Tua, Dolphins Bounce Bengals after Brawl, now 8-4

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Just when you think the Miami Dolphins are back to the same old team you’ve agonized over for the last 20+ years, they get into a benches-clearing brawl with the Cincinnati Bengals, lose 3 players to ejection, and turn into a completely new team at halftime. Stephen Ross may as well rename the team because these boys ain’t the same.

The first half of the Dolphins’ home game versus the Bengals was a hot mess. Even with Cincinnati starting their backup quarterback, Brandon Allen, who isn’t exactly known for his grace under pressure, the Dolphins looked absolutely lackluster opposite them. Both the offense and defense struggled enormously. The one TD, a sneaky trick play that punter Matt Haack ran in on the field goal attempt, was called back due to penalties. A team usually touted for their lack of penalties ended the day with eight for 54 yards, and penalties weren’t the only mistakes being made.

The one bright spot of the first half was Xavien Howard, who picked off Brandon Allen on his second possession of the game. But then Howard was ejected for a couple of playground-style blows exchanged with Bengals receiver Tyler Boyd (who was also ejected), and the Fins lost their best player down 7-6 at the half. Boyd was arguably the only bright spot of Cincy’s offense up until his ejection. He snagged the only score for the Bengals off a catch and run TD that went for 72 yards—and don’t give Brandon Allen any credit for that, please.

Kyle Van Noy was the only productive defensive player that didn’t get into trouble in the first half, handing out a couple of sacks on Allen. It was a poor outlook for the Dolphins, with many calling for Tua to be benched and replaced with Ryan Fitzpatrick.

We don’t know what Bill Belichick used to say to his team after bad first halves during the Patriots’ dynasty, but whatever it is, Brian Flores apparently knows. The Dolphins opened up the second half on a beautiful no huddle drive that totaled 75 yards in eight plays and three and a half minutes. Tua looked vintage, Alabama-style, slinging balls to Mike Gesicki in between and over the heads of a totally lost Bengals’ secondary. From there, the Dolphins scored two more field goals to secure the game and held the Bengals to 0 points (although kicker Randy Bullock did miss one from 53 to end the first half).

Just as the offense stepped up, Brian Flores’ defense did the same, totaling six sacks, 11 QB hits, and two interceptions. Emmanuel Ogbah and Christian Wilkins teamed up on a strip sack touchdown that was ultimately called back, something Christian Wilkins is apparently still upset about. Shaq Lawson had two sacks himself and Kyle Van Noy added a third in the second half, along with Zach Sieler.

After one of Lawson’s sacks Brandon Allen was ruled out with a chest injury and Ryan Finley stepped in for the rest of the game. He was immediately pummeled by the Dolphins’ defensive line and secondary when Nik Needham came up with the Fins’ second interception of the day.

It was a game to remember, primarily because of a brawl that Brian Flores himself instigated and ended with four players ejected. After an early hit by Mike Thomas on Jakeem Grant, who was violently laid out while returning a punt, Flores had to be physically restrained by his own players, which then resulted in a benches-clearing brawl. Devante Parker and Mack Hollins were both ejected for the Dolphins after exchanging blows with Shawn Williams and William Jackson III. Surprisingly, Grant returned to the game just a few plays later.

The biggest takeaways from this game are the sheer grit of this team, which bounced back after an incredibly disappointing first half performance (something you could never say about the Dolphins before), and the unity in the locker room. Multiple players were quoted calling the team “a family,” and insisting that they stand up for their teammates.

The Heat might not have a monopoly on “culture” in Miami anymore, thanks to Brian Flores.

5 Takeaways from Miami-Duke

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1. Jaelan Phillips might have only three games left with Miami 

 

It’s no secret that Miami has a top-5 defensive line in the country and a big part of that is Phillips. The UCLA-transfer has been on a tear in his first season with the Canes and had yet another dominant performance against Duke: 4 tackes, 3.5 TFL’s, and 1.5 sacks. Duke really had no answers for him all night and JP had many reasons to dance.

I’m not trying to leave out Quincy Roche’s performance (6 tackles, 3 TFL, 1.5 sacks) but man, it’s crazy to realize how far Phillips has come. Since medically retiring in 2018 due to injuries from a scooter accident, he arrived in Coral Gables weighing around 225-230 to 255-260 now. There’s not much left that he has to prove and it’s looking like the Canes will have three defensive ends (Phillips, Roche, and Greg Rousseau)  drafted in the first two rounds of the NFL Draft.

 

2. Tackling has improved tremendously

 

At times this season, it seemed as if the defense was in position to make plays a ton but there were too many arm tackle attempts or just an inability to wrap up. The defense had much better technique on Saturday and as a result, Duke’s yards at the initial point of attack and after the catch were very limited. To give you an idea of this in statistical form, if you were to base Duke QB Chase Brice’s performance off of completions/attempts, he had a really good day. Brice completed 20 of his 25 passes, but only threw for 94 yards. 

 

 

The Canes dealt with a lot of short passes but a lot of credit goes to not only the players (Bubba Bolden’s 9 tackles, Amari Carter’s 7 tackles, Keontra Smith, Bradley Jennings, Waynmon Steed) but also to DC Blake Baker and coach Diaz for making proper adjustments during the long, problematic layloff.

 

3. Miami’s future is bright at LB

 

The Canes were without four linebackers on Saturday: Sam Brooks, Zach McCloud, Avery Huff, and Patrick Joyner. That meant more time for a couple of the true freshmen: Corey Flagg and Tirek Austin-Cave. They did not disappoint by any means, as Flagg’s instincts and speed were on full display. As our own Jazz Santana on Saturday’s Sixth Ring post game show, there was a period of time in the second quarter where it seemed like even if he didn’t make the tackle, he was always around the ball or play. He finished with 5 tackles and one fumble recovery.

Tirek Austin-Cave had a solid game as well and finished with three tackles. 

 

Even with the Canes short-handed at the position and thinking this could be a long day because of it, Flagg and Austin-Cave as well as the rest of the linebackers really showed up to play.

 

4. The running game is absolutely capable with Navaughn Doanldson on the field 

 

The senior left guard made his season debut after opting to use 2020 as a redshirt year to nurse a nagging injury and get in better shape for 2021. He did not start but it’s clear from this play alone that he might be the best run blocker out of Miami’s other options at left guard, who are Jakai Clark and Ousmane Traore. He seals the Duke DT, which opens up a huge hole for Cam Harris. 

 

 

Miami might be out of contention for the ACC Championship but there’s still a lot to play for with two games left, including a possible Orange Bowl berth. Donaldson’s performances right now can also build a lot of momentum for next season, where the Canes will get ready to take on Alabama in the season opener. 

 

5. This team is capable of blowing teams out

 

I don’t even need to bring up what Miami’s biggest problem has been in the past few years and it’s been playing down to the competition. Miami has either barely squeaked by or lost to many teams that were absolutely inferior from a talent standpoint and it’s reassuring to know that this team is capable of dominating teams that are not on the same level as Miami. A big takeaway from this is that there absolutely is a culture shift in how coaches and players approach game preparation.

 

Be sure to look out for another episode of The Sixth Ring on Tuesday as we recap Miami-Duke and get into the need-to-know on recruiting as the Early Signing Period is right around the corner.

 

Stay tuned to @5ReasonsCanes and @PaulAustria_ on Twitter for the latest in Hurricanes news and catch us on The Sixth Ring show twice a week as well pre and post-game.

 

Also, sign up for an account on Prizepicks.com, where you can pick the over/under on fantasy projections on some of your favorite players. Enter the promo code “five” to double your initial deposit.

 

Bundled-Up NBA Games Favor the Miami Heat

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It’s pretty clear that this upcoming NBA season will be one like no other, and that includes bundling up games.

The NBA decided to do this to limit travel as much as possible, which ultimately means that teams will play an opponent twice over a short stretch.

When Meyers Leonard was talking about it, he said it’s just about “locking in,” and there are not many teams better at staying focused or locked in.

The reason I believe this favors Miami is mostly to do with Heat star, Jimmy Butler. One of his biggest strengths is that he is very dangerous when he can lock in on one team in a playoff series, by overloading on film and breaking them down.

And well, although it will only be a regular season game, nothing is stopping him from doing it once again.

Obviously there will be bundled up games that are on back-to-back days, like the Milwaukee Bucks match-up in the third and fourth game. But there will also be times when they play the same team over the course of a few days.

Another person that will have a field day with this concept is Head Coach Erik Spoelstra. It was clear that he is very good at making adjustments on the fly after he put it on display in the bubble. And now he gets to adjust yet again, but this time to his advantage, since similar to Jimmy, he can focus on one team over a short period of time.

Another thing that Meyers Leonard mentioned when speaking about it was “Less travel is beneficial for player recovery.” This one benefits Miami since they have a lot of key veterans on this team, including Jimmy Butler and Goran Dragic, who could use any advantage given to keep their bodies rested.

But with all of the back-to-backs, the young guys will be needed heavily, and Miami has plenty of them.

It will be interesting to see Jimmy Butler and Erik Spoelstra use this unique circumstance to their advantage, which will result in altered game-plans from one day to the next.

And I wouldn’t be surprised if they’re beginning to get prepped today, since it is the first day of team training camp.

Errol Spence Jr. vs Danny Garcia Main Card Pick & Predictions

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Main Event: Errol Spence Jr. vs Danny Garcia for WBC & IBF Welterweight Title 

 

Pick: Errol Spence Jr

By: Decision

Fight Goes the Distance: Yes                                                                                                                                                                      

Breakdown: Errol Spence Jr. makes his long awaited return to face the tough Danny Garcia for both the WBC and the IBF Welterweight titles. On one side you have potentially the pound for pound greatest boxer today in Spence Jr. taking on a very game Danny Garcia who’s only two losses have come versus Shawn Porter and Keith Thurman, two of the best in the division. Spence is a southpaw who likes to work behind his jab. He starts off with a jab to gauge distance, then proceeds to add to it with body hooks and then uses his footwork to back you into the corner. Garcia has that excellent counter left hook, which will be interesting to see if he is able to figure out the puzzle of Errol. Garcis is undoubtedly a great fighter however it seems like the days of his prime are behind him. His last two fights have shown that he still has the ability to get the win and his ring iq is very high, however, it’s a different game when you’re facing someone such as Errol Spence. He is too defensive and is way better at controlling distance and pace. What makes Errol one of the pound for pound greats is his striking diversity, while most other fighters look to headhunt, Errol prefers to keep you guessing which allows for more holes. We see this in his fight against Carlos Ocampo when in the first round he won with two perfectly placed body hooks. The ability for Errol to wear fighters down and get better as the fight goes on is one that gives him an edge. At times we have seen Garcia just look to bide his time and try to work just enough to get a decision win, instead of going for the kill. And sure that makes you get knocked out less but versus fighters whose volume is very high such as a Spence Jr, you cannot allow yourself to get behind in the cards and just look to throw 1 or 2 punches for every 5 or 6 from Spence Jr. If Garcia wants any chance to win this fight, he will need to start first early and often and get a lead on the scorecards. However with his excellent timing and distance management, look for Errol to outbox Garcia over the course of the fight and get this one by decision. 

 

Co-Main Event: Habib Ahmed vs. Sebastian Fundora

Pick: Sebastian Fundora

By: TKO Round 7

Fight Goes the Distance: No                                                                                                                                                                  

Breakdown: We have an interesting fight at welterweight when we will see Sebastian “The Towering Inferno” Fundora taking on Habib Ahmed in a Super Welterweight Title Eliminator in the co-main event. Sebastian is the way bigger fighter at a towering 6’6 compared to Ahmed’s 5’8. This fight is going to be very hard for Ahmed to win due to the fact that he will always be out of range when Fundora is in range. Fundora has great boxing abilities and the winner of this fight will get a shot at the Super Welterweight Champion. For Sebastian to win this fight, he will have to work the jab to continue to make Ahmed keep his distance. He will need to make sure that he avoids the counterpunches from Ahmed to win this. Look for Fundora to capitalize on Ahmed overextending himself to get into range. Fundora by TKO Late

 

Fight #3: Francisco Santana vs. Josesito Lopez

Pick: Josesito Lopez

By: Decision

Fight Goes the Distance: Yes 

Breakdown: Josesito Lopez does what more boxers should do. Regardless of his record, he continues to try and line up the best possible fight and continues to show his guts. Having faced Keith Thurman and Canelo Alvarez, He has great experience coming in. Santana Has not faced anyone at the level of Lopez nor has he shown the ability to get the win. Lopez has much better footwork and pace in the ring, whereas you will see Santana get sloppy and not be able to lead the dance. Look for Lopez to have a masterpiece in this fight where we will get to see him showcase his abilities and work in and out of range to get the win. 

 

Fight #4: Miguel Flores vs. Eduardo Ramirez

Pick: Eduardo Ramirez

By: Decision

Fight Goes the Distance: Yes 

Breakdown: Ramirez is coming in as the underdog in this fight, but watching his film, it shows that he is able to elevate himself to another level at times. He is a boxer that does carry some risk with his aggressiveness and volume at times, but if we see the best Eduardo Ramirez come in, it is likely we can see him take this fight. In the other corner, we have Miguel Flores who’s’ coming off of a loss vs Leo Santa Cruz. As we know, Santa Cruz is one of the greats at his weight so no shame in that loss. But we did not see the Miguel Flores that we wanted to see in that fight. He was slow and it was clear that the speed of Santa Cruz was too much. Look for Ramirez to dance around Flores and get the win in the cards. 

 

Parlay of the Week: Spence Jr., Fundora, Lopez

 

You can follow Johnathan on Twitter  @ThreePieceCombo 

Dolphins Cardinals

Tua’s agent may have just leaked who the Dolphins starting QB will be

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The 2020 NFL season has been anything but ordinary.

Which could explain why the Dolphins have won 6 of their last 8 games and currently hold the 6th seed in the AFC.

Again, this has been a crazy year. But being a Dolphins fan never comes easy.

And after patiently waiting for The Franchise Tua Tagovailoa to supplant Ryan Fitzpatrick as the team’s starting quarterback, we’re now right back where we started.

Tua was unable to play last Sunday vs the New York Jets. And despite countless Twitter doctors misdiagnosing this as ‘JuSt A JaMMeD tHuMb’ , it appears that there is legit uncertainty surrounding who Miami’s quarterback will be Sunday vs Cincinnati.

Friday morning, NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport said Tagovailoa’s status was in doubt for Sunday’s game.

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We later heard from Brian Flores that the team would not be making a decision until IMMEDIATELY AFTER HE MET WITH THE MEDIA. Flores is treasure and is very much at the forefront of the Coach of the Year race. But this left a lot of Dolphins fans wanting to know more. And after roughly 24 hours, we may finally have our answer.

RUMOR: Tua Tagovailoa to start for the Miami Dolphins on Sunday (Not confirmed)

Minutes ago, Tua Tagovailoa’s agent Leigh Steinberg posted this on Facebook. And thanks to many diehard Dolphins fans, we may now have our answer as to who the quarterback is for Sunday’s game.

He later edited his post to say “Dolphins” instead of “Tua”. This was later confirmed by Twitter detective, Jimmy. Thank you, Jimmy.

What does this all mean? I really don’t know.

Maybe, Flores is trying to get back at Steinberg for leaking the news that Tagovailoa was going to be the starter earlier in the year. (Note: This has not been confirmed but we can all see the writing on the wall) Or, and more likely, Tua is going to be the starting quarterback Sunday vs the Bengals. A matchup that many believe Miami should win convincingly. But as we saw a few weeks ago in Denver and countless times throughout a league year, Any team can win on any given Sunday.

The Franchise

Final Yard

I’m not going to sit here and tell you with 100% confidence that Tua Tagovailoa will be the team’s starting quarterback Sunday, but it definitely seems that way. If reports are true that he practiced all week, why wouldn’t he be ready to go Sunday vs the Bengals? We’ve heard time and time again this is Tagovailoa’s team and if your plan is to have him play the Kansas City Chiefs, New England Patriots, Las Vegas Raiders and Buffalo Bills with the playoffs on the line–you have to let him get back out there vs the Bengals.

Furthermore, if you want to allow Tua to develop and build chemistry with the wide receiver, live game reps are of the upmost important. Oh, and can we please open the offense up a bit more and #LetTuaCook?

I don’t know if Tua will be the Dolphins starting QB tomorrow afternoon, but I do know one thing. Brian Flores is on his way to the airport to have a ‘talk’ with Leigh Steinberg.

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Dolphins Bengals

5 Keys to Dolphins-Bengals in Week 13

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The Miami Dolphins (7-4) enter Week 13’s contest against the Cincinnati Bengals (2-8-1) largely in control of their playoff destiny. Miami may have quarterback questions, but regardless of who starts for the ‘Phins, he’ll be better than his Bengals counterpart.

The Dolphins look to build on last week’s successes against the Jets and solidify their postseason position. Here are five keys to the Dolphins-Bengals game in Week 13.

Dolphins-Bengals: Continue Defensive Dominance

The Dolphins sport one of the league’s top defenses. Miami’s D trails only the Pittsburgh Steelers in points-per-game, allowing a paltry 18.6 per contest this season. The Dolphins are tops in third-down D. Opponents convert just 32.8 percent of their those tries. Miami comes in third in takeaways with 19.

The main weakness for Miami has been defending the run. The Dolphins are in the bottom third of the league, allowing 129.9 rushing yards-per-game. But Sunday, their match up is with a Bengals squad missing starters at running back (Joe Mixon) and quarterback (Joe Burrow).

Cincinnati rushed the ball just nine times in their Week 12 loss to the New York Giants. They relied heavily on backup QB Brandon Allen to little affect.

The Bengals manage 96.3 rushing yard-per-game (29th, but the Dolphins allow 4.8 yards-per-carry, tied for second-most. If Miami can limit the Bengal ground game and make them one dimensional, they’ll be in good shape.

The Dolphins should be able to push their takeaway streak to 18 against Cincy. The Bengals’ 17 turnovers, including three last week, are ninth-most in the league this season.

Attack Allen

The Bengals turned to Allen after Joe Burrow was lost for the season in Week 11. Allen’s offensive efforts resulted in just 155 total yards during the loss to the Giants. The offense managed just 10 points.

Allen completed 17 of 29 passes for 136 yards, a touchdown and an interception. He was sacked twice and lost a fumble in the process. The Bengals allow 3.5 sacks-per-game, second-most in the league.

The Dolphins defense, meanwhile, ranks 14th in the NFL, getting 2.3 sacks-per-game. And attacking stationary quarterbacks like Allen has been the team’s bread-and-butter on defense all season.

Consistent pressure on Allen should lead to the fourth year QB, who’s making just the fifth start of his career, to make multiple mistakes.

Dolphins Need to Limit Bengals’ WRs

The strength of Cincinnati’s offense remains their wide receiver corps. Tyler Boyd, A.J. Green and Tee Higgins have played well and managed to stress opposing defenses throughout 2020. Boyd leads Cincy with 72 receptions and 725 receiving yards.

Higgins is having a solid rookie campaign, with 48 catches, 673 yards and a team-leading five touchdown receptions. Green’s bounce back season has seen him make 35 catches (on 80 targets) with just one touchdown.

What helps here is it’s a strength-on-strength matchup. Miami’s secondary remains the top unit on the team. The Dolphins’ 11 interceptions are tied for fifth-most this season, and Xavien Howard’s seven lead the league. Miami comes in fourth in both passer-rating-allowed (84.3) and completion-percentage-allowed (62.3).

The Bengals offense ranks 26th in scoring (20.9 points-per-game), 24th in total offense (331.5 yards-per-game) and 18th in passing yards-per-game (235.2).

Find an Offensive Rhythm

Last week, Ryan Fitzpatrick started in place of the injury Tua Tagovailoa. While there’s been no word yet on who will start Week 13 for Miami, the offense needs to find a rhythm. Against the Jets, Fitzpatrick put up 257 passing yards and threw two touchdowns, but Miami managed just 20 points against the league’s worst defense.

Cincinnati’s D doesn’t scare anyone either. The Bengals allow 26.3 points-per-game (22nd) and 390.5 yards-per-game (26th). They’re 30th in sacks (13) and manage pressure on just 16.4 percent of pass plays.

The Bengals can be run on. They allow 136.7 rushing yards-per-game (30th) and 4.8 yards-per-carry. The return of Myles Gaskin could finally allow the offense to find some balance and rhythm. If Fitzpatrick starts, DeVante Parker may have another busy day. Last week, Fitzpatrick targeted Parker 14 times, resulting in eight catches and 119 yards.

If Tagovailoa gets the clearance to play, hopefully he can demonstrate similar chemistry with the receivers.

Dolphins-Bengals: Keep in Mind the Playoffs

The Dolphins vaulted back into the AFC playoff picture with their win last week. Miami enters Week 13 as the 6-seed and if things break right for the ‘Phins, they could get as high as fifth in the standings. At this point, Miami maintains a hold on their playoff destiny.

The Dolphins need this win, considering the coming slate of games. Miami hosts the Chiefs (10-1) next week, then the Patriots (5-6). After that, they close out the season with pivotal road matchups against the Raiders (6-5) and Bills (8-3).

Miami must enter that final stretch at 8-4. Anything less would jeopardize their playoff chances. The Dolphins are clearly the superior team this week and must dominate Cincinnati. They can’t afford mental mistakes and turnovers. A win this week, and wins against Las Vegas and New England, would all but guarantee a playoff berth.

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It is time for Tua Tagovailoa to start at quarterback for the Miami Dolphins.

What is Tua’s Status After Injury?

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The Miami Dolphins had a great win from their march with Cincinnati Bengals last Sunday with an ending of 8-4. With that, the team was able to maintain its position in the AFC playoff race ladders and the team’s fans are just now more looking forward to seeing their play now that Tua Tagovailoa is back on the game.

Tagovailoa’s availability for the last game of the Dolphins was questionable due to his thumb injury but he was still able to play last Sunday. His left thumb injury happened when he hit his teammate’s helmet on a follow-through as he attempted to make a pass during the team’s match on November 25. Since then, he was only able to participate in practices with a limited capacity. 

During the match against the Bengals last week, the athlete appeared to have a slow start in the first half of the game with the Bengals but he seems to have been able to ramp it up in the second half.

Even if he is still limited in practice participation for the next game, he will likely be involved in all of the upcoming Dolphins’ schedule. On Wednesday, he was no longer wearing a black splint on his left hand for his injury but coach Brian Flores said that Tua is already feeling better.

Flores said, “Like everyone else, he’s got bumps and bruises he’s attained over the last few games. He’s feeling better as far as the hand. He’s preparing as best he can for a very, very strong opponent. They do a lot of things from a disguise standpoint, a front standpoint. He shed that on his hand but he’s got other issues dealing with the Chiefs.”

As Tua’s injury completely heals, he may be able to play with more ease in the coming weeks. Tua recently talked about the whole experience with the NFL. He said, “It’s a continuous learning process in the NFL. You learn day to day, week to week. There’s always something to learn because defenses aren’t going to stay the same.”

With his return, he was also able to work closely with the veteran offensive coordinator, Chan Gailey. When asked about Gailey, he said, “I’d say I’m comfortable with what I’m given, whatever plays that I’m given, I’m comfortable with them.

“Mind you, we talk about these things, me and Chan, we talk about what I like, talk about what I don’t like. I have as much input as anyone else does in our quarterback room and that’s what makes me feel comfortable to tell Chan, you know, ‘Hey, can we run this, or ‘Can we not run this?’ So, yeah, I would say I’m pretty comfortable with what I’m given.”

There are a few great reasons why Tua will feel more comfortable with being back on the game. He was not sacked last Sunday as he was able to perform solidly. He has also been using up-tempo plays that he enjoys. 

He also explained how seeing the defense helps the team perform. He said, “It helps to see the defense and see what the defense is going to give us.  they want to blitz or if they’re checking out of a blitz into coverage, that helps. That’s the biggest thing — indicator formations.”

Coach Flores also spoke about how Tua has been doing in the professional league. Flores said, “He’s kind of learning on the fly how to be a professional in this league, the things you’ve got to do in meetings and walkthrough and practice, to have success in games. I think he’s improving every day, getting better, and hopefully, we just continue to get better. We are about developing players.”

The coach also said how Tua is a tough and resilient athlete. He’s been accurate and continuously improving. He said that the fact that the athlete did not wear a splint or some sort of brace on this left hand to protect his thumb injury during the practice that is open to the media is a positive act.

Tua is also great inside the locker rooms as he appears to have good relations with his teammates. Raekwon Davis shared how fun Tua could be. Davis said, “Oh, he’s got this little weird dance he does. I recorded him doing it one time. It’s so funny. I don’t know where he got it from, a Hawaiian thing, I guess. He’s got some moves. But I’ve got (Jerome Baker). Bake is the best dancer on the team right now.”

Miami Heat Add BJ Johnson as 20th Player

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The Miami Heat brought in BJ Johnson as their last addition, which means he will now be battling to earn the final two-way contract.

Johnson is an intriguing prospect who is 24 years old and has been around the league. He is a 6’7 wing who has a pretty decent all around game.

He’s a left handed shooter who has a fluid looking jumper. Some of his better attributes seem to be when attacking the rim, since he has a great amount of athleticism.

His defense though is where he’s shown better flashes, since he can hit passing lanes and guard players one-on-one.

He got some run in the bubble regular season games with the Orlando Magic, and scored 9 points in limited minutes, knocking down two good looking triples.

He also had some good flashes when he played on the G-League Magic team, averaging 23 points a game.

One of his weaknesses coming out of college was his thin frame, but he has put on 25 pounds since leaving Syracuse.

It’ll be interesting to see who comes out on top for that final roster spot, since he will be competing with Breein Tyree, Max Strus, and Paul Eboua. It’s a great mix of youth and experience, and honestly Miami could use either one right now, since the 15th man could actually be looked to in this very unique season.

Miami Heat Regular Season Schedule Released

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The Miami Heat schedule has just released, and it’s filled with some interesting match-ups.

Miami kicks off their season in Orlando, then follows that up with three straight home games. That includes the New Orleans Pelicans on Christmas Day at 12 P.M Eastern, and the Bucks twice in a row.

The games will be bundled up for all of the teams to limit travel, which is why this was no surprise. But the first couple of games definitely aren’t cakewalks, so it’ll be interesting to see how the minutes look for a guy like Jimmy Butler.

The Miami Heat will debut their vice versa jerseys on January 4th against the Oklahoma City Thunder.

Following this they have to play the Boston Celtics twice in five days, and then Philadelphia twice in three days.

Some other intriguing match-ups for Miami include the Nets on January 25th, the Clippers on January 28th, Houston on February 11th, and a finals rematch with the Lakers on February 25th.

Although they play a lot of top teams to start off, the schedule becomes much weaker by the beginning of February.

We will see how the season plays out, but Miami Heat basketball returns in a little under three weeks.

Bam Adebayo: “I want to be a Top 5 Center or Power Forward All Time”

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Bam Adebayo spoke with media this morning about his extension, season expectations, and most importantly, personal expectations.

He began talking about many young guys looking up to him, although he’s only 23 years old, since they want to play as a versatile big who can pass. He said, “I feel like I’m trying to change basketball.”

He then reflected a bit about the past NBA Finals, which he said, “It sucked…There are wins and there is misery. No in-between.” He added, “Two more games and we could’ve been champions…My mindset has definitely kicked up a gear.”

Accountability is the word that should come up most when describing Bam Adebayo, since he takes pride in doing that and truly means it.

Bam talked a bit about a few of his teammates as well, including incoming rookie Precious Achiuwa. He said, “I feel he has more skill than I did in my rookie year.” He also mentioned the similarities between them coming out of college, but gave Precious the edge. He ended saying that Udonis Haslem is constantly pushing him to become a “hardcore leader.”

The relationship between Bam and Udonis is clear, which Bam said, “One thing about UD is that he’s 100% honest…The big brother I never had.”

When Andre Iguodala got brought up, Bam jokingly said, “He’s like UD, but without the explicit words.”

And of course he had to talk a little about Jimmy, which he described why they have such a great relationship. He said, “We’re similar because our work ethic is through the roof. And we both came from nothing and made something out of it.”

When Bam was asked about where he sees his game improving, he responded, “My nickname in the organization is no ceiling, so that gives you a point of where I want my game to be…And win this city a championship.”

It’s very obvious that Bam has his priorities straight, even mentioning that he wants to be a top 5 center or power forward when it is all said and done.

There are not many players that can be at Bam’s level right now, while being so far from reaching their potential. And plus, he’s willing to put the work in to reach that level.

Bam’s playoff run was just the beginning, and he’s ready to make yet another jump this season.