Heat in 5: Jaime Jaquez Jr.'s growth in 1 key area, the Knicks game, and more
By António Dias
3️⃣ Forcing errors on pick-and-rolls
The Heat are forcing more turnovers on pick-and-rolls -- almost three a game this past week -- by getting more people on the ball, more pressure on the handler and steering the offense to misguided passes toward the paint, where their back line can clean things up.
In the first clip, the Bulls are looking for a simple side pick-and-roll between Coby White and Nikola Vucevic. But Highsmith is lurking. Nudging up from the short corner, Highsmith waits for White to take his eyes off the ball before poking at it. Meanwhile, Lowry applies on-ball pressure and Adebayo hangs around a bit more before returning to Vucevic. Right before White turns the ball over, he has three Heat defenders in his face.
In the second clip, Jaquez is basically defending the pick-and-roll as a third man. His man is technically Patrick Williams but he floats to the middle of the floor to take away the two-on-one between Alex Caruso and Drummond against Adebayo. Caleb Martin is alert on the weak side, monitoring the cutting Williams. With Adebayo deeper than he would've been without Jaquez there, he is able to close on Williams with Martin and force the turnover.
In the third clip, Duncan Robinson quickly solves Chicago's double screen and goes with Caruso. Butler trails and avoids the Vucevic pick by going over the first screen, then quickly joins Adebayo to trap LaVine on the sideline. Just like that, you have two of the most disruptive defenders in the league on the ball while Robinson is playing both the roller and Caruso. The risk the Heat took by allowing Vucevic to roam free pays off.
In all of these plays so far, there's always someone open for a split second, but if the ball-handler doesn't find him in that moment, the window closes and the Heat are in position to deflect or intercept the pass.
The last one is just connected, instinctual defense. Butler hedges the screen, Craig Porter passes to Darius Garland on the ball-reversal, which prompts the Heat's defense to switch. Highsmith reads the play perfectly, speeds up to catch Evan Mobley and intercepts the pass.