The Heat, a team made for the playoffs and who would “let themselves go” in the regular season? Some might think so since the Florida team has not always needed to occupy the top of its conference to be invited to the NBA finals in recent years.
The example of last year, with an accession to the final series despite an 8th place in the East, being of course the most telling of all. But Erik Spoelstra does not want to hear this speech. “ To say we didn't take the regular season seriously is completely false “, thunders the coach in his exit interviewafter the elimination of his team against the Celtics in the first round.
“ I can understand why people are talking about it because of the missed matches. We are not a load management team. Things happen and sometimes you can't control them », continues the technician, of course pointing the finger at the injury factor which decimated his training.
In its battle cut short by the Celtics, the Heat went into battle without Jimmy Butler, Terry Rozier, Josh Richardson or even Jaime Jaquez Jr. while Duncan Robinson was hampered by his back. During the season, Miami had to juggle 35 different starting fives. And the trio Jimmy Butler, Bam Adebayo and Tyler Herro only played 27 games together, for a barely balanced record (14 wins and 13 losses).
The highly anticipated return of Jimmy Butler
“ What we do in terms of preparation and conditioning of players is useful for 'soft' tissue problems. It is on the other aspects that we must focus. Two seasons ago, it was okay. The last two seasons are a little skewed by guys who missed the entire season and weren't completely in our rotation », continues Erik Spoelstra.
He reminds us that his club's objective is not to fight for play-in year after year. “ We strive to achieve the ultimate prize. But the reality is that most of the time, unfortunately, you end your season with a loss and that can drive you crazy sometimes because you don't want to accept it. We will not accept it. »
One of his players probably accepts it even less than the others: Jimmy Butler. For the first time since… 2016, he was unable to play a single minute of the final phase. As a result, the coach expects to find his leader motivated like never before next year: “ I expect that at the stage of his career and at his age, he will arrive at training camp in the best shape of his career.
While its best player could be extended this summer, the Heat have a lot of other issues to manage. Caleb Martin, Kevin Love, Josh Richardson and Thomas Bryant all have options on their contracts, and Haywood Highsmith, Patty Mills and Delon Wright are all unprotected free agents.
The continuation of events may be distant, but Erik Spoelstra, thinking in particular of Jimmy Butler, is already enthusiastic: “ I can't wait, I can't wait for training camp. »
| Shots | Rebounds | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Players | MJ | Min | Shots | 3pts | L.F. | Off | Def | Early | Pd | Bp | Int | Ct | Party | Pts |
| Tyler Herro | 42 | 33.5 | 44.1 | 39.6 | 85.6 | 0.5 | 4.8 | 5.3 | 4.5 | 2.2 | 0.7 | 0.1 | 1.5 | 20.8 |
| Jimmy Butler | 60 | 34.0 | 49.9 | 41.4 | 85.8 | 1.8 | 3.6 | 5.3 | 5.0 | 1.7 | 1.3 | 0.3 | 1.1 | 20.8 |
| Bam Adebayo | 71 | 34.0 | 52.1 | 35.7 | 75.5 | 2.2 | 8.1 | 10.4 | 3.9 | 2.3 | 1.1 | 0.9 | 2.2 | 19.3 |
| Terry Rozier | 31 | 31.5 | 42.3 | 37.1 | 91.3 | 0.6 | 3.6 | 4.2 | 4.6 | 1.3 | 1.0 | 0.3 | 1.6 | 16.4 |
| Duncan Robinson | 68 | 28.0 | 45.0 | 39.5 | 88.9 | 0.2 | 2.3 | 2.5 | 2.8 | 1.4 | 0.7 | 0.2 | 2.4 | 12.9 |
| Jaime Jaquez, Jr. | 75 | 28.2 | 48.9 | 32.2 | 81.1 | 1.1 | 2.7 | 3.8 | 2.6 | 1.5 | 1.0 | 0.3 | 2.2 | 11.9 |
| Caleb Martin | 64 | 27.4 | 43.1 | 34.9 | 77.8 | 1.2 | 3.2 | 4.4 | 2.2 | 1.2 | 0.7 | 0.5 | 2.0 | 10.0 |
| Josh Richardson | 43 | 25.6 | 44.4 | 34.7 | 94.4 | 0.4 | 2.4 | 2.8 | 2.4 | 0.8 | 0.6 | 0.3 | 1.8 | 9.9 |
| Kevin Love | 55 | 16.8 | 44.0 | 34.4 | 78.7 | 1.1 | 5.1 | 6.1 | 2.1 | 0.9 | 0.3 | 0.2 | 1.8 | 8.8 |
| Kyle Lowry | 37 | 28.0 | 42.6 | 38.5 | 83.3 | 0.7 | 2.8 | 3.5 | 4.0 | 1.4 | 1.1 | 0.4 | 2.5 | 8.2 |
| Nikola Jovic | 46 | 19.5 | 45.2 | 39.9 | 70.2 | 0.5 | 3.6 | 4.2 | 2.0 | 0.9 | 0.5 | 0.3 | 1.8 | 7.7 |
| Haywood Highsmith | 66 | 20.7 | 46.5 | 39.6 | 63.9 | 1.0 | 2.2 | 3.2 | 1.1 | 0.5 | 0.8 | 0.5 | 1.8 | 6.1 |
| Patty Mills | 13 | 16.4 | 33.8 | 20.8 | 100.0 | 0.3 | 0.8 | 1.2 | 1.5 | 0.6 | 0.8 | 0.0 | 1.2 | 5.8 |
| Thomas Bryant | 38 | 11.6 | 57.7 | 18.2 | 87.2 | 1.1 | 2.7 | 3.7 | 0.6 | 0.6 | 0.3 | 0.4 | 1.2 | 5.7 |
| Delon Wright | 14 | 20.4 | 39.4 | 36.7 | 81.3 | 0.4 | 1.5 | 1.9 | 2.6 | 0.2 | 1.4 | 0.2 | 0.7 | 5.4 |
| Dru Smith | 9 | 14.5 | 45.5 | 41.2 | 100.0 | 0.7 | 0.9 | 1.6 | 1.6 | 0.6 | 1.0 | 0.3 | 1.3 | 4.3 |
| Jamal Cain | 26 | 10.0 | 43.0 | 35.5 | 78.3 | 0.6 | 0.8 | 1.4 | 0.4 | 0.3 | 0.4 | 0.2 | 0.8 | 3.7 |
| Orlando Robinson | 36 | 8.4 | 50.0 | 53.3 | 76.0 | 0.8 | 1.6 | 2.3 | 0.9 | 0.5 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 1.0 | 2.8 |
| Cole Swider | 18 | 4.8 | 39.5 | 33.3 | 100.0 | 0.1 | 0.3 | 0.4 | 0.3 | 0.4 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.2 | 2.3 |
| Rj Hampton | 8 | 9.5 | 28.6 | 12.5 | 50.0 | 0.3 | 0.5 | 0.8 | 1.0 | 0.4 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 1.0 | 1.3 |
| Alondes Williams | 7 | 2.2 | 25.0 | 0.0 | 100.0 | 0.0 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.0 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 0.1 | 0.3 | 0.7 |
