The Miami Heat get better as Trevor Ariza’s finishing at the hoop gets better.
Listen, it’s not that he’s not capable, but it just seems that it hasn’t happened yet. He has been aggressive and in example, take this attempt to stuff it on two defenders.
He was officially “blocked” here on this attempt, but it was probably closer to a foul than anything else.
Bam's always there 😤 pic.twitter.com/H1MIOTt5Lp
— Miami HEAT (@MiamiHEAT) April 8, 2021
It’s evident that in just about every game, Trevor has those one or two awesome drives where it seems as if they’re a done deal, but he just can’t convert. It’s been pretty bad.
Putting things into an even worse perspective, Ariza currently ranks last on the Heat’s roster in finishing via basketball-reference and is the only player who’s shooting under sixty percent from inside.
Considering his playing style, most viewers wouldn’t expect Ariza to have many inside attempts (for which he hasn’t), however, while still being one of the league’s most respectable outside shooters, Ariza has a valid understanding of recognizing when to attack via the dribble penetration.
His major issue seems to be that he tends to lack creativity with either hand, as he seemingly throws up prayers once he gets to the hoop. There’s an obvious showing of discomfort, leading to just bad execution.
Ariza must find a way to finish these inside chances, while hopefully finding a way to improve more sooner than later. The Heat’s offense is predicated on ball-movement, driving, and kicking, while his ability to get past defenders following late closeouts is vital to this team.
In a vacuum, if Ariza can improve his finishing abilities, it’ll really cause defenses to overreact if he just chooses to be assertive and consistent. It could be the difference in 5-7 extra points per game, which could be the ultimate difference in winning or losing.