Entering this season, many followers of the Miami Heat believed that the depth of the roster would be an issue. However, after last night the Miami Heat have now beaten the Bucks, 76ers, Bulls, and Magic without Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo as they continue to miss time with their injuries. When Jimmy Butler has been out the Heat are 7-5 and when Bam Adebayo has been out the Heat are 8-4. In this article, we will view the players who make the Miami Heat are one of the deepest teams in the NBA.
The Miami Heat Are One of the Deepest Teams in the NBA
Gabe Vincent and Max Strus
Last night’s Heat win over the Orlando Magic perfectly encapsulated the growth and rise of both Gabe Vincent and Max Strus. Gabe Vincent had a career-high of 27 points while Max Strus had a career-high of 32 points. Last season both players were on two-way contracts for the Heat and received very little playing time. Entering this season, it was evident that both players would get a decent amount of playing time but with the injuries of Jimmy Butler, Bam Adebayo, and Tyler Herro, Strus and Vincent had to step up their minutes and play.
A year ago, both players had their deficiencies but it has all seemingly come together. Vincent showed multiple flashes of defensive potential but could not knock down the open threes on a consistent basis. On the other, hand Max Strus was a very good three-point shooter but had a couple of lapses from time to time on the defensive end of the floor. This season, Vincent has improved on his three-point shooting making nearly 39% of his deep balls. In the previous game against the Philadelphia 76ers, Vincent made 7 of 12 three-pointers and also hit the game-winning triple. Vincent has also maintained his defensive prowess as he is typically the point-of-attack defender. Vincent heads the 2-1-2 press as well as the 2-3 zone defense. Max Strus has also improved drastically from last season. He has blossomed into a great team defender and always seems to be in the right spot on the floor. Strus also kept his shooting ability as he knocked down 8 of 11 threes against the Magic.
Caleb Martin
It seems as though the Miami Heat found yet another two-way gem in Caleb Martin. Martin provides the Miami Heat with great length and athleticism. With his athleticism, Martin can get into the paint and finish above almost anyone. Along with Gabe Vincent, Caleb Martin heads the 2-1-2 press. This press takes opponents out of their normal offensive set as the shot clock dwindles down. Martin had the best game of his young career against the Milwaukee Bucks. His stat line included 28 points, 8 rebounds, 3 assists, and 2 blocks. In this game, Martin made 6 of 8 three-pointers. Unfortunately, right after this game, Martin was entered into the health and safety protocols due to COVID. If Caleb Martin can consistently knock down three-pointers, he will be in the NBA for a very long time as a 3-and-D type player.
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