There are certain guys that have always seemed, from afar, to be a great fit for what the Miami Heat are and want to do. Jimmy Butler was that way before arriving in South Florida.
Kyle Lowry is, without a doubt, another guy that perfectly slides into that mold. The Miami Heat also feature another guy that seems as though he’s always been destined to play right where he is.
That would be P.J. Tucker. Perhaps indicative of the fact and definitely not a coincidence, at the very least, he also just so happens to be playing some of the best basketball of his career.
His numbers are among the same as his career highs or close, with his fourth highest scoring, his fifth highest rebounding, and tied for his third highest assist season thus far.
You could also go as so far as to say that this might be his most productive and winningest situation, combined, outside of his 20-game Championship stint with Milwaukee last year.
He wasn’t as productive, but how can you knock a title. Also and yes, he had some pretty good years with the Rockets, but he didn’t seem to do as much with them as he has been freed up to do in Miami.
Miami Heat: P.J. Tucker Is Playing Some Of The Best Ball Of His Career
You see him put it on the floor more for the Miami Heat, you see him finish in more multiple ways than you have in other places, you see him initiate, and in fact, you see him do a little bit of everything. That’s on top of all of the other stuff he’s known for.
You know, the elite defense, being the smallest big dude on the floor at all times, and always one of the physically strongest.
On top of all of that though and somewhere where he is, absolutely, having his best year, is when it comes to his efficiency.
He is having the best all-around shooting year that he has ever had in his career and it isn’t even close. He’s shooting a whopping 46.7 percent from range and 55.7 percent from the floor.
That’s making the most of your opportunities.
Miami Heat: With P.J. Tucker Playing Like This, They Can Beat Anybody
He is also a very crucial part of the what the Miami Heat want to do.
That is what helps bring it all together. Here is how it breaks down though.
For the reasons of being as productive as he ever has, from a numbers and a raw performance standpoint, being as efficient as he ever has, and with this being his, most likely, title-contending team outside of the one where he helped win the title last year (though, again, not nearly as productive for them), you have to say that he his having his best year ever.
If it isn’t his best, it’s one of them, and there aren’t two that are better. That means it’s top-two, at the very worst.
Wherever it stacks up to the rest of his career and though you’re glad he’s saved his best for Miami, him continuing to do it is what’s important.
He should though, as that’s just how he’s built. And if he can maintain this level of play or close, the Heat should maintain their own high chances of contending for a title.