Observations and what was learned from the Heat’s first extended scrimmage of training camp
After three practices to open training camp with little 5-on-5 time, the Miami Heat decided to use Friday to explore different lineup combinations and its new-look roster with an extended intrasquad scrimmage.
The scrimmage, which was held on the Heat’s practice court, was open to the media while about 30 kids from the Jr. Heat program watched. The Heat’s annual Red, White & Pink intrasquad scrimmage that’s usually open to the public will not take place this year because of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
“This was the most scrimmaging we’ve been able to do all week,” Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said. “So, we kind of wanted to build up to this and then let guys just run it out, even through some of the fatigue and some of the mistakes. It was really good just for our guys to get that continuing, feel for what it was like, up and down.”
Friday’s scrimmage consisted of four 10-minute quarters. Stats were not provided.
Here are some observations from the intrasquad game:
▪ Even at this early stage, it’s clear who will be in the Heat’s starting lineup. The five-man combination of Kyle Lowry, Jimmy Butler, Duncan Robinson, P.J. Tucker and Bam Adebayo opened the first half and second half of the scrimmage together.
Lowry, Butler and Adebayo spent most of the scrimmage playing together, and that wasn’t by accident.
“Definitely this is the first time we actually all got to be on the starting team together,” Adebayo said. “There was a bit of a mix-up, working through it. But it’s not something serious that we can’t get through. [Lowry] likes things a certain way, Jimmy likes things a certain way, I like things a certain way. Throughout the scrimmage, we were figuring it out. That’s pretty much what it is. Just figuring it out, getting comfortable with each other.”
Lowry, Butler and Adebayo teamed up for an impressive play late in the scrimmage, when Lowry threw an outlet pass that Butler caught in traffic to deliver a pretty alley-oop lob to Adebayo.
“I’m not even giving that a grade yet,” Spoelstra said when asked to assess where Lowry is at in the acclimation process. “I’m pleased with the first four days. I think we’ve been able to install and work on some things the first three days, and we were able to scrimmage a good amount day. We’ll have off [Saturday]. The scrimmage will give us some good things to study, as a staff. And get back at it on Sunday.”
▪ The lineup that opened the scrimmage against the Heat’s starting group included projected reserves Gabe Vincent, Tyler Herro, Max Strus, Markieff Morris and Dewayne Dedmon. Those five would appear to be Miami’s top five bench players, at this point.
The team featuring those five reserves won both halves of the scrimmage, 44-30 in the first half and 41-39 in the second half. The score was reset for each half.
“I mean, we’re really deep,” Herro said. “No different than any other team that I’ve been on here. We’ve put really deep teams together. I feel our starting five is very good, and we got a bunch of guys that can come off the bench and contribute in multiple ways.”
▪ The bulked up Herro had a few impressive assists during the scrimmage and threw down an emphatic right-handed dunk in traffic early on.
“It was just a dunk,” Herro said with a smile.
Late in the scrimmage, Herro and Morris switched teams to play with a lineup that also included Lowry, Butler and Adebayo.
▪ Strus stood out in the scrimmage. He made multiple threes, played solid defense and even had a dunk of his own in transition.
The dunk drew a reaction from the bench, when injured guard Victor Oladipo screamed: “That boy Strus is the truth.”
“I’m playing at an all-time high right now, for sure,” Strus said of his confidence. “I’m just going to keep building on what I’ve been doing. I have all the belief in myself and my teammates all believe in me, too. I’m putting in the work every single day.”
Vincent also shined in the scrimmage, playing in a point guard role. He scored at all three levels, making a tough driving laying, hitting a midrange jumper and knocking down at least one three.
▪ Omer Yurtseven, KZ Okpala, Marcus Garrett and Javonte Smart began the scrimmage on the team that included the starters.
Micah Potter, Caleb Martin, DJ Stewart and Dru Smith opened the scrimmage on the team with the reserves.
▪ Oladipo, who is still recovering from knee surgery, used the small breaks during the scrimmage to put up practice shots. Oladipo said Monday that there is not yet a definitive timetable for his return.
▪ Also, worth noting: The Heat announced Friday that Ruth Riley Hunter will expand her current broadcast role and serve as broadcast analyst and basketball analytics/player programs manager.
Riley Hunter is preparing for her fourth season serving as the Heat’s radio analyst on all home games as well as a television studio analyst for all home and road games.
This story was originally published October 1, 2021 at 2:11 PM.
