Nemanja Bjelica making case for minutes as backup center. Also, Iguodala out vs. Cavaliers
The Miami Heat is searching for a reliable backup center and Nemanja Bjelica is working to prove he can fill that role.
Bjelica, who is listed as a forward at 6-10 and 235 pounds, recently replaced rookie Precious Achiuwa as the big man used when starting center Bam Adebayo is on the bench. Bjelica responded with eight points, including 2-of-5 shooting on threes and one he made from 26 feet out, and two rebounds in 17 minutes in Thursday’s win over the Golden State Warriors.
“For me, mostly on offense, it’s a big advantage like last game I had the one deep three because I was playing at the five,” Bjelica said in advance of Saturday night’s matchup against the Cleveland Cavaliers at AmericanAirlines Arena. “So I just want to be on the floor to help my team win games and that’s why I’m here. One of the best organizations in the league, so it’s a big opportunity.”
Bjelica, who was acquired in a trade with the Sacramento Kings on March 25, is still learning Miami’s system. But he looked more comfortable in his third game with the Heat on Thursday after not attempting a shot in his first two games following the trade.
Jimmy Butler, who was also Bjelica’s teammate with the Minnesota Timberwolves in 2017-18, said following Thursday’s game that he wants Bjelica to “jack as many shots as he can.” Bjelica, who has averaged three three-point shot attempts per game in his NBA career, is still getting used to having that ultra-green light.
“That’s the only reason why I’m missing my shots because sometimes I want to do so many things,” Bjelica said. “I want to put the ball on the floor, I want to shoot the ball, also I want to pass. But for me, it’s the easiest thing to shoot. Of course, I’m here to spread the floor and to shoot because we have so many weapons offensively. When Goran [Dragic] and Jimmy drive to the basket, everything is open. For example last game, I didn’t force any shots and I took like five easy shots and one was like pretty deep and I like taking those shots. I just need more time to adapt and to adjust to the team.”
The Heat’s power rotation has been in flux recently, with Achiuwa spending the first two months as the backup center. Coach Erik Spoelstra then began using Chris Silva ahead of Achiuwa in a few games based on matchups and eventually Kelly Olynyk starting playing as the Heat’s big in the non-Adebayo minutes.
But with Miami trading away Olynyk and Silva on March 25 as part of the deals that brought in Bjelica and Victor Oladipo, the Heat is left with fewer backup center options.
In the first three games following the trades, Achiuwa again played as Adebayo’s backup. Achiuwa, 21, has seemed to hit a rookie wall recently, entering Saturday with 10 points on 5-of-13 shooting, 13 rebounds and nine fouls in his past four games.
Spoelstra then began playing Bjelica, 32, as the backup center in the second half of Wednesday’s road win over the Indiana Pacers, and he was again used in that spot on Thursday. Achiuwa did not play in the second half Wednesday and received his third DNP-CD (did not play, coach’s decision) of the season on Thursday.
With his outside shooting and playmaking ability, Bjelica brings an Olynyk-like skill set to the backup center role. Bjelica, who is in his sixth NBA season after spending the first part of his professional career in Europe, has shot 38.8 percent from three-point range in his NBA career.
“Whenever I’m open, I’m going to shoot the ball,” Bjelica said. “It’s not about that. I’m still trying to see our offense. It’s very easy to play when you have guys on the court like Duncan [Robinson] and Jimmy and Bam. They know how to play and like I said, I didn’t force anything and I had like five easy open looks.”
Defense is a work in progress, though, as Bjelica will be at a size and athleticism disadvantage against some centers around the league. Entering Saturday, opposing players have shot 7-of-10 from within six feet of the basket with Bjelica as the primary defender since he was traded to the Heat, according to NBA tracking stats.
Miami’s defensive scheme, which is designed to limit shots around the rim by essentially collapsing whenever the ball is approaching the paint, will help Bjelica on that end.
“Basketball changed during the years, a lot of teams play small ball,” he said. “This team is great. For example on defense when I blitz, it’s like five guys on defense. So for me, it’s much easier to adjust and to help my team on defense when we’re together like collapsing and taking care of each other. ... Here playing four or five, it’s different just like if we play against some team who has a big like [Joel] Embiid or whoever. It’s more like on the low post, we’re doubling.”
Of Bjelica, Spoelstra said: “He’s not a young player. He’s a highly decorated experienced veteran. He has been playing professionally for a long time and a lot of success particularly overseas. We feel really comfortable with him. I think it helps too that Jimmy played with him [in Minnesota]. So they already have a little bit of a connection and then defensively in our system, he’ll continue to get better because he has already been committed to that process.”
But Spoelstra cautioned not to read too much into this new wrinkle in the Heat’s power rotation.
“He has been learning everything through a fire hose this year,” Spoelstra said of Achiuwa. “I think it’s important to keep that all in perspective. I think if you look at this league-wide, this is what the rookie class looks like without a training camp and without summer league and then the whole player development programs that they typically get. He is a contributing player right now for us in the rotation. Depending on matchups and how the game is going, it might be bigger some games than it is in other games. So I wouldn’t read too much into it.”
All the while, there could soon be a new big man in the Heat’s mix. With two open spots on its 15-man roster, Miami must add at least one additional player by Thursday, according to NBA rules.
“As long as every night, you play hard and do your job,” Bjelica said. “Sometimes you have bad games and sometimes you have good games. At the end of the day if you win, everybody is going to be happy and we have a great chance with this team and we’re preparing ourselves also for the playoffs.”
INJURY REPORT
The Heat was without two players against the Cavaliers on Saturday: Andre Iguodala (left hip soreness) and KZ Okpala (health and safety protocols) were not available.
Iguodala surfaced on the Heat’s 5:30 p.m. injury report just before Saturday’s game. Okpala missed his seventh straight game because of protocols.
This story was originally published April 3, 2021 at 12:18 PM.
