Q: Ira the Heat has needed shooting/scoring for multiple years. They seem to do OK when things are going well, but when they need a score they don’t seem to have anyone that can do anything – and that includes when Powell is playing. Tyler Herro is the only player on the team that has that ability and my guess is they are going to try to dump him in the offseason. In the end you have to outscore the opponent. Roster construction is suspect. – Ron, Columbus, Ohio.
A: This is where I think the absence of Tyler Herro has gotten lost in the shuffle. At times of distress (also known as the third quarter for the Heat), you often need a player who simply can go get a bucket on his own. As more shooter than scorer, Norman Powell isn’t necessarily that player. But Tyler Herro, with his variety of floaters and ability to draw fouls when at his best, can be. There have been ample times this season when Tyler’s offensive creativity has been sorely missed. It is why as much of a sample size as possible should be embraced by the Heat before the end of the season, provided Tyler gets himself back on the court.
Q: The “Jazz” were trying to lose. But the players were trying to win. – Red.
A: Exactly, which is why it is a fool’s errand to take any team lightly in the NBA, since it only takes one hot hand to turn the momentum. But also consider for as little as the Jazz had Monday night, especially at the close, the Heat arguably did not have much to start with, with Tyler Herro Norman Powell and Pelle Larsson out. When it came to the primary rotation and the first two-plus quarters, a case could have been made for Utah having the better roster to work with.
Q: Ira, I keep remembering draft night when Adam Simon turned to Erik Spoelstra and told him he got a point guard. Not to glaze Kasparas Jakucionis prematurely, but is he the team’s best pure passer? – Eddie.
A: Closer to reality might be most creative. By the numbers, Davion Mitchell arguably is the best passer based on his assist-to-turnover ratio being among the NBA’s best. But for a team playing at pace, creativity also matters. The Heat thought they had that in Nikola Jovic, until that didn’t. Now we’ll see if Kasparas Jakucionis can master the difficult challenge of controlled creativity.