The Miami Heat knew they would be without one of their top stars for a while, as of last week sometime, when it was concluded that Bam Adebayo would need surgery to best repair his thumb injury.
A UCL, the ulnar collateral ligament to be precise, Adebayo had the procedure out in LA at the top of this week, sitting him down for 4-6 weeks.
A few weeks back in their first matchup with the Chicago Bulls, with another set for this weekend, the Miami Heat saw their best player hit the floor hard on a block attempt of Alex Caruso.
With Caruso dunking on P.J. Tucker earlier in the game, it was no secret as to why Jimmy tried so hard to swat that one away, but it totally backfired.
That attempt saw Jimmy hit the floor hard on his backside, causing a tailbone injury that though, would allow him to finish that game, caused him to miss every game after that until this past Monday’s Memphis Grizzlies debacle.
Miami Heat: Caleb Martin Does Best ‘Jimmy Butler’ Impersonation
Not just a debacle because they owned the Heat, leading the game from wire to wire and as they had in three or four games before, but the Miami Heat also lost Jimmy Butler again. It was early in this game as well when he went up for a drive and once again— fell down extremely hard on that tailbone.
Talk about bad luck. As stated and as now known, the Miami Heat would not be able to regroup and sustain there, but then there was Wednesday.
In a contest against a team that has come to be one of your greatest nemeses and one that destroyed them last Saturday, they would be without Jimmy Butler. It wouldn’t matter though.
Caleb Martin came to play and in filling in for Jimmy Butler in the starting lineup, Martin did it all.
He has been working up to taking his deep shot with more regularity too and it really paid off in the Bucks win. Going 6/8 from range, he really had it going.
Miami Heat: Caleb Martin Does Best ‘Jimmy Butler’, But With A Better Deep Shot
For him, with his athletic ability, and his finishing ability once he uses the athleticism to get the cup— hitting his range shot is colossal. If he is hitting or can hit the outside shot, the defense has no choice but to run out and challenge.
With his ability to handle the ball, get to his spots, the rim, and then use the previously mentioned stuff to bring it all together— it often finishes with fireworks. That was the totality of his showing on Wednesday night and the Miami Heat needed every bit of it.
Every minute of action he gives is valuable, with his energy, his effort, his want to, his tenacity, and the spark that he provides off the pine. It’s no secret that he and Gabe Vincent have become, somewhat, of a reserve defensive dynamic duo.
That energy and “want to” is a huge part of that. If the offense can continue as it was on Wednesday though, he catapults himself into a different tier and type of player.
Going for 28 points, eight rebounds, three assists, two blocks, and all with just one turnover seems to qualify there. Again, the 6-8 from range is superb and the part of his game that will totally unlock the potential to jump a few tiers as a player.
The Miami Heat always find the Gems as it’s no secret. Caleb Martin is already paying dividends upon one of their most recent finds though.
That includes doing his best Jimmy Butler Impersonation against the Bucks— though with a much better deep shot (Sorry Jimbo). And you know what, you just love to see it.