Why Has Caleb Martin Struggled During The NBA Finals?

Before the start of the NBA playoffs you would be hard pressed to predict Caleb Martin becoming one of the most important players in the NBA Finals. It would have even been difficult to make the case that Martin was one of the three or four most impactful players for the Miami Heat during the playoffs.

Where it stands now the Heat are going to need a 2016 Cleveland Cavaliers-style comeback in order to salvage this series. A lot of things need to improve in order for them to be able to win; let alone get this series back to Miami for a Game 6. One of the key factors that could help turn things around is the improved play of Martin.

One of the most remarkable things about Martin during the series against the Celtics was his efficiency. The man could simply not miss. He shot over 60 percent from the field and nearly 50 percent from 3-point range— figures that would not only blow away his numbers from the regular season but those around the NBA, too. Posting those marks on the NBA’s second biggest stage in the manner in which he did was nothing short of remarkable. Maybe that is why it was always inevitable that he would come back down to earth.

The shooting has certainly fallen off precipitously. He’s down below the 40 percent mark and has failed to hit more than five shots in a game this series. On top of all that he hasn’t drawn any fouls, which is a way to help keep the efficiency afloat when shots aren’t falling.

The ironic thing is that his 3-point percentage is still incredibly high. He’s drained 45.5 percent of his looks from deep, but has only taken a mere 11 attempts over the course of the four games. Failing to take more than three attempts per game is a huge issue for a player that is still shooting that effectively, especially when you consider the fact that he took more than double the amount of attempts against the Boston Celtics during the Eastern Conference Finals.

Why has he failed to take more shots, specifically 3-pointers against the Denver Nuggets?

The confounding part of all of this is how often the team has been willing to let it fly during the playoffs. They averaged nearly 34 3-point attempts in the previous 18 games that they played in during the playoffs, which would put them around the average among NBA teams for the regular season. That mark is nearly identical to what they’ve done throughout these four games. The shot diet remaining the same should mean that they funnel more shots Martin’s way.

Part of the issue for Caleb is Kevin Love getting the nod in the starting lineup over the past three games. He gives the team more size and punch on the boards. His ability to generate quick baskets off of live rebounds is an invaluable skill that not many can replicate. There are plenty of faults in his game (that’s why he was cut by the Cleveland Cavaliers during the season), but his play still presents positives against certain matchups.

The fact that Martin has been coming off of the bench does put a cap on his ability to produce — he’s logged about eight minutes less per game because of the change in the rotation.

Questioning whether Erik Spoelstra should rejigger the rotations to make sure he gets enough time on the court for Martin is a fair one. The veteran has, easily, the best efficiency differential on the team in the playoffs with an incredible +13.9 number, according to Cleaning the Glass. The team has scored over 11 points per 100 possessions better with him on the court and he brings defensive activity every time he hits the floor.

The cutting, energy and versatility in his offensive game gives hope that even though he only shot five of twelve from the field against the Nuggets in Game Four that he can still bring something that other players on the team lack: the willingness to take tough jumpers. His ability to get separation on them is a skill that none of the players on the team has besides Gabe Vincent and Jimmy Butler.

But something that Martin has struggled with at times is the size of the Nuggets. He put pressure on the rim, but Nikola Jokic was able to use his quick hands a couple of different times to disrupt him. Michael Porter Jr. also played sound defense to disrupt his shot a bit with his absurd length.

The size of Denver isn’t just a Martin issue, but it may make Spoelstra a bit more reserved in trying to change his lineups to get him back on the floor for a few extra minutes a game, especially since the issue has been getting stops on defense against the explosive Nuggets’ offense.

This is where the trouble comes. He has done an adequate job of defending Jamal Murray, but had a brutal miscommunication with Butler during the 4th quarter that led to a huge bucket that put the Nuggets back up by eight with Jokic sitting on the bench. His size makes it hard to switch when they run a Murray-Jokic pick and roll, and even Aaron Gordon is a tough player for him to box out on the interior. Regardless, his quickness and length provides switchability that the Heat need in order to give them the best chance to win. This is especially true when you compare him to what Love can offer on that end of the court.

It might make sense to go back to the old starting lineup before it’s too late.