The Heat used their 16th different starting lineup in 28 games on Wednesday at Orlando, but they keep finding ways to win, writes Anthony Chiang of The Miami Herald. Tyler Herro and Bam Adebayo returned this week, but Jimmy Butler was held out with a strained left calf and Kevin Love had a stomach illness, forcing coach Erik Spoelstra to continue the personnel juggling that has been necessary since the start of the season.
“We do feel like we have great depth,” Spoelstra said. “We have great continuity, so I’m not as concerned when we’ve had to deal with guys missing games. It’s more about developing the consistency to our identity, which we know. We have the continuity. It’s about whoever is out there, we know what we need to try to do. We just need to do it more consistently.”
Chiang notes that only the Grizzlies, Hornets and Pistons have more missed games this season than Miami, and all those teams are near the bottom of the standings. Miami is tied for sixth in the East at 16-12 while getting contributions from up and down its roster. Reserves played a huge role on Wednesday as Josh Richardson, Duncan Robinson, Thomas Bryant and Haywood Highsmith all contributed to the win.
“Thomas was a plus-20. Obviously, (Highsmith) was really good defensively and then knocked down threes,” Spoelstra said. “So that makes everybody else notice out there. But he did a lot of other intangible things to contribute to winning. And J-Rich and Duncan were both so rock solid in this game. We don’t win this game without that production from those guys.”
There’s more from the Southeast Division:
- The Wizards traded for point guard Tyus Jones this summer to be the on-court leader for a young team and he has excelled in that role so far, per Chase Hughes of Monumental Sports. Jones is posting career highs with 11.8 points, 3.0 rebounds and 5.5 assists per game, and Washington ranks second in the league in pace and 10th in scoring.“You can have play-makers, but there are a lot of guards in the league who are score first,” coach Wes Unseld Jr. said. “They are capable of making plays and facilitating, but it’s very unique to have a guy who sees the game that way and is able to put other guys in the right spots.”
- With the Wizards off to a 4-22 start, David Aldridge and Josh Robbins of The Athletic examine the roster and look at how management can get the team moving in the right direction. Sources tell the authors that Washington plans to emphasize “positional length,” basketball IQ and work ethic in next summer’s draft.
- Michael Pina of The Ringer talks to Jalen Suggs about how he has helped the Magic improve by taking on a non-glamorous role.
Spo is and has been the best coach in the league hands down. Yet can’t get a coach of the year, hmmmm
Jalen Suggs is a good combo player, an energy player a terrific defender and so and so but he never will be an all star player, Orlando needs a really good point guard to move to the next level, look at OKC very similar team to Orlando but the different between the two teams is that OKC have a super all star point guard in SGA.
You don’t like Anthony Black? (tell him to get a haircut) I think they should get a young All star prospect at SG. Then look at young Cs. Trade Fultz, Carter Jr, Caleb Houston and Isaac. Keep everyone else. Fill out roster with veterans if needed. Isaac, Houston and one 2nd for Wiseman and Hayes. Then trade Fultz and Carter Jr for a young SG and a contact. Need a couple veterans
Good idea but first and foremost Fultz does not have any trade value at this moment, Carter have a really good contract for the kind of player that he is and last but not least Orlando will NOT trade Jonathan Isaac, period. If Orlando wants to get something good back in a trade they definitely will have to include Suggs, Cole and a couple of first round picks.
What about Fultz, Houston and Carter Jr to NO for Jordan Hawkins, Jonas Val and Larry Nance. Then trade Val, Okeke and a 2nd to Detroit for Wiseman and Hayes