Q: How does a coach preach defense and then decide to start Tyler Herro and Norman Powell together? – Mel.
A: We shall again see, now that the two are back together in the starting lineup. On one hand, while neither is considered anything close to a plus defender, the balance of the starting lineup does present that, when counting Bam Adebayo, Andrew Wiggins and Davion Mitchell. Plus, the Herro and Powell minutes likely will continue to be as staggered as when one started and one played in reserve, with Herro subbed out midway through Wednesday night’s first quarter. Or else . . . zone, zone and more zone. That’s how.
Q: Whatever Adam Silver does about tanking, he better take the play-in into account. You can’t tell teams to fight to finish in 10th place for a chance for the playoffs when they would be closer to a chance for the lottery. – Sam.
A: Which is exactly what the Bulls and Bucks decided in the East and even the Mavericks in the West. And that shouldn’t happen. You can’t, on one hand, create a last-chance tournament to make the playoffs, and then, on the other hand, incentivize to simply bypass such an opportunity in favor of the draft.
Q: Ira, I didn’t know much about Simone Fontecchio before he came, but dude’s been great about accepting his role. – Simon.
A: And you need those types of veterans, willing to step up when needed, but also accepting that there will be times they will be out of the rotation. The Heat have that now in Simone Fontecchio and Dru Smith – ready and willing to be on call as needed.