Caleb Martin smiled on the query, however there additionally was an unease.
By now, he figured it might be past the purpose of being questioned about whether or not he might endure at energy ahead.
Outside of an damage tough patch across the flip of the calendar, he has been on the market for 49 video games this season for the Miami Heat, beginning every at energy ahead, his rebounding common rising because the season has progressed.
Yes, the Heat’s recreation notes nonetheless record him at 6 toes 5, 205 kilos.
Yes, there are level guards within the league who’re larger.
And, sure, at nearly each flip amid the buying and selling deadline and this present buyout season, there was hypothesis about instructions the Heat would possibly go to improve at energy ahead, with Kevin Love now coming into the image.
But what Martin is aware of, what he takes pleasure in, is that he’s nonetheless standing, even when on a nightly foundation he has to look as much as the opponent he’s defending.
“It’s honestly felt similar to last year,” Martin informed the South Florida Sun Sentinel, with the Heat within the midst of an eight-day All-Star break that ends with Friday evening’s highway recreation towards the Milwaukee Bucks. “Like I felt it hasn’t actually modified an excessive amount of on this dynamic of how I guard and who I’m guarding.
“And especially the last couple of weeks, I feel like I’ve been rebounding the ball a lot better in that position.”
Indeed, in six of the previous eight video games, Martin has had not less than seven rebounds, with 9 or extra in 4 of these eight.
And on the defensive finish, solely throughout preliminary defensive units and solely when the Heat are in man-to-man protection is Martin the only defender towards opposing energy forwards.
“It doesn’t feel like too much of a change,” he mentioned compared to his earlier work as an NBA wing, “as a result of we’re sort of a switching workforce. So I find yourself getting on guys on the perimeter. So to me it doesn’t really feel an excessive amount of completely different.
“Maybe to other people it might look different or seem different, but for me, personally, it doesn’t feel too different.”
And but the questions in regards to the Heat’s general measurement — or lack thereof — usually cycle again to Martin. The Heat stand twenty sixth within the 30-team league in rebounding. But even that may be overstated, since rating under the Heat are three probably playoff or play-in groups, when counting the No. 30 Dallas Mavericks, the No. 29 Brooklyn Nets and the No. 28 Philadelphia 76ers, with the Minnesota Timberwolves simply forward of the Heat at No. 27.
When it involves rebound proportion (proportion of accessible rebounds secured per recreation), a much more significant measure, the Heat are in the midst of the league, at No. 16. And by way of defensive rebounding proportion (the share of opponent missed pictures secured), the Heat are No. 4, securing a sturdy 73.6%.
So undersized? Yes. But overwhelmed? No essentially by the numbers.
“Sometimes, Martin mentioned, “simply having massive guys is simply notion. If you bought a 6-9, 6-10 man who’s beginning and he will get six boards, what’s the distinction? As lengthy because the job will get finished, so long as guys are grabbing the boards, so long as we’re placing ourselves in place to win the sport, I don’t suppose it issues if they’ve a man who has two further inches on you.
“Obviously size will matter at certain points, and when it comes to certain matchups. But ultimately that’s the type of team we are. We just figure it out.”
That didn’t stopped the chatter, be it about Love, Serge Ibaka or different larger or bulkier energy choices on the buyout market, after the Heat bypassed transferring in that course on the Feb. 9 NBA commerce deadline, with Love since landed.
So Martin merely has stayed inside himself, fairly actually leaving the weighty expectations to others, mainly with the identical physique as when he was so effectively chasing guards throughout final yr’s postseason run to inside one victory of the NBA Finals.
“It’s tough to like work on your body as you’re going into the season,” he mentioned. “I don’t have the best appetite during the season. So it’s hard for me to keep weight on. So I get in the weight room when I can. Just as long as my body’s feeling good, I can try to keep an advantage.”
Herro’s quick evening
Despite changing 10 consecutive pictures at one stage, Heat guard Tyler Herro did not advance out of the primary spherical of Saturday’s 3-point contest at All-Star Weekend in Utah. Portland Trail Blazers guard Damian Lilliard received the competitors.
Herro, who had Heat teammates Bam Adebayo and Udonis Haslem rooting him on courtside in Salt Lake City, was the lone Heat contestant at All-Star Saturday. Adebayo is the Heat’s lone All-Star, with Haslem at All-Star Weekend as a part of the commemoration of his twentieth and remaining NBA season.
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Source: www.bostonherald.com