2020 NBA Playoff Hangover (Day 8): Miami Heat on to the East Semis

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Welcome to the Basketball Hangover. NBA Playoff Basketball is afoot!

The Miami Heat handle the Indiana Pacers in a sweep to move on to the East semis.

(PHOTO CREDIT: Getty Images.)

I didn’t think much of the Miami Heat before the season started. Jimmy Butler was going into a situation that felt combustible. Goran Dragic was seemingly on his way out. Dion Waiters felt like he was going to explode soon. We had some unknown young players in the mix. The only bright spot I thought Miami had was Bam Adebayo, who I felt was going to win Most Improved Player.

Well, I really underestimated Heat Culture then.

What I didn’t take into account was that this WAS the perfect situation for Jimmy. Butler was going to thrive in a situation where he was going to be held accountable. Butler was going to be great in a situation where his mad competitive attitude was going to get noticed. In “Heat Culture”, that competitiveness would permeate throughout the entire team. And if players are not with it, they’re going to get left behind.

That’s why James Johnson was dealt; he showed up out of shape. That’s why Dion Waiters was eventually exiled; because he couldn’t behave. Justise Winslow couldn’t stay healthy so they brought in Andre Iguodala, who went through the ups and downs of the Golden State Warriors dynasty. And that’s why all the young players like Kendrick Nunn, Tyler Herro, Duncan Robinson, and Bam Adebayo thrived. They had Butler and Dragic (who had been in the Heat longer than anybody not named Udonis Haslem) pushing them.

And sure enough, they were making noise throughout the season. We all know Butler’s story; he’s not the “most talented” of the bunch. He was the last player picked in the first round of the 2011 NBA draft. But he worked his way up in the Bulls rotation and eventually supplanted former MVP Derrick Rose as the #1 option. His fire is legendary in NBA circles. After a volatile stop in Minnesota and not fitting into Philadelphia‘s plans, he finally fit into a team that would match his work ethic in Miami. The player/team marriage was perfect. He averaged career-bests in rebounds and assists and Miami thrived as a whole.

It’s why the Heat took care of biz in Game 4 without Jimmy in the second quarter against the Pacers. Butler played with a hurt shoulder throughout the game. He couldn’t shoot but his gutsiness spurred Miami on. Now they await the winner of the Bucks/Magic series (although, let’s be real; they’re waiting on the Bucks).

If it’s Heat/Bucks, the Bucks are sure to be picked as heavy favorites. But I feel like it would be foolish to ignore Jimmy, Bam, and that damn Heat culture. They’re going to scrap and they’re going to scratch, claw, and bite the deer in this series. Maybe it’s a foregone conclusion that the Bucks advance to the East finals but they’re going to be beat up after that series.

Feel the heat, ladies and gents.

(VIDEO CREDIT: Glenn Frey’s VEVO.)

I just couldn’t resist.

Bullet Passes

Obviously, I am extremely angry about what happened to Jacob Blake. It’s an act of cowardice and an act of pure evil. Why try to kill this man? Is it because of the color of his skin? It’s so awful. It’s why you see Black Lives Matter plastered all over the place. We have to get it through people’s heads that their lives matter as much as white people’s and all they want is to LIVE. Ugh.

As for basketball matters, Brett Brown has been fired as Philadelphia 76ers head coach. This was expected. But they really shouldn’t break up that Joel Embiid/Ben Simmons duo. This can work. They just need more “accountability”, as Josh Richardson and Al Horford have mentioned in the past.

The Lakers wore Black Mamba jerseys on 8/24. They blasted off to a 15-0 start and never looked back. And of course, at one point, this was the score:

Also, we remember Damian Lillard‘s long bomb in Game 1. Well, LeBron James just had to counter in Game 4.

Dennis Schroder has been instrumental in the two Thunder victories over the Rockets. 29 points in Game 3 and 30 points in Game 4. Now it’s a best-of-three between those two teams and now it feels like anything can happen. Remember that they’re at a neutral court and the Game 7 advantage is NOT there.

The Bucks overwhelmed the MagicΒ as the got off to a 18-2 run in the fourth. Khris MIddleton shook off that slump and scored 18 points in the last 12.

Funny enough, there are three series sweeps in the East and one of them was not by the Bucks. They’re still playing! Just saying.

NBA Playoff Scoreboard

Game 4: #1 MIL 121 vs #8 ORL 106 (MIL leads series, 3-1)
Game 4: #4 HOU 114 vs #5 OKC 117 (Series is tied, 2-2)
Game 4: #4 IND 87 vs #5 MIA 99 (MIA wins series, 4-0)
Game 4: #1 LAL 135 vs #8 POR 115 (LAL leads series, 3-1)

Watch This Play

Try to keep Giannis Antetokounmpo out of the paint.

That’s why he’s the MVP.

There you go. I hope the bubblers stay safe!

Rey-Rey is on Twitter at @TheNoLookPass.

TNLP on FaceBook.

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