Aside from his rookie year, Duncan Robinson, the Miami Heat’s sharpshooter, has consistently guided his team to the playoffs.
However, his role during the postseason has not always been steady. At 30 years old, Robinson’s playing time in the playoffs has frequently been unpredictable.
One NBA scout has called this inconsistency a significant enigma.
“I’m always puzzled by why Robinson hardly plays when the playoffs roll around,” the scout told Sports Illustrated’s Anthony Pasciolla. “I know he had defensive issues, but he made significant improvements to his game during the Finals run two years ago. In fact, his development was more noticeable than Bam [Adebayo]’s. It’s striking, especially given his high salary.”
In his second NBA season, Robinson played a crucial role in the Heat’s 2020 NBA Finals run. He started all 21 of their playoff games in the bubble, averaging 28.6 minutes per game.
In the following season, Robinson had a notable playoff role, averaging 25.0 minutes per game over four starts during the 2021 NBA Playoffs.
However, his role in the subsequent season was markedly different. He played but did not start any games, averaging only 12.2 minutes per game.
In the 2023 NBA Playoffs, the Heat gave Robinson 23 appearances, including one start, with an average of 18.2 minutes per game as they advanced to the NBA Finals. Yet, his role diminished again in the 2024 NBA Playoffs, where he averaged just 12.0 minutes per game coming off the bench.
Over the past three seasons, Robinson has started 105 regular-season games but only one playoff game, suggesting that the Heat may rely more on him during the regular season than in the postseason.
Despite struggling in the 2022-23 regular season, which led some fans to question his future with the Heat, Robinson capitalized on his opportunities in the 2023 NBA Playoffs and used that success to have a strong 2023-24 regular season.
Considering these factors, Robinson’s reduced role in the 2024 NBA Playoffs seemed like a setback. However, it’s important to note that he appeared to be playing through a back injury during the postseason, which may have influenced his limited role.
It’s likely that Robinson will strive to secure a significant position in both the regular season and playoffs for the 2024-25 season.
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