Should greater respect be in place for Miami Heat success?
Q: Ira, when do the Heat start getting respect again? After the losses to the Celtics and Bucks, last season again was written off as a fluke. But they’ve beaten good teams and they’re moving up the standings. Put a little respect on it. – Franklin.
A: Well, the first sign of respect came with the Christmas game. So there’s that. But that also was a victory against a 76ers team lacking Joel Embiid. The reality is the Heat have done most of their work against teams with losing records, having already faced the Bulls four times and the Hornets three times. When it comes to signature wins, you could make a case for last week’s victory in Orlando, although the Magic appear to be coming back to earth. There also was the early-season home win over the Lakers, but LeBron James & Co. have been largely uneven in games not part of the In Season Tournament. That’s why what follows will matter most, this upcoming trip with games against the Warriors, Jazz, Clippers, Lakers and Suns. Even 3-2 will be a statement. Bottom line is you play who is lined up and hope to come out with more Ws than Ls. To their credit, the Heat have done just that, particularly recently.
Q: Ira, why haven’t we heard Jimmy Butler’s voice during this winning streak? – Charlie.
A: Because the Heat have a rule like many teams that when a player does not play he is not made available for interviews. Pat Riley detests the injured-players storyline. The league rule is players only are required to speak when they first are injured and then when they return. Jimmy’s calf strain was reported after the fact, so there was no interview window there. Now we await a return. But Jimmy has been highly complimentary of this roster and locker room. He assuredly appreciates how every victory in his absence makes his goals that much more attainable. Besides, if you need to hear Jimmy, just watch his commercials with Jaime Jaquez Jr.
Q: Will the Heat change their schedule for the Dolphins playoffs? – Rutledge.
A: There is no need for any such discussion until the NFL playoff picture is set. The Heat do not play on either of the final two Sundays of the NFL regular season. And if the Dolphins’ earn a No. 1 seed, then there would be no conflict with the Heat’s Jan. 14 game on Wild Card weekend. Plus, the NFL has opening-round playoff games that weekend on Saturday, Sunday and Monday, so there is plenty in play there (the Heat are idle that Saturday, then play in Brooklyn that Monday night). As far as the divisional round, when all remaining NFL playoff teams play, the Heat are off on Jan. 20 and play in Orlando on Jan. 21 (and it does not look like Orlando will have a team in the NFL playoffs). The NFL conference championship games are Jan. 28, when the Heat are idle. And, yes, the Heat play Feb. 11 on Super Bowl Sunday at 2 p.m. at home against the Celtics, a scheduling conflict that Heat/Dolphins fans assuredly would have no problem with, with the Super Bowl in Las Vegas at 6:30 p.m. that night.
