After a four-game absence due to an ankle sprain, Heat star Jimmy Butler had his best game of the fall in his return to action on Monday, registering season highs in points (30) and rebounds (10) as Miami outscored Philadelphia by 29 points in his 34 minutes of action.
However, Butler may not get an opportunity to build on that momentum when the team resumes its schedule on Sunday vs. Dallas following a five-day layoff. The veteran forward is listed as questionable to play vs. the Mavericks due to an illness, writes Anthony Chiang of The Miami Herald.
While Butler’s status is up in the air, there’s good news elsewhere on the Heat’s injury report, according to Chiang, who says Terry Rozier (right foot discomfort) and Jaime Jaquez (sprained right ankle) are both expected to play on Sunday. Rozier is listed as probable, while Jaquez is considered available. Josh Richardson, who missed Thursday’s practice due to heel pain, isn’t on the injury report either and should be good to go.
Here’s more out of Miami:
- Should the Heat regret drafting Kel’el Ware with the No. 15 pick in this year’s draft, given that Jared McCain (No. 16) and Dalton Knecht (No. 17) have been the most impressive rookies in the NBA so far this season? Ira Winderman of The South Florida Sun Sentinel considers that question, explaining the thinking behind Miami’s selection of Ware. It’s possible the decision to pick Ware will become a draft-day regret reminiscent of when the Heat took Precious Achiuwa a spot ahead of Tyrese Maxey in 2020, Winderman acknowledges. However, he stresses that it’s far too early to pass judgment on the 20-year-old center, who has logged just 48 minutes across eight outings.
- Alec Burks, who is on his eighth NBA team, has seen his role fluctuate frequently in recent seasons, so he was unfazed by sitting out for five games in a row and then playing nearly 19 minutes in Monday’s win over the Sixers, as Winderman details for The Sun Sentinel. Burks was a plus-27 with seven points, six rebounds, and three assists in his return to the rotation. “He’s such a great example for young players coming in to always be ready, to be prepared, to understand what the system is and understand how you can bring value,” head coach Erik Spoelstra said. “And then not get caught up in all the emotional wild swings of maybe your playing time isn’t going exactly how you want it, or when you’re not getting the offensive opportunities you want. … He’s a pro’s pro. And that gets thrown around often, but when you actually experience it and see it, you really appreciate it.”
- Tyler Herro‘s 24.2 points and 5.2 assists per game are career highs. Perhaps more importantly, so are his 48.6% field goal percentage and 45.2% three-point percentage, which are both way above his career rates. Herro’s scoring efficiency has been “a really big thing” for him and the Heat, according to Spoelstra. “You always want to get to a place like this as a player where you’re playing such efficient basketball that there’s an economy of energy that’s happening at the same time,” the Heat head coach said, per Chiang. “He’s not forcing it, he’s not like over-expending energy to do it. He’s just reading the game, reading defenses. He has a confidence level that continues to grow each year, so he knows what he can do, he knows how he can help us.”
It’s way too early to declare Kel El a wiff. When the Heat drafted him, they didn’t expect him to have immediate impact. It will be 2 more years before we know if he’s a wiff. My bet is that he’s not.
Is Spo done with the purposeful clown rotation, yet? This isn’t the season for it…
Herro, Richardson, Duncan Robinson, Jimmy, Bam
Or Herro, Richardson, Jimmy, Highsmith, Bam
Or Herro, Larrson/Dru Smith, Jimmy, Highsmith, Bam
I’d been wanting to start Duncan and Highsmith for multiple years at 1 point, so I’ll accept this lineup for now, even though Herro isn’t the defender Kyle was in that spot. Jimmy shifts over to a guard spot in this Herro. Jimmy, Duncan, Highsmith, Bam lineup…it depends on matchups and who actually plays off the bench though
I said this whole time Rozier and Jovic shouldn’t be starting. Jovic is now more important, with Jaime getting hurt, but he should be used as a 5/4 off the bench, depending on Kevin Love/matchups. Jovic has single handedly cost them a lot on both sides of the floor in several games so far, and should argublably be playing big minutes in the G-league, to hopefully be more ready later this year when the pressure is on him to show he can be a legit rotation player mov9ng forward, without being such a negative in certain situations so often
With guys out, I said the other day Alec Burks probably replaces Rozier, as a scorer off the bench, and I would expect Dru Smith to potentially play, and they finally came into the game when the Heat were down 19, and immediately changed it. Dru Smith is too good to not be on a standard deal…
If Rozier and Jaime are back, and Jimmy is out, in this matchup, I’d consider a different rotation.
Dru Smith, Herro, Richardson, Jaime, Bam
Highsmith, Larsson, Duncan Robinson/Burks. Rozier, Kevin Love/Jovic (i would use Jaime/Jovic at smallball 5 in certain lineups in this game)