Why Duncan Robinson rarely is a starter despite team’s success when he’s in that role
Duncan Robinson has been a productive NBA bench player this season.
But he has been an exceptionally productive NBA starter this season.
And that has created an interesting narrative about the Heat’s most skilled shooter — and how best to use him.
With this roster, deploying Robinson as a full-time starter would be challenging because Jimmy Butler, Bam Adebayo, Tyler Herro and Terry Rozier are cemented as starters, and coach Erik Spoelstra has recently opted for a natural power forward (Nikola Jovic) after using Caleb Martin or Haywood Highsmith as a a pseudo power forward to open games earlier this season.
So there’s no realistic way to insert Robinson as a starter when Herro and Rozier are both available, even though the numbers suggest he’s better in that role. Robinson has started the past five games while Herro recovers from foot sorness.
Herro remains out for Thursday’s game in Dallas (7:30 p.m., TNT); he and Kevin Love (heel) did not travel with the team and also will miss Friday’s game at Oklahoma City. (New Heat guard Patty Mills has joined the team.)
Robinson says he is at peace with doing whatever is asked, having long since moved past the disappointment of being yanked from the starting lineup March 28, 2022, after starting in 208 of his previous 217 appearances. He has started only 25 games in the two seasons since — once last season and 24 this season.
“When I’m starting, I’ve kind of been able to find a rhythm,” he said. “I’ve got to be better about whatever my role is, still being able to find a rhythm.”
So is it easier to find a rhythm starting?
“Not necessarily easier,” he said. “I just think it comes more naturally. You know what to expect right from the start.
“And getting out there right after the warm-up helps, too. I’m not dependent on starting. I know I can play well in any circumstance.”
STAGGERING STATS
The numbers with Robinson starting are staggering: Miami is 18-6 in those games, and Robinson in his starts has shot 48.7 percent from the field and 45.6 percent on three-pointers, while averaging 16.3 points and 32.6 minutes.
The Heat has outscored teams by 149 points with Robinson on the floor in the 24 games he’s started.
Conversely, when Robinson comes off the bench he is shooting 42.4 percent from the field and 36.2 percent on threes, while averaging 11.1 points and 25 minutes.
Miami has been outscored by 53 points with Robinson on the court in games that he has come off the bench.
Before this season, Robinson’s two best shooting seasons were as a starter — 2019-20, when he shot an otherworldly 44.6 percent on threes (hitting 270 of them), and the following season, when he shot 40.8 percent on threes.
This season, he’s at 40.6 percent on threes — well above his 32.8 last season, when he appeared in only 42 games and averaged just 16.5 minutes.
His passing has never been better; his 170 assists easily top his previous career high of 129.
JAW-DROPPING MOVE
On Tuesday, he hit a big three late in a 118-110 win against Detroit, but everyone afterward was talking about his jaw-dropping move earlier in the game, when he turned his back to Pistons rookie Ausar Thompson, went between his legs, left Thompson dead in his tracks on a gorgeous crossover and spun for a reverse layup.
“I blacked out in the moment,” Robinson said afterward, smiling.
“That’s the one cool move I do have. I’ve done it twice in my life” — on Tuesday and in an AAU game long before his pro career.
“He has not worked on that [move] with our staff,” an amused Spoelstra said afterward.
Spoelstra typically doesn’t like discussing his rationale behind his starting lineup decisions. But it’s clear that he’s committed to starting Herro and Rozier and has spoken of the great possibilities of that backcourt tandem.
But Spoelstra also has said, “Whenever Duncan Robinson is on the floor for us, our offense finds a way to look better, feel better. When you need him to make a big play, he’s got a knack to be able to do that.
“He’s been fantastic with his shooting, his movement, creating overreactions. He basically has been doing it all. Defensively, he’s been so disciplined and detailed whether in the man or zone. He’s been making great progress there.”
Was there a point in the past year or two when no longer starting full-time upset Robinson?
“I think maybe just from a personal standpoint, disappointed letting an opportunity kind of slip,” he said of the point at which Spoelstra replaced him with Max Strus as a starter in March 2022.
“Having a starting role for 175 straight games, don’t know exactly what it was, and have that slip away,” Robinson said “At the time, it was really because of COVID I sat out. But after that, not playing to the best of my abilities. That definitely was disappointing. For me, it’s really about helping us win.”
He said he’s OK with whatever role he is asked to serve now: “The competitive aspect, you always want to be out there. But… you got to have a full 100 percent buy-in of what we’re trying to achieve.”
Asked if it’s important at some point in his career to be a starter again, Robinson said: “It’s always an ambition of mine to have the biggest role for myself possible . ...
“I’m 29 years old. I still feel like I’m improving and still feel like there’s more to tap into from a basketball perspective and the impact I can have. I don’t know what that’s going to look like as far as
THURSDAY
Miami at Dallas, 7:30
Brooklyn at Detroit, 7 Minnesota at Indiana, 7 Toronto at Phoenix, 9
Chicago at Golden State, 10
San Antonio at Sacramento, 10 Boston at Denver, 10
WEDNESDAY
Orlando at Washington Cleveland at Atlanta
Memphis at Philadelphia
L.A. Clippers at Houston Chicago at Utah
Milwaukee at Golden State Oklahoma City at Portland Sacramento at L.A. Lakers
TUESDAY
Miami 118, Detroit 110
Orlando 101, Charlotte 89
New Orleans 139, Toronto 98 Atlanta 116, New York 100 Cleveland 105, Boston 104 Brooklyn 112, Philadelphia 107 Houston 114, San Antonio 101 Indiana 137, Dallas 120 Phoenix 117, Denver 107 (OT)
Detroit Min FG-A FT-A R A F Pt Stewart 36 5-9 2-2 6 2 1 13 Au.Thmpsn 34 3-7 3-4 6 2 0 9 Duren 32 5-5 4-4 10 3 5 14 Cunninghm 34 8-20 3-3 4 8 2 23 Ivey 29 6-15 4-5 2 4 1 16 Fontecchio 29 7-16 3-3 4 2 1 22 Fournier 15 2-10 1-1 2 1 3 7 Sasser 14 0-3 0-0 1 3 1 0 Wiseman 16 3-4 0-0 7 1 2 6
Totals 240 39-89 20-22 42 26 16 110
Percentages: FG .438, FT .909.3-Point
Goals: 12-42, .286 (Fontecchio 5-12, Cunningham 4-8, Fournier 2-8, Stewart 1-4, Au.Thompson 0-2, Sasser 0-3, Ivey 0-5).Team Rebounds: 8.Team Turnovers: 11.Blocked Shots: 3 (Au.Thompson 2, Ivey).Turnovers: 10 (Cunningham 3, Duren 2, Ivey 2, Wiseman 2, Fontecchio).Steals: 5 (Sasser 2, Fontecchio, Ivey, Stewart).
Miami Min FG-A FT-A R A F Pt Ji.Butler 37 7-13 11-12 6 8 1 26 Jovic 21 3-5 1-2 4 2 2 8 Adebayo 35 8-17 2-3 7 1 2 18 D.Robinson 36 6-11 2-2 3 4 3 18 Rozier 32 7-17 0-0 2 7 2 17 Bryant 5 0-1 0-0 0 0 0 0 Highsmith 11 1-2 0-0 3 1 1 3 Jaquez Jr 27 4-7 2-2 6 2 1 11 Ca.Martin 28 5-9 2-2 6 1 2 15 O.Robinson 8 1-3 0-0 5 1 0 2
Totals 240 42-85 20-23 42 27 14 118
Percentages: FG .494, FT .870.3-Point
Goals: 14-31, .452 (D.Robinson 4-9, Ca.Martin 3-6, Rozier 3-6, Highsmith 1-2, Jaquez Jr 1-2, Jovic 1-2, Ji.Butler 1-3, Bryant 0-1).Team Rebounds: 6.Team Turnovers: 9.Blocked Shots: 5 (Bryant 2, Adebayo, Highsmith, D.Robinson).Turnovers: 9 (Rozier 3, Ji.Butler 2, O.Robinson 2, Adebayo, Ca.Martin).Steals: 7 (Ji.Butler 2, Jovic 2, Adebayo, Ca.Martin, D.Robinson).Technical Fouls: (Jovic 2).
Detroit 26 34 28 22 — 110 Miami 36 25 32 25 — 118 Att.—19,724 (19,600).T—2:10.
Officials—Courtney Kirkland, Ray Acosta, Brandon Adair. the actual role.
“Let those decisions fall in the hands of the coaching staff, and deal with it the best way I can, which is showing up working and handling my business.”