One of my favorite NCAA Tournament themes is that of the mid-major team that can go toe-to-toe with the blue-bloods due to excellent player development and a touch of overachievement in recruiting. The 2009-2010 Butler Bulldogs may very well be the quintessential example of this type of team. While these types of teams typically only have one future NBA player, they do have multiple guys who end up playing on the professional level elsewhere which should not be underestimated. The NBA is an extremely exclusive club reserved for the best of the best (usually), but playing basketball for a (comfortable) living anywhere is a luxury afforded by very talented basketball players nonetheless.
This brings me to the Miami Heat in the 2020 NBA Playoffs. Before I launch into my analysis, I know that the Miami Heat compared to the rest of the field is not the same as comparing a mid-major to a blue-blood program. I’m merely saying that the Miami Heat are emulating the chip-on-the-shoulder mentality of a mid-major.
Jimmy Butler is the future NBA player. The primary ball-handler who surprises the big schools with his ability to get to the rim at will and high conversion rate from the free throw line. Even more surprising? He guards and shuts down the opposing team’s best player without getting into foul trouble. Duncan Robinson is the fifth-year senior who was probably a walk-on at the start of his career. Robinson is the knockdown shooter that turns small leads into double-digit deficits in two possessions. When the opposition’s best defenders sprint at him so he doesn’t drain a three, he pump fakes and goes right by them for an easy layup. Tyler Herro is the four-star freshman who spurned a big school like Baylor, Oregon, or Virginia and took a chance at being the main guy for a smaller program. You could say he is the wild card because he could go for 20 on 8-11 shooting or have 6 on 2-7 from the field. You just don’t know. Goran Dragic is either the grad transfer point guard from a big program who had a coaching change or a star point guard from the JUCO ranks. Bam Adebayo is the elite raw athlete whom big programs told would have to redshirt and probably wouldn’t start until his fourth year in the program. But Erik Spoelstra had something different in mind and believed in Bam’s work ethic. Adebayo validated his coach’s trust and polished his game while still retaining his incredibly high motor. He may very well be the best rebounder in the country and averages a double-double due to pure hustle.
This Miami Heat team just knocked off the Milwaukee Bucks, who had the best regular-season record in the NBA, in five games. They were a matchup nightmare for the Bucks, and matchup nightmares frequently get the better of the top teams in the NCAA tournament. The Heat are made up of under-appreciated players. Duncan Robinson and Kendrick Nunn were G-League guys with Robinson being a Division III player at one point in his career. Jimmy Butler got a reputation as a locker room cancer due to his abrasive attitude, but it turns out that he just wants his teammates to work as hard as him. Where are the Timberwolves and Sixers at right now? Oh yeah, that’s right, they‘re at home watching Jimmy get buckets and advancing to the Eastern Conference Finals. Bam Adebayo was an All-Star this year, and he single-handedly killed the Bucks on the glass throughout the series while also demonstrating a fledgling mid-range jumper.
I love watching this Heat team because they are the embodiment of hard work paying off. They’ve still got their deficiencies just like every other team, but they make adjustments accordingly to give themselves the best chance to win. Playing hard can get you to the NBA Playoffs, but playing smart can get you an NBA Championship.
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