3 ways in which Miami Heat can run their offense in the 2021-22 NBA season
The Miami Heat seem to be one of the teams with a more polarizing outcome than most headed into the 2021-22 NBA season. Their acquisition of Kyle Lowry for Goran Dragic is the headline, and one of the more significant moves of the recent offseason.
This gives the Miami Heat a wide variety of highly talented ball handlers in Lowry, jimmy-butler/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-is-sponsored="false">Jimmy Butler, and Bam Adebayo. All three are also gifted, physical and versatile on the defensive end of the floor.
The defense will lead to offense each night, but the lack of traditional point guards behind Lowry will require some creativity from head coach Eric Spoelstra in the halfcourt. We've often seen plays run through Butler, Adebayo, or Tyler Herro - Victor Oladpio may fill this role as well.
Here are three sets the Miami Heat can run in the 2021-22 NBA season
#3 - Stack
The Miami Heat ran a handful of stack variations last season and throughout the playoffs. It initially functions similarly to a pick-and-roll, but then adds an extension after the ball handler drives to either free a shooter or allow a big to gain momentum by cutting to the basket.
To lay it out in a basic manner, one ball handler (Butler, Lowry) is at the top of the three-point line and waits for a stacked screen of two teammates. The two screeners typically include one elite shooter (Robinson, Lowry, or Herro) and a big man (Bam, Dedmon) in that order. Meanwhile, the other two on the floor are posted in opposite corners.
Let's say Butler is the initator, while Robinson and Adebayo function as screeners. Butler would attack downhill to his right off vertical screens, causing the opposing big man to stop his drive. That leaves a two-on-one involving Bam and Robinson.
Bam would then set up a flare screen for Robinson, who shoots well off movement and often leads to a catch-and-shoot three opportunity. If the defense keys in on Robinson, Bam then rolls hard to the basket as an option.
If either corner defender helps off at any time, both Bam and Jimmy can hit them on a dime from almost anywhere on the court.