The Miami Heat took care of their business on Monday evening, beating Philadelphia in Miami by double-digit points in the end. Finishing the game with a winning tally of 106-92, the Miami Heat would get off to a good start in their second-round series.
As far as the second game of Monday’s doubleheader of NBA action goes, the Suns would also handle their business against the incoming Dallas Mavericks. They would get it done all over the court and from all angles.
One angle where the Dallas Mavericks were bludgeoned and something noted by their HOF head coach prior to the game, Jason Kidd, was their defensive protection in the middle of the paint and at the rim.
The way he did though is the story here, using the big men from his first-round opposition, the Utah Jazz, as the examples.
Jason Kidd on Suns centers: ‘This isn’t Gobert or Whiteside. These guys can put the ball in the basket’ https://t.co/23T62PEsBO
— Kurt Helin (@basketballtalk) May 2, 2022
Taking a shot or telling the truth about the Utah Jazz’s current crop of big men, a multiple-time NBA Defensive Player Of The Year award winner in Rudy Gobert and former Miami Heat big man in Hassan Whiteside, Jason Kidd explained that facing off against the Suns’ crop of bigs was different.
Let’s look a bit closer at that opinion.
Jason Kidd Shoots At Former Miami Heat Center And Game 1 Proved It
Through six playoff games this season, Gobert would only average 12 points per game, though he shot nearly 64 percent from the field in the process. The former Miami Heat seven-footer, Whiteside, would only average 1.8 points per game on just under 42 percent shooting, though he also only averaged about 11 minutes per contest as well.
If those numbers don’t do the trick, the Utah Jazz numbers, then the Phoenix Suns centers might.
Through seven games this postseason, Suns center, Deandre Ayton, is averaging 21 points, nearly 10 rebounds, and just over two assists across almost 35 minutes per game.
His main backup, JaVale McGee, is averaging nearly eight points, nearly four boards, and almost an assist per game in almost 11.5 minutes per contest. Monday night was no different.
They would finish with a combined 29 points, 11 rebounds, two assists, a block, and a steal in 47 minutes played.
Kidd Right About Former Miami Heat Center, But Likely Wishes He Wasn’t
When you consider that Deandre Ayton put up 25 points and eight rebounds to go along with JaVale McGee’s four points, three rebounds, and two assists, it looks like Jason Kidd was right.
Actually and to be fair, he nailed that one.
They are not the Stifle Tower and the former Miami Heat big man that just wants to “get his 2k rating up“. By the way, looks like he’ll need to work on that again.
The Suns’ bigs are something that the Miami Heat might want to keep their eyes on though, a potential NBA Finals opponent who can do work in the middle.
Ayton really thrives in the midrange area though, which would be a positive for a Miami Heat team that features Bam Adebayo as their starting center, capable of guarding along the perimeter as well as he does in the middle.
The Heat just need to keep handling their business though to make this prediction come true. As far as Kidd’s thought though, he was spot on, though he probably wishes he weren’t.