Miami Heat: Duncan Robinson Was A Top Defender In Bucks Series

The Miami Heat saw great improvement from Duncan Robinson this season on defense, though more is needed.

As a defender, it’s all you can really do, as sometimes great defense just isn’t enough on better offense. While this final possession for the Bucks resulted in a Khris Middleton go-ahead basket to seal Game 1, you couldn’t have asked Duncan to defend this any better.

With an initial clear-out, Middleton calls for a high-screen from Brook Lopez. In an effort to get to one of his favorite mid-range spots, an area where much of Middleton’s game has been patented throughout his career, he does so to convert a huge game-winning shot.

As Middleton gets the switch on Trevor Ariza, Robinson collapses and denies any sort of available entry pass to the much-taller Brook Lopez. Duncan, however, realizes that Bam Adebayo is in position to recover on Lopez and still gets out for an excellent shot-contest on Middleton.

While the Heat defense was just as helpless at it had ever been, to see Robinson make strides in this series puts him closer to becoming a plus defender moving forward. The effort was there.

Needless to say, the occasional lapses and silly fouls remain an issue (led Miami with 13 fouls for the series, including five in Game 4) for Duncan, but there should be hope that he remains with the organization which has helped him make those leaps and bounds. That stands for both ends of the floor.

This upcoming summer, Robinson enters as an Restricted Free Agent, where he could command as much as $20-25 million a year and it’ll be the Heat’s choice to match any offer for him. There is a scenario where Robinson could receive a deal similar to Brooklyn Nets forward Joe Harris, who signed a four-year and $75 million contract with an annual salary just under $19 million back in November of last year.

Regardless, teams should definitely look into the strides Duncan has made defensively. As great of a specialist for which he already is, there’s much of the game that he still needs — and will continue to learn at a strong progression.