Justise Winslow has been out for the Miami Heat’s last five games. It is no coincidence that in these absences, James Johnson has stepped up. Could he be working his way back into coach Erik Spoelstra’s rotation?
Heading into the playoffs, the Miami Heat are in a dog fight for their positioning. Coming off a necessary road win against the Washington Wizards on Saturday night, they head into a must-win game against the Orlando Magic on Tuesday.
Although all signs point towards Justise Winslow making his return to the lineup in the near future, it is unclear on whether he will suit up for this game or not. Have no fear, however, James Johnson is here.
James Johnson found himself out of the rotation for quite a few games before Winslow’s five-game absence opened a window for him to return. Quite frankly, Johnson has taken this opportunity to smash that window into a million pieces. He hasn’t blown one away with the numbers, but what he has done is once again displayed what makes him valuable.
If you look at Johnson’s numbers themselves, they don’t quite tell the whole story. With games of only 6, 14, 13, 4, and 13 points totaled respectively, that may not jump right out at you. If you look at the numbers a little closer though, you’ll see that he has achieved these numbers on rather efficient shooting. In all five games, save for the one against the Milwaukee Bucks where almost everyone was awful, he has shot no less than 45 percent from the field.
Again, and although the scoring or offensive numbers aren’t that abnormally large, he also has contributed across the board in his re-emergence of sorts. This versatility and across the board production is something that has come to be expected from Johnson, but wasn’t as present at times earlier this season.
Also with Winslow being out, Johnson has had the opportunity to remind every one of his other unique gifts on the basketball court. He can really defend. He also has the ability to guard across multiple positions, and take on some of the toughest defensive assignments due to his unique combination of size and athleticism.
As mentioned earlier, reports and chatter seem to indicate that Winslow is nearing a return, but that shouldn’t immediately cut into Johnson’s time. Not that he has offered production in the same area’s that Winslow does, but he has shown that there is value in playing him, and just again where that value lies.
Heading into a tough last stretch of the season and while contending for a playoff spot, Johnson’s unique skill set can definitely be of use. He provides another big body on the floor who can either penetrate or spot up for open perimeter shots. He guards all five positions at least moderately well, and can operate in most any position on the court.
When thinking about the actual playoffs, the Miami Heat may need someone to try to stay in front of guys like Giannis Antetokounmpo, Kawhi Leonard, or D’Angelo Russell. Johnson is one of the guys on this Heat roster best equipped to do so. Not only does he seemed to have cracked the rotation once again, but if the Heat know what’s best, he will probably stay a while.