Miami Heat: Caleb Martin Playing Valuable Minutes Down The Stretch

While avenging a pitiful Thursday night loss to Boston, the Miami Heat pulled out a, 118-115, victory over the Utah Jazz on Saturday night. Whether or not the ending was supposed to be as emotionally taxing, a win is a win and the Heat have improved to a 7-2 record after outlasting the top seed in the Western Conference.

After creating separation in the second half, the Heat would squander a 19 point lead with five minutes remaining in the fourth quarter. However, the Heat would hold on but not before an interesting decision had loomed from coach Erik Spoelstra.

The decision saw him use his third year guard and current two-way prospect, Caleb Martin, in the game’s closing minutes.

Spoelstra went with Martin, who scored five of his nine points in the fourth and collected four rebounds on a night where the Heat needed several bodies against an elite interior center and the league-leading rebounder, Rudy Gobert.

The Miami Heat squeaked by Utah and you have to take it. They received a spark along the way from third year-guard, Caleb Martin.

For one of several highlight plays, Martin began his fourth quarter entourage with a reverse layup that tested all of the angles of the backboard before it became a made basket and would follow with a key rejection on former Heat center, Hassan Whiteside. 

Though they would rebound that possession to hit a three instead of that two, that particular block would prevent Utah from reaching a one possession game with 31 seconds remaining.

In hindsight, you can’t blame Spoelstra for using Martin down the stretch, although it would’ve likely been a different story if Miami were trailing. However, this seemed as an invaluable experiment for Spoelstra to trust a player who could possibly become a key rotational piece going forward.

It’s clear that the Heat have secured an intriguing prospect in Martin. It’s also clear that he’s shown a high level of confidence and apprehension to play at this level.

Prior to Saturday’s win, Martin had only appeared in a total of 71 games and in just 38 fourth quarter minutes through his career. In very short minutes though, Martin has displayed an ability to score in half court settings, in transition, and is an immediate highlight reel with his agility and quickness to run the floor.

That’s something to be impressed with and especially for a Miami Heat team in search of younger and athletic wings. In his six games with the Heat, Martin has averaged just under five points with a True Shooting Percentage of 58.8 and as Max Strus continues to work his way back from a left knee injury, the Martin experience will continue to roll on.

As it gradually appears as yet another scouting success for the Heat organization, the former Charlotte wing is slowly earning his stripes as a quality rotational NBA player and is making an early case to be with the Heat beyond his 50 game two-way pact.

Well, you’d want to if you’re the Heat, because the chances of him keeping this up seem to be very likely.