Miami Heat: What changes when Justise Winslow returns?

Combo Forward

For all the questions about Winslow’s star potential—and there are plenty—the former Duke Blue Devil is a proven defensive wall, and not too shabby of a playmaker either.

One of Miami’s best traits last year was the team’s ability to turn usually fast paced games, into slogs for teams that prefer the quicker tempo.

The Heat’s defense stifled the Los Angeles Lakers in the second of two matchups last year, holding them to 91 points. On normal night, the Lakers preferred to run at a pace of almost 101 points per 100 possessions, third fastest in the league.

But with its versatile defenders, Miami forced Los Angeles into 20 turnovers, while putting the brakes on the Lakers usually breakneck pace.

Part of that knack for refocusing the game on Miami’s slower, preferred pace comes from being able to switch on defense, without being subjected to mismatches. In the clip that follows, Winslow has switched on to the Lakers’ Ivica Zubac, a 7-footer with a 7-foot-4 wingspan.

Winslow is able to contain him long enough that Kelly Olynyk can provide help, strip the rock and start Miami’s own offense.

Though Olynyk makes the steal, Winslow’s ability to cover the mismatch without it going belly up is exemplary of Miami’s defense. It thrives on eliminating the “mouse in the house” game that skilled centers and forwards can take advantage of, when guarded by smaller players.

Unfortunately, without Winslow, Miami loses some of that leverage. With Winslow sidelined, the Heat have relied on Derrick Jones Jr. starting at power forward, alongside Hassan Whiteside.

Squint hard enough, and it’s possible that you completely lose sight of Jones in mismatches in the post. He’s listed at 200 pounds, but that likely includes his jersey, shorts, shoes and anything he could add, to breach the 200 mark.

Jones is naturally a small forward, and an athletic one at that. He crushed a dunk over three Hornets, all of whom knew better than to contest Jones on takeoff.

But defensively, he lacks the stockier frame that Winslow boasts.

Sure, Jones adds a bit more verticality and length to Miami’s lineups, but he is easily outmuscled when forced to guard the post. Through Miami’s first three games, Jones was tasked with covering Jonathan Isaac, Markieff Morris and Marvin Williams for the majority of the contests, all of whom are taller and bulkier than the Heat’s highest jumper.

Teams have yet to thoroughly abuse the smaller Jones, but against marquee matchups with Philadelphia, Boston or Toronto, expect Jones to be ran into the paint on consecutive possessions.

However, Winslow’s return would mitigate this problem, doing so without sacrificing quickness and offensive versatility.

Thus far, head coach Erik Spoelstra has been reluctant to play Whiteside and Bam Adebayo in the front court for more than short spurts. Neither is consistently shooting or playmaking, outside the post.

Even though Adebayo has proven his defensive quickness, he becomes a drag playing parallel to Whiteside on offense.

Winslow affords Miami better spacing offensively, allowing Whiteside to continue to lock up the paint, while still being a capable post defender in his own right. Help defense is at the core of Miami’s rotations, but until Winslow returns, abusing the post will surely be highlighted on the opponents scouting report.