Wade relishes playoff push, tournaments

MIAMI — To Dwyane Wade, his bruised right elbow notwithstanding, this is in many ways the most wonderful time of the basketball year.

It was after the Miami Heat completed their Thursday practice at AmericanAirlines Arena, in advance of Friday night’s game against the Milwaukee Bucks, that Wade checked with a Heat staffer about where Marquette stood in the Big East basketball tournament, his Golden Eagles soon rolling past St. John’s.

“This time ’til the end, until the [NBA] Finals, this is the best time to be a basketball fan,” Wade said, “from college basketball as they get into their conference tournaments and they go into the NCAA Tournament, that’s exciting, that’s always exciting for all of us who have schools that’s going to be in the Tournament and all these things.

“And then here, this is a time in the NBA where it heats up. You’ve got people trying to jockey for position. Then you’ve even got the teams that’s not that good playing very well, because the season is coming to the end, they’re feeling free, they’re feeling good, there’s no worries, no concerns.”

The Heat will mostly be facing playoff competition the balance of the season, so the competition will naturally be intense. But that doesn’t mean there also won’t be bragging rights when it comes to Sunday’s announcement of the NCAA Tournament field, a bracket that will be revealed shortly after the Heat face the Charlotte Hornets to close out this five-game homestand.

“So this is the best time,” Wade said. “It’s the most competitive time to be a basketball fanatic or a basketball fan. So it’s fun.” Forward thinking:

Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said it has been particularly heartening to see the team’s three most recent draft picks — Bam Adebayo, Josh Richardson and Justise Winslow — coalesce this season, particularly in the team’s latest lineup.

“It’s what you hope with young players when you come into a season, you plan for training camp, you get through preseason and you start games,” he said. “You want to see growth, improvement as the season goes on and you’ve seen it with all three of those and with Derrick Jones, Kelly [Olynyk].

“Those guys have gotten a lot better. They look much different now than they did in October. And they’re bringing the best out of each other, as well, which is a good sign.” Jack injured:

Veteran NBA guard Jarrett Jack, who signed recently with the Heat’s G League team, will miss the remainder of the season after tearing the ACL and lateral meniscus as well spraining the MCL in his left knee.

Jack, 35, was injured in his lone appearance with the Sioux Falls Skyforce, a game a week ago against the Rio Grande Valley Vipers, when he closed with 21 points, six assists, five rebounds and a steal in 29 minutes. His injury was confirmed in subsequent testing.

Surgery is scheduled for April 1, to be handled by Brooklyn Nets Medical Director and head team physician Dr. Riley J. Williams III.