The Miami Heat have come to rely a ton on their three-point shooting. They use it, almost, as effectively as any team in the league, as far as how they go about it and how much of their success they let it dictate.
In examples on both sides, the Miami Heat rode that hot shooting all the way to the NBA Finals a year or so ago now, back in the NBA Bubble.
On the other side, they couldn’t get anything to go from anywhere in these past playoffs and especially from range, even the unconscious Duncan Robinson, though they just didn’t have much of anything, at all, when you really think about it.
As it can lead you to the promised land or be the reason you sink, the Miami Heat have looked to master the duality of the three-point shot. Adding another guy who can light it up from out there in Kyle Lowry, nearly 40 percent on over seven attempts from range last season, they will look continue their deep output this season… especially if one guy can find his range sooner than he has in the past two seasons.
Miami Heat: Jimmy Butler Needs To Get Going Sooner From Range This Year
While Jimmy Butler hasn’t really shot a ton of threes since joining Miami, certainly not making a ton of them in his first season, he made more last year and especially towards the end of last season where he seemed to, relatively, let it fly. He hasn’t been good though, in either year and regardless of relativities.
With two attempts from range last season and just over that in the season before, his first with Miami, Butler hasn’t been able to cross the 24 percent mark from deep. He shot 24.4 percent in his first season, while shooting just slightly better last season, 24.5 percent.
Again, neither is a good number, but Jimmy can’t let that deter him. He must not, as in fact, he has to be better from range this season.
Yes, no word-slip there, he has to. It’s as simple as his new and returning personnel.
Miami Heat: It’s Not Just For Jimmy Though, But For Everyone On The Team
With Kyle Lowry in tow to man the point guard duties, Jimmy won’t be asked to do as much there and therefore, back to his natural position along the wings. From there, he’ll need to let a few fly to allow his other stuff to work at full potential, while also allowing the same thing for his teammates.
Looking at some of the size or guys that can play wit size, such as P.J. Tucker and Markieff Morris, they will also need all the spacing they can get. Looking at real-life big guys, like Dewayne Dedmon, Omer Yurtseven, and a hopefully, more aggressive guy in Bam Adebayo, they’ll need Jimmy taking his fair share to maintain enough spacing and to keep the defense honest.
It’s actually just basketball physics. If Jimmy isn’t taking his shots, the defense can condense, shrink, and ultimately make things much harder for everyone, Jimmy included.
That’s the simple one-sentence version of everything else that was said before it. In any event, Jimmy and the Miami Heat, as a whole, would only serve to be better if he takes advantage of the range shot earlier on than he has been in Miami.
That may just be the difference from them being title-hopefuls or title-holders.