Depth at center still in question
Team seeking consistent backup for Adebayo in middle
When it comes to options at center behind Bam Adebayo, the Miami Heat have multiple choices. When it comes to answers, lately there have been few.
In that regard, perhaps there was at least one positive takeaway from Wednesday night’s 123-106 setback against the Denver Nuggets that made it nine losses in the last 15 games.
In emptying his bench with 6:14 to play and his team down 18, Heat coach Erik Spoelstra opened eyes to the possibilities of recently acquired center Dewayne Dedmon.
On a night the Heat wound up pounded 43-30 on the boards, and a night after losing the rebounding battle 48-36 in a 20-point loss to the Phoenix Suns, Dedmon showed the value of veteran size and length in the middle.
During that final 6:14, the 6-foot11 31-year-old veteran secured five rebounds, one fewer than the team-leading total Adebayo garnered in his 30:20, with Dedmon also adding three points and two blocked shots.
“Those were important,” Spoelstra said of Dedmon’s minutes, more than half of which came with Denver’s starters still on the court. “He felt like he played 30 minutes in those six minutes. He’s been doing a lot of work, condition work, drill work, to try to fast track this.
“You could see, though, that his fitness level is high. It’s just a matter of getting those basketball competitive reps. But he’s big. He’s a great communicator out there.
And he has experience. So you can see where he could help.”
Already on their four-game trip that concludes Friday night against the Minnesota Timberwolves, the Heat have gone against the bulk of Portland’s Jusuf Nurkic, the ranginess of Phoenix’s Deandre Ayton and the triple-double guile of Denver’s Nikola Jokic, with the completeness of Karl-Anthony Towns looming in Minnesota.
It is a trip that has offered a reminder that play at center still matters, even in a league that has been downsizing.
While Adebayo came around with 21 points in Denver after a lackluster performance in Phoenix, there has been precious little in reserve at center, even with Spoelstra having three options in reserve.
Before the Heat dealt Kelly Olynyk in the trade that delivered since-sidelined Victor Oladipo from the Houston Rockets on March 25, it had been as simple as shifting Olynyk into the primary big-man role when Adebayo got a breather.
Now, each minute Adebayo sits, tenuous ticks follow.
Acquired as a possible replacement for Olynyk’s skill set, 32-yearold outside-shooting Nemanja Bjelica has been limited to a single six-minute run against the Suns over the last three games, held out Wednesday in Denver. In some ways, his role is closest to the non-role of outside-shooting big man Luke Babbitt after he was reacquired by the Heat at the 2016 trading deadline and then rarely played.
Then there is first-round pick Precious Achiuwa, whose contributions have diminished over the second half of the season, including 11:26 of uneven playing time Wednesday in Denver.
That could open the door for Dedmon, who, until Wednesday, had not appeared in an NBA game since March 11, 2020, when he was completing last season with the Atlanta Hawks.
For now, the approach remains to open with lithe 6-8, 215-pound Trevor Ariza at power forward. And that hasn’t been the problem, with the Heat pushing to a 13-point first-quarter lead in Tuesday’s loss in Phoenix and holding 31-26 lead at the end of the first quarter Wednesday in Denver.
It has been what has come after, including the relentless pounding endured on the boards, that has raised the power-rotation concern, leading to the question of whether there is a backup center in the house, even with three on the roster.
“We have to do a better job of gang rebounding,” Ariza said of the Heat, at least for now, opting to go with a size deficit on most nights, unless there is a potential increase in Dedmon’s role. “We can’t just rely on one person to rebound. We have to do it by committee since we are undersized or whatever.
“But that shouldn’t be an excuse. When you’re out there playing against somebody, it’s you versus him, and every matchup you have to take personally. We haven’t been doing a good job of helping each other get rebounds that we should get.”