The Miami Heat have big aspirations for the rest of the season. With an NBA Title being a very feasible goal for this squad, they’ll need all of their guys operating at a high level.
First though, they needed to get all of their guys back into some form of consistent action. While a few guys have missed substantial time this season, Jimmy Butler with various injuries, Kyle Lowry and his personal situation, Bam Adebayo‘s thumb, and Victor Oladipo’s recovery, to name a few—none of them were quite like Markieff Morris’s situation.
Having been out since November after the incident between him and Denver Nuggets MVP center, Nikola Jokic, Morris is just finding himself able to get back on the court for the Miami Heat. While that scenario is still a murky one, for a few reasons, that is all behind them now.
It couldn’t have come at a better time though, as the Miami Heat are hitting the stretch run of their season. This is the time for fine-tuning and polishing things up as a team to make a run.
The Miami Heat may be the deepest team in the league, with multiple capable guys at every spot. With Markieff Morris back, that level rises even more.
With the multitude of talent available for Coach Erik Spoelstra, that decision may come with a bit more work than some others, however, there should always be a role for a guy like Morris. Upon first hearing of his signing by the Miami Heat, you knew that Morris would bring toughness, size, and physicality with him.
Markieff Morris hooks & hits!@MiamiHEAT | #HEATCulture pic.twitter.com/NpLvyYAwfo
— Bally Sports Sun: HEAT (@BallyHEAT) March 13, 2022
If you are familiar with his game though, you also know that he has a very versatile skillset that includes the ability to finish inside, in the midrange, and out at the three, while he also brings another special quality with him. Markieff never saw a shot attempt that he didn’t like—or could at least, get familiar with.
For a Miami Heat team like this one, like quite a few of their most recent additions to be quite honest, a guy that can find a shot at the end of the clock or when they are stagnant can be quite valuable. That goes multiple times over for a guy that creates, takes, and makes shots from all three levels.
While you don’t necessarily want him doing a ton of this on his own from long range, you also can’t be mad at him for attempting a few, as he can create and make shots in a multitude of ways. His ability to create offense was one of the selling points when he came.
It had to be. It’s something that any team can use, especially from one of the big man spots, and definitely when the team can be as challenged in the area as Miami can get at times during a contest.
Markieff Morris missed nearly 60 games of action before coming back to the lineup and while it was totally a lot of games, he hasn’t forgotten how to get to his own game on the floor. It’s apparent too, as Keef has shown more than capable of jumping right back into the fray for Miami.