Erik Spoelstra has unsuccessfully tried to coach the Miami Heat into a faster style in recent seasons. The Heat played at the second-slowest pace in the NBA last season, fourth-slowest pace in 2019-20, eighth-slowest pace in 2018-19 and fourth-slowest pace in 2017-18.
“That hasn’t really mattered over the years, the last few years, how intently this head coach has tried to force pace,” Spoelstra said.
But through one week of practices and one preseason game, it appears that newly acquired point guard Kyle Lowry is already getting through to his Heat teammates on playing faster. That means pushing it in transition off of a turnover, pitch ahead passes off a rebound or simply generating quality looks in half-court sets early in the shot clock.
“He has done it in a much better way than I ever have just in the last few days,” Spoelstra said of Lowry’s agenda to push the pace.
The results were on display in the Heat’s 125-99 win over the Atlanta Hawks to open the preseason on Monday at FTX Arena, even with one of Miami’s leading men, Jimmy Butler, given the night off for rest.
There was a pitch ahead from the other end of the court to center Bam Adebayo for a dunk in transition, an extra pass to find P.J. Tucker for a corner three with 16 seconds on the shot clock, a lob to Adebayo for a reverse alley-oop with 18 seconds on the shot clock before the Hawks’ defense could get set, another pitch ahead to put forward Markieff Morris in position for a transition layup, a quick no-dribble pass from the corner for a Tyler Herro three-pointer, a pass in transition that ended with another corner three from Tucker before Atlanta’s defense was in position, and a fast read to find Duncan Robinson for a three off an offensive rebound.
That all came in the first half because Lowry, 35, sat out the final two quarters Monday for rest purposes. He finished with five points, four rebounds, seven assists and just one turnover in 15 minutes in his preseason debut with the Heat.
“It’s his brain speed,” Spoelstra said, with the Heat idle Tuesday and Wednesday before traveling to continue its preseason schedule Thursday against the Houston Rockets. “That’s what you always dreaded on the other side. You couldn’t relax for one second or one possession. He’s always scanning, looking ahead, looking for any weaknesses in the defense, particularly early in the clock. If he doesn’t feel like it’s there, then he has a great feel for when to get organized and get the ball where it needs to go. That’s something that’s innate.”
The Heat operated at a pace of 116.7 possessions per 48 minutes with Lowry on the court Monday, which is incredibly speedy considering the fastest team in the NBA last season (the Washington Wizards) averaged 104.7 possessions per 48 minutes.
This is nothing new for Lowry, who helped the Toronto Raptors finish in the top half of the league in pace in each of the past four seasons.
“It’s the first thing you notice, really, when you get on the floor with him,” Robinson said. “Just how willing he is to get off the ball, which is super unique. I feel like a lot of times, point guards feel like they always have to have the ball in their hands. And he’s just so willing to move the ball ahead, hit-aheads, throw-aheads and create space for others to make plays. So yeah, it’s a luxury to be able to play with somebody like that.
“It can almost sometimes feel chaotic, but it’s like controlled chaos, which is an incredible line to be able to walk and he does it well.”
It appears that Adebayo will be one of the main beneficiaries of that controlled chaos, as Lowry found Adebayo for two dunks in transition during their limited court time together in the preseason opener. Adebayo scored six fast-break points on Monday after averaging 1.2 fast-break points per game last season.
Adebayo said playing with Lowry felt “like an instant click” and they’ve adapted to each other “very quickly.”
“I think Kyle has really been intentional of trying to give Bam some easy looks and easy catches around the rim,” Spoelstra said. “It didn’t take Bam very long to figure it out in this training camp: If you run, you’ll get the ball and you’ll get easy opportunities. Bam has a great feel and understanding for the game, as well. So usually high-IQ players will figure it out in a short period of time, just like Kyle and Jimmy, as well.”
The question now becomes: Will the Heat actually finish in the top half of the league in pace this season?
Monday was only one preseason game, and the Heat has started past seasons fast before slowing things down as it advanced deeper into the schedule. Miami played at the NBA’s fifth-fastest pace over the first 10 games of last season before ending the regular season with the second-slowest pace in the league.
The hope is the addition of Lowry will help the Heat sustain a faster pace.
“Everyone notices a difference when he’s out there, how he gets the ball in transition and the thing is all the way up the court already to Bam or to whoever,” Hero said. “So the way he gets everyone to their spots, he’s really advanced in that area.”
