The Miami Heat are finally getting healthy and playing solid basketball; I would not say great though. The role players are now in rhythm and the stars are coming back. Let us look at some talking points from the last edition of Culture Craze.
1. The Role Players are Still Firing on all Cylinders and in Rhythm.
Each role player is playing to his strength and not trying to do too much. With Bam Adebayo and Tyler Herro back, I am interested to see how this affects the team. Herro is a more ball-dominant player and is at his best when the ball is in his hands, and Adebayo has been on an All-NBA-type start to the year. Adding back two of your three best players is always great, but it will take some growing pains. The last time we saw Herro, many of the Heat players were still trying to find their rhythm and Herro was relied on to do a lot. Also, how will Herro play after missing so much time with an ankle injury? My best advice is to give it time. We will need multiple games to see what truly works and what does not. Players like Jaime Jaquez Jr., Josh Richardson, and Caleb Martin could see their roles shift a little bit and they might need time to adjust as well. As for integrating Adebayo, this should not be as difficult. Adebayo’s return will make everyone’s life easier on the defensive end and provide a big-body option on offense. Then there is the obvious question of how the rotation will look in terms of the minutes played. I do not think anyone will be completely removed from the rotation, but minutes be taken from multiple players. We will finally be able to get a true look at what this team can be.
2. Jimmy Butler has Delivered on yet Another Promise and Made his next attempt at a Game-Winning Buzzer-Beater
After missing a game-winning three-pointer last month, Jimmy Butler stated that he would “make the next one.” Fast forward to this past Saturday night against the Bulls, and Butler did just that. Butler was attacking Coby White the entire game; they were hunting him early and often. I loved the game plan from Butler. He did not settle when he had the smaller guards on him and took them to the post. Butler is a player that excels in the physicality of the game. He loves the physical nature of basketball and is at his best when he embraces it. Starting the game like that helped open up his teammates for good looks as well. The defense had to collapse to prevent an attempt at the rim and that frees up shooters or cutters to get open. On the last play, I was surprised that the Bulls quickly gave up the switch to put White on Butler. By giving up the switch it gave Butler the matchup he had dominated all night and Jimmy Buckets delivered the final blow at the Buzzer. In case you were wondering, it was surreal seeing it in person. The one promise Butler has not delivered is a championship, but if his past promises have taught us anything, it is just a matter of time before he delivers.
3. Kevin Love Deserves Recognition for how he Changes the Heat
Kevin Love’s rebounding and outlet passes cannot be understated. Game after game Love comes in and changes the momentum. Watch how different they play with Love on the court. The players will be quicker in transition because they know they will be rewarded with a perfect pass. There have been countless games this season where the offense has looked sluggish and dead then Love comes in and, without scoring a point, he changes the complete flow of the game. The Heat offense does not want to play five-on five-every possession, it is simply not something that fits them that well. Love’s outlet passes open up opportunities for transition or semi-transition looks. Another thing that Loves deserves credit for is the resurgence of his three-point shooting recently. During the year he was not shooting the ball well at all, but recently he has been excellent from behind the arc. He is shooting 43% from three in his last ten games and has bumped up to 37% on the year. One thing I have noticed about his shooting is the difference in his jump on three-point makes/misses. On shots that go in Love seems to be jumping higher than the ones he misses. I began to notice this a couple of weeks ago and it is something I look for in every one of his jump shots. When Love’s legs are tired, he does not jump as high, and misses shorts often. It is an interesting thing to keep an eye on as the season progresses and when the Heat get to the playoffs.
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