Three observations from the Miami Heat’s 109-90 win over the Chicago Bulls on Wednesday night to advance in the play-in tournament.
1. The Davion Mitchell acquisition has been a homerun.
Davion Mitchell came off the bench for the Heat and finished with 15 points on a perfect 5 for 5 shooting, nine assists, a steal and a block in 33 minutes. He was part of Erik Spoelstra’s closing lineup, and for good reason. His defense was as good as ever. If there were such a thing as a dagger defensive play, this was it.
Coby White worked to get Tyler Herro switched onto him, then Mitchell scrambled over and kicked Herro out of the matchup. Mitchell then glided over a screen, kept White on the sideline, and blocked his turnaround prayer at the buzzer to maintain Miami’s 15-point lead with 8 ½ minutes to go.
Since the trade deadline, no Heat player is averaging more fourth-quarter minutes than Mitchell. He’s quickly become one of Spoelstra’s most trusted players, and a staple in his closing lineup.
2. Tyler Herro’s floater
Nobody in the league has made more floaters than Tyler Herro this season, and he used his signature shot to shred Chicago’s defense.
Herro likes to get the ball on the move. He doesn’t have the quickest first step, so the Heat will run him off a handoff/pitch so that he can gain some momentum as he sinks his teeth into the opposing defense.
Against the Bulls drop, it was barbeque chicken. Over and over, Herro got into the paint, either for his floater or all the way to the rack for a layup.
3. Kyle Anderson’s defense
Anderson seems like such a Heat guy, doesn’t he? No frills. Efficient game paired with size and defense. Anyone who has played with him will tell you his basketball IQ is off the charts.
With Nikola Jovic out for the end of the season, Anderson emerged as Miami’s third big. He has solidified lineups when one of either Bam Adebayo or Kel’el Ware sits and has even moonlighted as a small-ball center.
In Chicago, Anderson made some stout defensive plays at the rim. He blocked Dalen Terry on a layup and even stripped the ball away from the bigger Zach Collins.
There’s more to this than just a well-timed swipe. Anderson bodies up Collins away from the basket and makes him work. Collins is forced to bring the ball down, and that’s when Anderson makes him move. It’s hard work, but important work for a team that will rely on defense as they try to make the playoffs.