Tag Archive for: Jimmy Butler

5 Takeaways from Heat’s Final Regular Season Game Against Pacers

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The Miami Heat played a meaningless game against the Indiana Pacers, and lost 109-92. Miami’s Jimmy Butler, Goran Dragic, and Bam Adebayo didn’t play, which is why it doesn’t hold much importance. There was also an unfortunate situation that occurred in the third quarter, which was an injury to the Heat’s Derrick Jones Jr. Here are five takeaways from this game…

#1: A tough Derrick Jones Jr injury in garbage time hurts the team mentally.

A rough incident occurred in today’s game in the third quarter with Heat’s forward Derrick Jones Jr. He appeared to suffer a neck injury after going around a pick on Goga Bitadze. DJJ laid on the ground for an extend amount of time face-first, and eventually was taken out on a stretcher. Bam Adebayo chased after Derrick and the medical staff in the tunnel soon after. This type of injury in a game that holds no importance definitely weighs on teammates minds heavily. There is hope that Derrick’s injury isn’t as bad as it seems, which definitely impacts this Heat team since he’s been a huge defensive spark throughout the season.

#2: Udonis Haslem caps off regular season with his final start.

It was very fitting for UD to cap off this year’s regular season with a spot in the starting lineup. And with UD, it doesn’t matter the circumstance, he plays hard no matter what. A 40 year old Udonis was taking charges, wrestling for loose balls, and of course stepping up as their on court leader. He had some pretty good stetches including a tough finish at the rim and a three pointer due to a low shot clock. The thing is with Haslem is that he doesn’t need to be on the court to be effective. Some don’t realize the amount of credit he should get for this team’s success, since he’s a great mentor for all of the young guys, especially Bam Adebayo. But, there was absolutely no better way for Mr. 305 to cap off this regular season heading into the playoffs.

#3: Although Heat’s star players are defensive minded, their most essential attribute is on offense.

The Miami Heat definitely struggled on offense in the first half, mostly because they didn’t have a go to guy. Either Goran Dragic or Jimmy Butler will be needed on the floor at all times for this team to be successful. Jimmy and Bam have clearly been labeled as defensive anchors, but games like this prove their offensive importance, especially Jimmy Butler’s. Although people continue to critique his shooting, he does everything else on offense that you’d want your star player to do. Play-make, handle the ball, attack the basket, and of course lead. If Miami has to go extended minutes in the playoffs without Jimmy or Goran on the floor, Tyler Herro will be looked at to take control of the offensive load.

#4: The out of rotation guys played hard, including Soloman Hill and Chris Silva.

Soloman Hill and Chris Silva got some early minutes in today’s game, and both stepped up in a time to showcase their skills. Soloman seemed pretty confident in his ability to attack the rim, which he scored 21 points and went 10-12 from the free throw line. Chris Silva also showcased a bunch of his skill-set, which seems to be led by his motor. He was a bit of a presence in the paint, which he got three blocks and forced a bunch of misses around the rim. Although these two guys probably won’t see many minutes in the post-season, it’s good to see your 12th and 13th men show a bunch of positive signs.

#5: Jimmy’s leadership displayed once again before game.

It’s been pretty clear that Jimmy Butler’s leadership has been huge for this Heat team’s young guys. And well, he continued to show this side of himself in an interview with Rachel Nichols of ESPN. The main part of this interview was his absolute confidence in the ability for this team to win, which he said he thinks they can win it all. He also mentions the Chris Paul incident from the other night, saying “I’m not here to make friends.” It’s clear that Jimmy isn’t here for a vacation. It’s a business trip. He also throws in some comments of the Heat acquiring another star in the near future. He says that he thinks it will happen since the organization is so great with it, and that they have all the key pieces. Jimmy also seemed in good spirits on the sideline during today’s game, which is a great sign for this team heading into the playoffs.

5 Dynamic Duos on Current Miami Heat Team

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The Miami Heat are very different in a sense of their on court connections. Most teams have good lineups that they revolve their team around, but Miami has good duos. Each player on this team has their own running mate that they achieve the most offensive success with, which is why Coach Spo has begun to utilize these patterns. Here are 5 dynamic duos on this current Miami Heat team…

 

Duo #1: Jimmy Butler and Tyler Herro

Jimmy Butler and Tyler Herro seemed to hit it off the first day that they met. Tyler flew out to Chicago to hang out with Jimmy after he got drafted, and consequently earned Jimmy’s respect due to the amount of hard work he puts in. This has translated to their on-court connection as well, especially recently. Coach Spo has begun to bring Tyler off of the bench early, and leave Jimmy on the court to give them some run together. They seem to feed off of each other down the stretches of games as well. We saw this earlier in the season in a game against the Chicago Bulls, where Jimmy looked to Tyler Herro for a couple clutch three pointers down the stretch. And now that Tyler has improved his play-making abilities, they’ve been able to utilize this connection through back-door cuts, fast-breaks, and more. This duo has so much time to grow since they’ve only played together for half of a season. And with Tyler’s improving defense, this could be a scary duo for many years to come.

 

Duo #2: Bam Adebayo and Duncan Robinson

Bam Adebayo and Duncan Robinson have seemed to have a better connection than anybody else on the team, mostly because they are the sparks of their offense. They are the best in the league in dribble hand-offs, by far, mostly due to the lethal off balanced shooting of Duncan Robinson. Bam Adebayo needs credit as well, because he has really become better and better at good, hard screens. They’ve also been able to run some pick and roll stuff in these bubble games since Duncan is beginning to drive to the basket more and more, which only makes this combo more lethal. It also opens up their ability to run dribble hand-offs at a higher rate, since now they’ll have the option to run different things through it. These two know how deadly they are together as well, which is why you see them run the same hand-off four times in a row sometimes, just to get it right. If Bam can slowly develop his jump shot more and more, this could become one of the most unstoppable offensive plays.

 

Duo #3: Goran Dragic and Derrick Jones Jr

Now, this duo is beginning to develop right in front of our eyes. Goran Dragic and Derrick Jones Jr have become quite the combination during these last few games, mostly due to Goran’s intelligent passing and Derrick’s vertical spacing. Derrick has never been much of a scorer, but when Goran is in with him, he’s an absolute offensive threat. And when Goran utilizes his play-making ability, it translate to wins. The Heat are 8-0 this season when Goran has 8 or more assists, which clearly proves the previous statement. Derrick has also helped Goran’s scoring, since teams drop back off of the pick and roll with DJJ rolling, which gave Goran the ability to utilized his floater much more. Goran may have just secured DJJ a spot in the rotation as the playoffs get closer and closer.

 

Duo #4: Jae Crowder and Kelly Olynyk

This is yet another duo that Coach Spo has tried to play together as much as possible. Kelly Olynyk and Jae Crowder played together in Boston for three years, which is what sparked their on court connection. Jae Crowder has told media many times that Kelly’s versatility is what truly helps them work together, and when they put the ball in his hands with the second unit, it can trigger a lot of different sets. It seems to be pretty easy to work well together when you’re both lengthy and able to shoot, but this isn’t the best part of their chemistry. They both are on-court leaders, who are unselfish to make the right plays. Kelly Olynyk’s off ball movement down low is something that Jae always keeps track of in games. Although Jae is now in the starting lineup without Kelly, be prepared for a lot of extended stretches with them playing the 4 and the 5, since they are both players who can spark an offense with their shooting.

 

Duo #5: Erik Spoelstra and Andre Iguodala

The duo of Erik Spoelstra and Andre Iguodala obviously impacts the team in a much different way. They’ve also been together for a much shorter time than all of the others on this list. But, this hiatus has helped these two more than anybody else. It’s given them a chance to learn each other, and find the right fits for Andre on this team. The bubble is also another mechanism that has added to their off-court connection. And all of the off-court connections translate to on-court connections. Erik Spoelstra has always been a coach that rolls with guys that he trusts in tough situations, and Andre Iguodala is one of those guys. Andre obviously isn’t the most natural scorer, but he does everything else for your team that doesn’t show up in a stat sheet. He hasn’t gotten as much minutes over these last few regular season games as others, but that will change in the playoffs. Erik Spoelstra trusts Andre in these situations and Heat fans should too.

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

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The Miami Heat suffered a late loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder due to a three point shot from Mike Muscala for the win. The Miami Heat still seemed in good spirits since their starters didn’t play in the second half. Afterward, some players talked with local media about the game. Here’s what was said…

Post-Game Comment #1:

Jimmy Butler clearly wasn’t happy with Chris Paul’s actions early in the game, when he threw the ball at Duncan Robinson. Jimmy said, “You’re not gonna throw the ball at my teammate like that. Yeah I got a turnover, got an offensive foul.” It was pretty evident Jimmy charged Chris with a purpose after this altercation. Even though this play wasn’t a big deal, it shows the rest of the team his leadership. He wanted to show Duncan that he has his back no matter what, and also show Chris that he’s messing with the wrong team. Jimmy concludes the discussion with “You mess with one of my guys, then you gotta deal with me,” which further shows not to mess with Jimmy and this Heat team.

Post-Game Comment #2:

Duncan Robinson also touched on this Chris Paul incident, which media thought they’d get a clearer idea of what his reasoning was. Duncan responded, “I’m not exactly sure.” He says that he told himself he should’ve shot it in the corner when he shot faked, which caused a back and forth between the two. It’s evident that Duncan won’t back down from anything either. He may be thought of as the quiet shooter, but he will let you know when he gets his jumper going. He told Heat star Jimmy Butler to “never go under the screen” in their first practice together before the season after hitting a three pointer. If Duncan wasn’t afraid of his teammate Jimmy Butler before the season, he definitely won’t back down from any other opponent that’s thrown his way.

Post-Game Comment #3:

Jimmy Butler also got to talking about the topic of the night, Tyler Herro. Jimmy said, “I love that guy.” He continued to praise Tyler for the growth in his game that has especially been shown in these bubble games. His play-making, ball handling, and defense has continued to grow, which has caused Spo to show even more trust in him than usual. Jimmy has clearly taken Tyler under his wing from the start. He was talking to Tyler before the final shot of the game, which made it clear that it was a Herro jumper coming. When you earn Jimmy’s trust, you can earn anyone’s trust. He will be taking another big leap in the post-season after he gets some playoff experience under his belt, and will give the team an even clearer view of his future.

Post-Game Comment #4:

Jae Crowder had a rough injury occur in the first quarter, where he bumped knees with Luguentz Dort. He limped off the floor without putting pressure on it, but ended up on the sideline with the team soon after. Coach Spo said everything came back clean after the game, which may ultimately mean that Jae Crowder sits out in their final game against the Indiana Pacers to heal up. He should be ready by game 1 of the first round, which will be much needed since he’s been a huge piece to this Heat team on both sides of the ball this year.

Post-Game Comment #5:

And finally the money quote. It seems as if all of these guys continually talk about winning, and it’s because that is their ultimate goal. Jimmy said that Herro is always watching film and just clearly wants to be great. You can tell he wants to be great just by his on court improvements that were talked about previously. These other skill sets don’t just appear out of nowhere. Jimmy also said, “He wants to bring a championship to Miami and I think we’re going to do that.” The trio of Jimmy Butler, Bam Adebayo, and Tyler Herro have all mentioned their goal of winning a championship over the last week, which is a great sign of the state of mind these guys are in.

5 Takeaways from Heat’s Take-Down over Indiana Pacers

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The Miami Heat played a much anticipated game against the Indiana Pacers on Monday night, and got the win 114-92. After a tie game at the half, Miami came out sharp in the second half on both sides of the ball. Here’s five takeaways from this big win…

#1: Jae Crowder continues to be Heat’s most consistent player.

Due to the amount of lethal shooters on this roster, including Duncan Robinson, Jae Crowder seems to get left out of the conversation. But, he continues to be the Heat’s most consistent player on both sides of the floor, and is shooting 60% from three in the bubble. Jae Crowder is also one of those guys that does the dirty work for you, which obviously fits well into this system. This is why Jae made his way into the starting lineup and replaced Meyers Leonard, since versatility matters on this current team more than ever due to their depth in wings.

#2: Bench unit struggles with Goran Dragic moving to the starting lineup.

Goran Dragic got the surprising start in tonight’s game against the Pacers, but consequently caused a problem. Goran had such a groove with the second unit, which was one of Miami’s biggest strengths this season. When most teams had bench drop offs, Miami didn’t. But today, it was evident they did. When Goran exited the game, it wasn’t the same bench unit we’ve seen all season, which caused Indiana to comeback early. Goran came back into the game with the second unit in the second quarter, which seemed to settle Miami down on offense, and led to Miami’s second half display. Although there’s been questions about taking Kendrick Nunn out of the starting lineup all together, it may be better to continue this rotation and let Goran and Tyler run the offense smoothly with the bench unit.

#3: Derrick Jones Jr tries to lock up a spot in the rotation.

Derrick Jones Jr has been in and out of the Heat’s rotation this season, but this may be Derrick’s time to lock up his spot. He has proved that he can guard every team’s best player, but his offense has been in question. But today, he showed he can use his vertical spacing to his advantage. And he’s beginning to improve his shooting from beyond the arc, which if he can hit one to two threes in a playoff game, that can change a game. There also seemed to be a special connection between Derrick and Goran Dragic tonight, since about 80% of his points came from a Goran lob. Derrick has said time and time again that he wants to be here, but he will need to prove his impact during this last stretch before he goes into free agency.

#4: Bam Adebayo comes out aggressive out of the gate, which is essential.

Bam Adebayo started the first quarter with fire in his eyes when he had the ball in his hands. And with Myles Turner basically daring Bam to take a mid range jump shot, he took it with no hesitation, but it wasn’t falling. The thing is with Bam though, it doesn’t need to fall to help the offense. There are plenty of guys on the court who can hit these jumpers on offense, but they can’t open up the floor like Bam does. He also had a defensive motor tonight, which he brings every night, but it seemed to have a little more energy behind it, due to the Myles Turner match-up. Myles got the spot on the USA team over Bam, which obviously didn’t sit right with him. If Bam can bring this energy and aggressiveness every night, it benefits this team’s offensive versatilities even more.

#5: TJ Warren truly isn’t in Jimmy Butler’s league.

Everybody has been waiting for the TJ Warren-Jimmy Butler match-up since their scuffle back in January. Fast forward eight months later and Jimmy Butler still hasn’t forgotten. TJ Warren has been going on an absolute scoring tear in the bubble. Emphasis on scoring. Someone in Jimmy Butler’s league would have to be able to score, rebound, play-make, defend, and lead the way Jimmy does. Jimmy showcased this today scoring 19 points, along with 11 rebounds, 5 assists, and 4 steals. Jimmy also mentioned after their game in January that “I can guard him and he can’t guard me.” Jimmy guarded TJ to start the game, while TJ guarded Jae Crowder, which definitely raises an eyebrow. This was also far from a meaningless game since Miami is trying to secure the four seed, which may ultimately mean a first round match-up against TJ Warren and the Indiana Pacers.

Miami Heat’s Adebayo, Nunn Among NBA Award Finalists

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The NBA released their top 3 finalists for each NBA award today, which included Miami’s Kendrick Nunn and Bam Adebayo. These awards are given based on the player’s play before the NBA shut down, which was when Heat players were rolling. Here’s the award finalists, along with some predictions.

Most Valuable Player Finalists: Giannis Antetokounmpo, LeBron James, and James Harden

There was not much of a surprise here, since these three guys have been the best players of the 2020 season statistically. But, this award is not a statistical award. The reason for the award was to reward the player who was the most “valuable” to their team. For example, players like Chris Paul and Jimmy Butler have been two of the most valuable pieces this season due to their leadership to elevate their respective teams. This is not to say that these guys shouldn’t be the finalists, since Lebron and Giannis have lead their teams to the number one seed in their respective conferences. Giannis should have the slight edge over LeBron for reasons that include: a better record, not having a top 5 second option, and a case could be made a harder conference. But, if this award is just based on statistics, maybe it’s best to change the award to Best Statistical Player.

Prediction: Giannis Antetokounmpo

 

Rookie of the Year: Ja Morant, Zion Williamson, Kendrick Nunn

It was pretty clear that Ja Morant and Zion Williamson would be numbers one and two on this ballot, but some questioned the third slot. Kendrick Nunn was the second best rookie in the league before Zion Williamson made his NBA debut, and he was still up their with these guys after his return. Some of Kendrick’s latest play has forced people not to remember his offensive success early in the season, mostly because it’s been about 12 months since the season first began. And as mentioned in the tweet above, he hasn’t had the easiest route to where he is now. Although he’s been great for Miami this season, he didn’t carry the same load that a guy like Ja Morant did, which gives him the slight edge.

Prediction: Ja Morant

 

Most Improved Player: Bam Adebayo, Brandon Ingram, Luka Doncic

Luka Doncic being considered a most improved player surprised some people, but it really isn’t that crazy. Luka went from 21 points a game to 29 points a game, and increased his assist and rebound average by 3 and 2 respectively. But, he hasn’t made the same improvements that Bam Adebayo and Brandon Ingram did. The reason the Ingram and Adebayo race is so close is because their games are totally different. Ingram is a natural scorer while Bam is an all around player. This is another award that the NBA seems to always look in the PPG column, when in reality it’s about total improvements. Bam has went from a back up center to a top 5 center in the NBA, and has played a major role on a contender while Ingram wasn’t even a contender for an eight seed until he had the help of Zion Williamson. Based on an all around improvements, Bam Adebayo clearly has the edge over Brandon Ingram and Luka Doncic.

Prediction: Bam Adebayo

 

Defensive Player of the Year: Giannis Antetokounmpo, Anthony Davis, Rudy Gobert

While these three players have clearly been at the front of this award all season, there are some other names that should’ve been considered as well. Ben Simmons and Bam Adebayo are two players that were most likely close behind, since they play both interior and perimeter defense at such a high level. These finalists do this as well, which is why it’s basically a toss up of who you choose. Giannis Antetokounmpo will probably take this award home, due to his strength, quickness, and length on the defensive side. If you asked NBA players who they wouldn’t want to go against out of these three, it would probably be Giannis unanimously, since he’s just a 7 foot athletic freak of nature.

Prediction: Giannis Antetokounmpo

 

Sixth Man of the Year: Montrezl Harrell, Dennis Schroder, Lou Williams

For starters, how can two people from the same team be considered a “sixth” man. Especially when the stats are so close between a bunch of different bench pieces, including Goran Dragic, how does he get the edge. Not saying he hasn’t been great, because if there was a seventh man award, I’d give it to him. Anyway, Goran Dragic has had as good of a year as both Lou and Dennis had, except Goran’s had to carry much more of a load. Not saying Goran should win the award, but a top three finish should’ve been awarded. And between Lou and Dennis, Dennis should have the edge over Lou Williams this year, due to both efficiency reasons and, as said in the tweet above, not having another bench anchor with him.

Prediction: Dennis Schroder

Heat’s Kendrick Nunn leaves NBA Bubble, leaving guard shortage (w/UPDATE)

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The Miami Heat, already likely without Goran Dragic (ankle) and Jimmy Butler (foot) for Saturday’s game against the hot Phoenix Suns, will be without Kendrick Nunn for longer.

Nunn left the NBA’s Bubble on Friday to attend to a personal issue, according to multiple sources.

UPDATE: He is expected to return this weekend, to begin the NBA’s mandated quarantine period, which starts at four days. That would make him available for the playoffs that begin the week of August 17th.

The rookie guard was late coming to the Bubble after testing positive for Covid-19, but this is not related to the disease or any other health matter in any way.

It also, according to a source, is not directly related to Nunn’s struggles on the court, which caused coach Erik Spoelstra to publicly support him in a Zoom conference call with media earlier on Friday.

There have been concerns of late inside the organization about Nunn’s focus of late, according to sources. But they were aware he might need to leave the bubble to address the issue.

Without Nunn, the Heat will likely start rookie Tyler Herro — who seems ready for an ascension — or rookie Gabe Vincent, who was listed as probable after being unavailable the past couple of games. Both Herro and Vincent will probably play a lot, because Miami is now very short on perimeter players.

Goran Dragic spoke to the media Friday for the first time since rolling his ankle twice against Boston on Tuesday, and said that the injury was not as bad as he initially thought, and that he would try to get some extra work in on Friday night. But he also said he wants to be judicious, and with the Heat likely headed for a 4 or 5 seed no matter what happens in the final four games, there’s no reason to push him.

 

 

The other question is when Jimmy Butler returns.

He missed Tuesday and Thursday’s game with a sore foot, which is not believed to keep him out for any games once the playoffs start the week of August 17th.

But he also is being careful, as is the team, not to do too much too fast.

And he was at practice with the team.

Erik Spoelstra has spoken about the Heat’s depth being an advantage.

It will certainly be tested now, against a Suns squad that is playing well behind Devin Booker, and aiming for a play-in spot in the Western Conference.

5 Takeaways from Heat’s Loss Against the Toronto Raptors

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The Miami Heat came up short against the Toronto Raptors, 107-103. Toronto seemed to have a good game plan for Miami early, while Miami battled back in the second half. Here’s my five takeaways from this game…

#1: Butler can score when he wants, but it’s his choice.

Jimmy Butler has been looked at as everything except a scorer this season, since his play-making abilities have been so elite. But today, he came out the gate with a scoring purpose. He showed that when this team isn’t knocking down their threes, he can step up. The problem is that sometimes he doesn’t choose to step up. He seems to get a little passive at times when he can easily attack the basket and score. Especially at the end of the game, Jimmy should be looking to score, instead of giving the ball up every possession. Jimmy will need to take more of a scoring load when the playoffs come around, especially late in games.

#2: Heat’s defense continues to show improvements.

Miami’s perimeter defense has continually been a problem this season. But, it was pretty clear they improved this in their first game back against Denver, when Denver shot 8/35 from deep. Today, it showed positive signs as well, even though Toronto scored the ball pretty efficiently. This may have a little something to do with the versatility in the lineup, now that Jae Crowder entered the starting lineup for Meyers Leonard. As Bam said, it’s a lot easier when you can switch everything. Miami also seemed to play a lot of help defense throughout. This forced Toronto into having 21 turnovers, which was one of the major keys to Miami’s second half run.

#3: Duncan Robinson gets targeted on offense.

Duncan Robinson has been Miami’s biggest offensive weapon all season. But, the Toronto Raptors seemed to read the scouting report, since they absolutely blanketed Duncan throughout this game. This did lead to more paint points for others, especially Jimmy Butler. This technique will definitely not be a one time thing. Teams will do this more and more, especially when they know your offense in a playoff series. I definitely don’t think Duncan should’ve just been taken out of their regular offense, which seems to be what happened in the second half. The Heat are going to need to figure out how to adjust their offense when this happens, since they’re losing a major scoring piece.

#4: Goran Dragic seems to be Heat’s biggest X-factor.

Goran Dragic entered the game in the first quarter and took control of the team. The play was slightly sloppy early, but he got the offense going. He also was Miami’s most important piece in their second half run. Goran Dragic will be a very key piece for this team since he has such a complete offensive package coming off of the bench. He seemed to struggle with the play-making side of his game today, but this is why Tyler Herro has taken some of the play-making responsibility off of the bench. Goran will also begin to be utilized more in games when Kendrick Nunn doesn’t have his shooting stroke going, like today. He will definitely be looked to down the stretch of games, since he’s one of the Heat’s most trusted players.

#5: Heat’s toughness is team’s best attribute.

The Toronto Raptors seemed to pull out of reach early in the third quarter, with Miami’s inability to shoot the ball. And well, this all changed midway through the third. This was lead by the bench unit with Goran Dragic and Kelly Olynyk. This lineup, surprisingly, began to adjust on defense, and eventually lead to Miami hitting some shots. This is because the guys on this roster are both physically and mentally tough. Coach Spo seemed to not only lean towards the hot hands down the stretch, but also the scrappy and physical players. This toughness is why the Heat are such an interesting team this year. If Miami hits their shots like usual, it’s hard not to categorize this team as one of the contenders.

5 Main Comments from Post-Game Media Scrum with Spoelstra, Butler, Adebayo

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After the Heat’s impressive win against Nikola Jokic and the Denver Nuggets, a joyful Heat team talked with some media about the game and their chances going forward. Here’s what they had to say…

Post-Game Comment #1:

Jimmy Butler seemed pretty happy with how the team played in their first official game back, especially in the second half. Jimmy said, “We didn’t play our style in the first half.” It was pretty clear that they began to play their style in the second half, when they began to knock down their threes and most importantly attack the basket. This evidently lead to getting to the free throw line, which is definitely Jimmy’s “style.” He also mentioned that they had the mentality of not being complacent. It’s pretty tough to be complacent on this roster with the amount of leadership on the floor.

Post-Game Comment #2:

Bam Adebayo seemed pretty confident in this Heat team’s chances after the game. Bam said, “I feel we can go against everybody.” This attitude seems pretty familiar. Jimmy Butler had said that he felt they can win a championship a few days ago. And that’s because they play on a team with a winning mentality. It is true that they can go against anybody, but they will only go as far as Bam Adebayo takes them. If he plays the way he did today, they’ll be a tough out in this year’s playoffs.

Post-Game Comment #3:

After another offensive display by Duncan Robinson, Jimmy Butler talked a little about his impact. Jimmy said, “We told Duncan it’s okay to dribble the ball once or twice.” This was pretty clear in today’s game. Duncan seemed much more comfortable in all of the other aspects of the game. His passing improved, his shot-creating improved, and even cut to the basket more times than normal. Jimmy also said that he’s “not just a shooter,” which is something that’s been taken for granted this season. Jimmy ends with “I’m glad he’s on my team.”

Post-Game Comment #4:

Bam Adebayo talked about their defensive strategy when he was on the floor with Jae Crowder. He said, “It became a hassle for the other team.” This was one of the major reasons that their perimeter defense was much better today. After Coach Spo started Jae Crowder over Meyers Leonard, it added much more versatility, and clearly helped Bam Adebayo on the defensive end. Bam also talked about his conditioning in the game. He said, “I did get a little winded,” which will slowly improve the more games they play.

Post-Game Comment #5:

Coach Spo talked about Meyers Leonard regarding a couple of different topics. He began saying, “This is one game. I have not forgotten about Meyers.” He will definitely be utilized based on different match-ups, especially against Brook Lopez and the Milwaukee Bucks. Spo also talked about Meyers standing for the National Anthem. He said, “He has the backing of everyone in the locker room. Everyone knows where his heart is.” Meyers has repeated supported this movement throughout the process and will continue to do so, but will clearly do it in a way that he feels comfortable.

5 Takeaways from Heat’s win against the Denver Nuggets

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The Miami Heat faced off against the Denver Nuggets on Saturday afternoon, which was the first official game of the NBA restart for Miami. The Heat came away with the win 125-105, while the Heat seemed to clean up all of their offensive and defensive issues. Here’s my 5 takeaways from this Heat win…

#1: Bam Adebayo displays his offensive importance.

Bam Adebayo is a clear defensive minded player, which we’ve seen against all types of match-ups all season. But, he showed his offensive importance in today’s game against Nikola Jokic the best way he knows how to. Attacking weaknesses. Bam began to attack the basket on Jokic to start the game, since he lacks on the defensive end. This isn’t all he did for the Heat on offense though. He’s the most important player on the team without the ball in his hands. His off ball screens, on ball screens, and cutting to the basket was all on display today. He’s also an offensive player that is impacted by confidence. When he gets going early, it’s pretty much a wrap for his opponent on defense.

#2: Duncan Robinson continues to be much more than a shooter.

It’s pretty obvious Duncan is one of the league’s best three point shooters. But, he continues to show the improvements in the other aspects of the game, especially his passing. Bam Adebayo has played a major role in the improvements in his play-making. Bam and Duncan have been deadly off of dribble hand-offs this season, but they are starting to expand this scheme even more. After defenders have learned not to leave any space between Duncan Robinson, he has learned to not only make the pass to Bam, but sell the shot. This is the first time he’s showcased this side of his game, since he’s getting much more comfortable with his shot faking. Now the only thing left for him to improve is on the defensive side of the ball.

#3: Heat’s efficient free-throw shooting holds more importance than usual.

The biggest thing you can takeaway from this game is the amount of foul calls. This is most likely due to the no fans aspect, since referees can hear everything on the floor. And well, this seems to favor Miami. Jimmy Butler has had no problem attacking the basket and getting to the line all season, but what was key today is the fact that he was knocking them down. The Heat went 32/37 from the free throw line, which seems to be much more important than usual. And when the game slows down even more in the playoffs, we may see even more foul calls, especially with the many physical players on this Heat roster.

#4: Erik Spoelstra’s tinkering with Heat’s rotation pays off. 

It was a bit of a surprise that Erik Spoelstra took Meyers Leonard out of the rotation for Jae Crowder, since that starting lineup had such success this season. But, it seemed to payoff since Crowder hit some big shots in the third quarter, which played a major role in expanding the lead. Spoelstra also seems to play guys that perform well together. This includes Jae Crowder and Kelly Olynyk, Bam Adebayo and Duncan Robinson, and Jimmy Butler and Tyler Herro. This is why those scrimmage games were so important for Miami. It gave Erik Spoelstra a sample of what to expect in this environment and forced him to adjust, which is something he does better than any coach in the league.

#5: Miami shows improvements with perimeter defense.

The Heat have known that their biggest issue this season has been perimeter defense. But, they seemed to polish this up a bit today against Denver. The Nuggets shot 8/35 from deep, which definitely makes the Heat feel good after those sloppy scrimmage games. This may be due to the rotation change that Spoelstra made, replacing Meyers Leonard with Jae Crowder. The more versatility on the floor, the less your defense will struggle. Even Duncan Robinson showed some good defensive stretches throughout this game. These defensive improvements may have a little something to do with the lack of shooting in the rotation for Denver, due to Jamal Murray, Gary Harris, and Will Barton not playing. Either way, this gives this Heat team confidence and momentum heading into three straight games against the top 3 teams in the East.

5 Things to Watch in Miami Heat’s First Official Game

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The Miami Heat will be playing their first official regular season game of the NBA restart on Saturday against the Denver Nuggets. The Nuggets are a tough game to start out against for the Heat since they are pretty strong defensively. Well, here’s some things to look out for in Saturday’s game…

#1: The Heat need good interior defense to beat this Nuggets team.

The Miami Heat have struggled this season with their perimeter defense, mostly at the point of attack. Well, this Denver Nuggets team will challenge them on the interior. Miami’s bigs will have to deal with not only one of the best centers in the league in Nikola Jokic, but also the rest of their lengthy bigs off of the bench. Meyers Leonard will probably see most of the match-up against Jokic, but Bam will probably get some possessions on him in the fourth quarter. The containment of Jokic in this game is important since this is a similar match-up they may see in a series against Joel Embiid and the Philadelphia 76ers. Instead of countering Nikola Jokic all game with Meyers Leonard, Erik Spoelstra will need to go stretches with Bam as the center, since he can attack Jokic’s weaknesses on defense.

#2: Kendrick Nunn getting back to his old self.

Kendrick Nunn has been trying to get back into mid-season form since arriving to the bubble late after testing positive for Covid-19. He was a little rusty in the two scrimmage games he played, but the more games he plays, the better he will look. In the second scrimmage, Kendrick scored 5 points on 29% shooting, and in the third scrimmage he scored 6 points on 20% shooting. He will definitely look to pick that back up, especially since he will be out there on the floor with one of the most productive starting lineups in the league. He also is a major part of the offense since he can attack the rim and control the mid-range, which is something the Heat haven’t done a lot of on offense in these scrimmage games.

#3: Miami’s offensive players will receive more minutes.

As mentioned previously, Miami’s defense has been the biggest problem throughout the season, but their offense has enough firepower to exceed their defensive struggles in this game. This is because Denver has seemed to have the exact opposite problem than the Heat. Denver has been pretty strong defensively this season, but has struggled at times on offense. The Nugget’s offense only goes as far as Jamal Murray takes them, which may be a problem for the Heat since they’ve struggled against similar guards. But, Miami will most likely look to beat this team the way they know how to. Shooting the ball. For example, we will probably see more Kelly Olynyk minutes than Derrick Jones Jr minutes since they will just try to straight up outscore this Denver team.

#4: Heat’s depth must outweigh Denver’s depth.

One of Miami’s biggest strengths of the team has been their solid depth. But, Denver is one of those teams that has pretty solid depth themselves. They do have a lot of guys injured at the moment, which may hurt their depth, but they have the kind of role players that seem to break out against the Heat. Miami’s bench will need to outperform Denver’s bench if they want to win this game. Plain and simple. The Nugget’s offense has tailed off this season when the bench unit enters the floor, which it seems as if it improves when Miami does it at times. If Goran Dragic, Tyler Herro, Jae Crowder, and others can get a rhythm going early, they will most likely win this game. But on the other hand, if Denver’s bench out performs Miami, it’ll be a hard game to win once NIkola Jokic and Jamal Murray enter back in.

#5: A Jimmy Butler offensive display.

Jimmy Butler has shown that his strengths are basically everything other than scoring this year, since he can play-make and defend at such an elite level. Well, he showed what he can do offensively in the last scrimmage game when he scored 18 points 80% shooting. This is what the Heat need Jimmy to do once the postseason comes around. The team trusts him scoring the ball, the coaches trust him scoring the ball, the fans trust him shooting the ball. But, Jimmy needs to trust himself scoring the ball. He obviously needs to continue to play-make and defend as his number one option, but will need to have scoring confidence at ends of games when the team needs him. If Miami begins to have trouble with Denver’s physical defense, look for Jimmy Butler to step up as the elite scorer that he is in this game.