Tornicade
2018 RBF League Champion
- Joined
- May 11, 2011
- Messages
- 17,542
- Reaction score
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Waiters played in 25 of Miami’s final 41 games, averaging 18.4 points, 4.8 assists and 3.6 rebounds. He shot 46.7 percent from the field and 44.5 on 3 pointers.
“Dion can create off the dribble and create space and get to areas of the court when you can get up shots in late clock situations,” Riley said. “He’s going to become a better finisher, higher percentage as a finisher because he goes to the rack all the time. I think he gets into the paint 12 to 14 times per game and he’s kicking and everything.
“Dion has this affable defiance. … you got to have that in a guy that wants to win games and take big shots.”
Over the final 41 games of the season, Waiters played in 25 games, averaging 18.4 points, 4.8 assists and 3.6 rebounds per game. Most notably, he converted at a 46.7 percent clip from the field, 44.5 percent from three and was a +138 overall while on the court. During these games, the Heat notched a 21-4 record.
But it was also the games Waiters missed through injury where his value to the team was just as apparent. During the 16 games Waiters missed in the second half of the season, the Heat posted a 9-7 record. Considering the Heat missed out on the playoffs to the eighth placed Chicago Bulls due to their 2-1 season tiebreaker, one can easily argue that Waiters’ absence cost the Heat a playoff berth.
“Dion can create off the dribble and create space and get to areas of the court when you can get up shots in late clock situations,” Riley said. “He’s going to become a better finisher, higher percentage as a finisher because he goes to the rack all the time. I think he gets into the paint 12 to 14 times per game and he’s kicking and everything.
“Dion has this affable defiance. … you got to have that in a guy that wants to win games and take big shots.”
Over the final 41 games of the season, Waiters played in 25 games, averaging 18.4 points, 4.8 assists and 3.6 rebounds per game. Most notably, he converted at a 46.7 percent clip from the field, 44.5 percent from three and was a +138 overall while on the court. During these games, the Heat notched a 21-4 record.
But it was also the games Waiters missed through injury where his value to the team was just as apparent. During the 16 games Waiters missed in the second half of the season, the Heat posted a 9-7 record. Considering the Heat missed out on the playoffs to the eighth placed Chicago Bulls due to their 2-1 season tiebreaker, one can easily argue that Waiters’ absence cost the Heat a playoff berth.
