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Miami Heat: Canadian Content in the 2020 NBA Finals

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This will be the 10-straight NBA Finals with at least one Canadian according to Rob Williams of Offside. This includes players like Cory Joseph, Tristan Thompson, and Chris Boucher. The growth of Canadian NBA players especially in Ontario and the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) is the talking point of the 2010s. As a result, many Canadians are making contributions to their teams including the Miami Heat.

The Two Canadian NBA Players in the NBA Finals Representing the Miami Heat

Kelly Olynyk; Most Valuable Canadian on the Miami Heat

Kelly Olynyk was born in Toronto, Ontario in 1991. He lived in Toronto until grade 7 when he moved to Kamloops, British Columbia according to Nicholas K. Geranios of the Associated Press. The rest of his childhood was spent in Kamloops.

Offense

Olynyk is the backup center for the Miami Heat in the 2019-20 NBA season. However, he has also shown an ability to play the power forward position. He averaged 8.2 points, 4.6 rebounds, and 1.7 assists per game in the 2019-20 NBA season. These numbers may be down from the 2018-19 NBA season, which was due to reduced playing time. Furthermore, in the 2020 NBA playoffs, he is averaging 5.8 points, 4.2 rebounds, and 1.2 assists per game.

If Olynyk makes a positive impact with the Miami Heat, it will be his three-pointers. He had a career-high 40.6 percent from the three-point line in the 2019-20 NBA season. He has not been as good in the NBA playoffs shooting 31.3 percent from the three-point line. Olynyk had four points, five rebounds, and four assists in game one of the 2020 NBA Finals.

However, he can shoot the ball from the three-point line. For a center, that is a huge plus. If he can do that, it will open the floor. It will also allow players like Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo to get more opportunities to score at the basket. This is because the Los Angeles Lakers will have to worry about Olynyk, who can shoot the three-pointer. Butler is expected to return on Friday after getting injured on Wednesday according to Jordan Greer of Sporting News. However, it was recently revealed that Adebayo along with Goran Dragic is both doubtful for game two of the NBA Finals. If Adebayo is out for game two of the NBA Finals, expect Olynyk to start in game two of the NBA Finals.

In the 2019-20 NBA season, he has scored 10-19 points 27 times and scored 20-29 points one time. One of his best games was against the Denver Nuggets on August 1. He had 20 points, five rebounds, three assists, one steal, and one block. He also had four three-pointers in six three-point shot attempts and eight field goals made in 11 field goal attempts. This played a role in the Heat beating the Nuggets by a score of 125-105.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Z2ugldPBMo

Defense

Olynyk’s biggest strength though might be his defense. In the 2020 NBA playoffs, according to stats.nba.com, he has the best defensive rating (excluding Gabe Vincent, who only played one game) for the Miami Heat. Olynyk is currently averaging 2.1 box outs per game in the 2020 NBA playoffs. Also, the Heat averaged 1.0 rebounds per game, when Olynyk is boxing out.

In hustle stats, he has averaged 1.0 screen assists and 2.3 screen assists that end up in points per game in the 2020 NBA playoffs. He is also great at creating charges. In the 2020 NBA playoffs, he is drawing 0.15 charges per game. This is the most charges taken for any Miami Heat player in the NBA playoffs.

Lastly, Tyler Herro, the wonder rookie for the Miami Heat, had high praise for Olynyk according to Brad Sullivan of Heat Nation.

“We all know, as teammates, what KO can do. We’re grateful to have him on our team. He’s 7-foot and can space the floor, and also can play inside. He’s great in the pick-and-roll. He can do everything.”

Kyle Alexander; Canadian Rookie for the Miami Heat

Kyle Alexander was born in 1996 in Scarborough and was brought up in Milton, Ontario. Alexander also attended Orangeville Prep in Orangeville, Ontario. Like Olynyk, Alexander can play both the power forward and the center position. Lastly, he is the brother of current WNBA and Minnesota Lynx player Kayla Alexander.

He was undrafted in the 2019 NBA draft. However, he was signed to a two-way contract with the Miami Heat earlier this year according to Ben McKee of Rocky Top Insider.

He only played two games in the 2019-20 NBA season and has yet to appear in the NBA playoffs. In the 2019-20 NBA season, he averaged 1.0 points and 1.5 rebounds per game. His first-ever NBA game was against the Milwaukee Bucks on August 6 where he had only one rebound. The Heat lost that game 130-116 to the Bucks. He would score his first-ever basket against the Indiana Pacers on August 14. Alexander had two points and two rebounds against the Pacers. However, the Miami Heat would also lose that game 109-92.

Unfortunately, unlike Olynyk, Alexander is unlikely going to play a role in the NBA Finals. However, no one can underestimate the experience Alexander will get by being around players like Butler and Adebayo. This type of experience will help him grow his NBA career for years to come.

Overview of the Canadian Players in the 2020 NBA Finals

While Olynyk is not a starter, expect him to play a major role in the NBA Finals. This will be his first-ever appearance in the NBA Finals. The Heat will need his three-point shooting and defensive capabilities against the Lakers. The Lakers have one of the best if not the best frontcourt in the NBA. This includes NBA All-Stars LeBron James and Anthony Davis.

Lastly, the Lakers have Dwight Howard, who has resurrected his career with the Lakers. Olynyk will be relied on heavily whenever he is on the court. It also helps that Olynyk can play the power forward and center position in terms of guarding James, Davis, and/or Howard.

As mentioned before, do not expect Alexander to play a role in the NBA Finals. He will most likely be sitting on the bench as he has not made an appearance yet in the NBA playoffs. However, it will be a good experience for Alexander and it might make him a better player in the 2020-21 NBA season.

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