James Johnson’s versatility key in Miami Heat’s 8th-consecutive win
By Simon Smith
James Johnson has been tremendous off the bench all season for the Miami Heat. He once again shone as the Heat extended their winning streak to eight.
Welcome to the Hot Hand, where after every Miami Heat game win or loss we recognize the player who best put his stamp on the game.
In the midst of an impressive team showing, forward James Johnson’s performance stood out as the Miami Heat defeated the Brooklyn Nets, 104-96. In his customary bench role, Johnson produced 17 points, 5 assists, 4 rebounds, 3 blocks and 2 steals. Johnson was his ever-efficient self, hitting on 6-of-11 from the field, including 2-of-3 from three-point range.
One of the most pleasing aspects of the Heat’s season thus far, aside from their current eight-game winning streak, has been the progression Johnson has shown as the year has progressed. Without a certified back-up point guard, Johnson’s ability to play as a pseudo point-forward gives head coach Erik Spoelstra tremendous flexibility when rolling out different lineups.
Along with the Heat starting backcourt of Goran Dragic and Dion Waiters, Johnson provides the Heat with an additional playmaker capable off creating open looks for teammates. In this game, Waiters had 9 assists, Dragic 8 and Johnson 5.
One such assist led to a beautiful alley oop to backup center Willie Reed.
Johnson played 33 minutes for the game, and his impact on the final outcome was profound. The following numbers demonstrate the extent of Johnson’s influence:
Offensive Rating (Miami Points Per 100 Possessions)
Johnson On Court: 110.0
Johnson Off Court: 97.6
Defensive Rating (Brooklyn Points Per 100 Possessions)
On Court: 86.9
Off Court: 127.0
These numbers also represent the great impact Johnson has on the defensive end of the court. At 6-foot-9 and with tremendous lateral quickness, Johnson possesses the ability to cover a variety of positions.
Having a player on the floor aside from centers Hassan Whiteside and Reed who can contest and block shots such as this is invaluable.
Furthermore, Johnson put the exclamation mark with this tip-dunk, putting the Heat up by eight with just under one minute remaining in the contest:
With eight straight wins under their belt, the Heat are oozing confidence and are now just 4.5 games out of the eighth and final playoff spot.
Next: What happened to the Miami Heat tanking?
The Heat remain at home for their next game as they play host to the Atlanta Hawks. Game starts Wednesday 7:30 PM ET.