James Johnson excels off the bench in losing effort
By Cory Sanning
James Johnson continued to turn heads even in a losing effort, proving to be one of the Miami Heat’s most lethal role players.
Welcome to the Hot Hand, where after every Miami Heat game win or loss, we recognize the player that best put his stamp on the game.
On a night when the Miami Heat’s starting back court couldn’t buy a shot and the Heat defense gave up 110 points on 50 percent shooting to the underdog Orlando Magic, it was James Johnson who stood out above the rest.
Finishing the night with 19 points, 4 rebounds, and 6 assists on 9-of-14 shooting, Johnson was Miami’s most consistent offensive force, with the starting back court duo of Goran Dragic and Dion combining to shoot just 4-of-25 from the field. Unaccepted and will not get it done, especially on the road.
The most impressive aspect of Johnson’s game was his efficiency. As fore mentioned, he shot a blistering rate from the field, finishing the night shooting 64.3 percent.
On a night when Miami’s offense struggled mightily (they shot just 38.5 percent as a unit), Johnson was certainly a sight for sore eyes as the Heat feel to the Magic for the third consecutive time, concluding the season series at 1-3.
Developing into perhaps Miami’s biggest weapon off the bench (outside of Tyler Johnson, of course), Johnson’s offensive impact was unmatched by any other player in a Heat uniform.
Not only does the tape tell the story, the numbers do as well.
With Johnson on the floor, Miami was SIGNIFICANTLY better on that end:
Points (Per 100 Possessions)
Johnson on court: 112.6
Johnson off court: 75.4
Field Goal Percentage (Per 100 Possessions)
On court: 42.4 percent
Off court: 28.0 percent
Yikes.
It didn’t stop there, either.
As a team, Miami finished with 20 total assists distributed between just four players (Waiters, Dragic, both Johnsons), with Johnson accounting for 30 percent of those alone.
The numbers certainly told much of the same story, with the Heat moving the ball at a much better rate with Johnson involved.
Assists (Per 100 Possessions)
On court: 22.2
Off court: 16.4
Last night also marked the 37th time Johnson hit double-digits in the scoring column this season, by far a career-high.
For the season, he’s averaging 12.2 points, 4.9 rebounds, and 3.4 assists per night, all career-highs. It seems as if Johnson has finally found his niche with the Heat, and that will more than likely lead to a handsome pay-day this offseason.
Whether Pat Riley and Micky Arison will be the one cutting that check remains to be seen, but it doesn’t appear Johnson is going anywhere any time soon.
With just 20 games remaining in the regular season, and the Heat a mere two games behind the Detroit Pistons for the eighth spot in the East, every contest is crucial going forward.
Miami is in no position to receive a top-six pick in the upcoming draft following that 13-game win streak, so a playoff appearance at this point, seems vital.
Next: The repeatable part of Miami's success
The home stretch of the NBA season is finally upon us, and with hopes of a playoff spot dangling right in front of them, Johnson and the Heat are in for their toughest challenge yet.
Miami (28-34) returned home for a matchup with LeBron James and the east-leading Cleveland Cavaliers tonight in what could be a potential first round preview.