed quickly in just over 30 minutes. It was clear the young Greek was looking to prove something after his runner-up finish in Acapulco last week. 

 

However, despite notching 10 aces in the second, Tsitsipas couldn’t hold back Nishikori’s renewed attack. The veteran player, winner of 12 singles titles, proved he could still hang with the best of the young crowd as he held off Tsitsipas’ powerful backhand, even breaking one of the younger player’s serves in the second game and winning off his only ace of the match in the eighth. Tsitsipas, meanwhile, looked in danger of overheating compared to the cool and collected Nishikori, who spent much of his life training in the Florida sun and seemed to have a better strategy for the heat and humidity. 

But the first man to beat Nadal, Federer, and Djokovic before his 21st birthday was not to be denied in the third, changing the momentum early to favor himself and roaring out to a 3-0 lead despite Nishikori’s best efforts. The Japanese native fended off five break points in the first two sets but only took the advantage once and allowed the sweat-soaked Greek to break his serve twice. After going down 5-1, his racket met the floor.

In the three years since the two have played, Tsitsipas has matured greatly. Nishikori easily defeated the young Greek in straight sets then, despite a wrist injury the year before that set him back for awhile, but had a much more difficult (and longer) time of things this year.

Tsitsipas will move on to the fourth round tomorrow at seven p.m. where he will face Lorenzo Sonego of Italy. 

 

5 Takeaways from Heat’s Win Over Knicks

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The Miami Heat ended their 6 game losing streak with a win over the New York Knicks. It was a tale of two halves for Miami, after Jimmy Butler went into takeover mode in the second half. Anyway, here are five takeaways from this game…

#1: Well, this is Miami’s offense at times.

The reality is that this is Miami’s offense at times. Dissecting different reasons for the offensive struggles game after game have become a constant thing this season, meaning this is who they are. The leading scorer after 12 minutes of basketball from both teams was Tyler Herro with 6 points, which furthers the point about the overall stagnant offensive play. The only difference is that the Knicks went on spark runs by some of their primary players, as well as turning defense into offense. Miami wasn’t as lucky to have those scoring spurts, and it may have nothing to do with luck. There were small flashes of Bam Adebayo takeover, which never really panned out in the first half, which I will dive into next, but it’s clear that a passive Jimmy Butler in games like this always leads to them playing from behind, which turned around in the second half.

#2: Bam Adebayo having his moments, showcasing just an incredibly unique skill.

Now, I mentioned the small positive flashes from Adebayo early on, and although the Heat scored 36 points in the half, it must be touched upon. For starters, he scored 8 points in that stretch on 4 for 5 shooting, which is a major part of this. Efficiency is clearly a great attribute, but not when it’s costing the team points. Andre Iguodala having the same amount of shot attempts in the first half as Adebayo reiterates that point even more. The reason that I wanted to touch on his unique skill, which is widely known, is because he shows glimpses of realization then reverts right back. Pull-up jumpers with a behind the back dribble occurring right before seems like a moment where that Brooklyn Nets-like game takeover is coming, but the following play leads to off-ball screens and kick-outs to Miami’s different wings. Adebayo utilizes guard moves throughout the game, which is the perfect description since it happens pretty effortlessly.

#3: Precious Achiuwa struggles again, turning eyes toward buyout market.

The continued discussion surrounding last minute pick-ups for Miami have included the addition of a back-up big for the Heat. The non-Adebayo minutes have become just as bad as the non-Butler minutes lately, since they don’t have that big man who can keep them afloat. Achiuwa had flashes early in the year, but his offensive limitations and undersized build allow him to get lost rather quickly. Although most of the guys that are currently in the buyout market get labeled as “past their prime,” that attribute may be more helpful for this team than an inexperience rookie. It’s obvious that Miami will make a move in that area pretty soon, but the consistent hole in that spot should speed that process up in the coming days for the Heat’s front office.

#4: The Jimmy Butler takeover.

As I mentioned before the game, as well as halftime, a Jimmy Butler takeover was necessary. When offense is stagnant like it was tonight, it’s important for him to search to attack, but it’s even more clear when all of the signs are pointing in that direction. Butler seemed to be locked in as soon as some back and forth occurred between him and the Knicks, both the players on the court and sideline. When he’s locked in like that, he’s a hard man to stop, since it’s obvious that he is more than capable to score at the basket whenever he chooses. So, he did just that in the third quarter, turning a 36 point first half into a 39 point third quarter. And although the points he scored will be harped on, the intensity and energy that he brought changed the game for Miami.

#5: Duncan Robinson with one of his best all-around performances.

Duncan Robinson hit some nice shots on the outside, which may have sparked him moving forward, but that’s not what I want to discuss. The part that must be mentioned is that this game may be one of Robinson’s best all-around games of the season. For starters, he put the ball on the deck at an exceptional rate, which led to some very impressive passes. When defenses continue to fly out at him, that element will be essential, and adding the dump-off on the move to the cutter takes it to another level. The second part of tonight’s game for him was on the defensive end, which could’ve been one of his better defensive games of his career. Not only some big steals and deflections to get Miami into transition, but he also stayed in front of his guy individually much better than usual. This type of performance is all he needed to get back to normal, so we will see how this progresses.

How a Hacker Changed the Dolphins’ Future

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In the 2016 NFL Draft, a video of projected top ten pick, Laremy Tunsil changed the future of the Miami Dolphins. At the time, Laremy Tunsil was projected to be picked as early as the number 1 overall pick in the Draft.

The Draft was about to begin when a video of Ole Miss Offensive Tackle, Laremy Tunsil smoking marijuana through a gas mask was released. Nobody could have guessed when this was released, but the hacker who leaked this video made that draft the best the Miami Dolphins have had in a while.

The sports world was crazed when they saw this video, and teams instantly started losing faith in the number one talent.

By some miracle, Laremy Tunsil dropped all the way to the 13th pick where the Miami Dolphins snagged him.

In 2019, the Dolphins traded Laremy Tunsil to the Houston Texans and received a 2020 and 2021 first round draft pick, and a 2021 second round draft pick.

The 2020 draft picked turned into Cornerback, Noah Igbinoghene, who has not proven to be too good yet, but may be able to show his worth in the upcoming season. The 2021 first round draft pick ended up being the third overall pick. This is where Chris Grier started his magic.

The Dolphins were a part of two blockbuster trades on Friday, March 26, between both the Eagles and 49ers.

First, the Miami Dolphins and the San Fransisco 49ers made a trade. The Dolphins gave away the number 3 overall pick to receive the number 12 overall pick, two first round picks, and a third round pick. The Dolphins then traded with the Philadelphia Eagles. The Dolphins gave up the number 12 pick, a first round pick, and a fourth round pick to get the number 6 pick and a fifth round pick.

In the end. The Dolphins traded Laremy Tunsil for four first round picks, two second round picks, and a third round pick. Laremy Tunsil can now be seen as a hero for the Dolphin’s future, and he even acknowledged it by posting this story’s featured photo on Instagram.

Panthers win an afterthought after injury to Aaron Ekblad

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The Florida Panthers completed the sweep on Dallas this weekend with a 4-1 win against the Stars on Sunday night. Unfortunately for the Cats, this win was an afterthought after their star defenseman Aaron Ekblad went down with an injury midway through the second period.

 

Ekblad took an awkward fall near the boards after a collision with a Stars player and had to be taken off the ice with a stretcher. 

 

The 25-year-old has been with the team since 2014 when he was selected first overall by the Panthers in the 2014 NHL draft. Ekblad was having a career year this season, currently he is tied for the league lead in goals by a defenseman with 11 and is ranked top 20 in points for his position.

 

As of now, we do not know how much time Ekblad will miss. Any amount of time without him is a big loss for the Panthers, he leads all skaters in total ice time, averaging 25:31 a game and is the team’s number one defenseman. 

 

On top of Ekblad’s injury, captain Aleksander Barkov has been out the last four games with a lower body injury and Patric Hornqvist has missed the last three games with an undisclosed injury.

Pat Riley’s “Different Dimension” Could be Found in DeMarcus Cousins

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As the list of buyout market options continues to get shorter, the name DeMarcus Cousins continues to climb up that list. Now, of course we are currently discussing a guy that is past his prime, but that is basically the definition of the buyout market.

Every player that has fallen into that category ended up there for a reason, so singling out Cousins doesn’t seem to make much sense.

Anyway, when evaluating the Cousins option for this team, a certain Pat Riley quote from his recent presser continues to pop out. He mentioned a big reason that adding Victor Oladipo was so important was due to it giving Miami a “different dimension.” And well, Cousins has a chance at giving that to Miami when placed into the correct role.

As I take a dive into the elements he can bring to this Heat team, there aren’t many diversified points like past articles have included. By that, I mean that his offensive abilities are pretty simple when discussing him as a fit, which I will address here…

– The primary “different dimension”

First and foremost, the role that he will be given on this current roster must be noted, which would most likely be the back-up big spot that Precious Achiuwa currently holds. And at this stage of Achiuwa’s young career, his offensive game is extremely limited.

Besides that, he is a bit undersized at times against opposing 5’s, which is something Cousins would not have an issue with. That “different dimension” that I keep harping on is the inside game. It may not be what it once was for him, but his wide frame allows him to get to it at a consistent rate, at least when he actually wants to.

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Other than Achiuwa’s inexperience and lowered trust levels when entering a playoff series, his offensive game only being generated above the rim will become even more problematic than it is right now. And if there’s any team that can insert a veteran into a certain role, while making sure he brings them that needed presence down low, it would have to be the Miami Heat.

There have been moments this season, like the video clip above, where Cousins has shown those interior flashes that I just discussed. Another thing to note here though is that he can grab a few more rebounds for the second unit when Bam Adebayo is off the floor.

A major part about Miami considering Cousins as an option would be the mental side of things. Is he willing to alter some things in his game and accept this certain role to help this team win? It’s a question that I’m unable to answer, but I can say that when it’s Pat Riley, or even Jimmy Butler, asking him that question, there’s a much better chance of that being a yes.

Let’s take a look at one more interior possession from this game against the Dallas Mavericks. The reason that I’m utilizing this game to dive into his interior play has a lot to do with him dropping 28 points and 17 rebounds in this game at the end of January.

While many are probably wondering about the fit next to Adebayo, I think the balance between these two guys interchanging is more intriguing. It’s pretty obvious that Adebayo is a player that loves to face the basket, due to his incredible intangibles to make plays as if he was a point guard.

With that being said, he has not been the biggest fan of backing guys down and creating from the post, which is another example of Cousins bringing another dimension. He isn’t afraid to use his size on the block, as seen here, which may benefit Adebayo as well to diversify their bigs, especially since Nemanja Bjelica brings something that neither of them do.

– The shooting aspect

The Kelly Olynyk roller coaster, when referring to the ups and downs of his shooting, could be reiterated by Cousins, which is not the worst thing for a back-up big. When I say this, I mean that he is capable of becoming an outside threat as he was early in this game against the Miami Heat, but there will also be a few down games sprinkled in.

But getting away from consistency and numbers, adding some type of floor spacer at the 5 is pretty important at this moment as well. Andre Iguodala will continue to get big time minutes off the bench, but while shooting isn’t his best attribute, the fit next to Achiuwa in that bench unit hasn’t been very effective.

Another primary part about Cousins, when comparing him to other buyout options, is that his peak is much higher than anybody else on that list. Although Miami may not want to take a chance at uncertainty at this time, he could be an outstanding spark at his best.

– Parked on the bottom block is beneficial for Miami’s offense

Although Cousins likes to space himself beyond the arc most of the time, as discussed previously, his spot on the bottom block could majorly impact Miami’s offense.

One reason for that is shown in this clip above, since Miami is one of the better cutting teams in the NBA, which leads to easy dump-off passes for easy opportunities.

After seeing that, can you hear Pat Riley saying the words “different dimension” as well? Because I can.

The overall consensus is that Miami just majorly needs some type of back-up big if they want to compete in the East, and beginning to win some games with their new pieces can impact who they get from that list. It’ll be interesting to see what happens, but the more days that go by, the higher Cousins’ name gets on that list.

 

5 Takeaways from Heat’s Loss to Charlotte

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The Miami Heat lost to the Charlotte Hornets on Friday night, which originally began as an absolute blowout, but ended as a close battle. Although the main takeaways are negative tonight due to the Heat’s poor play early on, it’s a constant theme of playing in a consistent fashion for 48 minutes, since they were really solid down the stretch. So, here are five takeaways from this game.

#1: Well, let’s start with allowing 72 points at the half.

Now, this clearly won’t be the most positive post-game piece after Charlotte pulled away much earlier than ever expected. Open triple after open triple led to the Hornets expanding their lead more and more, beginning with Malik Monk looking like the team’s owner, Michael Jordan, when he plays the Miami Heat. When evaluating the issues on the Heat’s end, it’s just clearly the definition of the second night of a back to back on the defensive end. Late rotations became the theme in the first half, while the effort on that end was not up to the expected level to begin the game, which is needed against the offensive firepower in Charlotte.

#2: That one player not able to break away from the pack in points category.

When scanning through the box score at the half, the biggest takeaway is that one player wasn’t able to break away from the rest in the scoring column. Butler and Nunn led with 10, while Ariza, Adebayo, and Robinson followed behind with 6 points. But on a night like tonight, they need that one guy to takeover for different stretches. Adebayo and Herro did that for Miami against Portland last night, but they combined for 10 points at the half tonight. Obviously Victor Oladipo, Nemanja Bjelica, and Goran Dragic are still not playing with this Heat team yet, but it’s no excuse when evaluating this team as a whole. They’re built as a team with a bunch of options, but none of those options seemed to have it tonight.

#3: The optimistic perspective.

After diving into each of Miami’s issues on both the offensive and defensive ends of the floor, is there anything positive to draw from this game? Well, I don’t know about the description positive, but this definitely puts some things in perspective, which is hard to do while the team is on a 6 game losing streak. So, take a look at the rotation tonight, since although they had more than enough guys to step up, the bench makes it quite interesting. For one, Max Strus and Gabe Vincent are getting consistent minutes, which isn’t a terrible thing since they’ve played well, but it’s a role that they won’t ever play for this team. Also, Precious Achiuwa is still the Adebayo relief guy, which may not be the case once Miami solidifies their signing from the buyout market. The point is that this rotation might look a lot different on Monday night, which may force you into a bit more of an optimistic view.

#4: Trevor Ariza’s high minutes changing Andre Iguodala’s role.

When discussing a change at a position, this does not consist of some young guys battling it out to stay in the rotation, such as a Kendrick Nunn. The actual positional battle I’m referring to is the two veteran wings, Andre Iguodala and Trevor Ariza. Aside from Ariza being inserted into the starting lineup next to Adebayo recently, there has seemed to be high trust levels in Ariza since he first joined the team. It’s widely known that Iguodala isn’t the biggest fan of regular season play, which makes this certain insertion even more effective, but some of the newcomers make this interesting. Not just Nemanja Bjelica, but also a possible LaMarcus Aldridge addition links some question marks to the rotation moving forward. Although it may not hold much importance at the current moment, it will for Coach Spoelstra as the season progresses, and he must choose between the better shooter and the better defender, who can each sprinkle in the opposite element.

#5: Miami battles until the final buzzer, showcasing some grit to fight back.

Although it’s still not the result many may want, it was a pretty impressive run that this Heat team went on beginning late in the third quarter. Although the offensive side of the ball will be looked toward first after they went on a 25-8 run, the defensive rotations were night and day compared to the first quarter. They were locked in on that end of the floor, didn’t foul as much, and contested well on those same Charlotte triples. The offensive side of the ball was a slow grind with a three here and a three there, but Tyler Herro was the headliner for a short stretch. He showcased that same confidence in his scoring abilities, but then it began to tail off as the fourth quarter progressed. Those same triples were not falling late in the fourth when they needed it most from him, but then Adebayo stepped up late in the fourth for an exceptional stretch under two minutes to go. This then leads to the constant eyebrow raises about Adebayo not realizing how talented he is all 48 minutes.

A Breakdown of Tyler Herro Against Portland

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Post trade deadline Tyler Herro was out in full effect on Thursday night against the Portland Trail Blazers. The Miami Heat had only 9 available players last night, while one of the guys out was Heat’s star Jimmy Butler, it was clear that Tyler Herro was going to need to step up as a scorer.

He not only did that, but he continued to show flashes in all facets of the game, which will be highlighted here. Although this game was a loss, it was a moral win, which is what we’re going to dive into here regarding Herro.

– The play-making abilities shine

One or two clips from last night’s game wouldn’t be able to fully explain the play-making strides that are being made. To start it off, he checks in the game in the first quarter, and immediately receives the ball on an off-ball screen to get downhill.

As Trevor Ariza’s man tries to eliminate that immediately, Herro makes a great read to pass it across his body back to the wing. Some of the issues involving his play-making lately has been the need to force certain passes, especially when he seems afraid to shoot. But that wasn’t the case last night, since he played with as much of a flow as ever.

As the game progressed and the number of attacks for Herro increased, which will be discussed later, the defense began to collapse. A lot.

On this particular play, all eyes are on Herro as he penetrates against the drop, which is his favorite time to attack the basket and play-make. A key element here is the patience he has when he gets to the basket, since that has been another area of struggle. He also doesn’t get stuck in the air, which leads to a perfect bounce pass and a perfect dunk.

Now, this sequence was by far the most impressive passing by Herro of the game, and maybe all season.

He runs a high pick and roll as both defenders try and trap, which pretty much leaves an open rolling Bam Adebayo, forcing the defense to rotate. Except, Herro didn’t make the pass to Adebayo on the roll, mostly since McCollum edged over and they probably would’ve recovered. He threw a cross-court pass to Gabe Vincent for a great look, which ended in three points.

The second play wasn’t as much Herro instincts since it was a designed play, but it’s still important to highlight. There’s a certain trust level in him to make these reads, especially in the fourth quarter of games when he is at his best.

Here’s another designed play where Duncan Robinson bunches up with Adebayo, as he goes to the three point line and Adebayo sets the screen for Herro into a pick and roll.

Yet another situation where Erik Spoelstra is putting the decision making in Herro’s hands, which is what he tends to do even more often when they’re without key players, since he wants him to take the reigns.

Herro reads the personnel well, since it’s an athletic freak rolling to the basket wearing that blue and pink, while a slow footed Enes Kanter is defending. He lobs it up and Adebayo throws it down, which was a bit risky at this back and forth point of the game.

– The two different aspects of his mid-range game

There are two elements to Herro’s evolving mid-range game, and the first one was on display here. And that element is separation, since it’s an ongoing discussing regarding his need for a constant screener.

When taking a look at this possession, there’s a slight dip he gives before pulling back, which gives him a total advantage. Once he develops these slight movements as a creator, which develops over time, it’ll make all the difference.

Herro mentioned in the past that he has watched film on his past two match-ups, Devin Booker and CJ McCollum, which is exactly what I asked him about following yesterday’s game:

The second element to Herro in the mid-range area is embracing the contact. This also is important to note when addressing his attacking abilities, since he seems to avoid contact often when shooting the ball, which could end up on a highlight reel or fast-break points for the opposing team.

After taking the contact on this play, he flows into a floater, which has been something he’s trusted a lot more lately. Decision making is very essential for young players, and that has a lot to do with choosing between different types of shot attempts. And the second level basically forces players to make quick decisions on their shots.

– Developing that gravity

The word gravity is used quite frequently when discussing this Heat team, either with Robinson beyond the arc or Butler on the drive. But sequences like this show clear flashes that Herro has a capability of holding a great amount of gravity on a defense.

The first clip shows Herro receiving the ball to begin the play, and he immediately pulls it since nobody is defending him. The second clip is the following play, which looks a whole lot different from the last one. He gets the ball in the same exact spot, except this time both defenders blitz him in the PnR, leading to an easy dunk for Adebayo.

– The downfall: the snake dribble

Although this possession ended in a bucket for Kendrick Nunn, the overuse of the snake dribble for Herro has been quite apparent. Most of the time when running a PnR, he either avoids the screen to go the opposite direction, or do what he did here.

Miami’s two bigs, Adebayo and Precious Achiuwa, are energetic and athletic figures as above the rim threats on the roll, but this one movement basically eliminates that. It creates poor spacing most of the time, since the defense knows how to cut it off, due to it probably headlining the film session early in the day.

It could have something to do with that mid-range confidence and contact layup hesitance that forces it, but either way it is something that must be addressed to maximize his offensive abilities.

 

Now, let’s take a look what happens when he flows normally in a pick and roll set. He patiently waits for the screen then explodes toward the basket, and as the defender lags behind, he goes immediately into that floater I discussed previously.

Not only is that floater hard to guard from the center’s perspective, but more importantly it puts the recovering guard in an awkward situation, which as seen here led to a foul. If this becomes his primary attribute in a PnR while sprinkling snake dribbles to find dead spots, it leads to a much cleaner offense.

– Some iso flashes?

A major reason the Victor Oladipo acquisition was so crucial was due to the lack of on-ball creators on this team’s current roster. But if Herro can bring that element even slightly off the bench, it absolutely changes everything for their offense.

That little step back to the left that was seen on the play above is one of his shots that he finds the most rhythm. And although the need for separation beyond the arc wasn’t even created on this play, he showed his ability to knock down contested jumpers, which honestly seem to be more natural than the wide open ones at this stage.

– Oh, by the way, the confidence is back

Confidence and Tyler Herro go together like country music and Jimmy Butler. And when he’s attempting shots from the logo in a tight game in the fourth quarter, it’s pretty obvious that confidence is fully back.

If it has something to do with escaping the trade deadline or not, this team just majorly needed that confidence and joy for the game to return for him. When diving into the mechanics of this play a bit more, it has everything to do with the one element I discuss every time involving Herro’s jumper: his lift.

When he rises up over the top of defenders like this, a miss becomes a rare occurrence. And the next thing that should become rare is Herro shying away from the ball throughout the game, since even though Butler and Oladipo will be added in pretty soon, this team needs their young spark to continue firing.

Recap of Miami Dolphins’ March 26 Madness

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Let me just start off with this,

 

Chris Grier my brother your flowers and a round of applause

 

I will be the first to admit that I had been a skeptic of Chris Grier because of picks like Charles Harris and no RB or WR being drafted before the 6th round, but wow did Chris knock it out of the park in trading back with the 49ers…. So, in the in the midst of me praising Chris Grier and writing this article, He decided that he would make another trade this time with the Philadelphia Eagles so let’s recap all the craziness so far.

 

The First Deal:

This bomb shocked everyone as Flores had previously mentioned picking someone “let’s say in the top 10” so a trade with the 49ers came as a surprise as most expected it to be the Carolina Panthers at 8 who would trade up. For the 49ers this move signals that a QB run will start the 2021 NFL Draft. For the Dolphins the move to 12 signaled serious Najee Harris vibes as the first pick but Chris Grier had other plans apparently, as he was not done dealing for the day.

 

 

Trade with Eagles:

If the deal with the 49ers didn’t kick you off your chair, then the one with the Eagles for sure did. This one move here signifies that the Dolphins aren’t just about wheeling and dealing for picks, but they’ll do it for a specific player as well. I really have to wonder which player or players they have identified as being potential choices for the number 6 overall selection.

 

New Draft Order:

Overall looking at the end result of the 2021 NFL Draft and a couple things standout for me.

  1. The 2021 NFL Draft will start with 4 straight QB selections.
  2. The Bengals will have the choice of both Penei and Chase
  3. And the Dolphins might still have the choice of the top 3 WR and Kyle Pitts at 6.
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To round it all up, this move was probably the biggest indicator of Chris Grier playing chess not  checkers with the competition. Not only was he able to turn the #3 overall pick into a plethora of riches in the coming years:

But he was also able to put the Dolphins in a position where all the options that should be getting considered at 3, are now slam dunk picks at 6 after all the moves.

 

Chris Grier, you killed this one chief!