The Miami Heat can finally begin to lock in on their first-round opponents. With just two teams remaining before Friday’s deathmatch of a duel between Atlanta and Cleveland, the Miami Heat will know who the first challengers will be by the end of that night.
While that’s the other side of things, the Miami Heat have made one thing clear on their side heading into their first leg of the marathon. Their rotations will remain the same as they had been during the closing weeks of the season, apparent tweaks, absences, and all.
Erik Spoelstra indicates season-ending rotation will be playoff rotation.
— Ira Winderman (@IraHeatBeat) April 13, 2022
The brings up an interesting nugget of discussion though.
With Max Strus taking on the starting two guard’s load of minutes in place of Duncan Robinson, becoming a starter after the four-game losing streak that gave way to a six-game winning streak before allowing Victor Oladipo to have himself a personal showcase in the final game of the regular season, Strus has averaged just over 27 minutes per game in his six starts.
The Miami Heat are getting set for their first time to shine in the 2022 postseason. With rotations steady from the last few weeks, is Max Strus ready?
With the postseason getting ready to get into full swing for these Heat though, is he ready for the biggest moments of his basketball career? So far, his only moments in the playoffs came during last year with the Miami Heat.
With everyone knowing how that ended, the dreaded sweep to Milwaukee, Strus had a total of just five minutes and 47 seconds played. Yes, he is a much better player at the moment, but NBA playoff experience has to be learned and earned, it can’t be developed in an offseason or during the regular year.
Here’s the thing though and it sounds cliché because it is, but you’d have to lean on one of those old adages here—shooter’s shoot. It’s true in most cases, especially this one, because Big Max certainly is that.
He can take a while to get going, at times, but once he does, it’s a glutton of strikes from range that could potentially follow.
He’s more multiple than that too on the offensive end and though the defense still needs attention, from a development of the foot speed and recognition perspective, he is improving in every meaningful minute of action there too.
Again, NBA Postseason experience is key and he’ll have to earn that in trial by fire. However, with his gifts, his teammates, and the progression he’s shown so far, you’d think he’d be just fine.