Observations and other notes of interest from Saturday night’s 113-99 loss to the Chicago Bulls:
– It’s almost as if Heat coach Erik Spoelstra merely is looking to buy time in the absence of sidelined center Cody Zeller, who is recovering from a procedure for the nasal fracture sustained last Saturday in Orlando.
– This time, after three ineffective minutes in his initial stint, second-year Omer Yurtseven did not return in the first half, with Kevin Love instead shifted to center when Adebayo took his second break of the game.
– Then, when starting center Bam Adebayo took his first break of the second half, it was Haywood Highsmith entering for the first time, instead of Yurtseven.
– Even with Love also out of the game at the time.
– In other words, Spoelstra was more willing to go with a front line of Highsmith, Jimmy Butler and Caleb Martin than tempt the fates with Yurtseven.
– Only grabage time saw a return of Yurtseven.
– With Zeller, there was immediate trust from Spoelstra from his arrival at last month’s buyout deadline.
– With Yurtseven, there has been nothing similar in the second-year big man’s week back.
– Keep in mind that Yurtseven will be a free agent in the offseason.
– So if the Heat decide against re-signing, there still remains time to clear that roster spot for Orlando Robinson.
– Which would make Robinson playoff eligible.
– The Heat again opened with Adebayo, Kevin Love, Butler, Tyler Herro and Gabe Vincent.
– The Heat’s first seven shots all were 3-point attempts. The first two-point shot, by Herro, did not come until 6:40 remained in the opening period.
– Max Strus and Yurtseven then entered together as the Heat’s first two reserves.
– Followed by Martin.
– And then Victor Oladipo for nine deep.
– The appearance was the 500th regular-season game of Oladipo’s career.
– Oladipo’s first steal was the 800th of his career.
– Then, in the second half, Spoelstra opted for Highsmith over Yurtseven when Adebsyo went out.
– Spoelstra declined to get into specifics pregame about the reasoning behind holding out Lowry on Saturday instead of Sunday against the lesser Pistons.
– “Because this was part of the plan,” Spoelstra said, without offering specifics about the plan. “This is what we planned on during the week and we’re sticking with the plan. This is when we deemed his next work day.”
– Pressed, he only added. “This was the plan and we’re just following the plan.
– Lowry went through a complete shooting cycle with assistant coach Anthony Carter pregame.
– The Heat have two remaining back-to-backs, one each of the final two weeks of the regular season.
– “We’ll see where we go from here,” Spoelstra said of the planning with Lowry. “But this is the plan for this week. We’re formulating the plan for next week and we’ll see where we go from there.”
– Asked if Lowry was the only Heat player on such a management program, Spoesltra said, “Right now, yeah. That could change. We’ll see.”
– Oladipo was back in the mix after being held out of …read more
Source:: The Denver Post – Sports
