Miami

An analysis of Tuesday night’s Miami Heat-Orlando Magic


MIAMI — Observations and other notes of interest from Tuesday night’s 121-95 victory over the Orlando Magic:

– This is where the talk of a Heat Big Three largely should be reserved as a lower-case description.

– Because for all that (regular-season) Jimmy Butler, Bam Adebayo and Tyler Herro provide, it is a trio that also requires ample support.

– In this one, they got it.

– Because at least during the regular season, an ensemble is what best suits the mix.

– It keeps everyone engaged on offense.

– Which also makes it easier to keep everyone engaged on defense.

– So at the end of the third period, Adebayo, Herro and Terry Rozier all had 14 points and Butler 13.

– Along with 11 from Caleb Martin, 10 from Jaime Jaquez Jr., nine from Josh Richardson and seven from Kevin Love.

– Something from everyone.

– With Everyone largely this team’s super power.

– At least until playoff time.

– When Butler very much emerges as The One.

– So, to the credit of Erik Spoelstra, a rotation reset.

– With one more game, Wednesday against the Spurs, to further polish before the nationally televised Super Bowl Sunday game against the Celtics.

– When the previous approach only led to abject failure last month at Kaseya Center.

– On a day the Heat got Duncan Robinson and Herro back from the injury report, they unveiled their 27th lineup in their 51st game.

– This time Martin started in place of Haywood Highsmith, in a lineup rounded out by Adebayo, Butler, Rozier and Herro.

– Butler’s sixth shot was the 10,000th of his career.

– For Spoelstra, having a roster that was whole and injury free presented welcomed challenges.

– “I actually had to fill out my board with all the different plans and possibilities,” he said pregame. “Yeah, hopefully it’s a good thing.”

– The Magic opened with Markelle Fultz, Jalen Suggs, Franz Wagner, Paolo Banchero and Wendell Carter Jr.

– With Fultz making his first 3-pointer of the season in the first quarter.

– Jaquez played as the Heat’s first reserve.

– Love, Richardson and Robinson then followed together.

– That nine deep left Haywood shuffled out of the rotation.

– Similar to how Nikola Jovic was shuffled out when Highsmith was inserted in the starting lineup.

– A Heat focus going in was improving the home record. The Heat entered 13-12 at Kaseya Center.

– “We’ve been saying that for a while now,” Spoelstra said. “Right now, it’s about doing whatever we had to do to take care of business.”

– Magic coach Jamahl Mosely had ample praise going in for Spoelstra.

– “Spoelstra does a great job of keeping these guys playing hard, disrupting things defensively, and changing defensive coverages, Mosley said. “So, you never know exactly what you’re going to see from the offensive side of the floor. They keep you guessing, and they keep you off-balance.”

– He added, “Offensively, they move without the basketball, they’ve got shooters everywhere, and they’ve got guys who can get to the free-throw line.”

– Multiple reports Tuesday had Jaquez confirmed as a participant in the All-Star Saturday dunk contest, something he previously hinted, along with Jaylen Brown, Jacob Toppin and last year’s winner, G League player Matt McClung.

– In addition teams were drafted Tuesday from the playoff pool for the Rising Stars event the Friday before the All-Star Game.

– Jaquez was drafted onto a team that also includes Victor Wembanyama, Brandon Miller, Brandin Podziemski, Jabari Smith Jr., Cason Wallace and  Bilal Coulibaly.



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