Five Takeaways from Heat’s Win Over Bucks

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The Heat faced the Bucks on Thursday night before the prime-time matchup on Saturday.

On the second night of a back to back for Milwaukee, Giannis Antetokounmpo and others sat.

With trap game written all over it, the Heat came out slow. But bounced back in the second half to get the win.

Here are my takeaways….

#1: The first half bench scoring going two separate ways.

To begin this game, the Bucks bench scored an immediate 20 points behind the play of Jevon Carter. The Heat’s bench points at that same time stamp: 0. Obviously the options were pretty slim, as the Heat’s bench consisted of Oladipo, Cain, and Robinson, but the offensive process on both sides was staggeringly different. Fluid pull-ups and good threes coming from the Bucks side, as it was a grind for guys like Oladipo to get into a rhythm with the way the Bucks were defending, leading to 1 of 6 shooting for him in that first half. I can’t say I’m very surprised on the offensive side for Miami, but the way they were being shredded defensively was more shocking. The Heat’s rotation tonight had more positive defensive players than not, which is why seeing Carter get so many good looking pull-ups was a rough watch.

#2: Gabe Vincent finding some offensive rhythm.

As I just mentioned Gabe Vincent, it should be mentioned that he was the guy that originally got Miami somewhat on track offensively. He got a spot-up triple to fall off an extra swing, then followed that up with a screen refusal and left handed drive into a floater off the glass. Now that he was feeling it, he ran an isolation to his left and took a step back jumper with his feet on the three-point line: and-1. For one, it was necessary tonight with the Heat’s offense sputtering. On the other hand, it’s good to see Vincent find some type of rhythm. His shooting has pretty much been all over the place this year, and a more stable offensive option is what this team is searching for on nights like this one. His shot profile is the same, yet all he needs is the percentages to level out.

#3: Bam Adebayo trying to beat the Brook Lopez allegations.

Seeing Bam Adebayo back in the Heat lineup was a good sign considering the uncertainties with his wrist injury. Yet while the Heat offense was the definition of “in the mud,” the blueprint quickly became get the ball to Bam in the middle and let him work. He came out early with two quick pull-up mid-range jumpers against Brook Lopez in that deep drop, which is the easy counter to what we saw in the post-season in 2021. That coverage won’t give him nearly as much trouble as it used to with this new go-to jumper unlocked. I did notice some minor tweaks from Milwaukee as early as the first quarter. After those initial jumpers, Lopez began playing the pick and rolls slightly higher. Fast forward to the third quarter, Bam had a sequence where he rose up for a dunk on the roll with Lopez in the deep drop, got the rebound on the other side, then flowed into a pull-up middy over Lopez yet again. With his upgraded skill-set, deep drop no longer scares him.

#4: The recent offensive blueprint says a lot about Tyler Herro.

From a win against the Thunder to this game tonight, the offense has not been pretty for the Miami Heat. Butler free throw hunting against OKC to Vincent and Adebayo saving in this game against the Bucks. Aside from those components, one thing is clear: Tyler Herro is probably more important to this offense than we even note. We’ve obviously discussed his scoring runs and play-making improvements, but the drop-off has been clear when they’re without him. Simply, it’s just cleaner when he can get them a good looking pull-up at the elbow and force some nail help. That alone opens up the half-court in a way we haven’t seen the last few nights.

#5: What might be the most promising Victor Oladipo sign yet…

As Victor Oladipo walks onto the court to begin the fourth quarter, it was definitely not his best showing as he was 2 for 8 from the field. The shots weren’t falling, the offense was a mess, and the Bucks rim protection was pushing him away from his own offensive base. Yet in the opening possession of the quarter, they forced a turnover, Oladipo scoops it to push pace, and it results in a fancy spin and finish in transition. The following possession, Oladipo runs a high PnR with Bam against that deep drop, and steps into a pull-up triple at the top of the key. Timeout. When I mention the most promising sign, I’m talking about overcoming rough performances. Doesn’t have it going, out of rhythm. He still finds way to battle through and find his groove in a different manner. I didn’t expect this level of impact this soon this season, but I must say the comfort in his own ability is glaring on a night like this.

Complete Guide to Ghostwriting: What Student-Athletes Need to Know?

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A student-athlete’s life is not easy. They have to balance their time between school, homework, and being a professional athlete. When student-athletes fail to make it into professional sports, there are always other ways to keep the dream alive. 

An excellent option is to become a guest writer for a blog or magazine. This involves writing about topics you are passionate about that will help you build your portfolio. Becoming a guest writer is not easy, but it is possible. 

 

Know how to write 

Guest writing is an opportunity to share your voice with the world. If you have something important to say, this can be a great way to get it out there. You will need to have some experience writing about the topics of your choice. 

To become a guest writer, you need to know the basics of writing and publishing content online. You should take some time to learn about writing skills so that you can improve your writing style and make more money as a guest writer. The best way to do this is by taking courses on writing and publishing content online at your college. 

Find several writing opportunities 

You need to know how to find opportunities where you can publish your content and make money from it. If you do not have any experience, then join ghostwriting services that can help you write some articles. The top name in this field is EduBirdie. Then you can publish them on smaller websites. Study how they structure the articles, and after you have gained some experience, you can start publishing them in higher-paid journals. 

If you are looking for online publishing opportunities, consider joining virtual communities affiliated with your interests, hobbies, or even sports. College sports teams around the country have students like yourself who want someone else’s perspective on what is going on with their favorite teams. 

Social media platforms 

Start establishing yourself as an expert by promoting your writing skills on social media platforms. This can lead to networking opportunities with other professionals and can be a great way to build a portfolio of published works. 

Student publications, academic ghostwriting service firms, and local newspapers are always looking for fresh perspectives. Student-athletes may find these outlets more receptive, given the experience with tight schedules and rigorous demands. With a dedication to the writing craft, there is valuable experience that can be gained through becoming a writer. 

 

 

Write about engaging topics 

The topics should be something that people would want to read about. Do not try selling them something. Instead, focus on topics related to sports, such as nutrition, training techniques, etc., so that readers can learn from them without feeling like they are being sold something. 

If you are a student-athlete who failed to make it in the professional sports arena, then you may want to write an article about how it all went wrong for you. There are people who want to write but do not have anything interesting going on in their lives. Your success story and how you made it in the writing world can inspire them. 

Avoid grammatical errors 

Grammatical errors can make your writing sound sloppy, unprofessional, and uneducated. They can also distract from the message you are trying to convey. Writers are often judged by the quality of their work, so make sure that your editor takes your article seriously. 

It is okay if it is not as good or polished as what professional writers produce. It is all part of the learning process. But do not let any typos or grammatical errors slip through, or your editor might not take your work seriously and reject it outright. 

Write regularly 

Becoming one of the expert paper writers from Canada may be an excellent fallback plan for student-athletes who are unable to make it into professional sports. But to do this successfully requires you to be disciplined. Focus on writing consistently and at regular intervals. Without dedication, it can be daunting due to the seemingly infinite competition. 

With the right amount of effort as well as the expert assistance from an online writing service, one can stand out by delivering quality content over long periods. After all, consistent practice leads to mastery and shining moments that reflect positively on the individual. With hard work, dedication, and regular effort, you can become successful in this field. 

Conclusion 

Student-athletes are often starting their careers with the dream of becoming professional athletes. Unfortunately, not everyone can make it that far in their sporting career. If you are a student-athlete who is looking to get into ghostwriting, these are a few things that you need to know about writing. 

Author’s Bio

Sylvester Greer has gained a lot of experience through his mentors in the writing field and some of the well-known writing courses that he has undertaken. This gives him an edge as an essay writer, and students trust him to provide the best assistance and top-class essay samples when needed. He is keen to introduce innovative methods in writing to make the process easier for everyone.

Five Takeaways from Heat’s Win Over Thunder

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The Heat walked into this game against OKC without 4 starters in Lowry, Herro, Adebayo, and Martin.

The margin for error was slim, but Jimmy Butler was willing them offensively to a reasonable point. Then closes it off with the game winning bucket.

Some takeaways…

#1: The Dewayne Dedmon situation…

I’ve sat here in many post-game pieces discussing “Dewayne Dedmon situations. But well, I’d say this one was a bit different. Let me start at the necessary point: the Heat were getting absolutely cooked in the 2-3 zone after he entered. The Thunder’s offense was as simple as sending a free-lancer baseline every play, as Dedmon and the guy on the box turned to each other in confusion. Sitting a few rows up watching, I wasn’t as confused, the problem was evident. Shortly after, Erik Spoelstra and Dedmon got into a heated discussion on the Heat bench before he stormed off toward the locker room. On his way, a flying massage gun hit the court. Dedmon punched it off the table in anger, leading to an ejection. On-court problems bleeding into…

#2: Jimmy Butler’s game-plan was evident pregame, and he executed immediately.

As I put my PrizePicks slate on Twitter before the game, there was one pick I mentioned made too much sense: Jimmy Butler’s free throws. Set at 6.5, he ended up with 14 in the first half alone. This wasn’t just a coincidence, it made too much sense heading into this setting without much of the roster. Butler was going to just attack the weak-spots of this Thunder defense, and he did that time and time again. Getting defenders up in the air and throwing himself into them at the rim. And let’s be honest, the ending to that last Heat game with the non-call made this even more likely that he would get a decently friendly whistle. He showed some early activity defensively, and got to the line a bunch: the two elements of a locked in Butler. When the threes start flying, you know it’s a laid back version. But this really kick-started the offense.

#3: Max Strus’ early rim attempts lead him right back to his game.

As we talk game-plans early in this game, Max Strus was the other guy with a clear focus tonight. Yes, he’s the shooter on this team, but the lack of creators meant he would have to shift the defense just enough to allow him decent looks. That shift came in the form of rim attempts to begin the game. Not the usual forced pick and rolls either. They were more timed pump-fakes and attacks to get into his favorite crossing scoop lay-up. Once that connected and got to the line, he was perfectly setting himself up. Now he began letting Butler and Oladipo do all the work, flooding in the catch and shoot stuff shortly after. Many players were given individual benchmarks to hit tonight, and that was Strus’.

#4: The offense wasn’t pretty.

As much as I talk about some of the Heat’s individual performances tonight, it should be noted the offensive structure wasn’t pretty. Why would it be? Missing three of your primary initiators is never a good blueprint, meaning more guys having to do more things. (Including more screening for wing players, leading to the offensive foul surge) But as for Victor Oladipo, his offensive layout almost always felt like a bail-out bucket. He came up big at times in the first half one all else failed, leading into tough buckets at all three levels. Butler having 20 free throws through 3 quarters is also a good representation of the offense not being “pretty.” As I said before, the moving screens was a momentum killer for a large stretch of that third quarter, and we saw the whistle really slip sides for giant chunks of time. After Dedmon’s ejection, Orlando Robinson was the sole big available and he was having foul trouble. Cain/Highsmith at the five, yeah, there were offensive limitations.

#5: The fourth…

Eight minutes to go, down 5, the offense is slipping, and Erik Spoelstra struts down the bench to tell Butler to walk to the scorers table to enter. Simultaneously, Oladipo throws an awful pass for a turnover, then absolutely hunts it down for the cleanest steal. Clear path foul. Two free throws and a giant and-1 triple from Gabe Vincent later, the Heat were up 1. The Heat answered shortly after with an inbound to Butler for the dunk, as the run was cemented by an Oladipo attack and kick-out to Jamal Cain in the corner for three. Heat up 4. The Thunder answered with a run of their own due to the Heat becoming stagnant offensively for a short stretch. Back at a tie game. A Shai Gilgeous Alexander step back triple put Miami right back on the ropes, as the search for offense wasn’t looking too clean. As the Heat trailed by 5, they finally got a stop with 50 seconds left, playing into the open floor. Oladipo steps comfortably into a transition triple and nails it. 2 point game. The Thunder got a quick whistle on a turnaround that Spoelstra immediately challenged, which ended up being unsuccessful. He goes 0 for 2, the ball is loose, Oladipo swipes it and goes. Butler gets it in the low post, and-1. Ball game.

5 Fun Facts About the Breeders’ Cup

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The Breeders’ Cup is without a doubt one of the most popular and famous events in all of horse racing. Sure, the Triple Crown is pretty big, but it doesn’t even touch on the infamy of the Breeders’ Cup. 

 

There have been so many horses and jockeys who have performed amazingly at this event, and we anticipate even more in the future as we start to consider 2023 breeders’ cup betting. 

 

But, there is much to the history of the Breeders’ Cup, and much to know. So, before hooves hit the track, let’s indulge you. Saddle up and ride through these fun facts!

 

Our Fun Facts

 

Here are 5 fun facts about this incredible race that will have you galloping to place your next bet.

 

#1. It’s Always Been Held In The U.S., Except Once

 

The Breeders’ Cup has always been a U.S. event, although there was one year this is untrue for. It has only ever been held outside of the United States on one occasion since its inception. 

 

Back in 1996, the Breeders’ Cup was run in Canada, at the Woodbine Racetrack in Ontario. 

 

#2. The U.S. Has The Most Winners.

 

While horses come from all corners of the globe to compete in this race, the U.S. has seen the most winners. The U.S. is the homeland of a majority of Breeders’ Cup champions, having nearly 300 winners overall. 

 

Just behind the U.S. is Ireland, Great Britain, and then France, Argentina, Germany, Canada, and Japan. 

 

When we consider the places best known for horse racing, these countries are no surprise, but we should be proud of having the most winners! 

 

#3. Only One Horse Won The Classic 2 Times

 

Of the entire Breeders’ Cup the most elite race is the final, which is the Breeders’ Cup Classic. It is a grade 1 race that is for only thoroughbreds of 3 years plus. The horses need to run a distance of one and a quarter miles on a dirt track. 

 

There is only one horse that has won the Classic two times, named Tiznow. He won in 2000 and 2001. Tiznow was a legend, winning 8/15 of his starts and taking home nearly $6.5 million in winnings. 

 

Of course there have been other big wins for this horse, such as the Affirmed Handicap. But, this was probably his greatest.

 

#4. Santa Anita Has Held It The Most

 

The Breeders’ Cup is not a stationary event, it moves and is held in different locations. Of all the popular locations, it has been held in Santa Anita park the most. 

 

Santa Anita park is in Arcadia, in the state of California, and has held the Breeders’ Cup 10 times, which is more than any other track has. 

 

Churchill Downs has the second most with 9 Breeders’ Cup races. 

 

Belmont Park has also held this race, although it is better known for the Triple Crown. 

 

#5. The Biggest Winning Jockey

 

All jockeys are great but Mike Smith kind of takes the cake. He is one of the most famous jockeys in the world at this time. He has over 5,600 wins overall and has won 26 Breeders’ Cup Classic races. 

 

This is more than any other jockey, and also more than any horse. 

 

He has also won the Triple Crown in 2018 on Justify, and make himself known as the oldest jockey to ever win this race, he was 52 when he completed this feat. He is followed closely behind in this by Velazquez, Bailey, and Dettori. 

Five Takeaways from Heat’s Loss to Nets

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The Miami Heat were in a back and forth against the Brooklyn Nets tonight.

Here are some takeaways…

#1: Let’s quickly talk match-ups…

As the Nets got set into their defensive stance following the tip-off, a bunch of things caught my eye. Ben Simmons on Bam Adebayo, Nic Claxton on Jimmy Butler, and Kevin Durant on Tyler Herro. For starters, that’s a lot of defensive length against a Heat team that is far from effective against size. Simmons on Bam just meant they could switch any pick and roll Miami ran, while Herro was going to see a lengthy defender no matter what. That forced Herro into an awkward state early since he couldn’t get to his usual spots off screens, but he found some off-ball pockets and early clock looks. He got comfortable even further early in the fourth, as his shot making found an uptick. The Heat obviously were fine on the offensive end as they were efficient and scored well, but the length match-up is still something to keep an eye on. The Victor Oladipo card makes it easier, since he’s not hugely impacted on either end.

#2: Heat’s first half wasn’t the typical: matching buckets with this Nets team is never the blueprint.

When we’ve seen two point games at half throughout the season in Heat game, it’s usually 46-44, not 66-64. The Heat’s defense will come to play in an ugly, “in the mud” match-up, but that wasn’t the case tonight. Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving were doing their usual isolation work that a defensive scheme can’t really counter, but very good offense would be a fine counter. The Heat were spreading the ball around well, generating paint touches, and shot 44% from three in that first half. It’s never the idea to go out and match elite shot makers that the Nets possess, but the Heat were doing it in their own right. An interesting thing to monitor. (A much more entertaining style.)

#3: Role player watch for the Heat.

When it comes to discussing Heat role players in this game, Haywood Highsmith would be a good place to start. He came out guarding Durant on the defensive end, and while Duran’t effectiveness may not reflect it, he was battling in a very good way to make it more difficult on the catch in the mid-range. He also had some bail-out buckets to begin this game with some direct drives to the rim. The bench was a huge positive as well, since they shot 8 of 11 from the field in that first half. I don’t want to include Victor Olaidpo in the “role players” section too much, but he really settled that group running the offense. Lastly, Orlando Robinson was a +14. Yes, that is new.

#4: Jimmy Butler bringing the usual fire.

As I said earlier, the ball wasn’t sticking for this Heat team tonight. The usage was being spread out pretty well, as the Heat were just taking advantages of the openings in front of them. With that said, Jimmy Butler was the one constant to the offense throughout this game. The hard drives, the activity on help defense to throw Durant and Irving off single coverage since he wasn’t the actual match-up, and continued trips to the line. He wasn’t dominating the ball in a noticeable way, but he was just keeping the energy high and reading  certain pockets of the game. In the third quarter, he stole it from Durant, dove out of bounds for the save, got up and got fouled eventually at the rim. That’s something others can feed off of.

#5: The fourth quarter run…

As the back and forth in scoring continued, the Nets hit a bit of a weird wall with Durant getting injured and going to the locker room. As he was no longer on the floor, and Ben Simmons took a breather, the Nets defensive length diminished all of a sudden. Hence, the early fourth quarter run from Herro. He kept sliding into off-ball pockets which led into some on-ball pull-ups in the mid-range. The Nets counter-punched without Durant, finding their offense behind Irving drawing doubles, and triples, then dishing to their solid role players. Bam Adebayo was not having his best night, as Robinson checked in for him with 5 minutes to go…which was interesting, until realizing the hand was bothering him. Two minutes left, Heat trailed by 3, Robinson received it in the middle of the floor, kept it high, threw a risky pass to the dunker spot for the Butler dunk. Miami gets a stop the very next play, and Oladipo bombs it to Butler who catches and finishes. Heat now up 1. Now down to 15 seconds left, Irving misses a deep shot, Nets get an offensive board for the tip-in. Nets up 1. Heat get a great look on the end with a Butler drive, but don’t get the call. Heat lose.

Five Takeaways from Heat’s Win Over Suns

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The Miami Heat wrapped up the 5 game road trip in Phoenix on Friday night, improving to 3-2 on the trip.

When looking at it from that perspective, that’s a good trip.

Victor Oladipo and Bam Adebayo lead the way tonight, so here are some takeaways….

#1: No Tyler Herro means an altered offensive focus for Heat.

As Tyler Herro was an active scratch with back spasms, it means you have to make a pretty decent sized adjustment to your offensive gameplan. Not only is he high usage, but he’s a primary offensive trigger. With his absence, it basically meant Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo would be the only two half-court hubs for the offense. We saw them get it to Bam in those spots early, which I will discuss next, but Butler was doing the same off low post cross screens into mismatch hunting on any of the Suns smaller guards. That game-plan seems rather simple, but the bigger point that I mentioned to begin this game: this team couldn’t afford to play a second without at least one of them on the floor. Not only are they primary hubs, they’re the only hubs.

#2: Bam Adebayo making it look easy, because it’s gotten so simple.

As much as I discuss the Heat’s gameplan in the half-court to begin this game, it really wasn’t complex when it came to Bam Adebayo. He was being fed early in this game, going 6 of 9 from the field in the first half. It began at the elbow, as a set like Horns would be run, which ultimately flowed into Bam turning into face-up position before going to work. That free throw/dotted line jumper just continues to feel like money every time it leaves his hand with some rhythm. Seeing the Heat run isos for Bam consistently says a lot about where he is as a scorer. The other point to make about his early disposition aside from face-ups, included a heavy dosage of short roll stuff. It’s honestly tougher without Herro since he feeds him so often in that pocket, but he was still able to do some damage there too. It looks easy for him, but that’s because his options have been simplified.

#3: Dewayne Dedmon minutes again.

Before this game, Erik Spoelstra made some comments that seemed to hint at the team going in the Orlando Robinson direction for a stretch with Dewayne Dedmon continuing to recover, and that theory lasted a total of 42 seconds. Dedmon got the backup big spot yet again tonight, but it should also be noted that this role is as limited at it possibly can be. The Heat went to an 8 man rotation in this one, as Dedmon only played 6 minutes in the first half. Now I won’t act like those aren’t a *long* six minutes to monitor, but it just shows the heavy reliance on Bam at this stage and non-trust in those minutes. I’m still of the belief that Robinson should 100% be in that role at the moment, especially in a matchup like tonight. Not that Robinson is a reliable big man defender, but Chris Paul vs Dedmon in drop coverage can make 6 minutes feel like a basketball eternity.

#4: Hmmm, Torrey Craig is interesting…

When we often look around the league at possible 4’s to keep on the Heat’s radar, Torrey Craig is an interesting one. He played a very good game against Miami tonight, pretty much showing one of the pieces the Heat could very much utilize. To put it into even more context, we watched Haywood Highsmith tonight get the start next to Bam, and he had a bit of a rough one. Craig was extremely efficiency, hits spot-up triples, can play off the dribble at times in that in-between game, can rebound well for his size, and defends multiple positions. With the Suns already down one power forward, why would they trade another? But in terms of those packages with multiple players, Craig would be a fantastic add if they had the chance.

#5: Victor Oladipo has found his burst as of late, but is he adding in the perfect combo?

Victor Oladipo has been high usage over this road trip, but more specifically tonight due to Herro being out. His burst has been the highlight of his game over the last few weeks, since we haven’t seen this since his Indiana days. But that burst doesn’t mean much if the result isn’t equating to the moves. Yet that hasn’t been the case. His finishing has been solid, since he just loves that right slot when he gets the correct angle when that strong side help doesn’t slide down. Aside from that finishing, he got to the line a ton tonight. What’s the perfect sidekick to that revived burst? Free throw line antics. If he can find that balance of rim pressure and trips to the line, that’s all this Heat team needs if their offensive style ever gets back to that ideal state. Balancing that with some form of shooting is the goal, which they will try and fix at the deadline, I’m assuming.

The 6 Best Progressive Slots Online Right Now

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Hello and welcome readers. Today we’ll explore the best progressive slots online.

There are dozens of credible mentions. However, we’ll trim our list down to the six best titles around. We’ll evaluate several important areas, including symbols, gameplay, features, and, of course, the potentially huge jackpots.

If you love progressive slot games, stay right here. We’ve got you covered. We’ll even cover the best casinos and bonus offers at the end of this review. Without further ado, let’s get started.

Progressive Slots: An Overview

Firstly, there are hundreds of top-class games and progressive pokies. We’d be here all day if we tried to list them all. GamblersPro.com has whittled this list down to provide you with accurate and honest information. Let’s get started.

Mega Moolah

  • Release Date: 2006
  • Progressive Jackpots: 4
  • Best Feature: Free Spins

Mega Moolah by Microgaming is one of the most popular progressive slots ever created. It’s a household name that can be found in hundreds of honest online casinos. When you first load the game, it’s easy to see why. The graphics are top-class and the gameplay is incredibly smooth.

The four jackpots include mini, minor, major, and mega payouts. What’s more, it’s not uncommon to see the mega progressive with hundreds of thousands waiting to be paid out.

If you fail to trigger the progressive rounds, don’t worry. You’ll also have a chance to trigger free spins with huge multipliers. Mega Moolah is a classic that never disappoints.

Mega Fortune

How to Play Slot Machines for Beginners - Mega Fortune

  • Release Date: 2008
  • Progressive Jackpots: 3
  • Best Feature: Mega Multipliers

Despite being more than 14 years old, Mega Fortune by NetEnt is still one of the top progressive slots around. This game oozes character and will make you feel like a millionaire when you open it. Symbols consist of a range of luxurious items, including watches, jewellery, cars, and champagne.

In terms of progressive jackpots, there are three to play for. The smallest is the rapid jackpot, the middle is the major jackpot, and the biggest is the mega jackpot. To put this into context a lucky player won almost 18 million Euros back in January 2013.

Additionally, there are two other features. One is a free spins bonus, while the other allows you to collect instant cash prizes by spinning a wheel.

Divine Fortune

  • Release Date: 2017
  • Progressive Jackpots: 3
  • Best Feature: Falling Wilds

NetEnt is renowned for creating distinct progressive jackpot slot machines. We’re happy to report that Divine Fortune meets that criteria. This Greek-themed title serves up several jackpots and top-class bonus games. Let’s take a closer look below.

The progressives include minor, major, and mega jackpots. You can win anything from £/$ 10 to £/$ 1,000,000 if you’re fortunate enough to trigger the progressive bonus. This can happen anytime during regular gameplay.

What’s more, there is an excellent falling wilds respin bonus. This allows you to rack up sizable wins. As always, you can trigger a free spins round by landing scatter symbols across the reels. Overall, we think you’ll love this game as much as we do.

Hall of Gods

  • Release Date: 2010
  • Progressive Jackpots: 3
  • Best Feature: Free Spins

It speaks volumes that this is the third progressive jackpot slot by NetEnt on our list. Hall of Gods is a quality title that focuses on Norse mythology. What’s more, it has a generous RTP of 95.7%.

You’ll have a chance to win one of the progressives each time you land three of Thor’s hammers across the reels. Since Hall of Gods was released more than a decade ago, punters have managed to collect more than £/$ 90 million in jackpot wins. Could you be the next lucky player?

If that wasn’t enough, you can win as many as 20 free spins and a variety of instant win prizes. Go ahead and check this game out. We think you’ll love it.

Note: Most USA players won’t be able to play the slots on this list. Check out our list of RTG casinos if you’re from the States.

Major Millions

  • Release Date: 2009
  • Progressive Jackpots: 1
  • Best Feature: Cascading Reels

Major Millions is one of the most famous Microgaming slots. Unlike new progressive slots, this title is almost 15 years old. What’s more, it’s more suitable for low-stakes players as you don’t have to wager high amounts to trigger the jackpot.

This game doesn’t have many fancy features. It’s all about landing the big win. However, players can enjoy cascading reels and basic wild symbols. Major Millions is a classic example of rudimentary but fun. It wouldn’t have survived for this long if it wasn’t worth a few spins. That’s for sure.

Arabian Nights

  • Release Date: 2005
  • Progressive Jackpots: 1
  • Best Feature: Free Spins

Arabian Nights by NetEnt is one of the oldest progressive slot games around. This classic was released back in 2005. However, it’s as popular now as it ever was. The old-school symbols and graphics will take you on a trip down memory lane.

The progressive jackpot is triggered by landing five wild symbols across an active payline. Additionally, you can give your balance a boost with the free spins bonus. All you need to do is land three or more scatters. The best part is that you can win as many as 30 free spins with multipliers.

If you’re looking for a classic game with huge payouts: Arabian Nights is made for you.

Note, if you’re looking to play in slot tournaments, you won’t find these games. Most operators don’t offer jackpot slots in those as the risk of you winning a massive multi-million payout is too much. These are always pay-to-play games and the RTP on them is usually a little steeper than traditional slots to fund the jackpot.

Progressive Slots: The Conclusion

There’s no doubt that progressive slots have the upper hand on standard video slots. The possibility of landing a life-changing jackpot adds an extra element of excitement to the gameplay.

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Five Takeaways from Heat’s Loss to Lakers

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The Miami Heat played the LeBron and AD-less Los Angeles Lakers on Wednesday night, and the Heat played like they were facing a weaker roster.

Issues can be discussed from different angles, but this game was lost at the point of attack defense plain and simple.

Some takeaways from this one…

#1: The Heat’s early lack of intention on both ends.

When the Lakers injury report was submitted late Wednesday afternoon, that was probably the moment when the Heat put their guard down. As LeBron James was ruled out, that’s usually the moment when teams play down to competition, especially when looking at this Lakers roster tonight. Yet Russel Westbrook and company came out firing, as the Heat were sleep walking on both ends. No intention on the offensive end in terms of getting into actions, as well as the shooting just not clicking for Miami yet again. The Lakers flurry of role players were also bursting past the Heat’s point of attack defense consistently, and rotations just seemed to be off. Just a very underwhelming first half to this game for the Heat, on a night where they needed to just take care of business from the jump.

#2: Tyler Herro seeing a similar coverage to the Hawks series.

We often look back to the playoffs last year when discussing coverages that Tyler Herro has seen at the highest level. We usually go to that Philly series, since that’s when he saw consistent doubles and blitzes off every pick and roll, placing him out of his rhythm. But the Hawks series was a different scenario. The Hawks plan was to place Delon Wright on Herro for every second of every game, and his one job was to not leave his side. That’s what the Lakers were doing from baseline to baseline tonight, mostly with Dennis Schroder actually. I honestly believe the blitzes will be an easier coverage for him to beat at this stage. This one-on-one, annoying box and one type of vibe seems to take him out of his usual comfort spots. It’ll be interesting to monitor the counters to this matchup type.

#3: Reacting over predetermining: a Heat offensive need.

As much as I talked about the Heat’s struggles, they were only down four at halftime. Once again, that’s not something to be proud of against this roster, but it showed they had to be doing at least “one” thing right. That was specifically reacting to the Lakers defense instead of predetermining their shot profile. The example of that was a certain Heat run in the second quarter, where it started with a switch and Bam seal, leading into an entry pass and post hook. The next play, they got a switch again, this time with Thomas Bryant onto Victor Oladipo. He slowly waited, then flowed into his pull-up from that left wing over the big man. That is reacting to what a not-so-good defense is giving you, instead of pressing too much. At times the Heat seem to make things too difficult on themselves, when the easier approach is sitting right there. But either way, this takes up back to the word of the season for Miami: consistency, or lack-of for better context.

#4: Jimmy Butler finding a third quarter advantage.

To start the second half, the Heat came out with a gameplan surrounded around Jimmy Butler in the half-court. Butler was being guarded by Pat Bev, meaning he just kept getting down to that bottom box and going to work. Post spin, over the top lob, jumper over the top. If you know Butler, you know he loves nothing more than going one-on-one with a smaller defender. He started the third with 4 straight field goals. After a timeout, the Lakers threw their counter punch. They were just going to begin peeling over that second defender early. Now Butler got into his dump off bag with Bam Adebayo settling around the basket for easy push shots and dunks. The Heat finally found a base. Shortly after, the Lakers made another adjustment to stop giving Butler guard looks, throwing guys like Tuscano-Anderson at him instead. Either way, it’s clear Butler has an on/off switch he can flip whenever he chooses offensively.

#5: Breaking down Heat-Lakers clutch time…

Under five minutes to go, the Lakers were up by 2 on the Heat. The Lakers continued to put Herro in the action possession after possession, leading to more Bam attention and a bucket inside for Thomas Bryant. Bam answers on the other end with a short clock with that face up jumper, but a response kept occurring on the other end in similar fashion, as the Heat’s first line defense couldn’t contain to any degree. After the Heat fouled Schroder on a three with over two minutes to go, that felt like the final straw, but Butler answered with a right wing three to put it back at a three point game. Fast forward to a minute left, Bam got a put-back to fall putting it back at a 1 point game, but like I said, we kept seeing them answer. Schroder got an immediate paint touch and got to the line. 3 point game again. A reviewed foul call eventually put Oladipo at the line, which he went 1 for 2. The Lakers response included another Schroder burst past Caleb Martin for the lay-in. Sensing a theme? The Heat lost this game simply off point of attack defense. The Lakers offense was surging, and three point shooting wasn’t even a part of their success. They were just walking into the paint with ease all night. Down to 15 seconds left, the Heat fouled Westbrook who converted an and-1 on the inbound. Ball game? Well Strus ended up hitting a triple on the other end with four seconds left to give some form of hope. 3 seconds left, Heat inbound full court, Butler got a pretty good look that came up short. Arguably the worst loss of the season for Miami…

Five Takeaways from Heat’s Win Over Clippers

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The Miami Heat had their ups and downs in LA against the Clippers, but they were able to pull it out in the end.

Another massive night for Bam Adebayo, plus major contributions from Victor Oladipo on both ends.

Here are some takeaways from this one…

#1: The Miami Heat’s first half: a preview of what could be.

Before getting into the individual performances in this game, including Bam Adebayo and Tyler Herro each adding 16 first half points, the Heat’s general flow looked to be at a season high. It was far from one-sided basketball. They were forcing turnovers at a high level on the defensive end, which landed at 8 in the first half, but it was clear they were just feeding off their offensive rhythm. They found a base that they stuck with, but the unselfishness and impact of role players led into a ball movement flurry. Rim pressure from Victor Oladipo, mid-range excellence from Bam Adebayo, and three point land pull-ups from Tyler Herro. That’s a hard formula to guard when they’re all clicking.

#2: Bam Adebayo: the tone setter, the rhythm finder.

Although I touched on the Heat’s early offensive success in a general sense, Bam Adebayo was the main reason for them finding that scoring success. The last time he faced the Clippers back in Miami, they just kept sending doubles at him in that mid-post, as he still glided to 31 points. The adjustment on the Clippers side was to send that double at Jimmy Butler instead. That allowed Bam to have a one-on-one matchup at the elbow every possession, just working his face-up game against Zubac. The jumper was falling, his touch around the rim was there, and well, the aggression was surging. He’s simply a hard player to stop when he enters this mode, and it just opens up the offense to new levels.

#3: Orlando Robinson finding his place.

After talking about Bam’s play, that usually is followed by a complete falloff when he heads to the bench and Dewayne Dedmon enters. The offensive flow stalls out, and the backup big man gets picked on in drop time and time again. Not tonight. One of the main keys to that strong first half was the big time Bam stretch was followed by the team winning the Orlando Robinson minutes. He was an offensive rebounding magnet, and is never afraid to rise backup for quick and easy put-backs. He’s also extremely active in the handoff and screening region, which is constant in a Heat half-court offense. When looking for true promising signs, the recent play of Robinson provides real hope that they indeed do have an option in the front-court to be an innings eater. A good one at that.

#4: Oh yeah, the third quarter trend returns in 2023.

After all I discussed about Miami finding themselves on both ends in that first half, the opposite was showcased to open up the third quarter. They all of a sudden couldn’t generate a string of stops as Paul George found his rhythm in isolation, but the offensive stuff is still the question mark. All the ball movement, creative actions, and extra flow into not being able to buy a bucket. To be honest, I’d have to rewatch many of these possessions to give my full outlook, but on first hand this season, “settling” always seems to be my first description in these instances. Once the Heat see a bunch of shots fall, it always feels like they don’t work as hard to get easier looks. There’s just a level of belief that the same tough shots will continue to fall. Consistency is the primary theme in terms of issues, but the settling on the offensive end is a close second.

#5: Another late-game walkthrough…

After the Heat led by 20 early in this game, they only led 96-95 halfway through the fourth quarter. As the Heat called timeout, I immediately said on Twitter the only way to pull away would be to get Jimmy Butler to create for himself consistently down the stretch, after he had a quiet game. Right out of that timeout, they ran an action for him to catch and attack, getting him to the free throw line. After a few defensive possessions of forcing some turnovers, Herro came to the rescue with a leaning right wing triple late in the shot clock to put them up 6. Then the next possession, a Butler miss led to a big time put-back slam from Adebayo to really give Miami some late energy. After some more back and forth, Oladipo misses a three, the Clippers push, and he finds a way to get in position to draw the charge. Herro feeds off that with a mid-range pull-up out of the high PnR. To really capitalize on the next offensive possession, Herro draws two at the top of the play, zips it to Bam in the middle of the floor, who rises up for the easy dunk. Adebayo just kept coming up big, no matter the circumstance or action ran.

Five Takeaways from Heat’s Win Over Jazz

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The Miami Heat played on the second night of a back to back in Utah on New Years Eve, and pulled away with a win.

Victor Oladipo showcased elite two-way skills, Bam Adebayo scores 32 points, oh and Tyler Herro’s game winner.

Some takeaways from this one…

#1: Victor Oladipo’s early punch on both ends.

As the first quarter comes to a close, the Heat lacked energy. Lacked an identity. Victor Oladipo entered the game, and he provided just that. Heat ran an action that many fans are familiar with, Duncan Robinson slipping a screen initially to create space for the PnR between the ball handler and the big man. That ball-handler happened to be Oladipo. He bursted down the right slot for the tough lay-in. Off the make, he pressured full court, deflecting and stealing the ball leading to the eventual Max Strus lay-in. He followed all that up with a three-point flurry in the second quarter. Catch and shoot looks as the Herro-Oladipo combo just continues to impress.

#2: We know Tyler Herro the scorer. We know Tyler Herro the passer. But how about Tyler Herro out of set actions?

Final possession of the second quarter, as the ball is placed in the hands of Tyler Herro. The entire goal is to get a shot with ideally 0 seconds on the clock, as he tries to time it. They run a variation of Spain PnR, as it’s a Herro-Orlando pick and roll, with Strus rising to the left wing off a ghost screen. Herro takes that extra dribble and step to pressure the defense, then zips it to Strus for the buzzer beater three. I may have just described one single play, but we’ve seen it much more frequently than that. I often harp on the Herro-Bam PnR, which we saw a good amount of tonight, but the more complex actions with multiple things going on fits his style. Moving parts is key for him, since one of his biggest strengths is manipulating off-ball defenders. He knows now that he gets a ton of extra attention at this stage, but now he’s realizing how to truly use it to his advantage.

#3: It’s time to flush three-point reliance…Well, to an extent.

We often hear in post game conversations that the goal for this Heat team is to hit that 40 three bench mark. In a very new age of basketball, it’s almost necessary to keep up with many of these high powered offenses. But the way to get to that baseline needs to be the result of another priority. When I look at guys like Jimmy Butler, Adebayo, Oladipo, and even Herro, they are their best versions following a heavy rim attack diet. Not only does it get them into an individual rhythm, but it shrinks the floor just enough for shooters to follow. Watching Adebayo’s attack, Oladipo’s rim pressure, and Herro’s in-between floater and passing game tonight, it only furthers that point. This team has totally fallen off the map in the three-point region, while also recognizing it can return at any point. But relying on that resurgence will never be the answer. Strong drives, free throw attempts, and rim pressure is the true Miami Heat MVP.

#4: The Heat’s inconsistencies appearing in the third quarter yet again.

When talking about inconsistencies in that third quarter, I could sit here and talk about specific possessions like when Bam had Mike Conley on his back under the basket, and that play resulted in two contested three pointers from Kyle Lowry and Haywood Highsmith. Process is important, but the offense wasn’t the issue again tonight. Back to back nights, this team just couldn’t generate stops on the defensive end for large pockets of time. When looking at specifics, it really comes down to something Erik Spoelstra harped on a few weeks ago: containing the ball. That’s where it all begins. If this team doesn’t pressure that initial creator, you’re betting on weaker defenders in tougher rotations once that initial paint touch is made. It’s something that needs

#4: Late-game discussion: Adebayo, Oladipo, Herro lead way.

Victor Oladipo sits at the top of the key with Kelly Olynyk guarding him 1-on-1. A screen comes and a miscommunication follows, as Oladipo drifts down the lane into a massive and-1 dunk right at the rim over Walker Kessler. That was pretty much a needed spark. The Heat picked up on the defensive end, which began with Oladipo up at the top, as turnovers flowed in. A Herro fast-break 2 into an eventual Oladipo rip and Adebayo and-1 shot in his in-between range looked like Miami found themselves for a large stretch. Fast forward to a bit later with 3 minutes left in the game, the Heat are up by 5. Herro snakes inside after drawing 2, feeds it to Bam in that mid-post, who fires a face-up jumper over his defender to give Miami a 7 point lead. As you would expect, the Jazz cut into that lead a bit, forcing Miami to execute to perfection late. With a 4 point lead with 30 seconds left, it looked like the Heat would dribble it out as long as possible. Herro ended up taking a deep three with 9 seconds left on the shot clock, giving the Jazz a chance on the break. Fast forwarding to late-game, a terrible foul call gives Markannan three free throws to tie. As Herro answers with the game winning three point floater. Happy New Year.