Miami Heat: Grading every player at the midway point of the season
By Simon Smith
Luke Babbitt
All teams require players for certain roles, and that’s exactly how Babbitt has been used during first season in Miami.
Babbitt has started in 21 games this season despite only averaging 15.7 minutes per appearance. For the season, Babbitt is averaging 4.4 points and 2.1 rebounds on 36.2 percent shooting from the field and 34.7 percent from behind three.
That three-point percentage is well below his career average of nearly 40 percent, and only four times as Babbitt scored at least 10 points in a game this season.
Babbitt’s role has primarily been to space the floor to enable players such as Dragic, Waiters and Tyler Johnson to drive the lanes and either look to score or set up teammates on the perimeter. At least, that’s what the Heat hoped. That hasn’t quite worked, though he’s still starting most games because of Miami’s shortage of bodies.
Babbitt’s best performance for the season came in a January 13 loss to the Milwaukee Bucks. Playing 31 minutes, Babbitt posted 16 points on 4-of-7 from behind three, along with four rebounds, two assists and two blocks.