South Florida Sun-Sentinel Palm Beach (Sunday)
Winning trip within reach for resilient squad
MEMPHIS — Dwyane Wade said after the Miami He a t ’s e mb a r ra s s i n g Wednesday night loss to the Utah Jazz that a team goes into a six-game road trip just looking to go 3-3.
Fast forward to a resilient effort in a 100-97 win against the Memphis Grizzlies and the Heat have clinched that after also starting with wins against the Phoenix Suns and Los Angeles Clippers.
They face the Pelicans in New Orleans on Sunday with an opportunity to come away with a winning record on the trip.
“It just gets us back on the right foot, and hopefully we have a chance to end this road trip on the right foot, as well,” said Kelly Olynyk after the win Friday in which he had 18 points, five rebounds and five assists and hit four 3-pointers. “For us to come together, especially after that tough loss against Utah, and know what we’re made of and play our game, execute our game, execute a game plan and go into a tough Western Conference team’s building and get a win.”
It was especially encouraging because of how bad Miami looked in the 111-84 loss to the Jazz two nights earlier.
“I think it was more important after getting whooped like that the other day, just to show a little bit of grit,” said guard Tyler Johnson. “I think everybody stepped up. The first unit got us going, and we were just able to carry on the momentum.”
Johnson had his first big showing since returning from an ankle injury. He had 17 points, five rebounds and four assists in 31 minutes.
“It was good to see Tyler able to play and move around the way he wanted to,” Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said. “He’s been struggling a little bit with his health the last couple of games, but he played big.”
Olynyk was in double figures for the eighth consecutive game, and his 18 was the most he’s had since scoring 20 points against the Indiana Pacers on Nov. 9.
“KO has been trending that way. He’s a smart, competitive basketball player,” Spoelstra said. “He had a big-time impact in the second half. Two or three possessions where he really bailed us out, and that’s what competitors do.”
Wade apologizes to Memphis: Of course, every final showing in a given city for
in this his “One Last Dance,” will bring with it the one last chance for fans in that city to see the 16-year, future Hall of Fame guard.
Fans in Memphis didn’t get that opportunity on Friday night as Wade sat with back soreness he said was bothering him the whole trip. Wade said he pushed himself past it earlier in the trip, but it simply wasn’t happening on Friday.
Wade tweeted a statement to Memphis fans: “I wanna apologize to all the fans that came out last night to see me play in Memphis and didn’t get the chance. My back decided it didn’t want me to be great. I’m getting treatment as I type this so I can get back out there soon.”
His status for Sunday is uncertain.
In the zone: The Heat have been effective when switching to the modified 2-3 zone, specifically when Spoelstra utilizes it with the length of the second unit.
“Guys were extremely active with it,” Spoelstra said. “We’re learning more about that group. The guys really get energized by it. They really cover some ground.”
Olynyk says communication is key.
“I think it’s big for us be- cause we just communicate better. We’re all talking. We ’ re a l l in the right places,” Olynyk said. “For us, it’s all about communication, body movement and being locked in. When you’re in that zone, you got to be locked in to your position and lock in to make sure that if anybody’s moving through your zone and into another zone, you got to let them know.
“That communication, that togetherness really helps us. Bam and DJ and the guys had a couple of huge rebounds, huge plays at the rim.”
dfurones@sunsentinel.com / On Twitter @DavidFurones_
Heat at Pelicans