Sun Sentinel Palm Beach Edition
A very good problem
Spoelstra just fine having five guards to find time for
MIAMI — It reached a point in Monday night’s victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers when Josh Richardson found himself briefly cast at power forward. But if that is what it takes for Erik Spoelstra to find time for five guards in his rotation, so be it.
With Tyler Johnson back in the mix for Wednesday night’s game against the Charlotte Hornets at AmericanAirlines Arena, Spoelstra again had to figure out how to find time for Goran Dragic, Dion Waiters, Wayne Ellington, Johnson and Richardson.
“We need it,” Spoelstra said of the backcourt depth. “We’ve dealt too much with eight guys available, nine guys available. The more guys we have available, the better. We’ll adjust to that as needed.
“We’re a better basketball team when we have more guys available. And our guys are good about it. They understand that that might mean a little bit different individually, their role. But they’ve bought into whatever’s best for the team. And if we have to play J-Rich at the four, like we did [Monday] night, we do it, whatever’s necessary.”
Of the Heat’s five guards, only Dragic is considered a true point guard. The Heat bypassed carrying a second point guard when they cut Beno Udrih and Briante Weber at the end of training camp.
Spoelstra said Richardson, Johnson and Waiters have been more than sufficient in the secondary ballhandling role behind Dragic, especially with forward James Johnson also serving as a playmaker.
“I like it,” Spoelstra said. “I like the versatility that our roster has. That’s how we play, anyway. Different guys handle. Different guys initiate, get us into offense, different guys generating attacks and looks for us offensively. So J.J. also helps a great deal with that.
“The more unconventional we are. I think it help us.” ago, they mattered to us then — but now we’re in a playoff chase, a hunt.
“As a competitor, you want your team to feel all these emotions. So is there any more pressure? Bring it on. We want that.”
Of the Heat schedule somewhat softening up, after consecutive games against the Cavaliers, with Wednesday’s game beginning a run of seven of eight at home, Spoelstra said he didn’t want to hear it.
“We have good wins,” he said. “We’ve also dropped some games to teams that are well below .500. So nothing is guaranteed. You have to stay on top of those habits.” situation happened there,” said Heat forward
with Golden State first moving for the veteran presence of and then
White, Jose Calderon Matt Barnes Kevin Durant
asa injury fill-in. “I’m glad he got picked right back up so quick. It shows a lot of teams have interest in him. I’m just happy for him. Wherever he’s at, he’s just going to play his basketball, so I’m happy about that.”
White and Weber grew close both during training camp and then with each spending the opening months of the season with the Heat’s NBA Development League affiliate, the Sioux Falls Skyforce.
White, in fact, was among those contacted when the Warriors made their move for Weber, with White’s former Florida State point guard
now on Golden State’s video and development staff.
“As soon as Briante signed,” White said, “he asked me about him, He said how is he? I thought he was talking about his game. I said, ‘He’s good, what do you mean?’ He was like, ‘How is he? I need to know?’ I said, you’ll see.
“And so he ended up loving him, And he sent me a text saying he was a great guy.”
Loucks Okaro Luke