One month into the season, we know the Miami Heat are a defensive-minded team that won't put up 120 points every night. They're an up-and-down group that plays to the competition. Going 2-1 this week was another positive step. The Heat performed without a fully loaded Jimmy Butler, locked up humming backcourts, and players looked settled in new roles. This season has been an uphill battle for the troops that keep fighting.
These routine Bam Adebayo plays illustrates his growth
There was no doubt Bam was going to knock down this pressure 3. He was steady from 3 this week, shooting 4/10 through three games. He was particularly hot against the Dallas Mavericks, shooting 3/6 from deep in that win. The clutch 3 was a dagger in some sense. Dereck Lively walked out there like Bam wasn't sizzling; he made him ponder that decision.
Without a break, Bam immediately shuts Kyrie Irving's water off the next possession. The Heat are more than happy to concede that center vs. guard matchup. Bam is a special talent; you can count on your fingers that players have that two-way ability at that size. He was two points shy of a triple-double in the win against Charlotte. That would've been the eighth triple-double of his career (that's third in Heat history). He's always been able to impact the game when his shot isn't falling. More of that is needed this year.
A career-high 41% of Bam's shots are coming from 3. He still has long 2s in his shot diet, but it's less than last year. Trading in long 2s for that extra point is good math and adds value to Bam. NBA seasons are full of highs and lows. Long-range shots will vary even for the best shooters. The important thing is that the process and the shots remain the same.
Players who can run every defensive coverage at the center spot with a reliable jumper are needles in haystacks. Bam has gotten spoonfed off basket rolls the last few games. Those shots are also better than the Kevin Durant-like long 2s for him. I love this better-shot development from Bam because it will extend his career. He's anchoring the 10th-best defense in the association, which continues to trend upward.
Defending top guards in the Eastern Conference
Due to their dynamic backcourt, the Charlotte Hornets have been must-see TV this year. LaMelo Ball and Brandon Miller put butts in seats with long-range flair, electric moves, and slick athleticism-- both have the ultimate green light. Heading into the Wednesday night matchup in the Bible Belt, Ball averaged 43 points on 48 FG% over the last three games. FG% isn't the efficiency stat I'd normally use. It doesn't give much context because it doesn't differ between 2s and 3s or account for free throws, but Ball can shoot the rock whenever he wants.
Star players usually have the green light, but the Hornet's 6-foot-7 jumbo guard has a neon light. The Heat handcuffed Ball to 11-35 from the field. He hit seven 3s, but look at one of the 20 attempts he took. He missed a free throw and still got this one up.
Part of what makes him special is that these stop your heart because he could hit them. The Heat smothered him, though the stat sheet tells a different story. You're going to fill it up when you take that many shots with his ability. Miami did their job.
Damian Lillard of the Milwaukee Bucks didn't need 100 shots to get going in Miami's Emirate NBA Cup loss. In the first half, Lillard shot 6 for 9 from three with 25 points. Brook Lopez repeatedly opened Gulf lanes for Lillard with stern screens. Haywood Highsmith didn't have his best defensive outing, and the Heat were out of sync on a few Lillard triples.
They lost to the Giannis-less Bucks, but Erik Spoelstra and the staff didn't allow Lilard to burn them in the second half. There were more blitzes, and Terry Rozier stepped up as a chaser. Lillard became a playmaker for others. That is what great players are capable of. As a side note to this game, I had no problem with the late-game Herro 3. He should always feel like the best shooter. That was a good look. I was impressed with Rozier's performance.
Terry Rozier and other playmakers in the mix
The writing had been on the wall for weeks. The eye test and many statistics pointed to taking Rozier out of the starting lineup. His foot injury gave Spo the green light to try that out, but he's sticking with Rozier off the bench for now.
Scary Terry was in full effect, his first game returning from injury. Rozier lit up Milawkee for 17 points on 90 TS%. The face-shot 3-pointers and herky-jerk handles were there. Rozier was cooking during crunch time and looked like the guy Pat Riley traded a 1st for.
He was getting similar looks contrasted to when he was starting, but basketball is just as much of a mental game. Coming off the bench may be a burden off his shoulders if he can come in and strictly get buckets. That magic wasn't there when Rozier matched up with his old Hornerts quad, but give this new lineup some time. We only have a few other options.
One option Spo has decided to push is the "Pelle Larsson is going to be a rotational piece" button. He's logged 15, 22, and 37 minutes in the games this week. Larsson's flow, foul drawing, and study defense have him bursting onto the scene. There are some comparisons to how Jaime Jaquez Jr. popped off last year.
Jaquez has struggled a month into the year. He's missed four games this year and seems to be battling nagging injuries. After his stellar rookie year, I'm not ready to give into the "he was an old rookie that won't get better" side. That's too drastic. I did expect Jaquez (and Nikola Jovic, frankly) to be further along this year, but Jaquez is 23 and sustained a high ankle sprain this month. Larsson's arrival makes the brakes-mashed Jaquez start not as alarming. Larsson is the next random Heat player to give a fan base hell. One thing other fan bases can enjoy about the Heat is the semi-impartial way the broadcasters call the game.
It's nice to have a veteran who respects ball
Earlier this week, the Minnesota Timberwolves broadcast clip was making its rounds. Jim Petersen was flabbergasted that Finals MVP Jaylen Brown was making ... open 3-point looks. Some of those were tough, and he's been struggling from those spots specifically, but that level of surprise is remedial. I get rooting for your guys, but don't let slow starts from established guys sway you that much.
It was refreshing to hear Eric Collins call Tery Rozier one of the greatest Charlotte Hornets players ever on Wednesday. There's some merit to that—Rozier is fifth in Charlotte Hornets points with ~6,000. It was cool to see opposing announcers show love like that. Heat broadcasters Eric Reid and John Crotty illustrated why I love the game with this Kyrie Irving soliloquy.
Kyrie has been called everything but a leader of men in the national media throughout his sensational career. Here are the Heat announcers showing him respect after he almost took the Heat out by himself. Sometimes, you can't help but respect greatness. Local announcers are supposed to have allegiance to their home team, but the flat-out homer gimmick won't go over with fans. Yes, I am pointing at you, Warriors broadcast team and Brian Scalabrine.
The Heat should be higher on that list because of Eric Reid alone. He's been with the team since day one. He's the voice of most of my Heat memories, and he calls it how he sees it. Opposing fans won't listen to him and think, "Has he ever watched our team?"
State of the Heat: Jimmy, are you okay?
The Heat were practically without Jimmy Butler in the 98-94 win over the Hornets. He played a measly 25 minutes and only had two shot attempts. Butler was dealing with back tightness. This is concerning, as Butler has missed some time this season with ankle issues. The 35-year-old isn't getting younger and fresher. Butler was on a two-game, 30-point-per-game tear playing the point guard spot for Miami before his back tightened up. That's the guy. He's probable for Friday's Cup Game against the woeful Toronto Raptors.
Ke'lel Ware's fresh legs were displayed as he bent those knees and cashed huge free throws to ice Charolette. Those clutch free throws were the first free throws of Ware's career. Talk about duress. The young big stepped up in the critical moment. He's taken Thomas Bryant's minutes in the rotation, but with Kevin Love back rebounding and hitting 3's, Ware's minutes will still be limited. He doesn't look like a player that demands 20 minutes a night, though those free throws were major for the young fella.
Alec Burks continues to ease my nerves with each jump shot he attempts. I never feel like he's going to miss an attempt from the corner. He was a key piece in the win over Dallas, burying 3s any time defenders sagged off him. Burks's minutes aren't consistent. He could play 18 minutes tonight and 3 tomorrow. If the goal is to win, he needs to be a staple. His defense is that irredeemable that his shot can't keep him on the floor? I'm not buying it.
Tyler Herro and Duncan Robinson are torching nets. The Heat could have two players in the NBA 3-point contest come February. Robinson was 6 of 9 from the parking lot against Charlotte, while Herro torched them in the fourth quarter. Herro outdueled LaMelo Ball in the clutch (Ball leads the league in fourth-quarter points). 2-1 is a solid record, but the Heat could easily do the opposite next week. They could string together a winning streak, then play the Washington Wizards to the wire. You could say that about virtually any team, but being a seesaw is in this roster's DNA.
