Point guard Kendrick Nunn hasn’t been getting it done for the Miami Heat in their three-game span inside the Orlando bubble.
The Miami Heat had large expectations entering the bubble in Orlando, and for the most part, have upheld on those expectations through their first three games. They’ve dropped just one game thus far, a wire-to-wire battle with the 2019 reigning champion Toronto Raptors.
Their two wins are impressive: a commanding defeat of the Western Conference two-seed Denver Nuggets and a victory over the Boston Celtics with Jimmy Butler sidelined. Some things have surprised, yes, but there have also been some disappointments across the roster.
For one, Meyers Leonard has yet to suit up for the team. After starting for the Heat in all 49 of the games he was available, head coach Erik Spoelstra has yet to play the big man. But more importantly, starting point guard Kendrick Nunn hasn’t looked even remotely like himself.
The 25-year old rookie and Rookie of the Year candidate is averaging 15.2 points, 3.3 assists, and 2.7 rebounds this year on an efficient 44/35/84 shooting split. Yet in Orlando Nunn has posted just 17 points over his three games played, and his shooting numbers are through the floor.
Spoelstra likely only hasn’t benched Nunn yet because of teammate Goran Dragic’s success within the role of the sixth man. But now he’s suffered an ankle sprain, and Nunn’s going to be put under a floodlight on Wednesday given the larger role he’ll have to play.
Butler’s also been ruled out for the Heat on Wednesday, with lingering soreness in his ankle. Bam Adebayo came up big against the Celtics, could the Bucks be Nunn’s time to shine? It would certainly help his case for a potential extension and future in South Beach.
He’s only under contract through next season, and his $1.6 million salary is non-guaranteed.
This makes his performance against the Milwaukee Bucks a real opportunity for Nunn to prove it’s just a bad stretch, and that he can serve as next man up with the Miami Heat missing their best player. And he’ll have his work cut out for him with Eric Bledsoe as his main defender.
The two team’s recent history suggests Nunn should have at least a better performance against the Bucks than what we’ve seen from him so far in Orlando. Miami is 2-0 against the Bucks this year, and the point guard is averaging 15.5 points on 44 percent shooting from the field.
Still, in this kind of slump, he’d be far better off playing a number of teams that aren’t housing an All-Defense point guard in their starting five. If Nunn can’t make the most of Wednesday’s matchup, then coach Spoelstra will have some tough decisions to make in the near future.
Once Dragic returns to full health, he’ll have a legitimate argument for the starting job, despite his success with the second unit. He’s a 12-year veteran with the IQ to match. The Dragon can run this offense much smoother and has been putting on a defensive campaign in the bubble.
The Miami Heat’s game against the Milwaukee Bucks has more than playoff implications. If point guard Kendrick Nunn can’t turn things around, they may be in for a lineup change.