The NBA playoffs are in full swing, with three games in the NBA today. They were: The Hawks beat the Heat 111-110 and trailed 1-2 in the series. The Bucks beat the Bulls 111-81 by 30 points to lead 2-1 in the series. The Suns narrowly beat the Pelicans 114-111 to take a 2-1 lead in the series. One of the most talked about topics in the playoffs may be whether the Heat can successfully pass the Eagles. Can the Heat rush out of the East to win the championship? In this article, I'll talk to you about the Heat.
Objectively speaking, as long as we talk about whether the Heat can win the championship, the first thing that comes to mind is nothing more than Butler, Adebayo, and Hiro, the three players. The reason is very simple, and that is that these three players are the three best players for the Heat. Yes, everyone is right that Butler, Adebayo and Hiro are indeed the main factors in whether the Heat can win the championship. But there's another player in addition to these three players that's also crucial, and that's Tucker, 36. Let's take a look at Tucker's 3 playoff games.
Against the Hawks on April 18, Tucker played 24 minutes and shot 6-of-8, including 4-of-4 from three-point range, with 16 points, five rebounds and one assist.
Against the Hawks on April 20, Tucker played 24 minutes, shooting 1-of-3, including 1-of-2 from three-point range, and got 3 points, 6 rebounds and 2 assists.
Against the Hawks on April 23, Tucker played 33 minutes and shot 4-of-6, including 1-of-3 from three-point range, with 11 points, seven rebounds and four assists. Tucker has scored 29 points, 18 rebounds and seven assists in three games.
I believe that the fans will definitely say that Tucker's data is not beautiful. Yes, if you just look at Tucker's three games 29+18+7 stats really aren't good enough. However, I would like to say that Tucker's role is something that data cannot represent. Because Tucker's value at both ends of the offensive and defensive ends cannot be reflected by data.
Let's start with the offensive end. Yes, Tucker is really not as good as before on the offensive end, but Tucker, who is now 36, can still contribute on the offensive end. To put it bluntly, Tucker's biggest advantage on the offensive end is that he doesn't waste opportunities, that is, he doesn't take up the ball. Tucker's best job on the offensive end is to block the demolition, and after the blocking is completed, Tucker will basically be ambushed at the zero degree angle on both sides. In addition to the three-pointer at a zero-degree angle, Tucker's empty cut and frontcourt rebound protection are the keys to the Heat's win. All in all, tucker has limited ability on the offensive end, but tucker can use every shot on the blade.
If Tucker's strength on the offensive end has declined, then Tucker on the defensive end is the most critical player for the Heat. In this series against the Hawks, Tucker's main defensive task is to be responsible for defending Trae Young. Fans who have watched this series will know how good Tucker is when defending Trae Young. Although Tucker's speed is not as fast as Trae Young's, Tucker's defensive experience is very sufficient, and he does not give Trae Young a chance to break through on the outside line, and even tucker can cover Trae Young's shooting point. Under Tucker's defense, Trae Young's offensive efficiency in three games was very poor, especially the three-point efficiency was even worse (three-point shooting in three games: 0 of 7, 2 of 10, 2 of 6). Again, with Tuckertree Young you can't do whatever you want, and with TuckerTree Young you have to bear very much defensive pressure, which is the main reason why the Heat can always have the advantage.
For the Heat, it's not just the series against the Hawks, but Tucker's value has been very important throughout the regular season. Especially in the playoffs, Tucker's rich playoff experience can play a more effective role. Even to put it bluntly, the key to whether the Heat can win the tucker championship is crucial.