For Miami Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra, Gregg Popovich of the San Antonio Spurs is utilizing the mid-range game better than anyone else in the league right now.
As per Ira Winderman of the Sun-Sentinel, Spoelstra praised how Popovich and the Spurs have managed to play their own style and not be dragged by what the rest of the league is doing. Spoelstra noticed that despite the major changes on the Spurs' roster, Popovich found out exactly what their new strengths were and utilized it:
“I think it's a perfect example, also, of Pop's greatness,” Spoelstra said. “Whatever he has, he's going to play to those strengths. Whatever direction the league is going, that's not going to affect the way they play. It's still going to be about the strengths.
Spoelstra pointed out DeMar DeRozan, particularly his perimeter shooting and ability to drive to the hoop. Popovich has been utilizing DeRozan abilities to the extreme, as well as LaMarcus Aldrige — a big man with the innate ability to knock it down from the perimeter.
“You have to be able to do what they do at an exceptional level. And they do,” Spoelstra said. “DeRozan is number one in the league in drives. So, yes, as a perimeter player, he's up there in post-ups and isolations. Aldridge, the same. But they force you to have to bring a second defender, because they're so efficient.
Apart from doing his damage by scoring, Spoelstra also noticed that DeRozan has been dishing out the ball a lot, too, which is a direct effect of his excellent shooting from the perimeter. A quick look at the stat sheet reveals that DeRozan, in the young season, is averaging 6.7 assists per game — a career-high mark.
Luckily for the Heat, the Spurs were cold as ice from mid-range in Wednesday night's game between the two teams. San Antonio shot 33.0 percent from the field overall despite hitting 13 3-pointers on 32 attempts.
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