Whiteside, Waiters sit in fourth quarter
CHICAGO — Erik Spoelstra didn’t plan on keeping Hassan Whiteside and Dion Waiters on the bench for the entire fourth quarter Sunday, but when the group he had on the floor started pulling away from the Bulls, the Heat coach figured why change?
Goran Dragic and four reserves — Tyler Johnson, James Johnson, Wayne Ellington and Kelly Olynyk — played the entire fourth quarter (plus the final 1:34 of the third quarter) and sparked the Heat’s 100-93 victory over the lowly Bulls. The Heat outscored Chicago 29-23 after the Bulls pulled within one with 8:32 to play.
“We were looking for some kind of energy, some kind of separation,” Spoelstra said. “We understood that it was going to be a 48-minute game. And they played some inspiring basketball, not only in the fourth quarter but in that second quarter, that was what really changed the momentum of the game and got us back into it.”
Whiteside started the game after missing Saturday’s practice because of lingering soreness in his left knee, which was injured in the season opener. Although he and Spoelstra said the injury was not a factor, Whiteside played just 21:19 and was not on the court for the final 16:15, sitting on the bench with heat applied to his knee.
“I was just keeping it warm so if coach needs me I’m ready,” Whiteside said. “I’m fine if I put my jersey on. I basically came to the conclusion that I can play. That day of rest (Saturday) really helped me.”
The surprise was seeing Waiters sitting with Whiteside for the entire period. The Heat’s best clutch shooter had a rough day, scoring seven points and making just two of his 10 shots, but he has had slow starts before and then carried the Heat down the stretch. Waiters came out with 1:34 remaining in the third quarter and did not return.
“I’m a competitor I want to be out there,” Waiters said. “We got the win. I’m proud of the guys that went out there who finished the game off.
“Any given night it can be anybody. Games like that you want to go out there but sometimes you just have to roll with the punches.”
Dragic led the Heat with 24 points, followed by Ellington’s 19 and James Johnson’s 15. Tyler Johnson and Olynyk chipped in 10 each.
The way the Heat started — a franchise-low seven points in the first quarter on 2-of19 shooting — Spoelstra was ready to stick with anything that was working, no matter who was on the floor.
“I was ready to put anybody back in, but that team was playing well,” he said. “I wasn’t going to change it up. It was the most consistent basketball we played all game . ... It’s about getting the job done.” after banging knees with Magic center Nikola Vucevic in the opener and the bruise has yet to completely heal. Spoelstra said the decision not to practice Whiteside on Saturday was not unusual. “He’s fine,” Spoelstra said. Bench comes up big: The Heat’s bench scored 54 against the Bulls, led by Ellington. James Johnson added 15 points, seven rebounds and six assists, with 11 points in the fourth quarter. Olynyk had 10 points and five rebounds with Whiteside on the bench.
“We have a lot of weapons. … Sometimes different players are going to finish the game, including me, (and) sometimes I’m going to be on the bench,” Dragic said. “As long as we win games. The last two games against Minnesota and this game, most of the guys were from the second unit and we finished well. But that doesn’t mean we’re going to finish every game the same.”
Tale of two quarters: How bad was Miami at the start?
The Heat’s seven points established the franchise low for points in the first quarter. The previous record was eight points on April 22, 1999. Miami was scoreless the final 6:50 of the quarter and did not record a field goal for the final 7:38, but quickly turned it around and ended the second quarter 13 of 19 from the floor with 38 points, just five off the franchise record for the most points in a second quarter. The Bulls were not much better, scoring 13 in the first quarter on 4-of24 shooting.
“If the game kept on going like that, I think everybody would have wanted a refund,” Spoelstra said.
Familiar foes: The Heat continue their road trip Tuesday against two very familiar faces. Miami faces Cleveland, its first game against a team with both LeBron James and Dwyane Wade, who last teamed up in Miami for four seasons that ended with four trips to the Finals and two titles. The Cavaliers will be coming off a back-toback after playing in Philadelphia tonight. Wade has struggled since reuniting with James, coming off the bench and averaging career lows in points (10.2), field goal percentage (.424) and rebounds (3.9). The Cavaliers enter tonight’s game having won seven in a row.