Miami Heat Roundtable: Checking in after a loss to the Orlando Magic
How do you feel about Kelly Olynyk getting the start over James Johnson?
Tachauer: I’m all for it. Not even because of anything having to do with Olynyk, but because James Johnson needs to stick with his other half, Tyler Johnson. And had he been put into the starting five, The Brothers Johnson would have been no more. Some people seemed to think not starting James Johnson was a punishment of sorts, or that it speaks to Olynyk being a better player, but that’s not it at all. James Johnson is just obviously more comfortable off the bench.
Mora: I loved it. I love having The Brothers Johnson together. I don’t think it’s smart to split them up. Obviously, they won’t be in every single lineup together, but they do provide that first spark off the bench. They need to continue to do that when our starters are having an off night. Plus, Olynyk has the skill-set we need to be able to space the floor, to benefit both our guards and Whiteside. He just needs to perfect it.
Eyrich: I’m comfortable with it, for now. I do really like to see Olynyk in with Whiteside, as well as James Johnson in with Tyler Johnson. But, ending the game with Whiteside and James Johnson gives us something to think about. They should use the month of October to figure things out. This is a deep team so working different combos for a while won’t harm the Heat.
Slater: I felt like this was the right move to start the year, particularly with what we saw from both players in the preseason. It was evident that James Johnson was best suited coming off the bench, teaming with Tyler Johnson to anchor one of the strongest second units in the league, and Olynyk actually worked well as a complementary piece to Whiteside. A lot of people may think that Olynyk getting the start is some negative reflection on James Johnson, but head coach Erik Spoelstra has always deferred to what makes that particular player the most comfortable. And for James Johnson, he’s just comfortable (and better) off the bench.