Sun Sentinel Palm Beach Edition
Spoelstra drops hints on rotation
First 10 to see floor vs. Magic ‘are the guys I want to look at’
ORLANDO — Thursday night’s 107-98 preseason victory over the Orlando Magic at the Amway Center either was a tell into what could come next for the Miami Heat at next week’s start of the regular season … or a reminder of how much remains unsettled with a team with so much equivalent talent.
Utilizing a starting lineup that featured Duncan Robinson and Meyers Leonard, but no Tyler Herro, Goran Dragic or Dion Waiters, coach Erik Spoelstra at least offered a hint into his rotation players on the night Kelly Olynyk made his preseason debut.
“I wanted to take a look at those guys as much as possible,” Spoelstra said.
A punctuation mark came from prized offseason acquisition Jimmy Butler, who made it clear he is ready to step up as needed, closing with 23 points on 9-of-14 shooting, six rebounds and six assists.
“When he’s out there leading the charge, we’re going to be tough to beat,” swingman Justise Winslow said.
There also were enough contributions across the board to create hope, including 17 points from Robinson, 12 assists from Winslow and 13 rebounds from Bam Adebayo.
The Heat now close out their five-game preseason schedule Friday night against the Houston Rockets at American-Airlines Arena.
Five degrees of Heat from Thursday’s exhibition:
1. Opening twist: Why, yes, that was Robinson starting for the third time in the Heat’s four exhibitions.
Even more curious was Spoelstra noting going in, “The first 10 guys I play tonight are the guys I want to look at.”
So perhaps Robinson is more than placeholder for rounding-into-shape James Johnson, instead to be utilized in a role similar to Luke Babbitt in 2016-17. The former two-way player closed 4 of 8 on 3-pointers.
“He’s really improved and grown as a player,” Spoelstra said.
Spoelstra’s starting five was rounded out by Adebayo, Leonard, Butler and Winslow.
Ultimately the Heat’s first 10 were that starting unit followed, in order, by Dragic, Waiters, Derrick Jones Jr., Olynyk and Herro.
2. Second act: That first five left Dragic a reserve for the third time in as many preseason appearances.
In the end it might not be as much of a case of Winslow winning the primary ballhandling role as the cautious approach with the 33-year-old Dragic after last season’s knee surgery.
“At the end of the day, I want to play in games,” Dragic said. “That is the big picture.
“I’m just trying to figure out those things and try to be effective and stay as long as I can on the floor.”
3. Olynyk debuts: After missing all of training camp and the first three exhibitions due to the bruised right knee sustained in August with the Canadian national team, Olynyk made his preseason debut with 3 minutes, 26 seconds left in the first quarter. He drained a 3-pointer on his first attempt. “It felt good to be out there,” he said. As far as being ready by opening night Wednesday against the visiting Memphis Grizzlies, Olynyk said, “I think that’s basically what we’re working toward. That’s why we want to get in some minutes here, make sure we get some game action, live, up and down, nonstop action and see how it reacts.” Olynyk believes the worst is past.
“I’ve been feeling good,” he said. “My body feels good [and] I’m moving well. It gets a little sore if I work on it for an extended period, so that’s just the stuff we’re trying to manage right now and make sure that it’s not something that’s going to linger or affect something down the line.”
4. Better Butler: Butler was more aggressive in his minutes this time out, stepping up from the measured mode he had played in the first three exhibitions.
He closed the first half 5 of 6 from the field, with 10 points, four assists and four rebounds in 16 minutes, often pausing to direct and instruct teammates.
“This was more to quiet what people were thinking,” Spoelstra said of Butler’s performance. “I know what he does.”
5. Bam boards: Adebayo reached double digits in rebounds for the second consecutive game, following up his 10 on Monday night against the Atlanta Hawks while also switching relentlessly when needed on defense.
“Look,” Spoelstra said, “the game is changing a little bit. So the ability to contain the basketball, to be able to defend on the perimeter, to have a presence in the paint, those are the most important things right now. And that is starting to really become position-less.”