Winderman’s view: With limited options, Heat show their limitations

5 days ago 2

MIAMI – Observations and other notes of interest from Saturday night’s 125-115 loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves:

– At some point you need scoring options.

– As Tyler Herro remains solely a fashion statement on the bench.

– As Norman Powell deals with nagging issues.

– As Jaime Jaquez Jr. exits stage left in this one with an ankle sprain.

– As Bam Adebayo struggles against defensive length.

– As Pelle Larsson sits again.

– So early in the fourth quarter, as this started to slip away, before Powell returned, the entirety of the Heat shot creation on the court was Andrew Wiggins.

– And then Wiggins fouled out midway through the fourth.

– The Heat with no choice but to try to play him through the foul trouble.

– Against lesser defenses, you can play the pace-race game.

– And when the Timberwolves were turning it over, like early in the third period, the easy button was there.

– But what the Heat don’t have is an Anthony Edwards.

– Not that many do.

– Enjoy all those 140s you want.

– But what matters is what is done against quality, playoff-level opposition.

– Which is why Jaquez has stood as so essential.

– And why Herro could and will help.

– As soon as he again can toe the line.

– Because Powell or bust has its limits.

– As evidenced by this one.

– With Herro again out, the Heat again opened with a lineup of Powell, Wiggins, Adebayo, Kel’el Ware and Davion Mitchell.

– A lineup now 5-4.

– Mitchell opened defensively against Edwards.

– Not exactly a fair fight.

– With his third 3-pointer Saturday, Edwards reached 1,200 for his career, the first player in NBA history to reach that mark before turning 25.

– Jaquez Jr. again was first off the Heat bench.

– Kasparas Jakucionis and Nikola Jovic followed.

– With Jakucionis remaining in the mix with Larsson missing a second consecutive game with an ankle sprain.

– Dru Smith made it nine deep for the Heat.

– Then, with Powell dealing with leg soreness, Simone Fontecchio was added to the mix early in the second period.

– Ware extended his career-best run of games with multiple offensive rebounds to 16.
– Powell extended his streak of games scoring in double figures to 33, dating to last season with the Los Angeles Clippers, two games off the longest such run of his career.

– Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said before the game that he sees nothing wrong with the notion of Jaquez as an early frontrunner for Sixth Man of the Year.

– “I would love to see him get that award, and I think he’s deserving of it,” Spoelstra said. “He just has to continue to play at this level. He’s impacting winning for us, so I think that’s the most important thing.”

– And then Jaquez was lost with that ankle sprain.

– Spoelstra also spoke pregame of Jovic’s ability to inject pace when he enters.

– “I think that’s naturally his style. So I think it’s an overall style that fits his skill set,” Spoelstra said. “We want him to put his foot to the pedal. He’s great when he has the ball in his hands. (He’s great with his pitch ahead. His vision is terrific.”

– Jovic had his moments again.

– Timberwolves coach Chris Finch had ample praise going in for the Heat’s zone defense.

– “I mean, they do a great job with it,” he said. “They have done it for years. It’s often bothered us. They’re really good and active out front. They cover a lot of ground with their guys up front. They kind of corral you into spaces. They cut off passing angles, and their activity is just high level.”

– And then Naz Reid broke the zone.

– A legitimate Heat killer.

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