Sidelined Ellington eager to start firing
MIAMI — Based on the opening weeks of the NBA season, it is apparent that Wayne Ellington’s time has come.
Only it hasn’t.
The Miami Heat player who appears best equipped to parachute into the league’s ongoing 3-for-all, the veteran guard will remain a spectator until at least Saturday.
If not longer.
After missing the entire preseason due to ankle soreness developed during training camp, Ellington has been held out of the past three games since being cleared for a return.
“It’s tough. Especially as a competitor, I want to be out there,” said Ellington, who established a franchise record with 227 3-pointers last season.
“I want to be able to help the team in whatever way I can. But, at the same time, I understand that I’ve been down. I missed some significant time with the team, so everything will work itself out. I’m going to keep putting in the work and it’ll come around.”
Coach Erik Spoelstra said Ellington has been diligent in that respect.
“It’s a great lesson for young players,” Spoelstra said. “He prepares every single day for that opportunity when his name is going to be called.”
With the Heat in the midst of a three-day break after Tuesday night’s 125-113 road loss to the Charlotte Hornets, that call won’t come until Saturday’s road game against the Atlanta Hawks, at the earliest.
All the while, Ellington is watching an NBA gone 3-point mad.
“I’m paying close attention to what’s going on around the league,” he said. “I’m excited to get out there.”
Here’s why: Dwyane Wade explained why both he and his teammates are taking more pull-up 3-pointers.
“The coaches are asking me to shoot it, so I’m going to shoot it,” he said. “It is the shots that we’re getting. A lot of times on our team, when you pass up open shots, we turn the ball over. So it is something we’ve talked about here.
“Coach asked me to stop shooting as many mid-range shots and step back. So I’ve done that.”
Still searching: Spoelstra said not only is his rotation not locked into place, but he is looking for a combination of players capable of sustained contribution.
“I’m trying to find enough people that are reliable to do their job every single time down, regardless what’s going during course of the game,” he said. “We’ll get there.”