Stephen A. Smith calls Caleb Martin a ‘no-show’ in NBA Finals, asks him to step up for Miami Heat  

ESPN's fiery Stephen A. Smith, known for his candid opinions, blasted Miami Heat forward Caleb Martin for his underwhelming performance in the NBA Finals on Thursday.

Martin, who was nearly the MVP of the Eastern Conference finals, has struggled to replicate his success against the Denver Nuggets.

Stephen A. Smith expressed his disappointment in the young forward's NBA Finals performance on "First Take."

"I like Caleb a lot. I’m rooting for him," Smith said. "But he has been a virtual no-show in these Finals. And considering the way that he performed so exceptionally well in the Eastern Conference finals, it’s clearly a precipitous drop-off since Denver has arrived."

In the Eastern Conference finals against the Boston Celtics, Caleb Martin was consistent with his scoring, averaging 19.3 points per game while shooting 60.2%, including 48.9% from the 3-point line.

Miami Heat's Caleb Martin fails to shine in NBA Finals, needs to step up

Caleb Martin

Martin's struggled through the first two Finals games, as he found himself out of sync and unable to score more than three points per game – a far cry from his earlier success.

While he made notable improvements in Game 3 – scoring 10 points alongside three rebounds and two steals – he hasn't replicated his performances during the Eastern Conference finals.

To put Martin's struggles in perspective, it's important to consider his overall performance throughout the season. In the regular season, Martin averaged 9.6 points, 4.8 rebounds and 1.6 assists per game, shooting 46.4%, including 35.6% from beyond the arc.

His exceptional performance in the Eastern Conference finals could be an outlier, and expecting him to consistently replicate those numbers might be unrealistic.

The Heat coaching staff has made adjustments to the lineup, opting to start Kevin Love over Martin in an attempt to counter the dominance of the Nuggets' Nikola Jokic. This strategic move prioritizes size and defensive capabilities, impacting Martin's role and opportunities on the court.

With the Miami Heat trailing 2-1 in the NBA Finals, all eyes are on Caleb Martin to bounce back. While Stephen A. Smith's critique raises expectations, it's crucial to consider the entirety of Martin's performance this season.

The upcoming Game 4 in Miami on Saturday presents an opportunity for Martin to regain his level of play and contribute to the Heat's pursuit of a championship.