Breaking Down the Pod: Miami Heat Strategy — Shift Back to a Midrange Emphasis?
🎧 Breaking Down the Pod: Should the Heat Embrace the Midrange Again?
Welcome back to Breaking Down the Pod—your go-to spot for sharp, fan-first insights on the Five on the Floor podcast. This time, Ethan Skolnick and Brady Hawk dig into one of the most debated topics surrounding the Miami Heat: is it time to lean back into the midrange game?
🎙️ Episode Review: Miami Heat Strategy — Shift Back to a Midrange Emphasis?
Podcast Hosts: Ethan Skolnick & Brady Hawk
Main Question: Should the Heat reintroduce more midrange action, especially for Tyler Herro?
Sponsors: CousinsUSA.com/5RSN, PrizePicks.com (code: five)
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🔍 Why Midrange? Why Now?
As we get deeper into the NBA playoffs, one thing is clear: the best teams—and their stars—score from all three levels. Despite analytics pushing teams toward threes and rim attempts, many of the game’s elite still thrive in the midrange. That’s no coincidence. Open midrange shots are available, and great players can punish defenses when given that space.
That sets the stage for this episode, which was sparked by a key question Brady Hawk asked Tyler Herro at the Heat’s end-of-season press conference:
Brady Hawk:
“Tyler, you were talking about your offensive role heading into the season and how much it changed. I know there’s been some back and forth on whether the mid-range shot would be a major part of your offense. Do you see the way you’re being guarded now as a reason to go back to it—where the midrange is actually a good shot for you in the half court?”Tyler Herro:
“Yeah… Me and Spo go back and forth on it. He wanted me to play more off the ball this season.
But with the way I’m guarded sometimes, the midrange is the shot to take.
What matters most is making the right play—and whatever that leads to, hopefully it leads to wins.”
🧠 Breaking It Down
That moment becomes a launchpad for the pod’s broader conversation. Ethan and Brady dig into the following:
🔄 Why the Heat shifted away from midrange
Spoelstra has clearly leaned into a more modern, three-point-heavy approach. But that shift may have come at the cost of some of the team’s natural strengths—especially players like Herro, who excel in that 15–18 foot zone.
Ethan:
“What they give you sometimes ends up being the best shot if it’s open—and that is the mid-range. Kawhi Leonard won a championship in Toronto knocking down midrange jumper after midrange jumper.”
🧱 Herro’s fit in the offense
Herro’s increased off-ball role may not unlock his full potential. He’s proven he can hit midrange shots—especially when defenses run him off the three-point line or wall off the rim. When the spacing isn’t there, the midrange often is.
🔄 Roster identity & fit
Brady compares the situation to what works for stars like Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (SGA). The Thunder surround him with scoring threats so he can operate freely at all three levels. That hasn’t consistently been the case in Miami.
Brady:
“If Miami builds around Tyler and Bam, they have to get scoring on the outside”
That’s how you unlock three-level scoring—and take the pressure off Herro and Adebayo to do everything.
🔁 What Comes Next?
The midrange question is really an identity question:
Do the Heat adjust the scheme to fit their personnel—or force players like Herro to fit the scheme?
Ethan:
“I just want players shooting the shot that’s most comfortable for them.”
That’s a simple idea with big implications. If the midrange is open, and the player is confident—why not take it?
👀 The Wiggins Factor
They also talk about Wiggins—someone who never quite found a consistent role to help evaluate his impact. He’s used to adjusting, but injuries and inconsistency held him back.
Brady:
“It’s not just about where Wiggins gets his shots—it’s about how many he takes. When he’s assertive, the offense flows better.”
The same principle applies to Herro: he’s got to be the bucket-getter, and it will be easier for him with a better constructed roster and other willing but most importantly capable scorers.
📌 Final Thoughts
Miami has some real offensive deficiencies—and the midrange debate won’t be fully settled until the roster is set. But one thing is clear: if the Heat want to build around Tyler Herro, they need to add shooters who create space and give him room to operate.
Defensive pressure has taken away some of Herro’s three-point volume, making it harder to stick with the modern “threes and layups” model. More spacing = more freedom. The midrange becomes a viable option again when there are consistent threats both inside and out.
Brady even suggests Miami might look for outside shooting in the draft. That could be key.
Another concern? Free throws. Miami lacks a true foul-drawer right now. That hurts the offense—and limits the value of midrange play unless you’re getting to the line, too.
Could that be Bam’s next evolution? It should be.
So should the Heat embrace the midrange?
Maybe—but only if they build the right roster around it. The stars can thrive in that space. The role players need to clear the way.
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