Player exit review: McGruder became the scavenger the Heat needed
By Rob Slater
Interesting Stat: 54.1 percent
Ultimately, the best sign of McGruder’s fit within the Heat’s system is if and how he excels at the types of offensive looks they are likely to produce. One of those notable stats is that 54.1 percent of his 3-point attempts were generated from the corners, a very important aspect of the Heat’s offense.
Spoelstra made the corner 3 a priority in the days of Ray Allen, Rashard Lewis, Mike Miller and even Chris Bosh, who expanded his game to the 3-point line in the name of winning championships.
And even this year, the Heat averaged 8.3 corner threes per game, tied with the Houston Rockets for second-most in the league this season (Cleveland averaged 10.3). Just over 30 percent of the Heat’s total 3-point attempts came from the left and right corners.
A great sign for McGruder is that he is finding his spot in the Heat’s offense, as he led the team with 54 percent of his attempts coming from the corner (Justise Winslow, who appeared in just 18 games, came in at 60 percent) but there is room for improvement.
Surely, Spoelstra and the coaching staff will want to see this three-point percentage rise next season, as McGruder converted on just 34.5 percent of those corner threes and was a 33 percent shooter from three overall.