Miami Heat: 3 duos to keep an eye on this season
By Chase Eyrich
Hassan Whiteside and Kelly Olynyk
Yeah, you can forget about the rising trend of small ball. Miami has the opportunity to put two 7-footers in at the same time. Risky, but it works. For a few games, head coach Erik Spoelstra has started to two side-by-side.
With Hassan Whiteside at the five, Olynyk has the opportunity to play as a four. Do you need a 7-foot, four? Or better yet can it even be effective? For Olynyk the answer is yes.
Against the Charlotte Hornets, the two big men started alongside one-another. The result? Double-doubles for both. Olynyk finished the game with 13 points and 12 rebounds in 29 minutes, Whiteside with 11 points and 11 rebounds in 24 minutes.
It seems like Olynyk just works better as a four. The former Celtic is good with his mid-range shot and probably has the best dribble moves out of any “center”.
The two also started with each other against the Orlando Magic and Whiteside was hungry. Recording 17 points and 15 rebounds, he played like a mad-man in just 26 minutes.
Against the Washington Wizards most recently, Whiteside took the night off and rested alongside Goran Dragic and Waiters. As for Olynyk, he came away from the night with eight points and seven boards in 22 minutes. Not quite as effective without The Great Wall.
Even though we know Whiteside can produce, he hasn’t as much without Olynyk. In the first preseason game against the Atlanta Hawks, Whiteside only collected eight points, shooting 2-of-5.
If Whiteside and Olynyk can continue to build chemistry and compliment each other’s games, why not play them together?