...for the Heat over the last four games.
After carving out a spot for himself in the Heat lineup last year with his steady as usual defense to go along with improved ball handling and long range shooting, JR struggled a bit early this season as he battled a couple nagging injuries that prevented him from getting in a his groove offensively.
We're starting to see JR get his groove back and based on his current level of play he seems on pace to have an even better season than last year.
Even as he struggled to get back after the injuries his ability as a shut-down defender compelled the Heat coaches to continue playing him a lot of minutes. That turned out to be a good coaching decision and a big benefit for Richardson and the entire Heat team, IMO.
JR has actually been asked to play a more prominent role offensively over the past week as Heat starting PG Goran Dragic has been sidelined with a back injury.
JR's best game of the week - and statistically one of the most efficient games of his pro career to this point - came Thursday night in Boston when he had 19 points, six rebounds, eight assists, four steals and two blocks over 35 minutes of playing time in a tense 117-114 loss to the Celtics.
JR is really starting to make a name for himself as one of the top young up-and-coming NBA stars thanks, of course, to that dogged, hard-nosed defense that has always been his trademark as a player, but, as of late, his efficient offensive efforts are on par with his defensive prowess.
How's this for offensive efficiency? Over the past four games JR is 30-60 from the field including 9-21 from three-point range.
Due to Dragic's injury situation JR has teamed with fellow guard Tyler Johnson as the Heat's primary ballhandlers in Dragic's absense. In a total of 142 minutes on the court over the last four games JR has committed a grand total of six (6) turnovers.
JR and the Heat play at Phoenix tonight in a 9 o'clock tipoff. There was apparently some confidence last night that Dragic would return to the lineup tonight and take over the starting PG position, thus allowing JR to play shooting gaurd/small forward.
Moving to the 2-guard should not result in a decrease of playing time for JR especially since he has been shooting it so well of late.
After carving out a spot for himself in the Heat lineup last year with his steady as usual defense to go along with improved ball handling and long range shooting, JR struggled a bit early this season as he battled a couple nagging injuries that prevented him from getting in a his groove offensively.
We're starting to see JR get his groove back and based on his current level of play he seems on pace to have an even better season than last year.
Even as he struggled to get back after the injuries his ability as a shut-down defender compelled the Heat coaches to continue playing him a lot of minutes. That turned out to be a good coaching decision and a big benefit for Richardson and the entire Heat team, IMO.
JR has actually been asked to play a more prominent role offensively over the past week as Heat starting PG Goran Dragic has been sidelined with a back injury.
JR's best game of the week - and statistically one of the most efficient games of his pro career to this point - came Thursday night in Boston when he had 19 points, six rebounds, eight assists, four steals and two blocks over 35 minutes of playing time in a tense 117-114 loss to the Celtics.
JR is really starting to make a name for himself as one of the top young up-and-coming NBA stars thanks, of course, to that dogged, hard-nosed defense that has always been his trademark as a player, but, as of late, his efficient offensive efforts are on par with his defensive prowess.
How's this for offensive efficiency? Over the past four games JR is 30-60 from the field including 9-21 from three-point range.
Due to Dragic's injury situation JR has teamed with fellow guard Tyler Johnson as the Heat's primary ballhandlers in Dragic's absense. In a total of 142 minutes on the court over the last four games JR has committed a grand total of six (6) turnovers.
JR and the Heat play at Phoenix tonight in a 9 o'clock tipoff. There was apparently some confidence last night that Dragic would return to the lineup tonight and take over the starting PG position, thus allowing JR to play shooting gaurd/small forward.
Moving to the 2-guard should not result in a decrease of playing time for JR especially since he has been shooting it so well of late.
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