2025 Regular Season Thread Vol. 9

[Tim_Hardawayy]

No update on Jimmy and the Warriors from last night?

Butler and Curry combined for 16 points yikes!

Go ahead and hand them the championship!!

Not to sound bitter (although it will) but winning record aside, I think Jimmy is being exposed a bit right now. For the first time in his career he's on a team where the expectations are above whatever he can normally perform, and its showing by how passive he's being in a lot of these games. I do think he's smart to play within his means, but it shows he's not what some people think he is, which is a top 10 player that can turn it on or off at will. That mythos got blown way out of proportion because in his time in Miami and his other stops, the expectations were never that high for him or his teams, so he could have off nights or nights he just blends into the crowd and not get called out for it.

2023 is perceived by national media as the Jimmy team/year, but in reality it was more like the Bucks series (where Giannis got hurt) and then a fun moment between Grant Williams in the Celtics series. Besides that, he played at about his usual level, and we won because we as a team played like the 2014 Spurs. I know people will say the ankle caused it, but we can only go by the actual results. He was a complete no-show against the Nuggets, and any proper top 10 player would have gotten killed for that, but not him because everything was exceeding expectations.

Now for the first time, he's pretty much regarded as a star player (due to all his exploits in the postseason with us), and he's on a team with championship pedigree, with a player better than himself. He has to go out and get it. And in a way I almost feel bad for him. Not financially of course, but you can see he's just not that guy, or even if he was, he has clearly lost a step.

It is what it is, I don't hate him because in the end it was just about the money, but I think people are going to be really happy we're not giving him 60+ million dollars two years from now.

[DayofMourning]

Watch on YouTube

[greg4012]

Since February, Bam is shooting 41% from 3 on 3.3 attempts per game (31 games)

[3ammy3uck3ts]

Butler and Curry combined for 16 points yikes!

Go ahead and hand them the championship!!

Not to sound bitter (although it will) but winning record aside, I think Jimmy is being exposed a bit right now. For the first time in his career he's on a team where the expectations are above whatever he can normally perform, and its showing by how passive he's being in a lot of these games. I do think he's smart to play within his means, but it shows he's not what some people think he is, which is a top 10 player that can turn it on or off at will. That mythos got blown way out of proportion because in his time in Miami and his other stops, the expectations were never that high for him or his teams, so he could have off nights or nights he just blends into the crowd and not get called out for it.

2023 is perceived by national media as the Jimmy team/year, but in reality it was more like the Bucks series (where Giannis got hurt) and then a fun moment between Grant Williams in the Celtics series. Besides that, he played at about his usual level, and we won because we as a team played like the 2014 Spurs. I know people will say the ankle caused it, but we can only go by the actual results. He was a complete no-show against the Nuggets, and any proper top 10 player would have gotten killed for that, but not him because everything was exceeding expectations.

Now for the first time, he's pretty much regarded as a star player (due to all his exploits in the postseason with us), and he's on a team with championship pedigree, with a player better than himself. He has to go out and get it. And in a way I almost feel bad for him. Not financially of course, but you can see he's just not that guy, or even if he was, he has clearly lost a step.

It is what it is, I don't hate him because in the end it was just about the money, but I think people are going to be really happy we're not giving him 60+ million dollars two years from now.

The playoffs will be very telling that’s for sure.

[greg4012]

Read on Twitter

I find most of the BBall Index defensive metrics to spit out results that are a little wonky based on it being almost impossible to properly create catch-all advanced metrics for defense and the categories they try to fit defenders into. Impressive nonetheless, and IMO, is a great indicator of the defensive potential of the Bam-Ware frontcourt pairing.

As with most things worth developing, it requires time to get to its best form. Very encouraging.

[DayofMourning]

Read on Twitter

I find most of the BBall Index defensive metrics to spit out results that are a little wonky based on it being almost impossible to properly create catch-all advanced metrics for defense. Impressive nonetheless, and IMO, is a great indicator of the defensive potential of the Bam-Ware frontcourt pairing.

As with most things worth developing, it requires time to get to its best form. Very encouraging.

Weve seen flashes of what could be. With Ware getting stronger, more experienced and developing chemistry with the rest of the roster, things are looking up.

[greg4012]

Read on Twitter

[3ammy3uck3ts]

Since February, Bam is shooting 41% from 3 on 3.3 attempts per game (31 games)

He’s become an elite sniper, should’ve had a new career high made last game. Now up to almost 35% on the season.

1st year shooting 3s:

Bosh: (28 years old) 28.4% on 1 attempt (2nd season shooting 3s - 33.9% on 2.8 attempts)

Horford: (29 years old) 34.4% on 3.1 attempts

Brook Lopez: (28 years old) 34.6% on 5.2 attempts

Bam: (27 years old) 34.4% on 2.8 attempts

[HeatGuyInChicago]

There is value in making the playoffs. Bam and Herro are being baptized by being the top options on the team. Jimmy use to be that. They are probably not good enough now to get out of the first round. They need the experience to know what they need to work on in the off-season. This could result in improved skills or better team work to handle playoff level defense.

To me, the inability to run effective offense at the end of the game is the Heat issue. They have improved where they are now winning some of the games. I suspect that an alpha like Kevin Durant is required because he is able to get his own shot even with two defenders. With Bam and Herro not afraid of taking a clutch shot, Kevin will have options to defer if he can not get a good quality shot.

I would like to see Bam be more physical going to the hoop. Herro can score at 3 levels, but a good defender like Anunoby can shut him down. I am not sure if there is anymore skill growth for him. It is BBIQ growth for Herro from here, and to me, that is growth with off the ball actions.

[HeatGuyInChicago]

I am tired of seeing Herro, the primary ball handler, turnover the ball in clutch situations.

[HeatGuyInChicago]

Since February, Bam is shooting 41% from 3 on 3.3 attempts per game (31 games)

I would like to always see Bam shoot an open 3 pt shot with 8 seconds or less unless there is an open corner 3 or pass to the paint that leads to a shot at the rim. If he is feeling it, I have no problems with an open 3 pt shot at comfort spots early in the shot clock.

[greg4012]

Since February, Bam is shooting 41% from 3 on 3.3 attempts per game (31 games)

He’s become an elite sniper, should’ve had a new career high made last game. Now up to almost 35% on the season.

1st year shooting 3s:

Bosh: (28 years old) 28.4% on 1 attempt (2nd season shooting 3s - 33.9% on 2.8 attempts)

Horford: (29 years old) 34.4% on 3.1 attempts

Brook Lopez: (28 years old) 34.6% on 5.2 attempts

Bam: (27 years old) 34.4% on 2.8 attempts

Good context. I know you're fishing with that first statement lol

[3ammy3uck3ts]

Since February, Bam is shooting 41% from 3 on 3.3 attempts per game (31 games)

He’s become an elite sniper, should’ve had a new career high made last game. Now up to almost 35% on the season.

1st year shooting 3s:

Bosh: (28 years old) 28.4% on 1 attempt (2nd season shooting 3s - 33.9% on 2.8 attempts)

Horford: (29 years old) 34.4% on 3.1 attempts

Brook Lopez: (28 years old) 34.6% on 5.2 attempts

Bam: (27 years old) 34.4% on 2.8 attempts

Good context. I know you're fishing with that first statement lol

[Enso]

I feel like Jimmy is scared to get injured, once playoffs come he’ll turn it on. If he plays passive in the post season the fans and media are gonna chew him up.

[HeatGuyInChicago]

The Jimmy Butler divorce was all about money. The Heat did not want invest into a player that plays 3/4 of the season. Jimmy believed he could get an extension to his contract from a team, and ultimately, he was right. If the Heat had no intention of extending him as the market could have, I understand why Jimmy wanted out. Jimmy should have asked for a trade when the Heat delayed contract talks. Give the team 4 months to trade him.

In my opinion, the player should be able to ask for a trade if the team is not willing to engage in contract extension talks. If it is discovered that an outside team is willing to extend the contract on a trade, the team can either trade the player or pay the player.

[3ammy3uck3ts]

The Jimmy Butler divorce was all about money. The Heat did not want invest into a player that plays 3/4 of the season. Jimmy believed he could get an extension to his contract from a team, and ultimately, he was right. If the Heat had no intention of extending him as the market could have, I understand why Jimmy wanted out. Jimmy should have asked for a trade when the Heat delayed contract talks. Give the team 4 months to trade him.

In my opinion, the player should be able to ask for a trade if the team is not willing to engage in contract extension talks. If it is discovered that an outside team is willing to extend the contract on a trade, the team can either trade the player or pay the player.

I’d be curious to see how things would’ve been different had we traded him last summer knowing we had no intentions of extending him

[3ammy3uck3ts]

Read on Twitter

The most non serious award in the league. The dude said he wants DPOY this year because it might be his last chance randomly in a postgame interview and they’re about to just hand it to him lol

[Shewasfly]

I feel like Jimmy is scared to get injured, once playoffs come he’ll turn it on. If he plays passive in the post season the fans and media are gonna chew him up.

I think he's also trying to fit in and figure out how he's going to play off Steph while still being himself. This is the first time in a long time he wasn't clearly the best player on the team where he would be the one doing the adjusting to the better player.

[Enso]

I feel like Jimmy is scared to get injured, once playoffs come he’ll turn it on. If he plays passive in the post season the fans and media are gonna chew him up.

I think he's also trying to fit in and figure out how he's going to play off Steph while still being himself. This is the first time in a long time he wasn't clearly the best player on the team where he would be the one doing the adjusting to the better player.

Yeah there's that too. But there's gonna come a point where Steph is gonna get clamped up like he did against Houston last night and he's gonna have to step up. Theres gonna be moments where he's gonna have to go for 30, 35 + and be ultra aggressive for the GS to have a chance at the chip.

The playoffs should be fun

[dshearn]

Weve seen flashes of what could be. With Ware getting stronger, more experienced and developing chemistry with the rest of the roster, things are looking up.

Miami needs to pull out all the stops and have a revolving Buffett of HOF mentors keep Ware crazy busy this summer.


Sky is the limit for this young man...heck in some games dude already seems under utilized...

We are going to have some really fun seasons in the future. Just need to keep the fella on the straight and narrow and engaged.