It looked like the top-seeded Heat would breeze to the conference finals. Instead, the Sixers have roared back to life, tying the series at 2-2 thanks to a resurgent James Harden and MVP snub Joel Embiid, who has averaged 21 points and 11 rebounds in two games since returning from a fractured orbital bone.
Miami led the NBA in three-point shooting during the regular season (37.9 percent) but has struggled from that distance throughout the postseason (32.0), particularly in the second round (28.5). Duncan Robinson, who the Heat rewarded with a five-year, $90-million contract last offseason, ranks 11th among active players in career three-point percentage (40.6 percent), yet he’s barely been heard from this series, largely serving as a spectator as coach Eric Spoelstra has shortened his rotation to eight players. Since his 27-point rampage in Miami’s playoff opener, Robinson has been a complete non-factor, playing a combined 44 minutes over that span.
Robinson is no one’s idea of a perfect player—he’s long been seen as a defensive liability, ranking 167th out of 250 qualifiers in FiveThirtyEight’s RAPTOR metric. But even with that part of his game lacking, Robinson’s disappearance, confined to sweats and warmup gear after starting 68 games during the regular season, is inexplicable. And fans are beginning to take notice.
Facing arguably the best post defender in the NBA, Miami needs its perimeter game more than ever. Yet, Robinson finds himself well below Max Strus and Gabe Vincent in the Heat’s pecking order, rotting on the bench while struggling vet Kyle Lowry continues to hurl up bricks (0-for-8 from downtown since returning from a hamstring injury). A two-time champion and the longest-tenured coach in the NBA not named Gregg Popovich, Spoelstra has earned the benefit of the doubt. He’s already conceded a rotation spot to Sixth Man of the Year Tyler Herro, a dominant scorer who, like Robinson, is a turnstile defensively. But with the Heat’s season hanging in the balance, Robinson could be the spark Miami needs to get its mojo back after a rough weekend in Philly.
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