E:5: Dallas Empire Wins First Call of Duty League Championship

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In the first ever Call of Duty League Championship since the CDL created franchise teams, the Dallas Empire, formerly known as EnVy, beat the Atlanta FaZe 5-1 in a best of nine series.

 

The Dallas team, comprised of Grand Final MVP Ian “C6” Porter (formerly known as “Crimsix”), James “Clayster” Eubanks, Cuyler “Huke” Garland, Anthony “Shotzzy” Cuevas-Castro, and Indervir “iLLeY” Dhaliwal, won in convincing fashion when they took the first four games to go up 4-0 over the FaZe. FaZe, comprised of Chris “Simp” Lehr, Michael “MajorManiak” Szymaniak, Preston “Priestahh” Greiner, Tyler “aBeZy” Pharris, and McArthur “Cellium” Jovel, had previously won five of their six regular season matches versus Empire en route to the #1 seed, but couldn’t seal the deal in the Finals. Porter and Eubanks join Damon “Karma” Barlow as the only three players in the world with three COD championship rings. 

 

The winning factor of the day was teamwork. Atlanta was all over the kill-feed, but Empire looked much more cohesive. During the final match to win the championship, a Search and Destroy on Rammaza, Atlanta tried a last-minute rush on the bomb and found every single door and window covered by members of Empire. FaZe only won one game of the series, a game of Hardpoint on Gun Runner. There was simply no way for them to win in the face of Empire’s solidarity.

 

The 2020 CDL Championship peaked at 331,000 viewers over both the main and co-partners streams, the most ever for a Call of Duty esports event. 

5 Takeaways from Heat’s Game 1 Win over Milwaukee

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The Miami Heat played a much anticipated game 1 against the Milwaukee Bucks, and came away with the win, 115-104. Miami definitely didn’t have a great shooting night, but Miami’s toughness overcame it behind Goran Dragic and Jimmy Butler. Here are my five takeaways…

#1:Goran Dragic begins, Jimmy Butler finishes. 

Goran Dragic has pretty much been the Miami Heat’s bubble MVP thus far, since it seems as if he can’t have a bad game scoring the ball. Goran played a huge first half role for Miami, scoring 19 points on 75% shooting. And what was so special about this was that he was able to score at all three levels. He clearly is a three point threat, but really thrived in the mid-range area using his bank-shot floaters. Jimmy Butler, on the other hand, struggled in the first half with the ball in his hands, but got back to Playoff Jimmy status in the second half when he hit big shot after big shot in the fourth quarter. He finished the game with 40 points, and went 2 for 2 from beyond the arc. Like I said before, this is officially Jimmy’s time.

#2: Miami forces Milwaukee turnovers, which led to fast-break opportunities.

Miami has been the one team in the NBA that was able to disrupt Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Milwaukee Bucks this season. And though they were unable to disrupt them in the first quarter, they began to force turnover after turnover in the second quarter. Not only did they get a bunch of steals, but every one of those led to a basket on the other end. Some have talked about Miami slowing the game down a bit against this team, but on a night that their offense is struggling, it seemed essential to get the ball and run on the break.

#3: Surprisingly, Miami’s paint work against Milwaukee was utilized more than their perimeter shooting tonight, which will ultimately lead to more threes.

It’s been talked about over and over that Miami’s shooting would look to expose Milwaukee’s drop scheme in the series, since it allows so may threes. But it was actually the complete opposite. Guys like Bam Adebayo, Jimmy Butler, and Goran Dragic were able to attack the basket pretty effectively, which was a great sign for Miami. It did seem as if Milwaukee didn’t drop as much as usual, since they were very aware of Miami’s dribble hand-off scheme, which resulted in Duncan Robinson attempting one shot in the first half. If Miami can get their usual elite shooting going for the rest of the series, along with their penetration abilities, it makes an interesting series.

#4: Bam Adebayo plays much different role than he did in Indiana series.

Bam Adebayo didn’t have much of a scoring role against the Indiana Pacers in the first round, but he had such a huge impact in the series through his play-making and defensive abilities. Today though, he seemed to have a major role on offense around the rim, which as mentioned previously, was not expected since they pack the paint. Bam Adebayo also had the task of guarding (MVP candidate) Giannis Antetokounmpo, which he did as good of a job as you could possibly do against him. Bam also attempted some mid-range jumpers that were given to him, but they didn’t fall. Except for a clutch late game jumper after an exceptional jab step on Marvin Williams. If he can get some jumpers to fall, that not only opens up the floor for him, but also the rest of the team.

#5: Miami must prioritize slowing down Buck’s primary players, including Antetokounmpo, Middleton, Lopez.

Giannis Antetokounmpo, Khris Middleton, and Brook Lopez seemed to be Milwaukee’s only source of offense. Their supporting cast didn’t provide much offense, but they didn’t seem to need to at times, since their stars took the whole offensive load and thrived. Brook Lopez was a plus-30 in their three regular season games against Miami this season, and today he provided his scoring side. It’s pretty clear you’re not going to totally stop Giannis, which means it may be of their best interest to shut down Khris Middleton. This is something we saw Miami start to do in the second half, which ultimately helped them. It’ll be interesting to see some other schemes Coach Erik Spoelstra uses against this Milwaukee Bucks team.

Marlins trades

Marlins Making Moves at Trade Deadline

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The Miami Marlins entered Monday’s Trade Deadline day at 14-15 but clinging to an NL playoff spot. The recent four-game losing skid, including a three-game sweep at the hands of the Tampa Bay Rays, put into focus the shortcomings of the squad.

As the team traveled to New York to face the Mets in a makeup game for last Friday’s walk off protest, the Marlins knew they had their hands full. Two-time Cy Young award winner Jacob deGrom awaited them, making his fourth consecutive start versus Miami. A loss risked Miami’s playoff position and a lengthy losing streak.

With that as the backdrop, the Marlins not only scored a rousing comeback win over the Mets, the but the team completed a pair of trades for the playoff push.

Marlins and Mets Game

The trades unfolded as the game entered the middle innings. The Marlins were down 2-0 to the Mets, with deGrom dealing. But Marlins rookie starting pitcher Trevor Rogers hung in, limiting the damage New York’s potent offense tried to levy.

The first trade hit Twitter after 3 PM. The Marlins brokered a deal with the Arizona Diamondbacks for speedy veteran outfielder Starling Marte. Miami gave up LHP Caleb Smith, RHP Humberto Mejia and a player to be named later. It was reported afterward that the PTBNL was Single-A reliever RHP Julio Frias.

Then, in the fifth inning, with the Mets on the verge of adding further cushion to deGrom’s lead, Rogers induced a pop fly that Jonathan Villar corralled with an over-the-shoulder catch. It would prove to be Villar’s final play as a Marlin.

Cameras caught Marlins manager Don Mattingly speaking with Villar after pinch-hitting Jon Berti. Villar simply nodded. From there, the Marlins offense erupted for four runs off deGrom, including a Garrett Cooper home run and a Lewin DiazRBI double.

Marlins Trades

It was revealed on Twitter, and on the broadcast, that Villar had been dealt to Toronto for a Player to be Named Later. Villar played all 30 games for the Marlins this season with inconsistent results.

Seen as a difference maker as a lead-off hitter, Villar managed just a .259 batting average and .315 on-base percentage. Although he led the National League with nine stolen bases, Villar also led MLB with five caught-stealing attempts. That 64.5 percent rate, and the fact that he’d been picked off multiple times, just wasn’t good enough.

There was a reckless nature to Villar’s play as a Marlin. He regularly swung at first pitches and hit just .268 as a leadoff hitter. He was only 6-for-33 with runners-in-scoring-position. Defensively, Villar couldn’t cut it in centerfield and was just okay at second base.

In return, it’s being reported that the Marlins are getting Griffin Conine, the 23-year-old son of former Florida Marlin Jeff Conine.

Mr. Marlin’s Son Comes Home

Griffin Conine was selected by the Blue Jays with the 52nd overall pick of the 2018 MLB Draft, one spot ahead of Miami’s second-round slot. Some believe the Marlins would have drafted him then, had he fallen to their slot.

Conine injects another power bat into Miami’s farm system. After a 50-game suspension for the banned stimulant Ritalin, Conine found some success in the Low-A Midwest League last season. He hit .282 with a .947 OPS, slugging 22 home runs and 64 RBI.

A left-handed hitter, Conine’s power does come with the threat of the strikeout. He whiffed 125 times over 348 plate appearances, which isn’t great. He’s capable of driving the ball to all fields, thanks to his bat speed and physical strength. He’s not a speedster by any stretch, but he sports a solid arm defensively.

“If I had to rank [my tools], power would be No. 1, for sure,” Conine said in an interview with MLB.com in March. “Arm would be No. 2, for sure, and after that, it’s kind of a toss up. Speed would be on the lower end, [No. 5] maybe. I don’t think I’m slow, but defense is above that. Glove would be better than speed, and the hit [tool] is probably better than the glove. They can get better.”

A Plantation, FL native who attended Pine Crest high school in Fort Lauderdale, Conine has Marlins President of Baseball Operations Michael Hill “incredibly exicted,” although Hill can’t officially say the son of Niner is on the squad.

Other Notes from Marlins Trade Deadline Day

Hill met with Marlins media after Monday’s rousing comeback win over the Mets. He talked through the different deals and praised the team’s grit and fight.

“Our goal is not just to win one year,” Hill said, “it’s to win year in and year out.”

Hill admitted to exploring the bullpen market for the team but couldn’t find anything reasonable. “We weren’t going to mortgage our future,” he said.

Hill called the acquisition of Marte something that “takes pressure off the young guys” and adds to the “middle of the order.” He called Marte a “solid, dependable, everyday bat” and said “I don’t think you give up what we gave up for a 30-day rental.”

Marte is under contract through 2021.

Hill also revealed that Isan Díaz has reported to the team’s Jupiter training complex. Diaz has applied for reinstatement and is currently working out at the team facility. Diaz will soon be reinstated by the MLB/MLBPA joint committee.

Marlins Starling Marte

Meet the Marlins: Starling Marte

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The Miami Marlins entered MLB’s 2020 Trade Deadline day looking to be opportunistic. The team currently holds a playoff spot, something that haven’t been able to say since 2003. Their 17-year playoff drought is the second-longest current span in MLB. To make that playoff push, the Marlins reportedly acquired veteran outfielder Starling Marte from the Arizona Diamondbacks.

The deal, which saw LHP Caleb Smith, RHP Humberto Mejia and Class-A LHP Julio Frias go to Arizona, came on the same day the team traded away Jonathan Villar. Marte adds a solid right-handed bat with speed to the Marlins lineup.

Meet the Marlins: Starling Marte

A 9-year veteran, Marte signed with the Pittsburgh Pirates out of the Dominican Republic in 2007. Marte moved quickly through the Pirates’ system and made his MLB debut in 2012.

In eight years with Pittsburgh, Marte played mostly left field and earned an All-Star berth in 2016. He’s earned two Gold Gloves in his career and left Pittsburgh after seven-straight seasons with at least 20 steals, including five over 30 and two over 40.

After his trade to Arizona, Marte moved primarily to centerfield. He’s been a productive bat for the Diamondbacks, despite the team’s struggles. He came over to bolster the lineup of a potential contender but that never came to fruition for Arizona.

In 2020, Marte’s slash line is .311/.384/.443, and his OPS stands at .827. Versus left-handed pitching, something the Marlins have struggled with this season, he’s hitting .379 with a .920 OPS. Marte’s been really good with runners in scoring position, hitting .300 with a .753 OPS. And when he’s ahead in the count, he’s been awesome: .424 batting average and 1.346 OPS.

The Marlins have Marte under contract through 2021, as his contract contains a $12.5MM club option (a $1 million buyout for 2021). His addition to the lineup will replace whatever speed was lost in the Villar trade. Marte immediately becomes one of Miami’s best bats and should be a difference maker in the field.

Leaving the Marlins are Smith, Mejia and a Single-A reliever prospect.

Smith, Mejia and Frias Sent to Arizona

The Marlins acquired Smith from the New York Yankees in 2017, along with Garrett Cooper, for RHP Mike King. Over two seasons (and one start in 2020) with the Marlins, Smith 15-17 4.39 ERA over 233.2 IP and 45 starts. He had a 1.245 WHIP and looked like a dominant power lefty at times.

Smith, though, lost time to injuries during his time with the Marlins. He landed on the 60-day IL in 2018 with left shoulder tightness. In 2019, hip inflammation landed him on the IL as well. In 2020, Smith lost time to COVID-19.

Humberto Mejia surprised many with his performance in the wake of the COVID-19 outbreak. Mejia made three starts for the Miami, ultimately posting a 5.40 ERA over 10 IP. His record was 0-2, but he didn’t give up more than three runs in any start.

At 23-years-old, Mejia signed as an amateur free agent out of Panama. He wasn’t anywhere near as heralded as some of the other pitching prospects in the system, but he showed promise. That promise may have been what led to this trade coming together.

Julio Frias signed as an international free agent with the Marlins in 2014. At 22-years-old, Frias sports a power lefty arm and has solid strikeout numbers but hasn’t pitched above Low-A.

Rays Sweep Marlins

5 Takeaways from Rays Sweep of Marlins

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The Miami Marlins entered their three-game Citrus Series tilt against in-state rivals, the Tampa Bay Rays, above .500 in August for the first time in a long time. They were coming off taking two of three from the Mets in New York, then working with the Mets to stage a walk off. Back in Miami, though, the Rays dominate the Marlins over three games, en route to the series sweep.

Here are five takeaways from the Rays sweep of the Marlins.

Elite Starting Pitching

Any Marlins fan would have taken a pair of games where the starting pitchers combined to throw 14 innings, allowing just two earned runs and one walk while posting 15 strikeouts. Sixto Sanchez and Pablo Lopez were dominant in their starts, but they received literally zero run support.

Sixto’s start was particularly encouraging, as the 22-year-old tore through the Tampa Bay lineup and demonstrated his potential as an ace.

“He was really good,” Marlins manager Don Mattingly said of Sanchez after the game. “He was in control all night. Used his changeup a lot. Was able to elevate. He gives you seven innings of scoreless [work].”

Lopez was nearly as good. He posted his sixth straight start of at least five innings and no more than two earned runs. That ties the best such start in Marlins history with Josh Johnson (6 games) in 2011 and Anibal Sanchez (6 games) in 2012. Lopez is one of just 10 pitchers in MLB to post as many such starts this season.

“I felt like this is the best Pablo has thrown,” Mattingly said. “He gives up the run on a Díaz chopper, just unfortunate. … He was able to use all of his pitches. His sequences were good. I thought he did a great job all night. He was really good.”

On Sunday, the Marlins welcomed back ace Sandy Alcantara from the IL. Sandy looked to end the Marlins skid and avoid the sweep at the hands of the Rays. Unfortunately, he wasn’t as sharp as he needed to be and Tampa Bay jumped on him early.

“Today, this is my first start,” Alcantara said after the game. “It was like Opening Day. It was a little different for me. My first two innings, I was too quick. I could feel it [with my] four-seamer. I had to calm down and try to make a pitch.”

Although he ultimately surrendered eight runs (five earned), Alcantara’s return means the Marlins are closer to throwing elite arms at opposing lineups every day.

Dormant Offense During Most of Rays Sweep of Marlins

Perhaps the most frustrating element of the Rays sweep of the Marlins was the lack of production at the plate. Veteran hitters failed to convert in key opportunities and the Marlins were shut out on back-to-back nights.

Before Corey Dickerson’s fourth inning home run on Sunday, the Marlins went 39 straight scoreless innings in Marlins Park against the Rays.

On Friday night, the team managed just five hits. On Saturday, just three. The Marlins were a combined 0-for-5 with runners-in-scoring-position during those games, both very winnable contests.

Mattingly lamented the lack of offense after Sanchez’s performance: “He gives us a chance to get on the board. We just weren’t able to get on the board for him.”

After Saturday’s game, Mattingly admitted the team’s frustrations.

“Any time it’s happening in a short run like this, it’s frustrating,” he said. “You know you’re getting good outings, and you’re not really able to do anything with it.”

On Sunday, the offense came to life some, but too late. Dickerson’s homer in the fourth made it a 5-1 deficit, but the Rays put up seven runs in the fifth. The Marlins did post seven runs over the span of four innings but couldn’t continue any of their rallies to truly threaten the Rays.

After the game, Mattingly said the offense showed “some decent signs. Hopefully we can kind of get this thing rolling and get back a little bit more of a groove as you get into this final month.”

Return of Garrett Cooper Provide Life

One of the bright spots from the Rays sweep of the Marlins was the return of Garrett Cooper to the lineup. Cooper went 4-for-13 with two doubles, a home run and four RBI. His bat clearly lengthens a lineup that has struggled at times this season to score runs.

“Getting him back, you obviously see what you missed,” Mattingly said on Sunday. “Coop, that’s the one thing, he’s always been able to hit. It’s good to have him back. Hopefully, we can get everybody going around that.”

With Jesus Aguilar dealing with back issues, Cooper should be a fixture in the lineup moving forward. His versatility to play first base, right field or DH provides Mattingly with a veteran bat to deploy in the middle of the lineup.

Unfriendly Confines of Marlins Park

Normally, teams perform better at home than on the road. In 2020, that has not been the case at all for the Marlins. The Marlins are 13-7 (.650) on the road this season, the fourth-best road winning pct. in the Majors (second in NL behind the Dodgers: 14-5, .737); only the Dodgers have more road wins. They have outscored opponents 97-86 away from home.

At Marlins Park, however, they’re 1-8, with eight straight loses.

“I can’t explain home, why we haven’t played as well,” Mattingly said. “I can guess at stuff, and I would just be guessing. On the road, you have nothing else but going to the ballpark. You’re stuck in a hotel. The only time you get out is when you’ve got to go to the ballpark. It’s the one time you have a little freedom.”

With 17 of their final 30 games at home, the Marlins will have to figure out these struggles quickly if they want to make a playoff push.

The biggest struggles have come offensively, as the team is hitting just .212 at Marlins Park. Miami’s home OPS is .568, whereas on the road their OPS is .711 with a .247 batting average.

Prior to Sunday’s offensive outburst, the Marlins had connected on only three home runs in Marlins Park. Sunday saw three leave the park, as Dickerson, Cooper and Lewis Brinson all connected on big flys.

Struggles Lead to Uncertainty at Trade Deadline

This Rays sweep of the Marlins, and four-game losing skid overall, has come at a difficult time for the front office. As Monday’s Trade Deadline approaches, the Marlins are below .500 for the first time this season (14-15), but they are still clinging to a playoff spot.

Being in the pennant race might dictate an out-of-character move from the Marlins.

“Traditionally, we have not been a team in the last few years that has been buying anything,” Mattingly said prior to Sunday’s game. “I’m not sure we’re going to be giving any prospects away to get one piece.”

The Marlins are poised to end a 17-year playoff drought with a solid September. A key contest looms against the New York Mets this afternoon, then 12 of their final 30 against either the Philadelphia Phillies or Washington Nationals. If the Marlins can win each of those series, they could end MLB’s second-longest playoff drought.

It’ll be interesting to see if the Marlins decide to move any of their veterans. Teams have called about closer Brandon Kintzler and utility player Jonathan Villar. The Marlins could also part with young veteran starters in Jose Urena and/or Caleb Smith.

It’s hard to imagine the Marlins giving up one of their prized prospects to rent a bat for a month. Unless the deal is similar to the one with Arizona last season (where Zac Gallen was flipped for Jazz Chisholm), it’s unlikely Miami parts with a top-end prospect.

5 Takeaways from UFC Vegas 8: Rakic is Real Deal

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Now that UFC Vegas 8 is in the books, we can look back at it as quite a backwards fight card. The main event and Co-main event were fights that were mediocre excitement wise. Looking at every single other fight on the card, almost every one of them could have gotten a performance of the night award, with Llamas vs Algeo being an absolute technical beauty on the stand-up and grappling game, and Maki Pitolo vs. Impa Kasanganay being an absolute stand and bang war.

 

Let’s look at 5 takeaways from UFC Vegas 8 

 

The Real Deal 

While it may have not been the most exciting fight, Aleksander “Rocket” Rakic put down Anthony Smith with ease. He chopped at Smith’s legs until he couldn’t stand anymore and once he was on the ground, there was no getting him off the top. With Smith being a BJJ black belt, you’d expect him to threaten a few more submissions but Rakic was quick to scope out anything Smith had in mind and just kept him on his back for almost 3 full rounds. The inability for Smith to check the leg kicks is the main reason he ended up on his back and he seemed content lying there taking ground and pound. With this win, Rakic seems to be set up with a path to the title. With Thiago Santos facing off with Glover Teixeira in about two weeks, the winner will probably end up getting a title shot. The loser of that fight will most likely fight Rakic, and with that, we could be looking at our next Light Heavyweight Contender. 

What’s Left in the Tank?

This weekend we saw the breakdown of 2 of UFC’s veteran staples. Smith showed almost nothing in this entire fight, after getting pummeled in his last fight vs Texiera. That begs the question of what does he have left in him? In his postfight comments, Smith flirted with the idea of dropping back down to 185 in hopes of rejuvenating his career. While this may be a good move for him, that division is filled with killers and won’t be a cakewalk even if he does have a size advantage going in. Smith would have to work his way back up and would be a great matchup for star prospect Edmen Shahbazyan to prove that he still has the makings of a ranked fighter. 

 

No Longer Ruthless 

Robbie Lawler was the second veteran that got dominated at UFC Vegas 8. He was matched up with a lengthy Neil Magny and showed a complete inability to get past the reach into his face. Lawler was kept at bay with Magny’s jab and when Lawler got into the clinch, he did nothing offensively. Robbie didn’t seem to have the explosiveness that  we’ve come to know, nor did we see much heart. For Robbie, this seems like the end of the line for him at UFC. He’s won titles, had multiple fight of the year awards and  has become a crowd favorite. But at this point of his career, it seems he needs a step down in competition to remain relevant. Maybe at the end of his contract, a move to Bellator would be smart, unless he’s content sitting out of the rankings,while fighting up and comers until he retires. 

Fresh Blood 

With a Performance of the Night award, undefeated Sean Brady seems to have all the makings of a ranked fighter and potential contender in the Welterweight division. He showed excellent distance management, heavy hands, as shown by busting open Aguilera in the first round, excellent pace without overextending, and to top it off he finished with impressive takedowns into a guillotine choke that left Aguilera squirming for breath until he passed out. At 13-0 and an impressive victory, Brady deserves to have a ranked opponent next to propel him to the next tier of contenders. A match with submission specialist Damien Maia or maybe a big name like Robbie Lawler just to get some name value would serve well for him. 

Perserverance Shines Through 

The comeback win of the night goes to Mallory Martin. After getting knocked down in the first round and absorbing over 50 shots, most of which to the head, she was able to recompose herself and get the Performance of the night win. She was out COLD in the first round after Cifers overhand right landed on the button and the ensuing hammer fist . Her legs go totally limp and by the time the second punch ends up on her face, she seems to wake up and is able to slightly recover. After about 30 more punches to the face, mercifully, the round ends. In the second round she seemed like a completely different fighter. She goes straight into the clinch and is able to take down Cifers into half guard. From here she’s able to get effective ground and pound to the point where Cifers turtles up and gives up her back. At this point it’s all academic as Mallory takes her neck and submits her via Rear Naked Choke. Amazing comeback by Martin and this win could propel her into getting a shot at someone either in or near the rankings of the strawweight division. At only 26 years old, she has lots of room to grow and can be groomed as a future contender if she stays on this path. 

 

You can follow Johnathan Ramlakhan on Twitter @ThreePieceCombo

5 Comments from Media Session with Spoelstra, Haslem, Butler

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The Miami Heat went through their last practice on Sunday before facing the Milwaukee Bucks in Game 1 of the second round. Udonis Haslem gave his opinion about the Heat’s chances, while Jimmy Butler spoke about the team’s current mindset. Here’s what was said…

Post-Practice Comment #1:

Udonis Haslem was asked about the Heat’s chances heading into the match-up with Milwaukee. He said, “The Miami Heat is built for anything.” And if anybody knows about how this team is built, it’s UD. He continues to be not only a major voice for serious issues, but also a guy that player’s look to during games. Even veteran point guard Goran Dragic walks up to him on the sideline during games to get input, since that seems to be his role. Udonis also is a major voice with instilling a winning mentality into the guys in the locker room. He’s played a big role in the development of (Miami’s young star) Bam Adebayo, both on and off the floor. If Udonis believes in this team, everyone believes.

Post-Practice Comment #2:

Erik Spoelstra, Miami Heat’s head coach, spoke about their recent success guarding Giannis Antetokounmpo. He said, “When you think you play him well, he’s always dancing around a triple-double.” Though this is true, stopping Giannis does not mean cutting down his numbers entirely. What the Heat do with Giannis seems to be more mental. They try to frustrate him by throwing a bunch of wing defenders on him who are physical, which consequently increased the amount of turnovers for Giannis. Another way they attacked Giannis was by using Bam on offense to try and get him in foul trouble. This means that Bam’s scoring numbers may not be high in this series, but he will have one of the biggest impacts in the series.

Post-Practice Comment #3:

Jimmy Butler seemed to have a bit of an issue with his left shoulder during last game, which led to him sitting for extended minutes in the first half. But when asked about his shoulder after practice today, he said “I’m good to go.” It sounds as if Jae Crowder will be good to go as well tomorrow, since he practiced the past two days. Jimmy Butler was also seen shooting left-handed free throws during practice, which further proves how ready his shoulder is. He may need to shoot some left-handed free throws in this series, since he gets to the line so many times a game, his right arm may be tired. And although Milwaukee uses a drop scheme, Jimmy Butler will continue to do what he does best in this series, which is attacking the basket.

Post-Practice Comment #4:

Erik Spoelstra reflected back to Miami acquiring their “perfect fits,” in Jimmy Butler and Jae Crowder. He said, “Well, they speak our language.” Everybody knew the fit of Miami and Jimmy Butler was pretty ideal, since it’s a hard wrking organization mixed with a hard-working player. But I don’t think many realized how great of a fit Jae Crowder would be. He was clearly a physical, scrappy defensive guy which was something the Heat needed at the time, but the improvement in his shooting has put Miami over the top. Not only is he able to knock down a bunch of threes a game, but’s he’s doing it at an exceptional percentage. This propelled him into the starting lineup, and will be a key piece in the second round on both sides of the ball, since he will have the assignment of Giannis Antetokounmpo and have to sustain his high-level shooting against their drop scheme.

Post-Practice Comment #5:

After a lot of people have been predicting that Miami will take down the Bucks, Jimmy Butler was asked if he’d rather be doubted or get recognition. He said, “We don’t care if you pick us to win or you pick us to lose, we’re gonna go out their and compete.” As mentioned previously, this team doesn’t care who believes in them because they believe in themselves. This is mostly because they have a locker room that is filled with experienced veterans. Also, there’s been a lot of talk about Miami’s shooters and Bam Adebayo heading into the series against Milwaukee, but not a lot of Jimmy Butler talk. This series against the Bucks is the reason Jimmy came to Miami, so he could lead the team in the postseason. This is officially Jimmy’s time.

Miami Dolphins: Raekwon McMillan trade highlights busy Saturday

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Miami Dolphins quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick was a scratch for Saturday’s practice as his mother died on Saturday morning. Having missed last Friday’s practice for what the Dolphins described as personal reasons, it became clear that something was wrong for Fitzpatrick. As a report for ESPN notes, the team knelt in prayer in support for Fitzpatrick.

Miami Dolphins trade Raekwon McMillan

The Miami Dolphins made a move on Saturday, trading linebacker Raekwon McMillan to the Oakland Raiders for a fourth-round pick.

McMillan played in 28 games for the Dolphins over the past two seasons. Now that the Dolphins have  additional linebacker depth, McMillan is falling down the depth chart.

Perhaps even a bigger piece of this is that he is in the final year of his contract.

Miami was wise to get something for the former Ohio State linebacker instead of letting him walk. With the newfound depth at the linebacker position, that could have been a potential possibility.

Either way, the Dolphins have continued to stock up on draft picks. We saw it with the trade of Kalen Ballage. It will be interesting to see what Miami does with this draft pick.

Here are some initial reactions to the trade of McMillan, courtesy of the Five Reasons Sports Team.

 

5 Comments from Spoelstra, Iguodala, Adebayo of Miami Heat

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The Miami Heat officially returned to practice yesterday morning, but cancelled the post-practice media session. But today they got to speak with media, mostly about their current mental state due to what has been going on. Here’s what was said…

Post-Practice Comment #1:

Erik Spoelstra, coach of the Miami Heat, started off the media session saying that everyone on the team practiced today, including Jimmy Butler and Jae Crowder. He also talked about the team getting back to normal, both physically and mentally. He said, “We had a couple really good days of work. Nobody was in the mood to work on Wednesday or Thursday.” But now, they are back to their focused routine, since Spo mentioned they will be watching the Bucks-Magic game this afternoon. If the Milwaukee Bucks win, Miami will be facing them in the second round starting on Monday.

Post-Practice Comment #2:

Andre Iguodala touched on the current movement that is being led by the NBA. He said, “I think it’s a simple message: We just want to stop being targeted.” Spo also applauded the player’s leadership lately, saying “The league is in a great place moving forward with our players leading the way.” Andre Iguodala has played a huge part in what the league is doing, since he is the union’s Vice President. Bam also gave his opinion on what has been going on, saying “Our people are being harmed. So it’s kind of difficult to focus on basketball because we all have families at home.” Bam also mentioned that it’s “hard to stay in a positive place” at the moment, especially being in the bubble away from his family. He also said that he’s been telling his family to “stay safe and do the things necessary.”

Post-Practice Comment #3:

Bam Adebayo talked a little about the basketball side of things, which clearly hasn’t been discussed in a while. He said, “As a team, I feel like we have a great balance.” Not only does he mean a balanced roster, but balanced personalities. He mentions that they are at a stage where “anybody can go talk to anybody,” which is great since no one will take it personal. We have seen this with Bam a few times during games in the bubble, where he would be vocal if someone like (Miami Heat rookie) Tyler Herro messed up. But that is true leadership, which is why there’s a whole lot of mutual respect in that locker room.

Post-Practice Comment #4:

Bam also mentioned that he doesn’t really have a huge voice right now on these topics since he’s so young. But mentions that for him, “It’s if we have a chance to speak our minds every single night on national TV and keep bring awareness to it.” That’s the reason it was important for many to continue the season, so they could use their platform to make people aware of what is going on. He also said he was “on the fence” about continuing the season. He said that he wanted to go back home to help people, but ultimately thought the right decision would be to bring awareness through media and TV.

Post-Practice Comment #5:

Bam Adebayo, one of the Miami Heat’s two All-Stars, finished the media session talking about the importance of using American Airlines Arena as a polling place. He mentions that it’s important “so you don’t have to go out of your way to vote.” He then related this topic to his personal life, mentioning how voter suppression has affected his family. He says it was as simple as a polling place being too far from a workplace and a boss not letting his mother vote. This is why this clearly hits home for Bam, which is why him and the team will continue to use their voices to make change.

How will the Miami Heat use their depth in next round?

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The Miami Heat had an impressive sweep over the Indiana Pacers in the first round of the NBA playoffs. Miami was in control every game and Indiana failed to come up with an answer to Miami’s hard-nosed, high energy, and high-level shooting team.

Their unselfishness and will to win was impressive. Especially since the trade with Memphis, adding Jae Crowder and Andre Iguodala, the Heat’s depth has been a big strength which was on full display in the Indiana series. The Heat had at least four players scoring in double digits in every game and different players came up big in different games. This is a valuable asset for Miami. Most teams look to simply “survive” when their stars are on the bench. They hope that their bench players can hold it down on the court and withstand enough to keep the game close. However, Miami’s bench looks to extend leads, not just maintain them. Miami has a deep balanced roster of veteran and young talent. Their roster is constructed in a way where there isn’t a significant dropoff of capable playoff talent until after the 10th man. Erik Spoelstra now has many bodies to throw at Giannis Antetokounmpo and Khris Middleton.

With Bam Adebayo on the bench, Miami has at least 3 other players (Jae, Iggy, DJJ) to wall up and neutralize Giannis. In addition, Spoelstra’s starting lineup change has improved the Heat’s defense, without sacrificing the scoring of the second unit or compromising the Heat’s depth. Adding a former all star, Goran Dragic, and veteran wing Jae Crowder, to the starting five maximizes the Heat’s ability to switch on pick and rolls and spreads the court more for Miami’s slashing cuts and adept ball movement. Also, Spoelstra has created a rotation that allows the bench to operate with Butler on the court when Bam and Dragic are resting and vice versa. The productivity of the Heat bench should be a big strength in the Bucks series. Let’s take a look at the Heat’s bench and their impact thus far and what is to come. 

Tyler Herro

The 20-year-old rookie continued to show his fearless motor in round 1 of the playoffs, using the spotlight to shine rather than fade away. Herro was impressive in each game and continued to show off his playmaking and scoring abilities. He averaged 16.5 points, 4 rebounds, and 3 assists against Indiana. He even earned some praise from Heat legend Dwyane Wade, “Sooo Tyler Herro Is a rookie still right!???” Herro improved on the defensive end too, using his court awareness to guide him into correct defensive rotations. He is still considered a vulnerable defender but to average about 32 minutes a game in a playoff series proves that Spolestra trusts him on the court. This is a series where you can expect to see Herro’s mid range and perimeter shooting on display due to the Bucks’ length. Also look for Tyler Herro and Kelly Olynyk pick and pops next series because Milwaukee’s bigs don’t like to leave the paint. 

Andre Iguodola

Iguodola is a seasoned veteran, finals MVP, and three time national champion with championship pedigree that is valuable to Miami’s young and inexperienced players. He is not needed to fill up the stat sheet but to simply make winning plays and be a leader on and off the court. Iguodola will need to be an extension of the coach when he is in with the second unit. Next series, Iggy will be responsible for making sure his teammates are poised in uncomfortable or pressure situations. He will provide quality leadership by communicating and holding others accountable. If he knocks down 1-2 three pointers a game and plays high level defense against Giannis and Middleton, Miami has a good chance of coming out of the 2nd round. ‘

Kelly Olynyk 

Kelly has played very well within his role in the playoffs thus far. After Spolestra decided to remove center Meyers Leonard from the rotation, Olynyk comes off the bench as the “big man.” He spreads the court with his three point shooting and his creativity off of ball screens and handoffs leaves defenses guessing. He averaged around 14 minutes per game against Indiana, 6.5 rebounds, and shot 50% from the field. Look for him to be aggressive against the Bucks shooting thress as their centers are not as mobile and the Bucks rely on drop coverage against the pick and roll. 

Derrick Jones Jr

Airplane mode. Known for his high flying dunks and crazy athleticism, Jones Jr. is a plus defender and a vertical spacer for Miami. He only averaged around 10 minutes per game this series against Indiana, but still made an impact. If DJJ does any offensive damage for the Heat it is a bonus since he is mostly in to play lockdown defense. Look for DJJ to get similar minutes next series guarding Giannis and Middleton to take some burden off the starters. 

Kendrick Nunn

After an amazing regular season and rookie of the year campaign, Kendrick Nunn had disappeared from the rotation. Nunn tested positive for Covid-19 right before the Heat were scheduled to leave for the NBA bubble and it has seemed to impact his play. He was a DNP for the first three games of the Indiana series due to the coach’s decision. However, in game 4 against Indiana he reminded everyone what he can bring to the table when he is playing well. Nunn and DJJ should split minutes for the 10th spot depending on matchups.