Miami Heat: Why Andre Iguodala is catalyst behind the offensive issues

The Miami Heat organization expressed frustration with an inability to find the source of their offensive struggles. Duncan Robinson stated during the post-game press conference on February 3rd that the team’s offensive struggles were due to several things:

"“It’s a combination of things. It’s not just one thing. It’s easy to point at missed shots or whatever. It’s more about just focusing on getting the right shots and getting stops so we can get out and go”."

How Andre Iguodala’s current role is hurting the Miami Heat

The frustration propelled head coach Erik Spoelstra to take Tyler Herro out of the starting lineup before the February 5th game against Washington. Unfortunately, Herro wasn’t the issue on offense as the starting lineup shot 49.7 percent from the field on 21.3 attempts in 11.4 minutes per game. The shooting percentage helped them outscore opponents by 2.9 points as they averaged 28.4 points per game.

Miami’s offensive issues arose when Andre Iguodala checked into the game as the team shot 46.7 percent from the field on 34.5 attempts in 21.1 minutes per game. The field goal percentage contributed to them being outscored by 3.3 points per game as they created 44.9 points. The Heat’s struggles were related to how head coach Spoelstra used Iguodala. over his first 19 games this season.

Iguodala attempted 77.8 percent of his shots from behind the arc averaging 3.5 per game. Catch and shoots have been responsible for 88.6 percent of his attempts as he averaged 3.1 per game.

Unfortunately, Iguodala struggled from behind the arc before this season, converting 34.1 percent of his catch and shoots on 1.9 attempts per game. 70.4 percent of his total three-point attempts were catch and shoots as he made 33.3 percent of his threes on 2.7 shots per game.

Iguodala’s shooting track record led defenders to leave him open as 94,3 percent of his threes were uncontested over the first 19 games, averaging 3.3 per game. He converted 33.3 percent of the open attempts over the first 19 appearances this season. Iguodala’s inability to shoot led to his teammates dealing with a help defender’s presence when he is on the floor.

For example, Bradley Beal left Iguodala open in the left corner midway through the second quarter of a home game against the Wizards on February 5th. Beal’s disregard for Iguodala affected Jimmy Butler who was trying to back down Ish Smith on the other side of the court.

Unfortunately, Butler could not complete the back down as Alex Len and Beal began to rotate over to help Smith. Consequently, Butler passed the ball to Iguodala in the left corner, who made a rare three-pointer.

The Miami Heat most felt the presence of a help defender in the fourth quarter as Iguodala averaged 7.7 minutes per game, 36.5 percent of his playing time. Iguodala’s presence has contributed to Miami averaging 9.7 contested shots per game in the fourth quarter. It was a 3.2 percent increase from the rest of the game as the team only attempts 9.4 contested shots per game.

Iguodala’s performance level has declined in the three games since the lineup change as he is taking 81.1 percent of his shots from behind the arc averaging 3 per game. 66.7 percent of those attempts were catch and shoots as he averaged 2 per game.

Unfortunately, Iguodala struggled in the catch and shoot department as he made 33.3 percent of the attempts. Iguodala’s catch and shoot struggles contributed to him shooting 22.2 percent from behind the arc in the last games.

Iguodala’s shooting decline has led to defenders to continue to leave him open as all of his threes were uncontested over the last three games. He converted 23.3 percent of the open attempts. Therefore, his teammates still had to deal with the presence of a help defender when he played. Once again, The Heat most felt the help defender in the fourth quarter as he averaged 8.4 minutes per game, 37.5 percent of his playing time.

Miami took a subtle approach attempting to deal with the help defender as they took 8 contested shots, an 11.1 percent decrease from the rest of the game. Miami shot less in the fourth quarter of the last three games, going from 19.6 to 17.7 field goal attempts.

Unfortunately, the decrease in field goal attempts did not help them perform with Iguodala as they shot 37.3 percent from the field on 36.7 attempts in 22.4 minutes per game. The field goal percentage contributed to them being outscored by 6 points per game as they created 39.3 points.

How the Miami Heat should be using Andre Iguodala

If head coach Spoelstra wants the team to perform better with Iguodala, he should make him a ball handler/playmaker. In the last six years, Iguodala’s best season came during the 2013-14 season when he averaged 44.1 touches per game.

These touches allowed him to attack the basket 3.4 times per game and accumulate 0.9 points and 0.5 assists in the process. The drive statistics accounted for 9.7 percent of his scoring output and 10.4 percent of his playmaking, as he averaged 9.3 points and 4.8 assists.

He is averaging 38.7 touches, which has played a role in only attacking the basket 1.5 times per game.