Miami Heat’s Caleb Martin back to crafting unique offense
MIAMI – There are times, as he picks up speed, elevates, contorts, winds up at a unique angle at the rim, even Caleb Martin himself does not know how it all is going to end.
But for as preposterous as some of the attempts at the rim might seem, there is a method to the madness, the versatile Miami Heat forward insists.
Now back in rhythm and in the rotation after an extended absence with an ankle sprain, Martin again is playing in attack mode.
“I think it’s just having my confidence going,” Martin said, with the Heat hosting the Los Angeles Clippers on Sunday night at Kaseya Center. “I know I’m a crafty finisher, I like to finish stuff.
“I work on some, off hand, off balance. It’s more natural for me to do stuff like that. So I figure I’m just being better at letting it go and adjusting my touch around the rim.”
It often is a case of attacking on the edge. But on a roster with somewhat limited athleticism, that edginess can have its place.
“The thing is,” Martin said, “I do what I know I can do. I’m not out of control. Just because it might look like a wild or abnormal shot to somebody just because they wouldn’t do it, that’s what I do. I always finish like that, especially with my off hand.”
And, yes, he said, there is a method to the perceived madness.
“It’s one of the first things I do when I come into the gym,” he said. “I just flip, use different areas of the glass, different angles of glass, different spins of the ball.
“I try different stuff like that, because I can be a below-the-rim player. I work on finishing at the last second, switching hands at the last second.”
It is an approach that often draws whistles because of the unique angles it creates for opponents.
“Sometimes when I feel I get fouled, I’ll play into it,” Martin said. “Like a lot of times, I don’t play for the foul, because I don’t get fouls like that. But when I feel like I get fouled, you either try to sell it or still try to finish it.
“I definitely don’t play for the fouls, because I usually don’t get that when I do that.”
For as theatrical as some of the finishes can be, there also have been times when the fiercest of Martin dunk attempts instead ricochets off the back iron.
Because of that, he attempts to balance ferocity with finesse.
“I think because when you try to dunk it every time, those are the times you need your touch at the rim, to get three-point plays, instead of it’s either a dunk or a miss,” he said. “So it’s kind of in the middle.”
Before he was dealt from the Heat for Terry Rozier, veteran point guard Kyle Lowry said the growth in Martin’s versatility had become evident.
“I think Caleb, in the last couple of years I’ve been with him, I think his offensive game has gotten a lot better,” Lowry said. “I think he’s gotten more confident in being able to dribble the ball, handle the ball, shoot the ball, going out there and showing the abilities that he showed coming out of college.”
For Martin, it’s all about putting his unique spin on the attempts.
“It’s a fundamental game,” he said, “so when you do stuff like that, it’s going to seem like you’re out of control. But I’m not anything I’m not capable of.”
So like backspin from an iron to the green?
“Nah, no golf for me.” he said with a smile.
Instead, more like eight-ball in the corner pocket?
“I can play a little bit of pool,” he said with another smile, “but I don’t play a lot often.”
