Duncan Robinson

Heat Notes: Rozier, NBA Cup, Ware, Larsson, Love

November 27th, 2024 at 7:28pm CST by Arthur Hill

Terry Rozier returned Tuesday after missing two games with discomfort in his right foot, but he wasn’t in his usual spot in the Heat‘s starting lineup, writes Anthony Chiang of The Miami Herald. Rozier came off the bench for the first time this season, and just the second time since being acquired in a trade with Charlotte midway through last season. After scoring 17 points in 21 minutes in a loss to Milwaukee, Rozier said he’s willing to accept the new role.

“It’s who finishes the game. It ain’t who starts,” he said. “I think a lot of people want to start in this league. I’ve started for a while, and it’s not final. Like coach said, it’s nothing against me. It’s just trying something new and I’m going to roll with it. It’s a little adjustment that I’m willing to make as long as coach needs me to.”

Miami won both games when Rozier was sidelined while using a new starting lineup with Duncan Robinson joining Tyler Herro, Jimmy Butler, Haywood Highsmith and Bam Adebayo. Coach Erik Spoelstra has decided to keep that unit intact, even though Chiang points out that it has been outscored by 21.4 points per 100 possessions over the three-game stretch.

“I feel for Terry because, well one, he got hurt. And we’re at the beginning of a season right now where we’re searching,” Spoelstra said. “So the starting lineup is not an indictment at all on him. We had something that worked for two games. So, of course, we’re going to stick with that right now because we’re not where we want to be.”

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Tuesday’s loss virtually eliminates any chance of the Heat advancing in the NBA Cup, Chiang adds in a separate story. Miami is now 1-2 in the tournament and would need a lot of help to move on, even with a victory Friday against Toronto. “It’s disappointing,” Spoelstra said. “… We wanted to be there in Vegas.”
Despite the loss, there were some encouraging signs from the team’s 2024 draft selections, per Ira Winderman of The Sun-Sentinel. First-round pick Kel’el Ware and second-rounder Pelle Larsson were both on the court during a fourth quarter rally that nearly erased a 22-point deficit. Larsson played 22 minutes off the bench, the most of any Heat reserve, while scoring eight points, and Ware posted a +11 plus-minus rating in roughly nine minutes of action. “I like both of their processes right now,” Spoelstra said. “They’ve committed to all the player development. They don’t look at us crazy, with what we have on their schedule every single day. Pelle’s been getting the minutes, so he’s been able to show that to everybody else. But Kel’el’s been doing that behind the scenes, so he’s been showing the staff and his teammates.”
Kevin Love is missing his ninth game of the season tonight after being held out of the second half of Tuesday’s contest with back spasms, Winderman adds in the same piece. Love’s first eight absences were due to a personal matter.

Heat Notes: Lineups, Rozier, Robinson, Herro, Tax, Defense

November 21st, 2024 at 7:44pm CST by Tristan Tucker

Injuries have forced the Heat to switch up their starting lineup in recent weeks, but it may have been time for a change anyways, as Anthony Chiang of the Miami Herald observes that Miami’s season-opening lineup has the worst net rating of any group that has played at least 90 minutes together this season.

The Heat moved Nikola Jovic to the bench earlier this month and Terry Rozier missed Monday’s game against the Sixers due to a foot injury. That prompted coach Erik Spoelstra to start Duncan Robinson, Tyler Herro, Jimmy Butler, Haywood Highsmith and Bam Adebayo, a lineup that holds some serious intrigue for continued use, Chiang writes.

“If you look at the core four and then you add [Highsmith] — he’s been with us since the post-COVID year — those are our most experienced guys in our program,” Spoelstra said. “So they understand exactly what we’re trying to get to. Even though we’ve made some adjustments, they know what our core tenets are.”

While those five players have been playing together for several seasons, that specific lineup had only played two minutes this season until Monday. They didn’t play together at all last year, as several members of Miami’s core dealt with injuries. Despite not having much time on the court together, being around each other during the offseason and practices over the years adds up.

“I mean, there’s a lot of continuity there,” Robinson said. “I guess you say we’ve only played together for [a few] minutes. But I’ve logged a lot of hours with JB, I’ve logged a lot of hours with Bam, H, Tyler. We’ve just been on the court a bunch together — practice, games, walkthroughs, everything. So there’s a lot of familiarity there, regardless of the fact that we’ve only played [a few minutes together]. It doesn’t mean that we don’t have that continuity and that connection.”

The Heat may replace Robinson with Rozier when the latter returns from injury but – pending the results of more time spent on the court for this group – they could also opt to move Rozier to the bench. Miami traded a first round pick and Kyle Lowry for Rozier last season.

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The two-man duo of Herro and Robinson has been one of the more impressive units for Miami, Chiang writes in the same piece. Herro is shooting 45.2% from three on 9.7 attempts per game while Robinson is shooting 36.6% on 6.8 attempts. Lineups featuring the duo boast an offensive rating of 124.3, which would rank first in the NBA. “I think at this point, they both understand how they can confuse defenses and they’re finding a sense of joy in playing off each other,” Spoelstra said. “… I think they’ve really embraced that. They’ve both grown with their skill set, both grown with their ability to do it as a screener or as a ball-handler or just moving constantly.” Robinson holds an early termination option worth $19.89MM after this season while Herro is under contract for two more seasons after this one.
The Heat are on track to pay $26.9MM in tax penalties if they don’t trim their payroll before the end of the season, Chiang writes in a separate story. Eric Woolworth, the president of business operations for Miami, recently offered thoughts on the team’s situation on Chris O’Gorman’s “Questions for Cancer Research” podcast (YouTube link). “Nobody wants to pay a luxury tax,” Woolworth said. “Increasingly, it’s super punitive. … Certain teams never pay the tax; they just won’t. I respect that. It’s harder to win if you have that mentality, but I understand either because of market size or philosophy. There are certain teams who don’t seem to mind paying it and are consistently above the tax level and some of those teams have won a lot. And there are teams like us who are sort of opportunistic. … It’s a strategic strike kind of mentality and that’s the way we’ve approached it, and pretty successfully, with three championships and seven Finals appearances. If that’s what it takes to win at any given time, we will go for it. If we can get out [of the tax] and still compete for championships, that’s even better.” Chiang’s sources indicate the Heat are open to making trades at or before the deadline if they can improve the roster.
Alec Burks, Kevin Love and Dru Smith have been among the players leading the charge for Miami’s defensive improvement in the early part of the season, James Jackson of The Athletic writes. Smith, on a two-way deal, has played strong defense without fouling, while Love’s rebounding has helped the Heat improve in that category.

Heat Notes: Love, Jaquez, Third Quarters, Rotation, Larsson, Ware

November 5th, 2024 at 8:45pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Kevin Love won’t make his season debut on Wednesday. The veteran power forward has already been ruled out by the Heat for their road game in Phoenix due to “return to competition reconditioning,” the Miami Herald’s Anthony Chiang tweets.

Love recently returned to the team after missing the first few weeks due to personal reasons.

Jaime Jaquez Jr. will also miss Wednesday’s contest due to a stomach illness. Jaquez didn’t travel to Phoenix but is expected to rejoin the group at some point during the team’s six-game trip, Chiang adds in a separate tweet. Love did make the trip to Phoenix and is expected to make his season debut during the road swing.

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The team has a third-quarter problem and might need to tweak the lineup to fix it, according to the Miami Herald’s Barry Jackson. Replacing Nikola Jovic with Jaquez or Haywood Highsmith might be the simplest way to address the problem, according to Jackson, who notes that Miami has outscored opponents by 17 points in the first quarter, 25 points in the second quarter and 17 in the fourth but has been outscored by 52 in the third. The Heat are the NBA’s lowest-scoring team in the third quarter.
Despite the absences of Love and Jaquez on Monday, coach Erik Spoelstra went 11 deep into his bench during the first quarter alone, Chiang writes. Highsmith and rookie Pelle Larsson were the first two players off the bench, followed by Alec Burks, Thomas Bryant, Josh Richardson and Duncan Robinson.
Larsson continues to look like one of the steals of the draft. The No. 44 overall pick had 13 points, two rebounds and two assists in 25 minutes on Monday, Chiang adds. “He is a two way player,” Spoelstra said. “Even though he’s a rookie by NBA standards, he has a great deal of competitive experience. He’s savvy, has the toughness we like, can guard multiple positions.”
The Heat’s first-rounder, Kel’el Ware, has been forced to take a wait-and-see approach. He has only made two brief appearances off the bench. “I can’t control what the Coach does,” Ware told Chiang. “So whenever coach Spo decides to put me in, I’ll be ready.”

Heat Notes: Adebayo, Richardson, Lillard, Love, Robinson

November 3rd, 2024 at 8:43pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Bam Adebayo erupted offensively during the Heat‘s game against Washington in Mexico City on Saturday. Adebayo poured in 32 points after averaging only 11 points in the first four games. Adebayo said his teammates were determined to get him the ball, according to Anthony Chiang of the Miami Herald.

“My teammates got me going from the jump,” Adebayo said. “We’re pros, man. Once we see the ball go in a couple times, it becomes like an ocean. Then you just get in a flow and you just get locked in, and it just feels like the ball is going to go in every time for you.”

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Josh Richardson played 16 minutes in his season debut on Saturday and didn’t score. Richardson, who has been battling shoulder, heel and calf injuries, had one assist and a rebound. “Great to be back out there. Lot of rust to knock off, but I’m grateful!” Richardson tweeted.
Could the Heat make another run at Damian Lillard, as they did in the summer of 2023? Ira Winderman of the Miami Herald believes that could happen if Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo requests a trade. Winderman also anticipates the price tag for Lillard would be reduced, compared to the package Portland was seeking last year, given the guard’s age and contract.
Kevin Love could make his season debut on Monday. The veteran forward is listed as available after missing the first five games due to personal reasons, Winderman tweets. Duncan Robinson, who missed the game in Mexico City for personal reasons, will also be available for Miami’s contest against Sacramento.

Heat Notes: Robinson, Jaquez, Butler

September 16th, 2024 at 9:58pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Duncan Robinson missed nine games late in the regular season due to a back injury, then was limited during last season’s playoffs. Robinson says he’s fully recovered from that ailment as Heat training camp approaches, Anthony Chiang of the Miami Herald reports.

“I feel great,” Robinson said. “We took all the necessary steps, seeing who we needed to see. Not restricted in any way. Have [not been limited] for the better part of eight weeks. Playing pickup. No limitations. It’s still a focus and emphasis in terms of what I’m doing in the weight room. [But it] hasn’t given me any issues. It was a rude awakening turning 30 [this past April] and having back issues within a month. Father Time is undefeated.”

Robinson has two years remaining on his five-year, $90MM contract.

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After losing Caleb Martin in free agency, the Heat need to fill that void by finding a new defensive stopper. Jaime Jaquez Jr. says he can assume that role, according to Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun Sentinel. “I think obviously with losing Caleb this year, I think there’s definitely going to be a hole to be filled when it comes to the defensive side of the ball and a guy that can really go out there and stop the other team’s best player or whoever’s got it going that night,” Jaquez said. “I think my role can definitely evolve into somebody who Coach just decides, ‘Hey, Jaime I want you to go guard the best player and chase him and stop him.’ I think that’s the way my role can evolve.”
Addressing a report that the Warriors are monitoring Jimmy Butler, Winderman says he anticipates Butler’s future will continue to be a hot topic unless the Heat get off to a solid start or the forward signs an extension. However, Winderman also notes that under the CBA and its prohibitive tax aprons, blockbuster deals are more complicated and more difficult than ever.
In case you missed it, free agent forward Nassir Little is reportedly working out for the Heat. Get the details here.

Heat Notes: D. Robinson, Butler, Draft, CBA

May 10th, 2024 at 10:59pm CST by Luke Adams

After a down year in 2022/23, Duncan Robinson enjoyed perhaps his best season as a pro in ’23/24. The Heat forward boosted his scoring average from 6.4 to 12.9 points per game, made 39.5% of his three-pointers, and handed out a career-high 2.8 assists per contest.

As Ira Winderman of The South Florida Sun Sentinel (subscription required) writes, Robinson’s five-year, $90MM contract once looked like an albatross that the Heat would have trouble moving. But with just two years left on the deal (at $19.4MM and a partially guaranteed $19.9MM), Winderman suggests that Robinson looks like a reasonable investment — especially since he believes, after turning 30 last month, that he still has room to improve.

“I just turned 30, which is crazy,” Robinson said. “But what might even be crazier is I still think I’m far from a finished product. And maybe people say 28 to whatever is your prime, but I feel like prime is still ahead of me, so we’ll see.”

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Jimmy Butler remains committed to the idea of finishing his NBA career with the Heat, he recently told Rohan Nadkarni of GQ. “I feel at home, man. I really care about the city, I really care about the people in this city,” Butler said. “Miami has embraced me. They’ve wanted me to bring them something they haven’t done since LeBron, D-Wade and C-Bosh. And I want to do that. So as soon as I get this knee back right, I’m right back on they ass and everybody know it.” For what it’s worth, Butler made those comments to Nadkarni a couple days before Pat Riley‘s end-of-season press conference, though there has been no indication that any of Riley’s comments about his star forward will change Butler’s thinking.
While Riley has spoken in the past about not being “a draft-pick guy,” this will be the third straight year that the Heat own a first-rounder, according to Winderman, who notes that the team has used those picks well in recent drafts, selecting Nikola Jovic at No. 27 in 2022 and Jaime Jaquez at No. 18 in 2023. Following the team’s first-round playoff exit, Miami’s front office will have the better part of two months to focus on how to use this year’s 15th and 43rd overall selections, which head coach Erik Spoelstra joked might be too much time. “I figure I had three days to get up to the draft last year,” Spoelstra said. “The eight weeks leading up to (this year), I think I’ll be just probably over-confused from over-analysis. I’ll stay out of the way. Like now that I have more time, I’m probably dangerous. I’ll stay out of the way of our scouting department. They do an exceptional job, (general manager) Adam Simon and his staff, preparing for that draft.”
In a pair of stories for The Miami Herald, Anthony Chiang presents a player-by-player breakdown of what’s next for everyone on the Heat’s roster, while Chiang and Barry Jackson take a closer look at how the NBA’s new Collective Bargaining Agreement will affect Miami’s roster flexibility this summer.

Heat Notes: D. Robinson, Highsmith, Wright, Jaquez, Swider, Butler

May 3rd, 2024 at 9:31pm CST by Luke Adams

Duncan Robinson, one of several Heat players affected by health issues this season, said on Friday that – based on the medical feedback he has received – he has no reason to believe that his back issue will “linger or last,” per Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald. Robinson missed nine of the team’s final 14 regular season games due to the injury and played a limited role in the postseason.

The Heat were among the teams most affected by injuries for a second straight season in 2023/24, setting a new franchise record by using 35 different starting lineups. Speaking to reporters on Friday, head coach Erik Spoelstra said the team will do its homework this offseason to see if anything can be done to reduce its players’ injury risk going forward.

“We’re going to look at everything,” Spoelstra said, according to Anthony Chiang of The Miami Herald. “Because it’s not all apples to apples. I think what we do in terms of getting guys ready and in shape helps with soft tissue stuff. It’s the other stuff that we have to take a dive into. Two seasons ago, we were good. The last two seasons are a little bit skewed based on guys that missed the entire season that weren’t fully in our rotation. But that doesn’t also absolve it. We want to look at all the different angles on this.”

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During their end-of-season media sessions on Friday, unrestricted free agents Haywood Highsmith and Delon Wright both expressed a desire to re-sign with Miami, according to Jackson and Chiang. “Definitely want to stay in Miami. My family lives here, my daughter lives here. That’s a priority to be around my daughter a lot,” Highsmith said, adding that he appreciates the Heat for being “all about winning” and feeling like a family. Highsmith has been with the team since 2021, whereas Wright just arrived in February, but the veteran guard has enjoyed his experience in Miami. “I definitely would like to come back,” Wright said. “I felt like I got a snippet of what it could be. With a full training camp, I will have a better understanding of what Spo wants out of me.”
Jaime Jaquez said on Friday that he doesn’t plan to play for Mexico in this summer’s Olympic qualifying tournament, per Jackson and Chiang. The Mexican national team will be in Puerto Rico vying for one of the four remaining spots in the men’s basketball tournament at the Paris Olympics.
Cole Swider‘s two-way contract is expiring, but the Heat have let him know they want to keep him around and he intends to be part of Miami’s Summer League team, he told reporters on Friday. “The Heat, a lot of these undrafted guys, did a great job developing them,” Swider said, according to the Herald. “I hope to be one of their success stories. I know they know what they’re doing. “I’ve improved defensively, learning the concepts of the Heat, how we play. I’ve proved I can play in the NBA.”
Dave Hyde of The South Florida Sun Sentinel advises the Heat against extending Jimmy Butler this offseason, suggesting that the cost would be too great for a player entering his late-30s when the extension would begin. Butler’s contract situation will be worth watching — in separate stories for The Athletic today, both David Aldridge and John Hollinger alluded to whispers that the 34-year-old’s long-term future may not be in Miami.
Ira Winderman of The Sun Sentinel takes a player-by-player look at the Heat’s roster, assessing what’s next for everyone who finished this season under contract with the club.

Heat Notes: Butler, Herro, Trade Assets, Bam

May 2nd, 2024 at 8:17pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

All-NBA Heat forward Jimmy Butler is expected to seek a two-year, maximum-salary contract extension with Miami, worth approximately $113MM, before the start of the 2024/25 season, a source tells Anthony Chiang of The Miami Herald.

The theoretical deal would kick in for 2025/26. Butler has a $52.4MM player option for that year, which the extension would replace.

If Miami opts to not extend Butler, Chiang argues, the team could be faced with an unhappy star. The 34-year-old swingman led the Heat to two NBA Finals appearances – and an additional appearance in the Eastern Finals – during his first four seasons with the club, though he has dealt with a series of injuries, including an MCL sprain that knocked him entirely out of the playoffs this year.

Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald speculates about the potential trade haul Miami could receive in exchange for its best player should the team opt not to extend Butler.

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Following a first-round playoff elimination marred by injuries, the Heat face a variety of questions about their future this offseason. The biggest, Ira Winderman of The South Florida Sun Sentinel contends, surrounds what Miami brass wants to do with shooting guard Tyler Herro. Winderman wonders if Miami will look to trade the 2022 Sixth Man of the Year this summer, or if it will consider demoting him back to a bench role going forward. Herro is owed $93MM across the remaining three years of his deal.
With the Heat set to explore the trade market this summer, Jackson takes stock of the club’s movable assets, consulting with a rival scout on the value of those pieces. The scout criticized Herro’s inconsistency both as a player and as an injury risk. As far as young players still on rookie scale deals go, the scout is high on the ceilings of forwards Jaime Jaquez Jr. and Nikola Jovic. The scout also addressed the contracts of guards Duncan Robinson and Terry Rozier, Miami being a potential trade destination for Cavaliers All-Star guard Donovan Mitchell, and more.
One fascinating potential internal change the Heat could consider, according to one alum who still works for the franchise, is shifting All-Star center Bam Adebayo from center to power forward, writes Jackson in another piece. While on the ESPN program “First Take” this week, 20-year Miami vet Udonis Haslem explained why he thinks the 6’9″ big man could benefit from a positional move. “He can guard all five positions but he would have even more of a matchup at the 4 position where we can post him up and do different things with him,” Haslem said. “Go for a center and possibly another scoring guard.” Haslem is currently the Heat’s vice president of basketball development, and also hosts a podcast with fellow ex-Heat champion Mike Miller.

Heat Notes: Wright, Offseason Decisions, Butler, Draft

May 1st, 2024 at 11:04pm CST by Arthur Hill

The Heat’s season ended in an appropriate way Wednesday night — with another new starting lineup. Injuries have forced coach Erik Spoelstra to juggle his rotations since training camp, and he unveiled his 37th starting unit in Game 5 at Boston, writes Anthony Chiang of The Miami Herald.

Rookie Jaime Jaquez was unavailable because of a hip injury he suffered in Game 4 and Spoelstra didn’t want to start Duncan Robinson, who has been limited by a back condition since late in the regular season, so veteran guard Delon Wright made the first playoff start of his career. Wright provided eight points, three rebounds, two assists and two steals in 33 minutes, but he had to leave the game briefly to get stitches in his lower lip and chin after being hit by an elbow.

In addition to Jaquez, Miami was without Jimmy Butler, Terry Rozier and Josh Richardson, who all missed the entire series due to injuries. However, Spoelstra refused to use that as an excuse, Chiang tweets.

“We’re not going to put this on the fact that we had some injuries,” Spoelstra said. “Let’s not take anything away from Boston. They’ve been the best team in basketball all season long.”

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The early playoff exit leaves the franchise with a long offseason and a lot of financial decisions ahead, Chiang adds. Part of the future will be determined by player options held by Caleb Martin ($7.1MM), Kevin Love ($4MM), Richardson ($3.1MM) and Thomas Bryant ($2.8MM). Orlando Robinson has a non-guaranteed $2.1MM contract for next season, while Wright, Haywood Highsmith and Patty Mills are all headed for unrestricted free agency.
Miami faces a difficult decision on Jimmy Butler, who will become extension-eligible this summer, Bobby Marks of ESPN notes in his offseason preview for the Heat. Butler will make $48.8MM next season and holds a $52.4MM player option for 2025/26. Beginning July 7, he can sign a one-year extension worth $58.6MM, which would retain his ’25/26 salary, or a two-year, $112.9MM extension that would void the player option. Marks points out that Butler will turn 35 during the offseason and hasn’t topped 65 games in any of the last four years.
Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald examines the Heat’s options in this year’s draft. Players who could still be on the board when Miami picks at No. 15 include Purdue center Zach Edey, Duke power forward/center Kyle Filipowski, Providence guard Devin Carter, Colorado forward Tristan Da Silva, Duke point guard Jared McCain, Baylor center Yves Missi, Kansas small forward Kevin McCullar Jr., Baylor swingman Ja’Kobe Walter, USC point guard Isaiah Collier and Illinois shooting guard Terrence Shannon Jr.

Heat Notes: Butler, Rozier, Love, Martin, Wright

April 29th, 2024 at 11:59am CST by Arthur Hill

The Heat are trying not to focus on being shorthanded as they look for a way to upset the top-seeded Celtics, writes Anthony Chiang of The Miami Herald. An already difficult task is being made even harder by the absence of starters Jimmy Butler, who sprained his MCL during a play-in game, and Terry Rozier, who has been sidelined with neck issues. In addition, Duncan Robinson has been limited by a lingering back injury he suffered late in the season.

“We have our guys, we have enough to get the job done,” coach Erik Spoelstra insisted after a 20-point loss in Game 3. “We understand the challenge and that’s what our competitors love about this series. We know we have to play hard and we also have to play well.”

Butler and Rozier have already been ruled out for tonight’s Game 4. Spoelstra told reporters on Sunday that Rozier is considered “day to day,” but no timetable has been set for his return. Butler was projected to miss “several weeks” after getting hurt on April 17, but he sounded optimistic in an interview with TNT’s Chris Haynes during Saturday’s game.

“I don’t know about a timeline, but we’ve been working,” Butler said. “I want to hoop. I want to get out here. I want some of this.”

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Spoelstra appears to be pivoting away from Kevin Love, who is facing a bad matchup against Boston, Chiang adds. The veteran big man, who was limited to one four-minute stretch in Game 3, is minus-24 in his 23 minutes of action in the series. “I was looking for a spark once we were down 20,” Spoelstra said in explaining the decision to bench Love. “This is not an indictment on anybody. Things move fast in a playoff series.”
Caleb Martin plans to “just be assertive and not be passive” tonight after he followed a 21-point Game 2 with five points on four shots in Game 3, Chiang states in a separate story. Martin, who starred against Boston in last year’s conference finals, said he needs to look to score more often. “I think there were sometimes I passed up shots,” he said. “I felt like I was trying to get the ball moving a little bit more, being a little bit less aggressive in letting it go. So that’s on me. I can’t be as passive. I got to let the ball go.”
Delon Wright, who missed Game 3 for the birth of a baby girl, has returned to the team and will be on the active roster tonight, tweets Tim Reynolds of The Associated Press.

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