IN THE LANE

WEIGHTY TALK: Having competed with Grant Williams during his prep career in North Carolina, Heat center Bam Adebayo playfully quipped ahead of this past week’s matchup about the transformation of the Boston Celtics forward. “His body has changed, ”Adebayo said. “When he first got in the league, he was a little tubby. And I tell him that, regardless. He knows it. But the fact that he’s changed his body and really bought in to lifting weights, getting in shape. And he’s been shooting it better. He’s one of those guys now, he’s kind of like one of those detail-oriented guys on their team, where he’s in the right spot at the right time all the time.”

MOVING SEASON: Sidelined with an ankle sprain since Jan. 8, former Heat big man Kelly Olynyk has not lost sight of the reality that he likely is merely a rental for the youth-minded Jazz, possibly to be dealt at this season’s trading deadline just as he was by the Heat at the 2021 deadline. “It happens, you know. I’ve been traded twice now, a couple offseason moves and it is what it is,” Olynyk, 31, told the Deseret News. “Whoever you’re with, you want to continue to help that organization and franchise and be thankful for the opportunity they gave you if they move on. If not, you’re here and working with this group to keep building, keep getting better. When I first got in the league, you’re kind of anxious, nervous all the time. Now, it’s like, you’ve been through it, you’re not worried about it or thinking about it anymore.”

FOURTH CHANCE: Kendrick Nunn’s second chance could not have played out better, arriving to the Heat from a season in the G League with a breakout 2019-20, runnerup after that season to Ja Morant for Rookie of the Year. And then it slowed with the Heat in 2020-21. And then a knee injury derailed his next stop with the Los Angeles Lakers, not appearing in a single game last season. Now, with his recent trade to the Washington Wizards for Rui Hachimura there is hope for revival. The hope actually came in his Wizards debut that included a fierce transition dunk over Houston Rockets big man Bruno Fernando. “A lot of work for that. I had to get that back,” Nunn said of his perseverance these past two seasons. “It was a long process, too, as well. That’s just a testament to my hard work and discipline. It feels good to be healthy and just come out here and play and have fun.” Nunn will become a free agent at season’s end.

STILL CAN: Why, yes, that was 42-year-old New Orleans Pelicans coach

Willie Green, the former NBA guard, throwing down a dunk last weekend during his team’s practice at Miami-Dade Arena. “You get in this humidity and it warms your ligaments up,” Green said. “I don’t know if I could do the same thing in Cleveland, Detroit. Every now and then, I can still get up there.”

NUMBER 13 Years since the Heat won a game when shooting as low as they did in Tuesday night’s victory over the Boston Celtics (.362, 34 of 94). That was when the Heat defeated the Charlotte Bobcats on March 20, 2010 when shooting .359 (28 of 78). That 77-71 Heat victory over Charlotte featured Michael Beasley and Carlos Arroyo.