Heat Notes: Martin, D. Robinson, Adebayo

Caleb Martin was removed from the Heat‘s starting lineup when they signed Kevin Love on the buyout market. He was productive in both roles, and has been a major difference-maker thus far in their first-round series against Milwaukee, as Anthony Chiang of The Miami Herald details (subscriber link).

Through four games (28.0 MPG) against the Bucks, Martin is averaging 13.5 PPG, 6.0 RPG, 2.3 APG and 1.3 SPG on a stellar .643/.467/.846 shooting line. According to Chiang, Martin leads all playoff players in plus/minus at plus-75, and he was particularly effective in Game 4’s fourth-quarter comeback, recording 10 points, five rebounds and a steal without missing a shot in the final frame.

“How many games can you have said that about him this year?” head coach Erik Spoelstra said when asked about Martin’s impactful playoff performances in the series. “That’s the kind of X-factor that he is. He has just a burst of energy and effort where you feel him immediately. He was really good for us as a starter. But I think as a bench guy, it just gives that instant change of energy that I think fits very well with that unit.”

For his part, the 27-year-old forward said he feels comfortable in high-pressure situations.

“Any way I can contribute,” Martin said. “Most of the time, I know it’s going to be on the defensive end. So to be able to come in and knock down timely shots when I needed to was big. I just felt comfortable in those moments.”

Here’s more on the Heat, who lead the series three games to one entering Wednesday’s Game 5:

• Duncan Robinson was an afterthought for much of the 2022/23 season, but he has emerged as a key contributor in the playoffs, writes Ira Winderman of The South Florida Sun Sentinel. Robinson only played 24-plus minutes in nine regular season games during his 42 appearances, averaging 16.5 MPG. But he has played 24-plus minutes in three straight games, averaging 14.3 PPG, 4.0 RPG and 2.0 APG with a scorching hot .682/.750/1.000 shooting line over that span. “Our staff and team is yelling at me on the shots I don’t shoot,” said Robinson, who turned 29 over the weekend. “So that’s a pretty freeing place to be between the ears, just knowing you got to go out there and fulfill your job to the best of your ability.” Robinson has gotten the opportunity for more playing time in part due to Tyler Herro breaking two fingers on his right hand, which required surgery.
• Bam Adebayo, an All-Star for the second time this season, has been listed on the team’s injury report throughout the series with a strained left hamstring. While it isn’t severe enough to prevent him from playing, the starting center says he’s receiving around-the-clock treatment on the injury, Winderman writes in another story. “Constant treatment, 24 hours,” said Adebayo, who sat out Miami’s Wednesday morning shootaround. “In the treatment room, three, possibly four times a day. And just trying to make sure I’m healthy enough to play and keep playing.” Adebayo added that he wasn’t sure when he first sustained the strain. The 25-year-old was listed as probable for Game 5 before being upgraded to available.
• In case you missed it, Victor Oladipo will likely have surgery later this week to repair his torn left patellar tendon, which he suffered in Game 2. There’s optimism he could return early next season, assuming the procedure and his rehab go well.