Heat’s Robinson goes back to work, adjusts
In a make-or-miss league, Duncan Robinson only knows one way
In the Miami Heat’s 33 seasons, few interviewers have succeeded in getting players to be more candid and revealing than Bally Sports Sun host Jason Jackson. And yet there, even in all his Jax glory on Saturday night, the defense proved too stiff when it came to his postgame interview with Duncan Robinson.
Not for a lack of effort, mind you. With Robinson in the midst of a tear of at least four 3-pointers in each of the last six games, Jackson brewed up what he ostensibly hoped would lead to some of the outside-shooting guard’s secret sauce.
“Give us something, something Duncan,” Jackson asked during the live interview. “What’s happening?”
If this were block-charge, it would have been advantage Robinson, who, coincidentally, now leads the Heat with nine charges drawn this season.
“I keep my work consistent, try to limit variables, just do the same thing every day, and eventually the water will find its level,” Robinson said, just as he had said during his leanest of times during what, for him, had been an uneven season from distance. “I obviously went through some stretches this
year where the ball wasn’t going in like I like to, but try not to get too caught in the results.
“So even when I’m making ‘em or missing ‘em, just keep the process the same, and then you’ll have something to show for it.”
There is plenty to show at the moment, with Robinson at .545 from beyond the arc over the past six games (in order): 4 of 6 against the Portland Trail Blazers, 6 of 9 against the Charlotte Hornets, 4 of 9 against the New York Knicks, 6 of 11 against the Indiana Pacers, 4 of 11 against the Golden State Warriors and 6 of 9 Saturday night against the Cleveland Cavaliers. Those last four efforts came in the four-game winning streak the Heat carry into Tuesday night’s game against the Memphis Grizzles at AmericanAirlines Arena.
Not only did Robinson exit the victory over the Cavaliers fourth in the league in 3-pointers converted, but now has converted multiple 3-pointers in 14 consecutive games, tying his own second-longest streak in franchise history, 10 games shy of the franchise record he set during the middle of last season.
In addition, he reached 450 career 3-pointers in the win over Cleveland, becoming the fastest NBA player to that total, 33 games faster than Luka Doncic.
“It is always humbling when you’re able to write records in this league,” he said. “I most definitely have been a beneficiary of this current NBA, with the pace and space and 3-point shooting. But I just try to go into my job and let those records fall where they may.”
It was during a podcast at midseason when the 26-year-old impending free agent recognized that changes would have to be made, with opponents muscling up to keep him from prime shooting real estate.
“Teams have noticed that maybe they’ve had success, or other teams have had success, in just getting like really into my body, particularly when I like to come off those handoffs,” he said.
So he went back to work . . . all while never losing confidence that what was in place last season, during his record 3-point run, would be back. Even amid a tough go in February, when the Heat were in the midst of a 5-10 run, he saw ways out.
“Teams are more tuned in,” he said. “Maybe the easier ones I would get at times last year, I think teams are trying to be more physical and finding more creative ways to stop me from getting space.
“But I’m getting good looks, taking good shots, that’s all I’m focusing on now. Just got to continue to do that, and stay the course, take good shots and chips will fall where they will.”
Now they are falling again, having never wavered from the work, detail, commitment that led to his revelatory emergence last season.
“Duncan,” coach Erik Spoelstra said, “is a very resilient guy. He can handle it when shots aren’t going in. He is going to stay with his process. He really works at it behind the scenes.”