Caleb Martin, the Heat’s duty firefighter

After showing his skills as a wrestler during an early fight with Christian Koloko last month, Caleb Martin is now being talked about for his qualities as a basketball player, and he is now thriving in a new role, that of winger- very fleeing. Like Kyle Lowry, Cody’s twin holds the house to compensate for the many absences.

During the last two victories of the Heat, against Phoenix then in front of Washington, Caleb Martin has thus turned into an X factor thanks to his outside shot, at 5/6 then at 4/9 behind the arc.

“You better watch my college games. I used to do this regularly. It’s just that my role has changed a bit.”he replied after delivering his best game of the season, at 24 points, 9 rebounds, 4 assists, 2 steals and 1 against in 40 minutes.

A real chameleon

The player explains this sudden exposure by several factors, between the absence of major players that he must help to fill and the gradual assimilation of the rudiments of position 4.

“I think it’s a bit of both. It is clear that we must take over from these guys. They are the ones who carry the burden in terms of scoring. Of course, we have to be there to recover those shots without hurting Tyler Herro and Kyle Lowry. All in all, I think I’m just beginning to understand this role of 4 on how to get shots”, he confided.

Back on the field after three weeks of absence, Tyler Herro wanted to salute the role of “all-purpose” player of Caleb Martin, who also stands out for his defensive intensity, to the point of having allowed him to make his place in Florida. Like a chameleon, he seems to adapt perfectly to every environment, every situation.

“Caleb just does Caleb. He’s so dynamic, especially in position 4. It’s really a 2 or a 3, but here he’s playing in position 4. To be able to place him there, that he represents a threat for us and that he can attack on the one-on-one, it’s hard to contain it for the opponent. And now he shoots pretty well from afar. It just does the job according to our needs”.

The context obliges him to take more responsibility, and to show that he can hold the road in many roles. What if this cascade of injuries ends up serving the Heat when everyone comes back? No doubt that Washington will in any case keep a closer eye on him for Act II tonight.