Miami Heat (8-3) Need to Keep Feasting on Bottom Feeders

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The Miami Heat (8-3) are sitting pretty in a dreadful Eastern Conference where only six teams have winning records so far.

After two closer than expected wins against Detroit and Cleveland, Miami looks to get healthy against more subpar opponents in the coming days.

Beginning Saturday when they meet the 3-8 New Orleans Pelicans, the Heat will only face two teams with winning records to close out November.

So far the Heat have taken care of business when they should, as five of their eight wins are against sub .500 teams.

Miami has only lost to the Timberwolves, Nuggets, and Lakers who are a combined 24-8 this season.

While also taking care of business on the road at Milwaukee (8-3) and Phoenix (7-4) and blowing out the 8-3 Rockets 129-100 at home.

The Heat have a quick two game home stand which kicks off against the 3-8 Pelicans who are near the bottom out West without Anthony Davis and top pick Zion Williamson.

New Orleans is still scoring at an impressive clip (118.4 PPG, 3rd) but are atrocious on the other end, giving up the most points in the NBA at 122.8 per game.

Like Miami, New Orleans also struggles with turnovers giving it up over 17 times per contest, while allowing teams to shoot 47.4% from the field (24th in the NBA).

Miami is a middle of the pack scoring offense but so far excelling on defense, this should continue against New Orleans.

To close out the home set the Heat will host Cleveland, whom they just dispatched 108-97 on Thursday.

The Cavaliers are polar opposites of the Pelicans, Cleveland is tied for 25th in the NBA scoring just 105.3PPG, but allows a respectable 107.1 PPG which is 11th league-wide.

Cleveland has scored 97 or fewer points in four out of 11 games (all losses) and should again struggle with an elite Heat defensive unit.

Miami will then travel to Chicago to kick off a stretch where they play six out of eight games on the road. Jimmy Butler will face his former Bulls team for the first time in a Heat uniform, Butler spent the first six seasons of his career in Chicago.

Chicago (4-8) has lost seven of ten games and have allowed the most points off of turnovers in the NBA. If Miami can play a clean offensive game that should be a recipe for a nice road win. The Bulls are the 4th worst shooting team in the league at 43.3%, playing right into Miami’s hands.

Things get tougher after that as the Heat will visit the other team in Butler’s past, the Philadelphia 76ers. This rivalry has become more contentious and now that Josh Richardson is in Philly it makes it even more interesting.

You know Butler and the Heat circled this game on the calendar.

Miami must keep cleaning up on lesser opponents which has been an issue in seasons past, all wins count whether in November or May and the Heat must stockpile as the schedule becomes more difficult in the second half of the season.

Follow us on Twitter for more exclusive Miami Heat coverage @5ReasonsSports.

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Related:

The Mourning Edition: Miami Heat’s Winning Time Is Coming Early

Miami Sports…are They Becoming Good Again?

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The ever changing Miami sports landscape has been on a steady trend downward since the end of the “Big 3 era” of Miami Heat basketball.

Now there were some amazing moments since then, such as Dwyane Wade’s Last Dance and the Miami Miracle.

Those fleeting instances have been sandwiched between years of mediocrity.

The Marlins tore it all down, again.

The Heat had a bloated, ineffective roster.

We all know where Adam Gase left the Dolphins.

Manny Diaz is trying to bring the Hurricanes back.

Even the Panthers, a team with legitimate playoff aspirations recently, has disappointed.

Expecting anything different has become an annual disappointment.

Until now.

Dolphins Vision Unfolding

All of a sudden there is exciting and competitive football being played by the Miami Dolphins.

Who for once are actually exceeding expectations.

Yet we still aren’t happy.

Brian Flores has steadily guided a team lacking NFL level talent across multiple positions into a disciplined and passionate group.

Flores and his coaching staff are developing players and proving it “Takes No Talent” to compete.

Chris Grier has a war chest of draft capital, and actual capital of about 140M to quickly add top tier free agents.

With a shot at a franchise quarterback to boot.

For once the Dolphins have a plan and the cast to execute and deliver a winner.

Culture Shock

The Miami Heat seem to have figured out their roster around a true star in Jimmy Butler.

And are interesting as hell.

 

Getting back to their defensive identity and bringing back the “Culture” led by Butler has galvanized a young roster.

Currently the Heat rank fourth in defensive rating and third in steals per game (9.6). Miami also ranks in the top ten league wide in points-per-game allowed (105.7, 6th) steals (96, 5th) and overall defensive FG% (.437, 9th).

Smart perimeter defense has been key, the Heat lead the NBA in 3-point FG% allowed at just 28.9%. Only Miami and Oklahoma City are holding teams under 30% from deep as of November 13th.

 

Hassan Whiteside went to Portland which paved the way for Bam Adebayo to become the all around catalyst we see before us. Before being sidelined with a concussion, Justise Winslow was taking a huge step forward as well.

Finally the Heat have a cohesive roster that fits their style of play and identity, in a wide open Eastern Conference the Heat are suddenly poised for a home playoff series if they stay on track.

Cardiac Cats

In Sunrise the Florida Panthers under new coach Joel Quenneville are playing exciting, action packed hockey. Florida has won their last two games by an 11-9 margin…that’s a lot of goals!

After making franchise history with a four goal rally against Boston this week, the Panthers are showing tremendous toughness and resolve in late game pressure situations.

 

In the two wins against Boston and New York the Panthers outscored them 5-0 in the third period. Despite shaky goaltending and defense the Cats have found a way to get it done in the final 20 minutes.

It helps to have a top ten offense on your side, Aleksander Barkov has points in six straight games entering Thursday’s action and the power play continues to dominate.

Florida ranks second with the man advantage, converting 26.8% of their power play opportunities.

If the Panthers can figure out their issues on the blue line and in goal to support a dynamic offense, they have a great chance of making the playoffs for the first time since the 2015-2016 season.

Hurricanes’ Season a Tale of two Teams

The Miami Hurricanes football team has had a polarizing season to say the least.

From quarterback uncertainty and losses against inferior teams early in the year, to blowout wins and record breaking performances – the 2019 Miami Hurricanes have kept fans on the edge of their seats.

After an uneven start to the season on offense, Jarren Williams has settled in as QB1 and hitting the big plays that were missing earlier in the year.

 

The Hurricanes have won three straight in ACC play by a combined margin of 95-49, after starting conference play 1-3 the turnaround has been drastic.

On the other side of the ball the defense has been wrecking house led by new and older names alike.

Senior linebackers Michael Pinckney and Shaq Quarterman have experienced a resurgence of energy and effectiveness.

While Gregory Rousseau went from out of the starting lineup to the best defensive lineman in the ACC, and one of the best in all of college football.

 

The Hurricanes have a star in the making both under center and at defensive end, two of the most important positions in football.

And they are both freshman.

With a coaching staff starting to figure it out and a favorable ACC Coastal division to call home, the sun is shining bright in Coral Gables.

Don’t Forget About us!

While the teams that are in action in November are getting all the attention, there are more great storylines in Miami sports on the way.

The Marlins have quietly built one of the best farm systems in all of baseball.

Oh yeah, we are getting professional soccer too!

We could be saying this time next year “what a time to be a Miami sports fan”

A statement that is well deserved and long overdue.

Follow us on Twitter for all things Miami sports @FiveReasonsSports and @SportsWaveDave.

Photo by Tony Capobianco.

John Jenkins

John Jenkins contributing heavily to improved Dolphins defense

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Think back to the days of Paul Soliai. He was the last true nose tackle that made an impact on the Miami Dolphins defensive line. His ability to take up space and disrupt rushing lanes is well-remembered. Since his departure, Miami has been searching for someone who can take up that role. The unsung hero doing the dirty work so others can shine. It seems, however, that the search is over, with veteran DT John Jenkins filling the void.

“John (Jenkins) has brought energy, enthusiasm.” Head coach Brian Flores said on Wednesday. “He’s one of those kind of unsung players that no one really knows about, talks about; but I would say our linebackers really enjoy having him in front of them because he takes up some space. He does a lot of the dirty work that – it’s those dirty (work) plays that if you get enough of those contributions from several different players and that’s how you get productive plays and string good plays together. He’s been a big part of, I would say, the improvement defensively. (He is) one of my favorite guys to be honest with you.”

The 30-year old Jenkins isn’t a big playmaker. Since his rookie season with the New Orleans Saints in 2013, Jenkins only has a total of 143 tackles and 2.5 sacks. Not exactly wow-worthy to say the least. But again, Jenkins isn’t meant to make plays. He helps others make plays. Considering the recent emergence of Ohio State alums Raekwon McMillan and Jerome Baker, it seems Jenkins is doing his job well. McMillan has emerged as a premier run-stopping linebacker, and Baker is finding it much easier to both cover receiver and rush the passer through lanes opened by Jenkins’ raw strength and bulk.

And again, Jenkins doesn’t get much credit. When Baker, McMillan or any of the other linebackers jump in and make a flashy play, they receive praise. But that’s just part of the process, as linebacker coach Rob Leonard stated at the beginning of November. He wants the linebackers to take what they do and use as a sign of progress for their development.

“You have to make them see it. You have to make them see what you see in them to get the best version of themselves.” He said. “I’m always trying to paint that picture whether it’s film or just speaking to them as men because that’s where the confidence comes into play. Who you are as a person, who you are as a player – you’re always painting that vision of how I see them so they can fulfill their potential, but they have to believe it. It comes from them.”

That much is true. The linebackers have to perform. But it certainly helps when there’s a big body up front making their lives easier.

However, that doesn’t mean Jenkins is incapable of making plays of his own. Last week against the Indianapolis Colts, Jenkins chased down a running back from behind and brought him down for a loss. That’s not a simple feat for a man his size. Him being a veteran voice in an extremely young locker room just adds an extra bonus.

“He’s got a great energy, great enthusiasm, loves to play the game.” Flores said. “(He is) a guy we really like. We got him after the 53 cut. We were happy to get him. He’s been very productive, but his effort, his energy, his enthusiasm, his leadership – being one of the older guys in that room – that’s shown up in a big way for us and we’re happy to have him.”

So what of the future? As it stands, Jenkins is on a 1-year contract worth a mere $800,000, give or take a few. He’s played a little less than 45% of the snaps on defense this season for Miami. Those few snaps, however, have had an undeniable impact. The 2020 offseason is going to be an eventful one for the Dolphins, but some of the talent on the 2019 roster may just stick around. John Jenkins should be a key candidate for retention.

Every team needs that one guy who opens up the way for the rest of the defense. Jenkins may be just what Miami needs, both now and later, to turn the Dolphins defense back into the juggernaut it once was.

Luis Sung has covered the Miami Dolphins for numerous outlets such as Dolphins Wire for six years. Follow him on Twitter: @LuisDSung

Meet Inter Miami’s Three Newest Players

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Inter Miami CF have been busy the last 48 hours when it comes to bringing players down to South Beach, or Fort Lauderdale for now. They’ve gone on to acquire three players as well as  the first pick in Stage 1 of MLS Re-Entry draft. Victor Ulloa, Drake Callender, and Jay Chapman have all been acquired as we are now starting to see a real roster being built leading up to the Expansion Draft.

Victor Ulloa, a defensive midfielder who has been in the league since 2011, makes his way from FC Cincinnati by way of trade to Inter Miami. Ulloa has had a very respectable career in the MLS as his long tenure in Toronto earned him over 150 games played. At 27, he is, for now, the oldest player on the roster, as well as the one with the most MLS experience by miles, so the  club will be looking at him to bring that veteran presence as he commands the midfield. 

Inter then acquired homegrown rights to Drake Callender, a goalkeeper who currently is playing at the University of California. Inter did give away a second round pick in the 2020 MLS Superdraft for him, so there’s a lot to be told about his talent. He’s kept 15 clean sheets in 52 games for his school, been with the San Jose Earthquakes academy for 6 years, and he also received an invitation to the US’s U-23 training camp in September. His homegrown rights being with Inter are important as the club looks to build for now as well as the future, but still look for that first choice keeper to come along either in the Expansion Draft or later.

And most recently, Jay Chapman is headed over to Miami from Toronto FC. At 25 years old, Chapman has earned himself a couple of international appearances with the Canadian National team, and is now being brought over from the MLS Runners-up to take up a central-midfield role. Chapman and Ulloa will be the only two players so far that are coming straight from an MLS side. They’ll both be joining David Norman Jr. as the first couple of players with league experience.  

These three, Ulloa, Callender, and Chapman, are the final players coming into the team until the MLS Expansion Draft on November 19th. Waivers and free agency will commence six days later, and of course then the international transfer market window will open on January 1st. There’s a lot to look forward to as an Inter supporter with the incoming players, the building progression of the clubs first home at Lockhart, and then the first home game being announced (vs. LA Galaxy, March 14). The start of Miami’s first MLS side is in full swing.

Mike Gesicki’s positive momentum will be tested against Bills

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Mike Gesicki will be in for a challenge on Sunday.

For what it’s worth, the Miami Dolphins have been playing better football. I know that’s probably not welcome news for  the folks hoping for a high draft pick, but it is what it is. One of the players who has stepped up their game over the past couple of weeks is tight end Mike Gesicki. After starting off slow in the first few games of the season, Mike Gesicki has begun to find a role in the Dolphins’ passing game.

The tight end caught three passes for 28 yards in Sunday’s game against Indianapolis. Those are not eye-popping numbers, but he did average 9.3 yards per catch. Sunday’s game was on the heels of a strong performance against the Jets the week before. In that game, he caught six passes for 95 yards, averaging 15.8 yards per catch.

He has received more targets in the past two weeks, getting six passes thrown to him each week. He is definitely trending in the upward direction, and that is good news for the Miami Dolphins, especially in the future. However, he will have his work cut out for him this week against the Buffalo Bills.

Buffalo allows only  188. 7 yards per game. That is third-best in the National Football League. In their last game against Cleveland, the  Buffalo defense showed some rare cracks. They allowed 221.7 yards on the afternoon in what was a wild game. However, I don’t expect Buffalo’s defense to show that same kind of vulnerability on Sunday against Miami.

Mike Gesicki will certainly have his work cut out for him. The entire passing game will have their work cut out for them. As A result, I could see his upward momentum coming to a halt on Sunday. This Buffalo defense is no joke, especially their pass rush. My guess is that he will receive a fair share of targets. Whether he will be able to gain separation and get yards after the catch is something that will remain to be seen.

It will certainly be an interesting thing to watch on Sunday. Gesicki has shown he can be a productive part of the offense. This is a nice test for the Dolphins offense in general. If he can put up decent numbers against this defense, that will undoubtedly give him confidence I am hoping he can, and in turn continue the upward momentum he’s been experiencing.

Miami Dolphins

Yes Kap? Miami Dolphins will attend Colin Kaepernick workout

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On Saturday, November 16, Colin Kaepernick will finally be on full display for NFL teams. The Dolphins among other teams like the Lions, Falcons, and Cowboys, have all confirmed they will have a team representative at the workout. Kaepernick took to twitter to confirm saying “I’m just getting word from my representatives that the NFL league office reached out to them about a workout in Atlanta on Saturday”.He continued by saying “I’ve been in shape and ready for this for 3 years, can’t wait to see the head coaches and GMs on Saturday”

I’m just getting word from my representatives that the NFL league office reached out to them about a workout in Atlanta on Saturday. I’ve been in shape and ready for this for 3 years, can’t wait to see the head coaches and GMs on Saturday.

— Colin Kaepernick (@Kaepernick7) November 13, 2019

It’s not surprising to see the NFL give Kaepernick a “chance” to make an NFL roster after the collusion settlement earlier this year. How much of a chance he has is yet to be seen. Kaepernick claims he is in shape and ready to rejoin the NFL after not seeing any action for over 3 years now.

What is surprising, however, is to see the Dolphins involved in anything related to Colin Kaepernick. It just doesn’t add up. On one hand, the Dolphins don’t need the unwanted distraction from a quarterback who is not part of the future on a team that’s trying to build FOR the future. On the other hand, you have a fan base that; although not all, but most, are not too fond of Colin Kaepernick. After all, the guy wore a Tshirt praising Malcolm X. Now that doesn’t sound bad right? However, the shirt read “like minds think alike” and it showed Malcolm X in a meeting with Fidel Castro.

 

A fan base full of Cuban-Americans who have either witnessed the oppression and poverty; or know someone who has, did not appreciate the message Kaepernick was sending.

There’s no doubt Kaepernick can help this team if he’s healthy and in shape. For his career, he’s averaging a 59.8% completion rate with 12,271 yards 72tds and 30Ints. Solid numbers on a team desperate for offense. But what’s the point? He’s not the future and that’s what we are working towards. The signing of Colin Kaepernick just doesn’t make sense, however, the Dolphins haven’t been making much sense for as long as I can remember. Kaepernick signing would not shock me, but it would definitely disappoint me.

Panthers coach Joel Quenneville focuses on the positives from opening-night loss to Lightning. (Craig Davis for Five Reasons Sports)

Twitter’s Reaction to the Panthers Historic Comeback

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The Florida Panthers had their largest comeback in franchise history last night as they shocked the Boston Bruins. Down 4-0 going into the 3rd period last night, they scored four unanswered goals to send the game to overtime.

 

The first period was close and competitive with no goals going either way. The second period Boston completely poured it on Sergei Bobrovsky. The Panthers then changed goalies to Sam Montembeault and the historic comeback began.  

 

Twitter went absolutely crazy as Bruins fans looked completely shocked. You could hear a pin drop inside the TD Garden during the third period and overtime as the Panthers took the life out of the arena.  Here are some great reactions down below from this historic comeback:

 

Nik Needham shining in his second stint with the Miami Dolphins

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Nik Needham spent his college playing career at the University of Texas at El Paso developing his football skills. The cornerback finished with 213 tackles, 13.5 tackles for a loss and three interceptions. He added a school record of 33 passes broken up in 41 career games.

However, that wasn’t enough to land a spot on Miami’s 53-man roster as the Dolphins waived him on Aug. 31, the final day of roster cuts.

“He came in here, worked hard, got cut – we knew the work ethic was there but got cut,” defensive coordinator Patrick Graham said. ” [Josh Boyer, cornerbacks coach, told him] you’re going to have to transform your body. You’re going to have to – in terms of just how important it is to you, that’s a decision you’re going to have make.”

Needham signed to join the practice squad the following day. He earned a spot n the 53-man roster right before Miami’s game against Washington. Since then, the rookie has made the most out his opportunity.

He tallied a team-high nine tackles in Miami’s win over New York. One of those tackles was a sack of quarterback Sam Darnold, the first of Needham’s career. In Sunday’s win over the Colts he added his first-career interception.

Not only did Needham listen to Graham’s advice, but it is quickly paying off.

“He’s starting to see really the fruits of his labor in terms of the success on the field and he knows he still has a long way to go,” Graham said. “This week [against Buffalo] is going to be a huge challenge with the receivers we’re going to see when they play down here from Buffalo. He’s making steps in the right direction.”

Needham has started four of the last five games for the Miami Dolphins. On Sunday he contributed three passes defended against the Colts.

“Nik played well [against the Colts],” coach Brian Flores said on Monday. “We brought him in as a free agent and he did some good things in OTAs and had some struggles like most rookies do in the preseason and wasn’t quite ready, so we put him on the practice squad. It’s part of their journey, I should say. He spent a few weeks on the practice squad. I think getting released and going through that process took him through a little bit of the reality of what the National Football League could be. He’s turned some things around and he’s still got a long way to go, but all of those things play a role in kind of how we performed yesterday and hopefully he continues to do that.”

Needham’s stock has grown over the last few weeks, but his goal is to help the team.

“It just felt good to contribute to the old guys and help get a win,” Needham said. “That is all I am really worried about – I just want to win. It felt great.”

The Dolphins are working to build on a perfect 2-0 record in November.

“I think over the weeks we are just building chemistry and really play for each other,” Needham said. “Game changing plays happen out there and we don’t back down or give up we just go back out there and fight. That’s the main goal every week.”

Miami will look to make it three-straight wins this Sunday. The Dolphins have a divisional match against the Buffalo Bills at Hard Rock Stadium.

 

Florida Panthers claw way to comeback win over Boston Bruins

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The Florida Panthers won a wild game at the TD Garden on Tuesday.

It is safe to say that the Comeback Cats have lived up to their nickname. The Florida Panthers went toe-to-toe with the Boston Bruins in a wild game at TD Garden on Tuesday night. The good guys came out on the winning edge of things after the situation looked very bleak.

Before they got the victory, the Florida Panthers had to weather the storm.

Goals by David Pasternak, Joakim Nordstrom, Anders Bjork, and Zdeno Chara in the second period led to goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky being pulled from the game at the start of the third period. Down four goals, something had to change for the Florida Panthers. The winds of change were certainly present as Sam Montembeault began the start of the third frame. It was almost as if something clicked for the Florida Panthers. It wasn’t that they were slacking off all night. If anything, they were playing their game for the entirety of the contest.

They just kept plugging away. They weren’t doing anything special, they were just firing shots at Boston goaltender Tuukka Rask. If there is one thing this team has proved so far this season, it is that they never give up. That was certainly the case Tuesday night.

The Florida Panthers get things going at the right time

Aaron Ekblad got the party going for the Panthers just 50 seconds into the third period. He hammered a beautiful pass from Keith Yandle just outside the left circle to make it a 4-1 game. Shooting from the left side, Rask had no chance at seeing it.

Jonathan Huberdeau  contributed to the next goal which was scored by Frank Vatrano. Huberdeau dished a nice pass to Vatrano who ripped a shot by a screened Rask to make it 4-2. You could definitely sense that the tone of the game was changing. The Panthers got their skating legs back and they were able to put forth a much better effort than they had in the first two periods.

Mike Hoffman was the beneficiary of a Bruins powerplay as he scored the next goal for Florida at the 9:43 mark. You could see Rask beginning to melt down a bit, and the Bruins almost played a bit scared in the third frame. That was definitely evident when the game was tied courtesy of a Keith Yandle goal, and somehow, the Panthers  managed to come back from four goals down. It was almost as if the Panthers were destined to win this game. Yandle’s goal was no small feat. With 1:39 left in the third period, traffic at the net forced the puck to bounce around for a bit. Yandle was the right place at the right time to pick it up.

As a result, a shootout ensued, and Hoffman was there to tally the game-winner. Charlie Coyle managed to record a goal for Boston, but it wasn’t enough as Vincent Trocheck gave the Panthers an early cushion. This led to Hoffman being able to seal the deal, as the Florida Panthers won a game for the second night in a row.

These Florida Panthers never give up

This has been a hallmark of the Florida Panthers all season. They play a gritty style of hockey. They don’t divert away from the game plan, they just keep plugging away. That was evident on Tuesday night. They just kept plugging away and shot pucks at the net. Especially in the third frame, their passes were crisp and they remained focused. There is this old hockey cliché that states “if you shoot pucks at the net, good things will happen.” The Panthers certainly lived by that adage Tuesday.

This team is a lot of fun to watch. Their wins may not always be pretty, and they may have some rough games. However, they will always compete and play hard. As a fan, that’s I can ask for.

 

 

 

Bam, Heat hold off Pistons in matchup of undermanned

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At least through three quarters, the Miami Heat did what you should do to weary, groggy teams.

And the Detroit Pistons, in the state they arrived Tuesday, were that. Without Blake Griffin and Derrick Rose, their star and resurgent sixth man. Groggy after a flight that arrived at 5:30am.

While the 117-108 victory, which was supremely sloppy down the stretch, may not seem like much, this was the type of game the Heat has found a way to lose the past couple of seasons, especially when they were shorthanded themselves. On this night, however, without Tyler Herro, Derrick Jones Jr. and James Johnson — and playing three G-League players regularly — they dominated Detroit at the start and that was enough to survive. While the Pistons pulled closer late, even with Andre Drummond fouling out, it never felt as if the Heat lost control, especially as Jimmy Butler (20 points) finally started looking to score.

The pacesetters? The veterans. Goran Dragic entered the NBA in the top 5 in bench scoring, and continued his comfortable rhythm with his eighth double-digit performance (18 points) in 10 outings. Butler, as he’s done all but three times this season, worked his way into the game offensively, setting tempo and finding shooters, with 13 of Miami’s 34 assists. And Miami’s young vet, Bam Adebayo, who had 18 points and 14 rebounds, flashed his shooting touch with a 17-foot jumper and a nifty hook, before fouling out.

That, plus at least three three-pointers apiece from Duncan Robinson and the recently-struggling Kendrick Nunn and Kelly Olynyk, was sufficient. All 10 Heat players scored, including two-way guard Daryl Macon (flown in as a reinforcement) and Mr. 305 Udonis Haslem, who got the loudest ovation when he entered, chewing on his mouthpiece.

Cleveland is next, part of a stretch that should see the Heat soar to 11-3, provided they close better than they did Tuesday night.

(Cover photo by Alejandro Villegas)

Tweets of the night: