Reappearance of Efficient Weapons How did Duncan Robinson regain his confidence and accuracy? – NBA – Basketball | Sports Vision

Three years ago, Duncan Robinson made a sensation with his flawless outside shots. But two seasons ago, Robinson lost his starting position due to unstable function. However, in the 2023 playoffs, Robinson once again played a key role in the team and helped the team reach the championship game.

There are not many players who have had as many ups and downs in the NBA career as Duncan Robinson. From being undrafted in the draft, to stunning the NBA with a 44.6% three-point shooting rate in the 2019-2020 season, helping the team enter the Orlando bubble. championship game. In the 2021-22 playoffs, Robinson’s starting position was replaced by Max Strus, who has both perimeter and defense due to his unstable perimeter.

In the 2022-23 season, Robinson was even excluded from the rotation. It was not until the playoffs that he regained the opportunity to play due to injuries. Robinson seized this opportunity and played an important role in the Heat’s incredible dark horse journey in the playoffs. He averaged 4.9 three-pointers per game and shot 44.2% from the field.

“I think overcoming adversity and developing determination is a skill,” Robinson said in an interview with Sports Illustrated during the championship. “I’ve had my back against the wall and I almost got knocked down and thought I was out, but I showed determination and Be resilient and take advantage of opportunities to bounce back.”

In the first month of the 2023-24 season, Robinson still maintained his performance. He started 7 of 15 games and stayed steadily in the rotation, averaging 14.5 points, 2.7 assists, and 2.7 rebounds per game. He took 7.1 outside shots per game and made 43% of his three-point field goals. His points and assists both hit career highs.

But the most impressive thing is that Robinson’s style of play and arsenal have become more than just a pure shooter. Since the playoffs last season, Robinson has tried more breakthroughs, and this skill has continued to expand in the new season. His average of 3.6 two-pointers per game and unassisted points have also reached career highs.

Opponents usually focus most of their attention on his three-point shot. Robinson has developed many offensive methods inside the three-point line, including freehand cuts and backhand layups. He can even get past Victor Wembanyama.

The two-man team of Robinson and center Bam Adebayo is an efficient scoring weapon for the Heat. Whether Robinson is holding the ball in the pick-and-roll or at the three-point line, these actions will attract defensive players, who must stick to Robinson to guard his perimeter. , which also gives him room to excel, and Robinson is taking advantage of this very well.

Robinson believes that this is something Adebayo and he learned during the summer league, and after a period of training, they know better how to use defensive players to overreact to Robinson’s outside attack.

“The most difficult thing about our style of play to defend is the unpredictability.” Robinson said of working with Adebayo. “We don’t necessarily know what we are going to do. A lot of it is reading court situations and reactions, and then adjusting.”

Although Robinson is currently performing well, he was not in the rotation for most of last season. He only played 42 games, which was the fewest games since joining the NBA in the 2019-20 season. Partly due to injuries, the main reason is Functionality is monotonous and performance is not as expected.

“My biggest change is to retreat to advance. I think about how to help the team if I can’t play. I still have to find a way.” During the low period, Robinson still had one-on-one and two-on-one matches with the young players in the Heat. He is very grateful to these new generation players for keeping him in shape.

After Herro missed the game due to a hand injury in the 2023 playoffs, Robinson regained the opportunity to play and became the Heat’s player with the most playing time in the fourth quarter.

The same situation happened again in the 2023-24 season. Herro was unable to play after injuring his ankle on November 8, and Robinson also took over as the starter. Robinson, Kyle Lowry, Jimmy Butler, Adebayo and Haywood Highsmith became the lineup used most by the Heat. Together, they played 74 minutes with an efficiency value of 19.4. Among all lineups that played more than 70 minutes, the efficiency value was second only to the Celtics’ starters. The lineup ranks second in the league.

The experience of being reused in the playoffs also increased Robinson’s confidence. In the Eastern Conference Finals, he averaged 13.6 points per game and shot 50% of three-pointers in the last three games. After making a three-pointer this season, Robinson will hold the shooting position for a few seconds as his signature move. “I play best when the court is loud, enjoying the game and having fun.”

Robinson’s good performance also brought some sweet troubles to the Heat. The most specific question is whether Herro will return to the starting lineup when he returns from injury. When Robinson is on the court, his outside threat also helps Adebayo and Butler get a lot of offensive space, and is often the starting point for the Heat’s offense.