Sun Sentinel Palm Beach Edition
Newcomer Hill a source of inspiration for Adebayo
MIAMI — Erik Spoelstra was doing what coaches do Tuesday morning while expressing that everyone on the Miami Heat roster has a role to fill.
Shortly thereafter, center Bam Adebayo made a case for Solomon Hill.
As in the seldom-used wing acquired in the Feb. 6 Andre Iguodala trade at the NBA trading deadline. As in a player who again could fall out of the rotation if Tyler Herro makes his expected return Wednesday night against the Charlotte Hornets at AmericanAirlines Arena.
It seems that among those who provided the impetus for Adebayo’s breakout 27-point performance in Sunday’s victory over the Washington Wizards was Hill.
“I know that’s weird, because he just got on the team,” Adebayo said after Tuesday’s practice at AmericanAirlines Arena. “But Solomon has really been in my ear to really be in attack mode and stay in that type of mode throughout 48 minutes.”
Eventually it became a chorus.
“My teammates were like, ‘Don’t pass us the ball,’ ” Adebayo said with a smile. “At that point you start to realize you’re in a mode. I was making plays and trying to get us a W.”
Hill wound up playing 30 minutes in that victory, his longest appearance with the Heat, closing with seven points, four rebounds, three assists and two blocked shots.
Spoelstra then emphasized Tuesday that the notion was misplaced of Hill being a throw-in in the trade that sent out Justise Winslow, Dion Waiters and James Johnson to the Memphis Grizzlies for Hill, Iguodala and Jae Crowder.
“It was intentional him being part of that deal,” Spoelstra said. “We just think, we thought he’d really fit just in our personality, who we are, defensive minded. He’s a smart player, an experienced player. He’s been on some good teams. And it’s a credit to him keeping himself really ready to be able to play those 30 minutes hard. And he was not gassed or did not ask to come out. His conditioning level was pretty high.
“But you can see why we like him and why he fits. If I had to term him as anything, he’s a winning player.”
Staying focused
The two-day break in the schedule provided a Tuesday opportunity for both practice and video work, with Spoelstra emphasizing the team’s commitment to push past time tough times, now with victories in five of the six games since the ugly home loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves.
“Anybody can get up in front of a microphone and say, ‘We’re doing this, this, this and that wrong,’ ” Spoelstra said of turning to team meetings. “OK, fine, great, what are solutions? And those days like after the Minnesota game, we’ve had to get in here and go to work or go through the film, which sometimes is like an autopsy.
“It’s all with a mindset just to get better, to help us get to a different level. Guys have been great about that.”
And now, guard Goran Dragic said, is no time to look at the records of the opponents in this impending three-game homestand against the Hornets, New York Knicks and Chicago Bulls.
“We play well at home but, still, we need to get better,” he said. “Playoffs are approaching, so we need to be at top form. If we’re going to win these, it’s going to give us extra confidence to go on the road. We know we have some problems on the road, but we want to finish strong at home.”
Team colors
Dragic conducted his media session in an Inter Miami CF kit.
“I’m a huge fan of soccer, so I was happy to find out that [David] Beckham was bringing the team here,” he said, having joined with teammates in attending Saturday’s loss to D.C. United. “I’m a huge fan right now. So hopefully they can win here at home, their first game.”
Inter Miami’s inaugural home match is Saturday at 3 p.m. against the LA Galaxy, five hours before the Heat’s tip against the visiting Bulls and less than three hours before the Heat’s pregame walkthrough.