Q:: Why was Jaime Jaquez Jr. in a double-digit game with a little over a minute left Friday? Coaches do that all the time, we even saw in football how it created a major injury last week. – Jack.
A: Because we’re talking about the NBA Cup here. No, seriously. The league has made point differential a prime tiebreaker in its in-season tournament, and Erik Spoelstra was candid enough to say that, yes, he was looking to win by as much as possible on Friday night because of that tiebreaker element. The fact that Jaime suffered an ankle sprain would not have been considered ill-timed if it was a close game, down to the wire. And that’s the thing, because of the point-differential tiebreaker, it made those final seconds meaningful, even as it resulted in the ankle sprain for Jaime. You play the situation according to the rules. And in the NBA Cup those are the rules, where point differential matters. This is not the same as having a quarterback still in a game in a blowout. A month from now, the Heat could be going to Vegas for the Cup’s Final Foul potentially because of Friday’s late scoring. So you either make the Cup a thing or you don’t. But the NBA wants it to matter. So it therefore matters.
Q: If Bam Adebayo is a walking boot, why would he be day-to-day for Saturday? – Sam.
A: Because that’s what teams do, and that’s what athletes prefer, that it is made apparent that every effort is being made to get back on the court. And it is. But common sense seemingly would dictate at least another day off, then also afforded Sunday off before the Heat return to action Monday in the first of consecutive home games against the Cavaliers.
Q: Ira, I disagree with your statement that a team needs a whale to win a championship. The Heat play good team ball and have three electric players in Tyler Herro, Bam Adebayo and Norman Powell. A superstar is not required to win a title. How did the Nets do when they had James Harden, Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant? – Danny, Boynton Beach.
A: Obviously, having a superstar (or two or three guarantees nothing). But let’s look back at recent champions and the level of each winner’s top player. Last year it was the Thunder, with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. Two years ago, the Celtics, with Jayson Tatum. Three years ago, the Nuggets, with Nikola Jokic. And before that, teams that featured Stephen Curry, LeBron James, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Kawhi Leonard, Dirk Nowitzki and Kobe Bryant. Debate the level of Tatum or Leonard if you choose, but each of those teams had a player at a higher level than the Heat have featured. Yes, collective talent can take you far. But the NBA has shown only so far, even with a Jimmy Butler in his prime.