Miami Heat

Tyler Herro's confidence may be the only thing developing faster than his game since he reached the NBA.

The second-year guard out of Kentucky said Friday he has "one of the purest" strokes and isn't worried about his lagging three-point shooting percentage.

"I have one of the purest shots in the whole entire world, in the league," Herro said, per Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald. "And I feel like shooters go through slumps when they can't make a three, can't make a shot, but just sticking to the basics. I know what I have to do to get to where I need to be."

The 20-year-old shot 38.9 percent from behind the arc last season while attempting 5.4 threes per game in 55 contests. Through seven games this year, Herro is shooting just 29.7 percent from deep on 5.3 attempts per game.

It's a not insignificant drop-off given the guard has carved out a role for himself in the starting lineup and is playing 32.7 minutes per night after averaging 27.4 last season.

Herro's numbers are generally up from last year's, and his averages of 13.4 points, 6.4 rebounds and 4.1 assists may mark the low end of his production if he's able to rediscover his rhythm from behind the arc.

"I've got to be better," Herro said. "It's on me. It's not on anybody else. I'll be better. It's early in the season. I'm a team guy, so I want the team to do good before me and as the rest of my teammates are. We're all about the team, so I'm not really worried about my numbers. Obviously, I need to be more efficient, but as far as my numbers go, I just want to see W's starting to stack up on that win column."

After dropping a team-high 26 points in the Miami Heat's loss to the Boston Celtics on Wednesday, Heat forward Jimmy Butler spoke about the decision to play the game amid the uncertainty that followed a pro-Donald Trump mob that breached security and stormed the U.S. Capitol earlier in the day.

"Everybody knows what's going on in the world," he told reporters. "Can't hide from that. We see the two different USAs that we live in. It's sad. But all in all, we came to the conclusion we were going to hoop. We know what it is. You're not fooling us."

The Heat and the Celtics released a joint statement before their game, noting their anger with Wednesday's riot and the aftermath of it as well as their disappointment in the decision by prosecutors in Wisconsin not to press charges against the police officer who shot Jacob Blake, a Black man, over the summer, paralyzing him from the waist down.

The joint statement called out the differences between police involvement at Black Lives Matter protests nationwide over the summer compared to the mob that erupted inside the Capitol on Wednesday.

"It's just sad," Butler said. "Everybody sees it. Everybody knows it now. You can't say you don't understand it."

Players on both teams expressed similar sentiments.

On Wednesday, players on both teams took a knee during the national anthem, and the Milwaukee Bucks and Detroit Pistons knelt after tipoff.

The Miami Heat are reportedly willing to trade a number of pieces in a James Harden deal.

According to Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald, Miami would be "open to offering a couple of its young players" and perhaps even its 2025 first-round pick in a potential swap. Such a move would also require Andre Iguodala and Kelly Olynyk to be involved for salary-cap reasons.

That might not be enough for the Houston Rockets.

In fact, Jackson noted Houston might even turn down an offer of Iguodala, Olynyk, Tyler Herro, Duncan Robinson, Precious Achiuwa, KZ Okpala and first-round picks in 2025 and 2027 for Harden, who is unquestionably one of the best players in the league and could help the defending Eastern Conference champions compete for the title again this season.

Miami (3-3) has been inconsistent to start the season, alternating losses and wins.

Jimmy Butler's right ankle injury is one reason why, though the team is also playing less than three months after it finished its run to the NBA Finals in the Walt Disney World Resort bubble.

Harden is 31 years old with a resume that includes the 2017-18 MVP, three scoring titles, seven All-NBA selections, an assist title and eight All-Star Game nods. He has once again been an offensive force at the start of this season and is averaging 33.0 points, 10.8 assists and 4.8 rebounds per game.

While there are some holes in his playoff resume, pairing him with Butler and Bam Adebayo would bolster the Heat as they defend their conference crown against the Milwaukee Bucks, Boston Celtics, Brooklyn Nets and others.

It might just take a lot to get the Rockets to agree to a trade.

Dirk Nowitzki is not the type of athlete who is going to spew negativity, start a war of words in the media or revisit the glory days with the same intensity as he lived them.

Fortunately, he's got J.J. Barea for that.

While appearing on The Old Man and the Three podcast with JJ Redick and Tommy Alter, Barea admitted that Nowitzki "hated" LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh forming the Big Three with the Miami Heat and took it plenty personal during the 2011 NBA Finals.

"He hated Miami," Barea said. "He hated LeBron, Wade, Bosh. He's never going to say that, but he couldn't stand it."

The Mavericks won the Finals, 4-2, after the Heat won two of the first three games. But if it seemed like Dallas found a higher gear after Game 3, well, it did. And it appears to be because Nowitzki began to take the Big Three's style personally.

After the Big Three mocked Nowitzki's Game 4 performance, during which he poured in 21 points while ill, the veteran forward began to take over the series.

"When LeBron and Wade started making fun of him by coughing when he got a little sick ... that clip really hurt him," Barea said. "He will never say it, but he really saw the tape and that tape really hurt him. That gave him a little bit extra that he didn’t need, but it gave him a little extra to finish them off."

Whether Nowitzki ever admits to it—and a future Hall of Fame speech would seem like a fantastic time to do so—there's no denying how amazing a series the icon had.

Nowitzki averaged 26.0 points, 9.7 rebounds and 2.0 assists per game, winning Finals MVP, denying James his first ring and getting his revenge for Miami's 2006 title.

The lesson here: Don't make Dirk mad.

The Miami Heat will be without star Jimmy Butler for Tuesday's game against the Milwaukee Bucks because of an ankle injury.

Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel reported the news.

Butler suffered an ankle injury during a Christmas Day victory over the New Orleans Pelicans from which he didn't return. He has played more than 67 games in a season just once since he appeared in all 82 in the 2012-13 season.

The five-time All-Star is Miami's go-to option in crunch time. He helped lead the team to the NBA Finals last season while averaging 19.9 points, 6.7 rebounds, 6.0 assists and 1.8 steals per game and shooting 45.5 percent from the field.

While Miami will have difficulty replicating what Butler does when he's on the floor, it can turn to a number of other options. Look for Duncan Robinson, Tyler Herro, Andre Iguodala and Maurice Harkless to see more time on the wing in Butler's absence.

Still, the Heat likely need Butler back and healthy in the long run if they are going to defend their Eastern Conference crown.

The Miami Heat played the second half of Friday's 111-98 victory over the New Orleans Pelicans without Jimmy Butler after the star was ruled out because of right ankle stiffness. 

He had just four points in 16 minutes before the injury, although he added six rebounds and five assists as the Heat built a double-digit first-half lead.

"It was a group decision," Miami coach Erik Spoelstra said of the decision to hold Butler out of the second half, per Anthony Chiang of the Miami Herald. "He sprained it in the Orlando game and even in the second half, he wasn't moving the way he typically wants to and it just stiffened up. We really felt that the smartest decision right now is not to force it."

Butler dealt with a variety of issues last season, including ankle, toe and shoulder injuries, but was usually able to return quickly. He has still missed at least 10 games in six of his last seven seasons in the NBA.

The 31-year-old is a difference-maker when healthy, getting the year off to a strong start with 19 points, seven assists and seven steals in the season opener Wednesday.

Miami is looking for even more out of the guard after an impressive first season with the team after signing a four-year, $140 million contract. Butler ended 2019-20 averaging 19.9 points while setting career highs with 6.7 rebounds and 6.0 assists per game.

He earned his fifth career All-Star selection before carrying the squad to an Eastern Conference title and a trip to the NBA finals.

The Heat can handle a short-term absence thanks to the quality backcourt depth between Goran Dragic, Tyler Herro, Avery Bradley and Andre Iguodala. Bam Adebayo will also likely take on a bigger offensive role until Butler returns to 100 percent.

A long-term absence could still cause problems for the Heat as they try to contend with the best teams in the East.

Some hope for snow on Christmas Day, but Duncan Robinson and the Miami Heat made it rain.

Robinson set a Christmas record with six first-half threes against the New Orleans Pelicans, helping his team build a 66-53 lead at halftime.

The wing went 6-of-8 from beyond the arc in the first half, while the Heat went 13-of-21 as a team.

Brandon Ingram set the Dec. 25 record last season when he went 7-of-9 from deep on his way to 31 points in a 112-100 win over the Denver Nuggets.

Robinson tied this mark in the second half of Friday's game:

He finished 7-of-13 as the Heat closed out a 111-98 win.

Robinson is in his third season but has already established himself as one of the top shooters in the game, entering the day shooting 43.7 percent from deep. Only Steve Kerr, Seth Curry and Hubert Davis have a better mark in NBA history.

He can also get red-hot, making 10 threes in a single game last season and proving it again Friday.

Meanwhile, the outside shot was a key part of Miami's success during last postseason as the squad made a surprising run to the NBA finals. The team ranked second in the NBA in three-point percentage during the regular season and kept it going in the Orlando bubble.

It's clear the Heat are not slowing down to begin the 2020-21 campaign.

The Miami Heat are out of the James Harden sweepstakes.

According to Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun Sentinel, the Heat "no longer are engaging Rockets when it comes to Harden. Was told conversation never was more than cursory, but that, of course, always is a matter of perspective. Heat made clear on eve of 2018-19 season they were out of Jimmy Butler talks for that season."

Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald provided more context on Miami's reported stance on Harden trade talks:

While it's hard to imagine the Heat would part with Bam Adebayo in a Harden trade, they could still build an incredibly enticing deal centered on Tyler Herro. Other trade chips include Duncan Robinson, Kendrick Nunn, a bevy of future first-round picks and players like Andre Iguodala and Kelly Olynyk (to make the money work).

More than likely, the Heat and Rockets would need to get a third team involved or wait until later in the season, when other Heat players whose contracts were renewed this offseason would be eligible to be traded.

There are questions about whether Harden would be the best fit, both on the court and in the locker room. Would Jimmy Butler be willing to defer some of his on-ball, facilitating role for a player like Harden, who grew accustomed to playing in an iso system in Houston?

ESPN's Tim MacMahon reported last week that one of Chris Paul's biggest issues while playing with Harden was that The Beard "basically opted not to participate in the Rockets' offense when the ball wasn't in his hands, sometimes barely stepping over half court while spectating when Paul had the ball."

And would Harden blend into Miami's no-nonsense, hard-working culture? MacMahon reported that Harden had a whole lot of power in Houston:

"Unless they were on the front end of a back-to-back set, it was essentially a sure thing that the Rockets stayed overnight—or even an extra day—after games in Los Angeles, Phoenix and other road cities that rank among Harden's favorite stops.

"If the Rockets had two or three days between games, it was a good bet Harden would call for an off day and charter a private jet to party in Las Vegas or another city. He always gets an excused absence from the first practice after the All-Star break for the same reason."

Would he be granted the same privileges within Pat Riley's Heat? 

Superstars like Harden don't grow on trees. But the Heat also have a pretty good thing going with Butler, Adebayo, Herro and a Heat team that reached the NBA Finals last season. It isn't hard to see why blowing up the young core for a player who might be a bad culture fit would give Miami pause. 

The Miami Heat reportedly harbor "serious skepticism" about whether Houston Rockets superstar James Harden would fit within their culture of "discipline and dirty work."

Sam Amick of The Athletic reported Thursday one NBA executive views the Heat as a possible contender for a Harden trade because "you can never put anything past" team president Pat Riley, but the 2017-18 MVP's "recent antics" may lead the front office to steer clear.

"Jimmy Butler was one thing," Amick wrote. "But this—especially if it came at the cost of Tyler Herro—would be quite another."

Harden's tenure with the Rockets, which began in 2012, has come under the microscope as he remains the target of trade rumors heading into the 2020-21 season.

ESPN's Tim MacMahon reported Wednesday the team's philosophy in recent years could be summed up by the phrase, "Whatever James wants." This includes everything from giving him days off to go party in Las Vegas and allowing him to set the travel and practice schedules, to making roster moves based off his recommendations.

Matt Young of the Houston Chronicle noted Harden missed the start of Rockets' training camp because he was attending birthday parties for rapper Lil Baby in Atlanta and Vegas. The eight-time All-Star said he worked out with personal trainers throughout that time.

The 31-year-old Los Angeles native wouldn't say whether he's formally requested a trade, though.

"Right now, I'm focused on being here," Harden said Wednesday. "Today was good, yesterday felt really good being out there for the first time since the bubble. I hadn't really had an opportunity to do a lot of five-on-five work, but for my first time being out there, I think I felt pretty good."

Shams Charania of The Athletic reported last week the Heat were joined by the Brooklyn Nets, Milwaukee Bucks and Philadelphia 76ers as preferred destinations for the three-time scoring champion.

The Rockets aren't looking to move their best player at a reduced price, though. They're seeking a "mammoth package" that includes a budding star, which is why Herro's name was likely brought into the rumor mill, and a king's ransom of draft picks, per Charania.

Despite the endless stream of rumors, and the Rockets' previous trade of Russell Westbrook to the Washington Wizards, there's been nothing so far to suggest a Harden blockbuster deal is imminent. He's got two guaranteed seasons left on his four-year, $171.1 million contract.

Houston is scheduled to open the regular season next Wednesday when they host the Oklahoma City Thunder at the Toyota Center.

Miami Heat guard Duncan Robinson is doing his part to give back this holiday season. 

Per TMZ Sports, the 26-year-old partnered up with A-Sha Foods to donate 10,000 meals to families in the South Florida area in need.

TMZ noted that Robinson delivered the meals and helped to serve people in the Pembroke Park, Florida, area on Saturday. 

A-Sha has been producing ramen noodles dating back to 1977 when they were first made at a ramen noodle factory in Taiwan. It came to the United States in 2011 and has grown into a worldwide brand. 

Robinson is preparing for his third season with the Heat. He joined the organization as an undrafted free agent in 2018 and appeared in 15 games as a rookie. 

Last season was a breakout year for Robinson. The University of Michigan alum averaged 13.5 points per game on 44.6 percent three-point shooting to help the Heat reach the NBA Finals.