Game story:
Following the Miami Heat’s 20-point blowout game 3 loss at home, the team is in do-or-die mode. The Boston Celtics are sporting a 2-1 series lead, and all three games of this first round has been decided by double digits.
It was a rough game on Saturday for everybody on the Heat collectively as a group. Nobody was truly able to put their imprints on the game and they came out looking flat and unmotivated. The disconnect seemed mental, as there were several lackadaisical plays on both sides of the ball. Miami suffered 12 turnovers to Boston’s 5.
Bam Adebayo led all Heat scorers with 20 points and 9 rebounds. Outside of that, Nikola Jovic was the only other player to show up ready. Jovic registered 15 points and 8 rebounds on 5/11 shooting and 3/5 from 3-point range.
Tyler Herro continued his inconsistencies after an outstanding playmaking game in game 2. Herro finished with a pedestrian 15 points on 5/16 shooting. He went from totaling 14 assists the game prior to 2 assists.
As for the Celtics, they were firing on all cylinders from the very start, just like in game 1. Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown both dropped 22 points a piece. Derrick White and Kristaps Porzingis also killed the Heat with their shotmaking. The Celtics shot 48% from the field to Miami’s 42%.
Bostom got up nine more attempts from long range than the Heat did. The adjustments that looked so effective in game 2 did not carry over. The Heat let the Celtics take advantage of them on offense and just seemed much more prepared. The 3-point shooting volume and efficiency went way down and they couldn’t contain the Boston x-factors surrounding Tatum and Brown.
If the Heat drop this game tonight, it will not look good heading back to TD Garden down 3-1. The Celtics would have an opportunity to close the rival Heat out at home and get revenge from last year’s Eastern Conference finals.
Tip-off is set for 7:30 PM EST on TNT.
Injury Report (at the time of this publishing):
Miami Heat:
- Delon Wright (personal reasons) — PROBABLE
- Jimmy Butler (MCL) — OUT
- Terry Rozier (neck) — OUT
- Josh Richardson (surgery) — OUT
Boston Celtics:
- N/A
Projected Starting 5 (subject to change):
Miami Heat:
- Tyler Herro, G
- Caleb Martin, G
- Jaime Jaquez Jr, F
- Nikola Jovic, F
- Bam Adebayo, C
Boston Celtics:
- Jrue Holiday, G
- Derrick White, G
- Jaylen Brown, F
- Jayson Tatum, F
- Kristaps Porzingis, C
Betting Lines:
- Check the current odds out at FanDuel!
Broadcast Info:
- Tipoff: 7:30 PM EST
- TV: TNT & Bally Sports Sun (Eric Reid, John Crotty)
- Radio: AM 560 Sports WQAM & The HEAT Radio Network (Jason Jackson)
- Spanish Radio: WAQI 710 AM & The HEAT Spanish Radio Network (José Pañeda)
Come back to Hot Hot Hoops at game time to join our GameThread and chat about the game live with other Heat fans!
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Hopefully we don’t see any zone today by Spo.
Celtics have been destroying the zone.
Just play man to man defense, protect the ball and we will give ourselves a chance to compete in this game.
Spo is playing against the top seed of the playoffs with half a team. He doesn’t have a lot of options. I’m sure we’ll see some zone out there tonight.
I think with Miami’s conditioning and skill development, this guy could be awesome next to Bam in the frontcourt. Like Jaquez, he’s a four year college player with tons of experience. He could guard and score in the paint and Bam could run amok all over the court, especially now that he is developing a 3-point shot. If Riley can get good returns for Butler and Herro in trades, the sky is the limit!
23. Milwaukee Bucks (via Pelicans): Zach EdeyPrevious Mock Draft Spot: No. 23
School/team: Purdue
Position: C
Size: 7’4″, 300 lbs
Age: 21, Senior
Nationality: Canadian
Pro comparison: Jonas Valančiūnas
With a 37-point effort in the national championship game, Zach Edey finished Purdue’s NCAA tournament run averaging 29.5 points.
It will be interesting to see his updated weight at this year’s NBA combine after he came in at 306.4 pounds last May.
He’s changed a number of minds regarding his pro outlook and potential to carve out an NBA role, even without adding any modern skills. His combination of 7’4″ height and one-handed touch creates a tremendous advantage in the post. And improved mobility has led to increased, quicker defensive court coverage around the key.
As we saw against Connecticut’s Donovan Clingan, he could still be predictable playing with his back to the basket. And NBA offenses will have an obvious game plan to put him in ball-screen situations and pull him away from the basket. Connecticut picked up two big second-half baskets against him as he failed to retreat back to the rim to contest the roll man.
Still, Edey should still be able to justify consideration in the teens or 20s for a team that could use more easy baskets, physicality inside and shot-blocking.
Since I’m spitballin how about trading Zion and Nance for Butler and DeRozan in a sign & trade for Herro?
Edey/Bam/Zion/DeRozan/Rozier. Imagine if Bam had an in-shape Edey and Zion around him? Even Minnesota and Denver would be scurred of that line-up.
Would be really concerned with Zion’s injury history and weight.
I have mentioned Edey a few times. Guy is a monster, total rim protector. Good scorer around the basket. The Heat could even trade down as he’s expected to go anywhere from 20-30.
he was the best player in college bball.wonder why hes projected so low.hes prob slow but just leave his big ass around the basket .he blocks out the sun .bam would come up to breast bone.i doubt bam will be switched though the heat are stubborn.theyve seen them get torched by ad and joker and still havent budged.
And with Bam playing free safety, it would limit the need to switch away from the paint.
Exactly.
Or even use spo’s patented hybrid zone.
Its playoff, not draft. We ll have all summer talking this.
Not all summer. Draft is in less than two months away…sixth day of summer.
GO HEAT!!!
Yeah, ok, not the whole summer. Still, there is a good chance that time between early May and Late October would be filled with endless debate about trading Butler and how bad this year draft is. I would prefer start this as late as possible, and spent some of this time celebrating the team success.
And free agency begins June 30. Team management needs to be ready to execute whatever moves they want to make.
They will have plenty of time if the whole organization ( wont be focused right now on play off.
I wounds mind if Miamis heat management will make this pick randomly, still drunk after celebrating the title.
hell yeah. I’m with you Vagi. Game-4 is tonight, who cares about the draft that’s two months away. Let’s beat the stupid Celtics and go back to Boston tied 2-2!
Yeah, you guys are right. The most important issue, by far, is the game tonight and any subsequent game we play. But there’s nothing terribly wrong about discussing the future during the lulls.
Sure, and I would much rather you be right.
Getting him would be great pick up for us, that size alone would help us out tremendously against teams with size like nuggets,wolves,knicks,Boston, cavs, etc. We wouldn’t be bottom of league in blocks anymore. Also if anyone can get him to lose weight, it would be spo, and our infamous conditioning program, with body fat tests daily. It would be a little bit of project like when we had dexter Pittman, but unlike pittman… edey is way more talented. I would take the big swing on him at 15, or even trade down a couple spots to get him, with an added 2nd round pick.