Erik Spoelstra of the Miami Heat discusses why Caleb Martin is the ‘ultimate X-factor’ for the team.
Erik Spoelstra, head coach of the Miami Heat, discusses standout forward Caleb Martin as the team’s “X-Factor.”
As the Miami Heat prepare to stay home for three contests after a grueling five-game road trip, the team could finally see the reemergence of forward Caleb Martin. Before the key NBA In-Season tournament game against the Milwaukee Bucks, Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra said to ClutchPoints that he’s been impressed of what he’s seen from Martin recently as he’s still recovering from an injury.
“I really liked where Caleb is trending. I’m not looking at the stats, I’m not looking necessarily at what probably everybody else is looking, that final line in the box score,” Spoelstra said. “I’m just looking at his movement, and I want to see the quick twitch and some of the activity that makes him and ultimately us more dynamic. He’s the ultimate X Factor. And I see him moving a lot better. Which we were not seeing early on in training camp.”
Martin has been nursing a knee issue since the offseason, but his performance against the Nets on Saturday was his finest of the season. He led the club with 22 points and seven rebounds while also playing a season-high 31 minutes.
The 28-year-old will be especially important because Heat standout Jimmy Butler missed the Nets game and will miss Tuesday’s game against the Bucks. Martin will be essential down the stretch as Miami prepares for a probable stay without Butler.
Jaime Jaquez Jr. of the Heat is another possible Jimmy Butler replacement.
The same goes for rookie Jaime Jaquez Jr. who has also been shining bright as in the road trip mentioned before, he was an integral part of the team’s cohesion. However, Spoelstra stressed that he’s not asking Martin and Jaquez to be Butler, but he implied that they’ll be important pieces to the puzzle.
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