Did words carry dual meaning?

In praising Dragic, Spoelstra might have been sending Waiters message

LOS ANGELES — There are times when coaches can offer up mixed messages.

And then there are times when, with a single statement, they can address dual agendas.

The latter appeared to be the case with Erik Spoelstra after his Miami Heat surged to an impressive 124-108 victory Thursday night over the Phoenix Suns at Talking Stick Resort Arena.

Asked about Goran Dragic thriving against his former team, with

20 of his 25 points in the second half, Spoelstra appeared to be doubling up on his response, intentional or otherwise.

“He has the emotional stability to be able to handle that,” he said of

Dragic, a career starter playing off the bench this season.

Because as Dragic was seizing his moment, Dion Waiters again was remaining out of view for the Heat.

Like veteran forward Udonis Haslem, Waiters was listed on Thursday’s box score as being out with “Injury/Illness — Stomach ache.” But there was a difference.

Haslem’s final status was listed as “DNP,” as in did not play. Waiters as “DND,” as in did not dress. Instead, Waiters remained in the locker room, yet to join teammates on the bench since being suspended

for the Oct. 23 season-opening victory over the Memphis Grizzlies for what the Heat deemed conduct detrimental to the team.

It was as recently as last season that the Heat had considerable visions for their 7-Eleven starting backcourt of Dragic and Waiters. Then Tyler Herro was drafted No. 13 out of Kentucky, Jimmy Butler was added in free agency and Kendrick Nunn arrived as a rookie revelation.

It was clear a new order might be established.

That’s why, as Spoelstra spoke by his team’s locker room in Phoenix, he stressed that what Dragic had accomplished with such zeal and joy against the Suns was about more than just a moment against a former team.

“It’s a great luxury for us to bring an All-Star talent like him, in his prime still, off the bench,” Spoelstra said. “I don’t take that for granted and make sure that the team doesn’t take that for granted.

“Those young guys are playing, and you have an All-Star, [a] proven, highly decorated player and winner in this league doing that. That’s a great sacrifice. That’s a great example for the young guys on our team.”

As Spoelstra spoke, Waiters remained in the locker room, awaiting the team flight to Los Angeles for Friday night’s game against the Lakers at the close of the three-game trip.

So in another breath, Spoelstra spoke about Dragic in regard to sacrifice. Again, there was a duality to the message. “I haven’t forgotten that he’s an All-Star,” Spoelstra said. “And I’ve talked about it all the time. Just because he’s a really good guy, he [is] a professional and he understands the big picture, that doesn’t mean that it’s easy or that he’s signing up to come off the bench.

“There’s a discussion that we’ve had, and it was with the big picture in mind, and he’s embraced it. I think he’s going to have an incredible year off the bench.”

To Dragic, the night wasn’t about anything nearly as heady. It was about his ongoing celebration of the sport at 33.

So he broke out the finger pistols after one 3-pointer and wagged his tongue after another.

It seemingly made no matter that his 31 minutes came off the bench.

“If you ask every player, if you play against your former team, it’s extra motivation,” Dragic said. “I just reacted. If you asked me at that moment, I didn’t know what I was doing. So I just reacted.”