Tag Archive for: Duncan Robinson

Miami Heat Need the Three Against Knicks on Sunday

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The Miami Heat need to shoot better from deep on Sunday.

The Miami Heat are set to take on the New York Knicks in what is going to be a bounce back game for Miami. One thing is for certain: If the Miami Heat want to beat the Knicks on Sunday, they need to be more efficient from three-point range.

In Friday’s loss against the Brooklyn Nets, Miami struggled from deep. They went seven-of-29 from beyond the arc. By comparison, the Nets went 15-of-44 from deep. That equaled out to a 34.1 three-point percentage.

The starting lineup was not efficient shooting the three ball. Duncan Robinson was the most productive for Miami. He went two-of-six from beyond the arc, finishing with eight points on the evening.

Interestingly enough, the bench did a bit better with their opportunities. James Johnson went two-of-two from beyond the arc and finished with six points in 12 minutes of play. Goran Dragic had a rough evening, going two-of-seven from deep.

The numbers bode well for Miami Heat

The three-point shot is undoubtedly the bread and butter of Miami’s offense. They are second in the league in three-point conversion percentage. Shooting at a 37.6 % rate, that puts them only second to Utah.  Over their last three games, they have been pretty consistent with the shot, shooting at a 36.9% clip.

New York is last in the entire NBA in opponent three-point field goal percentage. Their opponents have been converting at a 38.8% rate.  Things haven’t been much better for them over the past three games. They have been susceptible from long range, allowing opponents to convert on 43.6% of their tries. This is great news for Miami, and should allow for plenty of good looks for the shooters.

If Miami wants to beat New York on Sunday, getting more production from the starting lineup is crucial for a victory. This team plays much better when everyone contributes.  Miami needs to make sure they convert from beyond the arc, and put behind the poor performance in Brooklyn. If they can do that, a win is certainly in their future.

Attrition may Have Uncovered Potent Lineup for Heat

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A potent lineup for the Heat may have revealed itself.

The Miami Heat have somehow managed to maintain course despite crucial injuries to Justise Winslow and Goran Dragic.

 

Miami has started to show some vulnerability, as evidenced by their first truly bad loss of the year at Memphis.

Jimmy Butler needs a break.

However the team once again found enough gas Wednesday to end Philadelphia’s undefeated run at home.  The common denominators for most Heat lineups lately have been Jimmy Butler, Bam Adebayo, and Kendrick Nunn.  That trio has been in the top three lineups for Miami in terms of minutes per game, with Duncan Robinson and Meyers Leonard rounding things out.

Switching to Airplane Mode

One intriguing combination has been to bring in Derrick Jones Jr. for Meyers Leonard early and late.  Leonard typically opens each half but has not been utilized much, if at all down the stretch.  Jones, Jr. has been seeing a huge increase in minutes recently due to several factors, including the razor thin rotation Erik Spoelstra has to work with.  That faith has been rewarded as Jones continues to carve out a more significant role.  Over the last seven games, DJJ is averaging nearly 30 minutes per game and is starting to feel it from downtown.  He is 6-for-13 in his last four games and has scored in double figures three times in that span, while his defense has also made a huge impact.

 

The lineup featuring Butler/Jones, Jr./Adebayo/Robinson/Nunn has been used in just three games going into Wednesday.  Yet in that limited sample the numbers have been encouraging and perhaps worth a look.  Rebounding is a legitimate concern without a second traditional big however, time will tell how the scales balance in that aspect.

 

Butler has been all that Heat fans could have hoped for but is exerting a ton out there. He struggled in his latest return to Philadelphia and is logging a Thibodeau-ian amount of minutes lately.  Butler is playing almost 39 minutes per contest in December which is nearly six minutes more than his career average. His 26.3 usage rate this season would be the second highest total of his career if maintained.

While DJJ has been a key cog in the wheel, the emergence of Adebayo is what has held things together.  The reigning Eastern Conference Player of the Week has continued to carry the load on both ends.  Adebayo is the anchor, not only on defense but from the high post where his skill set shines.  Bam is averaging 18/11/5  in December and his ability to finish on the pick-and-roll, or run things from the top, has kept defenses off balance.

Kendrick Nunn and Duncan Robinson have been inconsistent but when they are on, they give this group the scoring from the perimeter it needs.  Nunn erupted for 26 points at Philadelphia and has hit half his three-point attempts on this road trip. If he can start making the easy plays and distribute the ball, expect another nice progression from the rookie.  Meanwhile, Robinson has been feast-or-famine, but when he’s eating the whole offense changes.  He has become a comfortable second option on the perimeter when the initial action doesn’t hit, while doing just enough on defense.  Robinson is shooting over 47% from deep this month and is getting almost six minutes more per game.

The lineup is shooting 59.6% overall and 52% from deep, while averaging a 3.6 assist-to-turnover ratio.  On the opposite end they are holding opponents to just 40% shooting, including 26.5% from beyond the arc.  Conversely, they are 6.5 points better overall than the opponent so far.  Perhaps that is why they were the “Five on the Floor” to close the game out in Philadelphia.

When Dragic (and Winslow?) return, it will likely shake up the backcourt rotation once again.

For now, we may be seeing this group again when it counts.

Miami Heat: Three-point shot rules the day in win over Raptors

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The three-point shot helped Miami defeat a tough Toronto team.

The Miami Heat beat the Toronto Raptors by a 121-110 score on Wednesday night. A big reason for the win was the Heat’s success shooting the three-point shot.

As a team, the Heat went 15-of-38 from behind the arc. Duncan Robinson had the most success for Miami. His play has improved over the past couple games, and he made a major contribution on Tuesday night. He went six-of-nine from the three-point line and totaled 22 points. That was tied with Jimmy Butler for the team lead on the evening. As a team, they shot 39.5% from behind the line on the evening.

Miami Heat eliminated three-point shot defensively

The team also stifled the Toronto Raptors three-point shooters. Fred VanFleet was held to three-of-nine from behind the arc. In 43 minutes of play, he could not get anything going at it consistent rates. Kyle Lowry also had a rough night, missing all 11 three-pointers he took. The player who had the most success from three-point range was Serge Ibaka, going two of three from beyond the arc.

There are definitely other factors as to why the Miami Heat won. However, making the three-point shot offensively while eliminating it defensively was crucial on Tuesday night. Miami is third in the league in thee point percentage at 38.9 %.  They make 12.6 three-point shots per game while attempting 33.8 per contest.

The three-pointer hasn’t always been a big part of Miami’s game. However, that is the way the game is trending. Threes are huge part of what many teams do, and it’s nice that Miami has capable players that can get it done on the roster. Their efficiency in shooting the three-ball will help them come playoff time. Now, they look to continue their success from beyond the arc against Boston on Wednesday. The Celtics have capable three-point shooters in their own right. Tipoff in Boston is  7:30 pm.

Miami Heat: Duncan Robinson shoots his way to memorable night

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The Miami Heat got a big boost on Wednesday night.

The Miami Heat have themselves a spark plug. He goes by the name of Duncan Robinson, and his ability to convert from behind the arc was on full display Wednesday night. In a season where unheralded names have stepped up and propelled the Heat to success, Robinson put on a show for an excited AmericanAirlines Arena crowd.

Robinson scored 29 in total, and he had himself quite a night. Then again, it was just another impressive contest in what has been a great season for him. At first glance, his statistics are not eye-popping. In 12 contests the season, he has averaged 9.7 points per contest.

However, he has had three games of at least 20 points. His 21-point outburst against Minnesota on October 27 was his first one. His 23-point outburst against the Houston Rockets was his second one. Wednesday evening, he dominated the Cavaliers for 29 points. Unlike the old adage that goes “bad things come in threes”, this is quite the opposite.

Sure, 29 points is impressive. However, when you break records, it means that much more.

Robinson enters Miami Heat record book

Robinson recorded eight three-pointers in the first half. Prior to Wednesday night, the record for three pointers in a half was six. Wayne Ellington achieved that mark in the second half of a 2006 game against the Toronto Raptors.  Safe to say, it had been a while since that record was broken.

A personal record was also shattered as Robinson’s career-high for points was 23. He recorded that mark under the roof of the Crisler Center at Michigan. It was only fitting that his college coach was there to watch him achieve the feet Wednesday night. However, his coach was not watching from the stands.

John Beilein is in a different role as head coach, having traded in his Michigan Maize and Blue for Cleveland Wine and Gold. It’s funny how things come full circle.

If anything, Robinson’s performance on Wednesday night was a reflection of what the modern NBA has become: Three-pointers are putting a strangehold on the NBA That’s not a knock on what Robinson did Wednesday night either. If anything, it shows that Robinson has the skills to be an impactful player in this league.

With Robinson playing all 41 games for Michigan in the 2017-18 season, there is no doubt he is a fierce competitor.  Having been a part of several successful Michigan teams, Robinson has always been prepared to succeed.

He showed it on Wednesday. He is becoming a key contributor for a team who has received enormous contributions from unexpected sources.  In a season where many have doubted the Miami Heat, he is proof that success comes in many forms.