The Miami Heat took on the Los Angeles Clippers on the front end of a back-to back. Miami led by as many as 23 points in the game, but the Clippers made a huge run in the fourth quarter to trim the Heat’s lead to four. Los Angeles was able to tighten up their defense and forced Miami into quick turnovers. In the end, the Heat were able to hold off the Clippers with clutch plays from P.J. Tucker and late-game free throws from Jimmy Butler. With the win, Miami moves to 32-17 for the season.
Here are my takeaways from Friday’s win over the Clippers.
Butler Sets the Tone
Questionable before the game with a left toe injury, Butler played through it and was aggressive early on the attack. He was able to get to his spots near the paint and score. He also got his teammates involved with his passing. With Kyle Lowry out, Butler has shouldered the playmaking duties and has been great in doing so. While known for being a good on-ball defender, he’s really great off the ball. There were a couple of times where he picked up a steals in the passing lanes. Although he makes great reads as a passer, he’s even better at making them on the defensive end. Butler finished the night with 26 points and nine assists.
Voting is over but we can still push the agenda.
🗣SEND JIMMY TO #NBAALLSTAR pic.twitter.com/VnE7k5bunY
— Miami HEAT (@MiamiHEAT) January 29, 2022
Robinson Continues to Play Well
January has arguably been a great month for Duncan Robinson. First, his shooting seems back to normal. With the help of Bam Adebayo‘s screens, Robinson has been able to shake free against his defender. The way he plays can also confuse his defender at times. If there’s a miscommunication, he’ll likely make them pay. Robinson has been making great reads on the offensive end, especially off the ball. There were a couple of times where he cut to the basket whenever his defender had their back turned. With the ability to play both inside and outside, it’ll make things even more confusing for the opposing teams. Robinson finished the night with 16 points.
Gabe Goes Off in the Third Period
With Lowry out, Gabe Vincent has done a good job as a replacement. When discussing Vincent, one will usually have to talk about his great on-ball defense. However, Friday night was different. Vincent exploded in the third period making three after three. He made six three-pointers in the period. The majority of the shots were stand-still attempts. It’s remarkable seeing the transformation Vincent has made to his game. He’s improved his three-point shooting after tweaking his shot, and his playmaking skills have also improved as well. Vincent ended the night with 23 points for the Heat.
Herro Struggles
This was a quiet night offensively for Tyler Herro, as the shots just were not falling. He was also careless with the basketball at times. The Clippers guards forced him into multiple turnovers. Overall, it wasn’t the usual Herro game fans are accustomed to seeing. However, it’s a long season and there are going to be nights where he struggles. He did hit a couple of key shots late in the game to help Miami stay in it. Herro finished the night with 11 points.
Next Up: The Toronto Raptors on Sunday. Game tips off at 8pm EST.
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