Miami Heat’s Josh Richardson is on the cusp of a breakout year, so let’s look at some of his best performances of 2016-17.
Miami Heat guard Josh Richardson is someone to keep your eye on this season. Especially if his first preseason performance is any indication of what’s to come.
The No. 40 overall pick of the 2015 NBA Draft, no one expected much of Richardson when he first entered the league. A four-year player out of the University of Tennessee, not only was little known of the Oklahoma-native, but he was quickly overshadowed by fellow Heat rookie Justise Winslow.
Heat Nation should have known better though.
And not just because president Pat Riley hasn’t let the organization down yet.
Richardson averaged 9.2 points, 3.2 rebounds, 1.8 assists and 1.1 steals a game over his four years as a Volunteer, with his senior year numbers coming in at 16.0 points and 4.5 rebounds per contest. He was named to the First Team All SEC, SEC All-Defensive Team and the Defensive All-American. He also ranked third in school history in games played (136), ninth in minutes played (3,802) and tenth in steals (147).
So clearly, the Heat didn’t draft no chump.
As a rookie, he averaged 6.6 points, 2.1 rebounds and 1.4 assists a matchup, in 21.3 minutes of play over 52 games. Maybe not the most impressive start to a NBA career, but certainly doing his part. This included a 19-point game against the Cleveland Cavaliers, as well as scoring 15 points versus the Golden State Warriors. He also recorded a15-point first-round playoff performance, in a Game 2 win over the Charlotte Hornets.
The potential was there, he just needed more opportunity. Which of course came with time.
So, let’s take a look back at four of Richardson’s best games of 2016-17.
December 27, 2016
On December 27 of last year, Miami fell short 106-94 to the Oklahoma City Thunder.
To jog your memory a bit, that was the day Josh McRoberts was ruled out indefinitely, again, with a stress fracture in his left foot.
The Heat were also without Luke Babbitt and Dion Waiters, who was still recovering from a torn Pectineus muscle in his groin. But most important was the fact that Goran Dragic too was sidelined, with lingering back spasms.
So it was up to Richardson to step up in his place.
And despite the final score, he did exactly that.
Finishing the night with 22 points on 9-of-16 shooting from the field, the young buck was the team’s leading scorer. He also managed to grab five rebounds, dish out three assists and catch one steal.
Tying a career-high isn’t too shabby, especially when it’s against a guy like Russell Westbrook.
"“He’s competing until the very end,” head coach Spoelstra said of Westbrook, following the game. “Every single possession is the most important possession to him. Great, great lesson … from somebody’s that is really imposing a competitive will on every contest. He did what he does. What defines greatness is consistency, and that’s what you can book pretty much every night.”"
It was games like this that proved the sophomore’s potential, and showed how valuable of a teammate he could be when tasked with more responsibility. He got out of his head and led the team in an honorable effort.
December 29, 2016
Richardson was feeling himself, coming off of a 22-point game.
After he tied his career-high at home against the Thunder, the guard recorded 20 points on the road, versus the Charlotte Hornets. On 8-of-14 shooting from the field (going 3-for-5 from downtown), no less. He also ended the night with 4 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 block and 1 steal. All in 33 minutes of play.
Dragic had returned by then, but it was clear he was still not one hundred percent. Although he put in 32 minutes and dished out an impressive eight assists, he finished with just five points. Not exactly representative of a guy who averaged 20.3 points, 3.8 rebounds and 5.8 assists on the year.
Unfortunately, Richardson’s big game wasn’t enough to keep the team afloat. Miami lost 91-82, as Kemba Walker totaled 22 points and Nicholas Batum had 16. The difference happening in the third quarter.
After an 8-0 run, the Hornets never looked back, shooting 56.5 percent as a team in the third. Despite No. 0 getting off eight points in the final four minutes of the first half, bringing the Heat up 49-42 going into the third.
So what happened?
"“We just weren’t coherent, didn’t get organized and made some sloppy turnovers and we paid the price for it,” according to Spoelstra."
A loss or not, this game was still one of Richardson’s best of last season. He showed consistency from the previous game, while being able to adjust to sharing the floor with Dragic, and kept a level head.
Nevermind that he proved his worth as a 3-point shooter.
April 5, 2017
Apparently Charlotte is a good matchup for Richardson.
The second-year finished with 19 points on 6-of-14 shooting from the field, the most impressive part being his 4-for-7 shooting from beyond-the-arc. And while he wasn’t Miami’s lead-scorer, you best believe he contributed to the team’s 112-99 defeat.
Dragic had himself a game, finishing with 3 points, 1 rebound, 4 assists and 2 steals in 33 minutes, while James Johnson also balled out; the forward totaled 26 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assists and 2 steals. Dragic shot 5-for-9 from 3-point land and Johnson went 6-for-7. Both, plus Richardson, combining to set a franchise record of 21 3’s, on 40 attempts.
"“They force us to play like that because they really pack the paint,” Dragic explained."
This win also put them back on the playoff map, despite Dwyane Wade and the Chicago Bulls eventually clinching the eighth seed in the Eastern Conference.
While Richardson certainly made it rain from downtown, he also showed versatility in the way that he also drove through the lane and made sure to made it to the line. And on the other end of the floor, the guard kept on Batum, keeping his lengthy arms in his face at all times.
The young fella played good basketball in April, period. Averaging 15.0 points, 3.2 rebounds, 3.0 assists, 1.5 blocks and 2.3 steals a game, it’s really a shame Heat Nation didn’t get a chance to experience playoff caliber Richardson, that time around.
Fingers crossed that won’t be the case this upcoming postseason.
December 30, 2016
It seems Richardson was on a role at the end of December.
After tying his 22-point career high against Oklahoma City on December 27 and scoring 20 versus the Hornets on December 29, the sophomore came out blazing the very next night.
On December 30 versus the Boston Celtics, Richardson totaled 19 points on 8-of-17 shooting from the field, once again taking the place of a back spasm-plagued Dragic. In those 35 minutes, he also recorded 6 rebounds, 8 assists, 4 steals and 2 blocks.
Talk about stuffing a stat-line.
The guard was taking care of business on both ends of the floor, evidently not at all fatigued from having two big nights in a row previously.
Now unfortunately, the Celtics took the win that night, 117-114. Sort of unavoidable, given that Isaiah Thomas put up 52 points, 29 of them coming just during the fourth quarter alone. He broke the franchise-record for most points in a quarter and set a new game career-high for himself.
But the Heat tried their best to put up a fight.
"“I’m not sure there was much we could do more,” Spoelstra said. “He’s one of the very best fourth quarter players in this league for that reason. He doesn’t shy from the shot in the moment now. Inside half court he feels like is within his rhythm.”"
Richardson was in his own rhythm though.
Next: What's next for Miami Heat big man Hassan Whiteside?
Last Sunday, Josh Richardson finished the Miami Heat’s first preseason game with 12 points, 3 rebounds, 2 assists, 4 blocks and 1 steal, in only 25 minutes. Here’s to only bigger and better, for the guard.