The Miami Heat are currently in the midst of trying to get their first-round series over early.
With their business against the Hawks, potentially, on the cusp of closing Tuesday evening, the Miami Heat find themselves with a prime opportunity to move on, get some rest, and all before their next opponent is able to complete their series.
With the Toronto Raptors on the ropes for the last two contests, watching Philly go up 3-0 out of the gate, the Philadelphia 76ers have proceeded to drop two in a row to allow the Raptors to climb back within one game of the series tie at 3-3.
While defense could have helped the 76ers avoid their consecutive defeats in that series, that’s also what has helped the Miami Heat gain such an advantage in theirs. When it comes to defending the guy that makes it all go for Atlanta and their best player, Trae Young, the Miami Heat have been next level.
Miami Heat: Playoff Defense On Trae Young Has Been Next Level
To quote the guy in question, himself, Young admitted after Sunday’s defeat that he hadn’t “been guarded like this … since like high school”.
It was noted here and after they contained him well in Game 1 of the series that they only had to be half as good as they were in that game against him to win the series, but it appears that they are contending to be that good every night when you look at their Game 4 showing.
Though he did have 25 in Game 2, the Miami Heat forced him into 10 turnovers, while he shot 2/10 from three. He had to work extremely hard to get it and though he got it, it wasn’t efficient enough to win at all.
He would finish Game 3, their only win in this series with 24, but he did most of that late and still shot only 2/6 from range in the process. To put it all in perspective, he’s averaging 16.5 points, 4.3 rebounds, and six assists across the series.
Trust, it’s not his best work.
Miami Heat: Young Hasn’t Been Defended Like This In A While … His Words
Looking back on Young’s numbers for the series, they don’t sound too bad until you consider a few other factors, such as the six turnovers he’s averaging per game in the series. This is also the guy they are counting on to lead them to the promised land, so he has to be better.
When you consider he has never averaged worse numbers across any regular season or his lone postseason run last season, it really makes you think about some things.
Considering that he was averaging 28.8 points, 2.8 rebounds, and 9.5 assists across 16 games and a trip to the Eastern Conference Finals against the Milwaukee Bucks last season, two games in which he didn’t play, this is probably some of the best defense that’s ever been played on Young.
The Miami Heat will have to do it one more time though on Tuesday to put the Hawks team away for good. Heading back to Miami with a chance to hang out a while in wait of their next opponent, look for them to do just that.