Jesus Sanchez

Meet the Marlins: Jesus Sanchez

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The Miami Marlins, coming off a five-game losing skid, shuffled their roster ahead of a five-game, four-day series versus the Washington Nationals. This roster shuffle included the return of two players from the COVID-19 IL, as well as the promotion of two of Miami’s top prospects, OF Jesus Sanchez and RHP Sixto Sanchez.

The Marlins have started seven different right fielders through 18 games and those seven players have combined for the worst production at that position (.167/.254/.167) in MLB. Among the players to start in RF this season: Jon Berti, Lewis Brinson and Harold Ramirez.

The struggles haven’t been limited to right field, though, as the entire outfield has struggled to consistently produce at the plate. Top-10 prospect Monte Harrison’s arrival earlier this season sparked excitement within the fan base, but he proceeded to struggle mightily in his first turn with the big club. Harrison was sent back to Jupiter after looking overmatched more often than not. He struck out in 54.5 percent of plate appearances (18 Ks, 33 PA).

Prospect: Jesus Sanchez

The 22-year-old Sanchez came to the Marlins with Ryne Stanek in a deal with the Tampa Bay Rays last season. That trade saw relievers Nick Anderson and Trevor Richards sent to the Rays.

Sanchez clocks in as a Top-100 prospect (No. 88) as a right fielder. He’s known for exceptional bat speed, power and just a feel for hitting. While he’s played come centerfield during his career, Sanchez profiles best as a right fielder or designated hitter.

Last season, Sanchez split time between Double-A Jacksonville and Triple-A New Orleans. He slashed .260/.325/.398, with 14 doubles, 13 home runs and 63 RBI. He struck out 100 times in 465 plate appearances.

Sanchez signed with the Rays out of the Dominican Republic in 2014. In Rookie-level Dominican Summer League, he hit .335/.382/.498. Sanchez rose quickly through the Rays system, winning team MVP awards in each of his first four pro seasons and starting in the SiriusXM All-Star Futures Game in 2018.

As a hitter, Sanchez uses the entire field and handles lefties and righties equally well. His tools are considered above-average almost across the board (hit, power, arm and field). The only tool he’s lacking is speed.

Sanchez has a chance to earn regular playing time in right field for the Marlins if he can consistently produce at the plate.

“I’m here because I think the team needs me. I believe I can help the team win,” Jesus Sanchez said prior to Friday night’s game in Washington. “I’m going to give all I have on the field and a good bat.”

Five Reasons to be Excited About Inter Miami (5/5)

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Inter Miami return to MLS action on August 22 against in-state rivals Orlando City. For each day leading up to the game, I’ll be going into detail explaining one of my five reasons to be excited about Inter Miami.  These five reasons, and dates of all and each coming piece, are listed below:

Reasons to be Excited About Inter Miami

  1. New Signings (August 17)
  2. Return of Robbie (August 18)
  3. Playing with More Experience (August 19)
  4. Potential Acquisitions (August 20)
  5. First Home Game (August 21)

Matchday will feature a pre and post-game piece as well.

Inter Miami CF Stadium (aka Lockhart)

As a brand new club, fans, owners, players, executives, and everyone associated with the team looks forward to the “firsts.” The first game, the first goal, the first win (soon please), and even the first home game. In a perfect world, the first home game for a brand new team comes within weeks of the season’s kickoff. In today’s world, Inter Miami will finally play its first-ever home game just a short five months and eight days after its original date.

The stadium is stunning. Driving on Commercial Boulevard now will have heads turn like never before. In a short time, Inter Miami miraculously had built a stadium that was ready for MLS action.

Old Lockhart Stadium was demolished on May 8 of last year. In what needed to be a quick turnaround, the construction of Inter Miami CF was happening quickly as a Spring debut seemed unlikely.

This photo was captured on November 18, 2019.

It took about six months for the structure to be built, and that was just the interior. Every day new and noticeable improvements seemed to be made at the site. A local Youtube channel, FutbolMiamiTV, had a running series hosted by Pieter Brown (@pieter_brown) that documented a ton of the construction as it went on.

Some color was added along with stands behind the goals by January. The stadium still had not seen the colorful seating that was yet to be inserted.

Finally, by February, a month before the first game was meant to be played, fans had a real sight of what the stadium would look like. Pink, black, grey, and white seating, along with a dark black exterior with pink accents, highlighted the looks of the club’s new home.

Just four days before March 14, the day Miami was set to play LA Galaxy in its home debut, fans were let into the stadium for a special event. A day later, everything changed.

MLS was faced with a tough decision in the following days as March 11 would be the day that the NBA announced their shutdown. A day after a special event for fans, three days before the club’s home debut, MLS announced that they would be suspending the 2020 season.

No other club, not even expansion club partners Nashville SC, will ever have to endure such a long wait to play in their first home game. Over five months since the club’s debut game, Inter Miami will finally be able to play a competitive game in South Florida. Fans in the stands are one of the critical aspects of playing at home, especially for the first time. Unfortunately for Miami, “La Familia” will not be in attendance any time soon unless it’s their cardboard $5o cardboard cutout.

The idea of no fans may hinder some of the excitement, but there’s not enough taken away to say this won’t be a monumental day. August 22, a revenge game against in-state rivals Orlando City, will be a day for the club to remember. Let’s hope the team looks a lot stronger in Fort Lauderdale than they did in Orlando.

 

 

5 Post-Practice Comments from Spoelstra, Iguodala, Leonard

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The Miami Heat talked with some media after practice on Friday afternoon, heading into game 3 of the first round. Erik Spoelstra talked about the offensive production of Duncan Robinson and Goran Dragic, while Andre Iguodala gave many intellectual answers about this team and the game of basketball in general. Meyers Leonard also spoke about his feelings towards his new role. Here’s what was said…

Post-Practice Comment #1:

Erik Spoelstra was asked about the conversation that he had with Goran before making him a starter. He said, “In a perfect world, he probably would have liked to stay on the bench.” He notes that this was because of their rhythm throughout the season. Although Goran has been starting for the first two games, he still gets plenty of minutes with the second unit. And it seems as if he is more productive at times with the lineup of Tyler Herro, Andre Iguodala, Derrick Jones Jr, and Kelly Olynyk. That is because he’s the offensive leader without Jimmy on the floor, and due to the versatility of this lineup, it allows him to do what he does best which is attack the basket. This is why you see him take more floaters and mid-ranges with this lineup, since he can just truly be his best self.

Post-Practice Comment #2:

Erik Spoelstra also discussed Duncan Robinson’s consistent elite shooting abilities this season. He said, “It’s a great quality of this team where guys want to help other guys get shots.” This was shown prior to yesterday’s game, when Jimmy specifically said that his purpose for game 2 was to get his shooters like Duncan and Tyler more involved. This seems to be a huge plus for Spo as well, when he said “Bam and Jimmy really get that.” He also mentioned that they truly understand how important Duncan is for their team. And as I mentioned previously, their offense seriously revolves solely around the production of Duncan Robinson, since this opens up so many other things.

Post-Practice Comment #3:

Andre Iguodala talked about his relationship with Coach Erik Spoelstra, and how it grew over the hiatus. It was speculated for a while, but Andre indeed confirmed it. It seemed as if Andre hadn’t found his place yet when he first joined the team, but in the bubble, he knows his role on this team and plays it to perfection. He’s not a guy that’s going to drop 20 points on multiple nights, but he can bring defensive discomfort and make crucial plays down the stretches of games. Andre also mentioned that him and Spo spent a lot of time talking about Bam Adebayo, and how “he can go above his own expectations.” Andre has seemed to play a pretty big role for Bam’s improvements, since he’s been apart of the closing front-court with Bam for the playoffs.

Post-Practice Comment #4:

Andre Iguodala also touched on the topic of Tyler Herro, which he was asked for a viable comparison for him. He responded, “None yet.” He then gave a deep description of Tyler’s game, talking about his tight handles and other aspects. But the thing he continually harps on is his confidence. He said, “The thing I like about his confidence is he’s a very hard worker, wants to be great.” And well, hard work is the what gives you the ability to be confident, since you are totally invested in yourself. Tyler also has the confidence from his teammates to be the offensive leader that he is. Andre ends with, “That you can’t teach.”

 

Post-Practice Comment #5:

Meyers Leonard touched on his feeling towards going from starter to out of the rotation. He said, “I’m not gonna say it’s been easy. I love competing with this team.” Although he’s not playing a role on the court right now, he still plays a major role for this team. He’s a leader that will do whatever it takes to win, which is why he says he is staying ready, especially since Coach Spo has said many times that their depth will be needed down the line. Meyers also mentioned the success of this team as of late, saying “We’re so damn deep. We have so much talent. And I absolutely love it.” He also has talked to Kendrick Nunn since they share the same situation, which he told him “We are going to need you, period,” and finishes with “He will be ready for the moment. All of these things are things that a leader says, and something a leader would do is donate $100,000 to the city of Miami due to Covid and voter suppression. Which he did as well. This team truly understands the importance of Meyers Leonard.

Five Reasons to be Excited about Inter Miami (4/5)

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Inter Miami return to MLS action on August 22 against in-state rivals Orlando City. For each day leading up to the game, I’ll be going into detail explaining one of my five reasons to be excited about Inter Miami.  These five reasons, and dates of all and each coming piece, are listed below:

Reasons to be Excited About Inter Miami

  1. New Signings (August 17)
  2. Return of Robbie (August 18)
  3. Playing with More Experience (August 19)
  4. Potential Acquisitions (August 20)
  5. First Home Game (August 21)

Matchday will feature a pre and post-game piece as well.

Potential Signings

With the MLS Transfer Window open, Inter Miami has already made the biggest splash in the league. Blaise Matuidi is taking his talents to South Beach. The signing of Leandro Gonzalez Pirez before the MLS is Back Tournament is also going to be impactful in the restart. Fans still question if both these guys will fix all of the club’s problems.

Miami needs help in most areas of the field. If LGP and Matuidi cover the backline and the midfield, what does the club do about goalscoring? Daniel Sturridge, Roger Martinez, Edinson Cavani, are all a couple of names that have been in the mix for a while.

A Number 9

The Roger Martinez rumors were true, however, the clubs never reached an agreement in the pre-season. The Colombian international is a name that should still be considered. He’s a young, talented, prolific striker that may be able to create scoring chances for Miami in the final third.

Daniel Sturridge’s name was thrown around after he had contract issues in Turkey. Shortly around the time of Miami’s first game in Los Angeles, Sturridge seemed to be an intriguing acquisitio.n. As a player whos had major roles at major clubs, MLS would not be much of an issue for him. As he gets older though, the club has t question if it’s worth wasting a Designated Player spot on him, compared to other top tier strikers available.

Recently, Edinson Cavani’s name has been thrown around all over the world. Due to the rise of Kylian Mbappe and the signing of Mauro Icardi at PSG, Cavani has no place in Paris. Reports have come out that he has reached an agreement with Portuguese club Benfica. As a free agent, Inter Miami would be able to bring Cavani in for free, and on a short term deal as a DP, its hard not to say, “why not?” Cavani became a top tier striker in his seven years at PSG, and a move to MLS or Liga Nos would benefit him as he gets into the latter part of his career.

Best fit?

Miami needs a number 9. Miami also needs a wing-back as well as another midfielder to pair with Matuidi.

Roger Martinez would be a great get if the club can put him under the salary cap. This would leave room for Miami to leave the DP slot open for a world-class midfielder.

Arturo Vidal is likely on the move after the demise of FC Barcelona. As the club looks to move on from some older players, Vidal would be the ideal pairing for MAtuidi in a 4-2-3-1 formation.

Another older player like Vidal who could be on the move is Antonio Valencia. The Ecuadorian spent most of his career with Machester United. As he became older, he lost his role at the English club and has since moved to a club in Quito, Ecuador. His veteran presence could prove to be impactful as Miami looks to develop rookie Dylan Nealis.

Missed Out

Before Inter Miami signed even half their roster, David Silva was meant to be headed to Miami this summer. The talks ended up being far off, and now Miami has officially lost the Manchester City maestro to Spanish club Real Sociedad. After the early talks, it was hardly mentioned again as he was still an impactful player for City. Silva still has the talent to offer good service to any European club.

Miami take the field this Saturday and no signing looks to be coming before then.

Make sure to look for tomorrow’s piece talking about the club’s debut at the new and improved Lockhart Stadium!

 

 

 

5 Post-Game Comments from Spoelstra, Crowder, Robinson, Butler

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The Miami Heat took a 2-0 lead today, after a big win in game 2 against the Pacers. There seemed to be a mutual topic in each player’s media session, Jimmy Butler. Here’s what was said…

Post-Game Comment #1:

Erik Spoelstra was asked about the second half aggressiveness of both Goran Dragic and Jimmy Butler. He started off saying that it’s mainly because they are both “veteran leaders.” He then began to talk about Jimmy Butler’s importance, saying “Everyone knows why we got Jimmy Buter, it’s for these kinds of moments.” It’s pretty clear that this is why the Miami Heat brought Jimmy in, but this is finally the time it can be showcased. And Jimmy has not shed away from showing it, after having two big games to start the series. But, he impacted both games in different ways. One by completely taking over by scoring, and the other by every aspect. This whole team is 100% invested in their leader Jimmy Butler.

Post-Game Comment #2:

Jimmy Butler used a phrase that he’s been talking about a lot lately. He said, “As long as we keep fighting like the dogs that we are, we’ll come out on top.” Not only has Jimmy continually spoke about the amount of “dogs” on this roster, he also continually talks about “coming out on top.” The thing about this is that he truly believes. Actually, the whole team believes it. They have an absolute different mentality than these other teams, which gives them the edge they need.

Post-Game Comment #3:

Jimmy Butler also talked about what is so different about the Heat. He responded, “They let me be me…to cuss people out.” He then talked about nobody taking it personal. Bam Adebayo talked about this yesterday as well, saying that he’s able to yell at Jimmy Butler and others since they all want to win. We saw this in today’s game when Bam wanted Tyler Herro to clear out, but he didn’t. Bam consequently made sure to let him know. But once again, nobody takes it personal. This is truly what separates this Heat team from the rest.

Post-Game Comment #4:

Jae Crowder also talked about the big topic of the day, Jimmy Butler. Jae said, “I’ve been with Jimmy in some of the biggest games of his life back in college.” Jae notes that this has been Jimmy’s mentality for a while now. He mentions “his level of play rises to the occasion.” This is indeed true, since Jimmy has struggled from three all season, but has become truly confident in taking them now. Many have questioned Jimmy Butler’s offensive ability, even approaching the post-season, but he’s showing them all that he’s a different breed in the playoffs.

Post-Game Comment #5:

Duncan Robinson quickly mentioned after the game that he had some elite shooters reach out to him over the hiatus, including Mike Miller and Reggie Miller. Obviously they aren’t giving Duncan huge pointers on how to shoot, but shooters like this have the important insight on the small things. And it seems as if Duncan has picked up on some things since returning, including a side step dribble and an eagerness to attack the basket. And since this is basically Duncan’s rookie year, he has much more time to develop his game even more.

5 Takeaways from Heat’s Game 2 Win Over Pacers

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The Miami Heat had their fair share of ups and downs in today’s game against the Indiana Pacers, but came away with the win 109-100. Consequently, Miami takes a 2-0 lead over Indiana, but instead of flying back home to Miami for game 3, they will be staying in Orlando. Here are five takeaways from this game…

#1: Bam Adebayo’s early foul trouble showcases his importance.

Bam Adebayo got called for two early fouls in the first quarter. He was consequently subbed out of the game, right after the Heat went on a huge offensive run to start the game. This seemed to put a huge halt on Miami’s offense, which is weird since Bam doesn’t seem to be an offensive powerhouse. The thing is that Bam does all of the small things for their offense. Picks, spaces the floor, etc. He had 0 points until mid-way through the third quarter, but made himself useful through his elite play-making skills. This also forced Miami to go small for an extended amount of time, since Derrick Jones Jr subbed in for Bam. These early foul troubles for Bam in the bubble is definitely something to keep your eye on, since you can’t risk not having Bam on the floor in a match-up against Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Milwaukee Bucks.

#2: Heat’s offense seems to revolve solely around the shooting of Duncan Robinson.

Miami’s offense has clearly revolved around Duncan all season, and looks to be even more true in the bubble. This is what caused a huge Heat run to start the game, when Duncan hit three triples in the first two minutes. But once Indiana’s defense picked up on it, the offense became stagnant. Especially since a bunch of Miami’s usual go to scorers struggled early in the game. Duncan ended up hitting a fourth three in the second quarter, which was the start of another Miami run. He ended the game with seven three pointers, which gives Duncan a great amount of confidence after last game’s struggles. This just further proves the amount of pressure Duncan has to elevate this offense. But if anyone is capable of doing it, it’s Duncan Robinson.

#3: Miami’s supporting cast steps up during tough stretches.

As talked about previously, Miami’s usual scorers struggled in the first half of today’s game. But, Kelly Olynyk and Andre Iguodala hit some much needed shots in the first half, to get them out of this drought. Kelly Olynyk had 7 points and 6 rebounds in the first half, while Andre Iguodala did his part on the defensive end. The depth of this Heat team is one of Miami’s biggest advantages, which is why they will need guys like Kelly and Andre to elevate the team when things aren’t going their way. And as Spoelstra said about Kendrick Nunn and Meyers Leonard, these guys will be much needed down the line.

#4: The Heat’s crisp ball movement may have won them this game.

Jimmy Butler said before today’s game that although he scored 28 in game 1, he wants to be better in game 2 with getting the other guys involved. This seemed to be the goal for every player on the team though. Miami played some of the most unselfish basketball that they’ve played all season, which at times seemed a bit excessive. For example, Duncan forced a pass down low though he had an open three, and Jimmy passed out to Herro for a three though he had a wide open layup. The point is that this type of play could win them many tight games, since most teams don’t play this way. Most teams have a go to scorer that they look to in close playoff games. Miami’s primary play-makers, in Bam Adebayo and Jimmy Butler, are going to play this way no matter what, since they continually say this is the way to win.

#5: Goran Dragic is officially the second half killer.

It seemed to be a repeat of game 1 for Goran Dragic. A slow start in the first half, followed by a second half scoring display. It may be because a 34 year old needs some time to get going. Or maybe he saves himself for the second half. Either way, Goran continues to be a huge offensive spark for this team. He’s one of the only players on the team who can consistently create their own shot, and hit it consistently. It also seems as if the hiatus has helped Goran as much as anybody in the bubble. This time off has made Goran much more explosive for playoff time than he would have been normally. Goran finished the game with 20 points, while playing as good as ever.

Five Reasons to be Excited about Inter Miami (3/5)

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Inter Miami return to MLS action on August 22 against in-state rivals Orlando City. For each day leading up to the game, I’ll be going into detail explaining one of my five reasons to be excited about Inter Miami.  These five reasons, and dates of all and each coming piece, are listed below:

Reasons to be Excited About Inter Miami

  1. New Signings (August 17)
  2. Return of Robbie (August 18)
  3. Playing with More Experience (August 19)
  4. Potential Acquisitions (August 20)
  5. First Home Game (August 21)

Matchday will feature a pre and post-game piece as well.

Five Games In

When Inter Miami first brought in Diego Alonso as manager, not many people knew the name. As a player, Alonso had a brief stint in La Liga in the early 2000s. As a manager, Alonso was extremely successful in Mexico being one of the only coaches ever to win two CONCACAF Champions League titles with two different teams. Fans weren’t convinced he was the first choice, however, must’ve been stoked to find out he was a proven winner.

The difference between every league and MLS is somewhat massive. MLS has a style of play that’s unparalleled across the globe. Bringing in a manager whos not familiar with the league is a risk in itself. Bringing in a manager after you’ve already started building a roster at an expansion club? A huge ask.

Game 1 and 2

The ask became even tougher when he was forced to play 2019 Supporters Shield winners LAFC in the club’s first-ever game. One of the most dominant teams in MLS, with Carlos Vela who was coming off one of the best seasons we’ve ever seen by a player, on the road, was not the ideal matchup.

Inter Miami put up a fight at the Banc of California Stadium though. The match was not dominated by either side, and Alonso in his 4-2-3-1 formation provided us with an attacking style of soccer. Deciding not to go defensive, Miami was split open at the back a couple of times throughout the match with all but one chance being met by Luis Robles.

If it weren’t for any Carlos Vela magic and if it weren’t for a man of the match performance by LAFC goalkeeper Keeneth Vermeer, Miami could’ve left Los Angeles with at least a point.

DC United was up next with a second road game in a row for the Herons. After assisting the first goal in club history, Lewis Morgan but Miami up 2-0 in the second half. It led to a review that changed the entire outcome of the match. The goal was disallowed and was then followed by a penalty, a handball, a red card, a freekick, and an unfortunate rebound goal. This 7 minutes of play led to a 2-1 loss for Inter Miami.

COVID-19

You could call it unlucky because the squad was looking promising. A slight individual mistake and questionable refereeing took away three points. Unlucky became the theme as just two days before the club’s first-ever home game, sports came to a halt.

Saturday, March 14 was meant to be the club’s biggest day in their history. As we all know, the world would be changed as we know it as the threat of COVID-19 had hit American soil and spread through the country worse than a wildfire.

After three or four months since MLS last kicked off, the league had a plan to return to play.

MLS is Back Tournament

Inter Miami took part in the MLS is Back Tournament in Group A. The three group stage games all counted towards the 2020 regular season standings so Miami was eager to gain points.

It seemed as though every game was far worse than the first two. And as they went on, the quality, chemistry, and execution seemed to deteriorate.

After a heartbreaking loss to Orlando City with a 96′ winner by Luis Nani, Miami was instantly in trouble. Nani’s goal was due to a defensive error in the box and that was how Miami conceded every game-winning goal in all three group stage games.

A counter-attack in the 63′ where Miami midfielder Wil Trapp completely misjudged a tacked gave Philadelphia their second goal en route to a 2-1 win. In the final match, one where Miami had to win to have a chance at progressing to the group stage, NYCFC took home a 1-0. An overtop through-ball where the Miami defenders were nowhere to be found punished Maimia and sent them back to Fort Lauderdale with an 0-5 regular-season record.

That is the worst start ever by an MLS club.

How to Move Forward?

At some point, Inter Miami has to get points. The disappointment cannot continue as fans have scrutinized the organization from the players to executives.

On August 22, Miami will face Orlando City in a rematch of the first group stage game.

Diego Alonso as an experienced manager should be able to figure out how to gain at least a point in this game. Orlando had a magical run to the final of the tournament and will look to carry that momentum on Saturday.

In no way was Miami tactically outclassed in their Group A matchup. If new singing Leandro Gonzalez Pirez can come in and solidify the backline, it should be a close one. The likes of Lewis Morgan and Rodolfo Pizarro potentially playing alongside Robbie Robinson again should also lead to more chances for Inter Miami. If they’re able to execute and Alonso doesn’t shy away from Orlando and keeps his attack-minded play, Miami could provide the Lions some trouble.

They’ll go on to play Orlando again on September 12th but not before they play both Nashville SC and Atlanta United twice. Atlanta had a rough tournament and Inter Miami will have to take advantage of what went wrong for them recently. For fellow expansion club Nashville SC, talent-wise aren’t as strong as Miami. Their attack has been weak in the first four games we’be seen them play, and if Miami’s defense can be solid with these new signings, they should come away with points.

Prediction

A strong prediction here would be Miami to finish 4-2. These six games will provide the squad and Diego Alonso the opportunity to prove themselves. Realistically, I could see 2 wins, 2 losses, and 2 draws and I’d still be ecstatic. Once this team gets over the hump of finally winning a game, the confidence will be flowing. As long as individual mistakes are avoided, this team has a future.

Make sure to look for tomorrow’s piece on how rumored signings could help this club prosper!

 

5 Post-Practice Comments from Spoelstra, Adebayo, Robinson

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Erik Spoelstra, Bam Adebayo, and Duncan Robinson talked with some media today after practice. Erik talked a little about people’s opinions on Bam, which led to Bam speaking about it as well. Here’s what was said…

Post-Practice Comment #1:

Erik Spoelstra seemed to want to get this off of his chest when regarding people’s opinions on Bam. He said that all of the people outside of the organization who give their opinion can “stick it up you know where.” He also mentions that people continually talk about how aggressive he needs to be, but “he is doing the right things for our team.” Spoelstra has always been a coach that puts full trust in certain players. Bam is one of them. He knows how much Bam wants to win, and what he will do to help this team win. It doesn’t have to be a scoring display either, since one of Bam’s biggest things is bringing the amount of energy he brings every night.

Post-Practice Comment #2:

Erik Spoelstra gives a quote that fits their current situation perfectly. He said, “The goal is bigger than the role right now.” This was referring to Kendrick Nunn going from starter to out of the rotation, just as Meyers Leonard did. Spoelstra also mentioned that he will need the depth of this team as they go along, saying “You have to be ready for anything in the playoffs.” And if anybody will be ready for anything thrown their way, it’ll be Erik Spoelstra. He continually recognized the importance of Kendrick Nunn this season, and said that these are not easy decisions. But, says they must stay ready, which “K-Nunn is mentally tough enough to understand that.”

Post-Practice Comment #3:

Bam Adebayo seemed to like Erik Spoelstra’s comment on people’s opinions about him. Bam said, “In October, nobody even knew who I was.” He then mentioned that now everybody wants to tell him how he should do things. He then talked about how much he respects Erik Spoelstra’s comments, since all Erik wants from him is to impact winning. While many people discuss the relationship of Jimmy Butler and Erik Spoelstra being so strong, Bam’s relationship with Erik is just as strong. This is because all three of them share a mutual mindset on the game of basketball. A winning mindset.

Post-Practice Comment #4:

Duncan Robinson talked about Indiana’s defense targeting him throughout game 1 of the playoffs. He said, “I definitely give them some credit, but I still feel I’m able to be impactful in this series.” He’s definitely seen this quite a few times during his time in the bubble, but he’s never had to face a team this many times in a row. But with Erik Spoelstra’s creative adjustments and Duncan’s ability to make a defense uncomfortable, they should be able to overcome this situation. The last time Duncan was being blanketed against Toronto, he came out the next game with a purpose to attack the basket. Don’t be surprised if you see Duncan being more active with the ball in his hands in game 2 tomorrow.

Post-Practice Comment #5:

Bam Adebayo seemed to be much more aggressive with the ball in his hands in the second and third quarters than he was in the first yesterday. Bam discussed why he thinks this is. He basically said once guys get glued to their man after guys like Duncan get going, it opens up the floor to take guys off the dribble. This definitely was the case yesterday, since after Goran and Tyler began to score, he took initiative to take Myles Turner to the basket. This also led to a Bam Adebayo mid-range jumper, which opens it up for him even more. This further shows that although Duncan relies on Bam a lot on offense, Bam relies on Duncan just as much.

Five Reasons to be Excited about Inter Miami (2/5)

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Inter Miami return to MLS action on August 22 against in-state rivals Orlando City. For each day leading up to the game, I’ll be going into detail explaining one of my five reasons to be excited about Inter Miami.  These five reasons, and dates of all and each coming piece, are listed below:

Reasons to be Excited About Inter Miami

  1. New Signings (August 17)
  2. Return of Robbie (August 18)
  3. Playing with More Experience (August 19)
  4. Potential Acquisitions (August 20)
  5. First Home Game (August 21)

Matchday will feature a pre and post-game piece as well.

Return of Robbie Robinson

Due to personal reasons, Robbie Robinson left the MLS bubble at the Orlando tournament before the first game. He never returned, and Diego Alonso was forced to use different starting strikers than in his first two matches.

Robinson was Inter Miami’s first-ever MLS SuperDraft pick as they chose him number one overall earlier this year. The pick wasn’t a surprise considering Robinson was one of the top athletes in all of NCAA. In a fantastic junior year at Clemson University, Robinson finished with 18 goals and 9 assists, a total of 27 goal contributions in just 19 games. Although he’s still young and has room to develop as a player, his raw talent is enough to prove he should Inter Miami’s starting striker as of now.

On the offensive side of the ball, Inter Miami has struggled heavily in creating scoring chances. In the three group stage games, Miami finished with a total of seven shots on target. In the two games before the tournament, those games in which Robinson played in, Miami totaled 12 shots on target. It’s safe to say that with Robinson on the field, Miami is a much better attacking side.

His stats are not enough to show his impact on the field. Robinson at 6’2 is big enough to contribute to hold-up play from direct passes. His lateral quickness and technical ability on the ball also allows him to use dribbling and pace to get by center backs in a threatening way. Both Juan Agudelo and Julian Carranza have shown nothing to prove to Alonso that they should be the starting striker.

The addition of Blaise Matuidi could also help Miami in terms of creating chances. If Matuidi can be the ball-winning midfielder that he’s known as it’ll allow Rodolfo Pizarro to stay up the field and create chances. A Robinson-Pizarro partnership in the middle of the field is very intriguing.

It was reported in the Miami Herald that Robinson has joined the team for full team training ahead of Saturday’s match against Orlando. If no surprise transfers are made, expect Robinson back in the lineup this Saturday and for games to come.

Make sure to look for tomorrow’s piece on how being five games in will help Inter Miami get their first points.

5 Post-Game Comments from Herro, Adebayo, Butler, and Others

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The Miami Heat played a tough and scrappy game against the Indiana Pacers, but came out with the win. This was behind the elite play of Jimmy Butler and Goran Dragic. Here’s what was said post-game…

Post-Game Comment #1:

Erik Spoelstra spoke a little about the topic of the afternoon, Jimmy Butler. He said, “Make or miss he wants the responsibility.” He then mentions that this is obviously why they acquired him. The reason he takes responsibility make or miss is because he’s one of the most mentally tough players in the league. This was showcased today. We’ve also seen Jimmy take over games all season without scoring the ball. But that wasn’t the case today since he was on a mission to score the ball. No matter what he does to win, Spoelstra has the utmost trust in this team’s leader.

Post-Game Comment #2:

Tyler Herro talked about the team cleaning up the turnover problem in the second half. He mentions that they made adjustments at halftime and adds that Spoelstra is amazing at that. He also says that playoff games are supposed to be sloppy and that they’re “not afraid to win games in the mud.” Spoelstra expected this to be that type of game yesterday, when he mentioned that this team is top 3 in steals and points off turnovers in the bubble. He consequently was prepared to make these adjustments at the half, which led to a Miami Heat win.

Post-Game Comment #3:

Bam Adebayo talked about this team’s eagerness to win. He said, “That’s the big thing I like about this team. We don’t care who scores as long as we win.” The best example of that is Andre Iguodala. He scored 4 points but was one of Miami’s most important players in this game. Bam also talked about the communication of him and Jimmy Butler. He said, “If you heard us, you’d think we were mad at each other.” This is just another example of their willingness to win. This team listens when Jimmy Butler talks, which makes such a tough and scrappy team.

Post-Game Comment #4:

Jimmy Butler mentions that one of Indiana’s silly coaches was yapping at him throughout the game. This led to Jimmy making a talking gesture after a steal and dunk. It seems pretty evident that the one thing you don’t want to do is anger Jimmy. This led to a 28 point game to kick off the playoffs. Meyers Leonard doesn’t seem to think it was a good for this coach to do this either, when he tweeted after the game “Bad idea.”

Post-Game Comment #5:

Jimmy Butler joked around about Goran Dragic a little bit saying he was “stinky” in the first half, but says Goran admitted that to him. He then started talking about how great he was in the second half. He also mentioned Tyler Herro and Duncan Robinson being key offensive guys. He kept reiterating that his role is to make sure all of these other guys are comfortable. He says that he constantly tells the young guys about the playoffs, “Just play basketball.” He mentions that these guys have been playing their whole lives, and that the term playoffs shouldn’t change anything.