The Miami Heat rolled out their third different starting point guard in the bubble on Monday night. Will this one stick going forward?
It wasn’t what NBA fans were hoping for, but the Miami Heat are certainly content that not much became of their matchup with TJ Warren and the Indiana Pacers on Monday night.
After the last two times these two teams matched up with each other, everyone was expecting fireworks to light up once again. But the Heat soundly defeated the Pacers, 114-92, behind the return of Jimmy Butler and a poor shooting night for the recently fire hot Warren.
Miami is now 3-0 against the Pacers this season, which bodes well for any potential playoff matchup. If the postseason started today, these two teams would be facing off in round one.
What the Heat’s starting lineup would look like in that situation, is still largely undetermined. Head coach Erik Spoelstra rolled out Goran Dragic in the starting lineup against Indiana, making for the third different starting point guard for Miami since their arrival in the bubble.
And the veteran, well, he impressed. Dragic was finding open teammates as well as creating opportunities for other guys for what felt like all four quarters. He didn’t shoot the ball well himself (5-16 from the field and 1-for-6 from three) but finished the night with nine assists.
That makes for an 8-0 Miami Heat record when Dragic records eight or more dimes. Has coach Spoelstra found his starting point guard ahead of their inevitably playoff run?
Kendrick Nunn, before leaving the bubble late last week, was struggling to get back to his regular-season form in Orlando. He’s averaging just 7.8 points and 1.5 assists while struggling with his shooting as well (32/25/100 shooting split) over four games inside the bubble.
When he was ruled out for Saturday’s game against the Phoenix Suns, it was rookie guard Tyler Herro who was given the role of starter, and he excelled with 25 points, 10 assists, and 8 rebounds in the seven-point loss without Butler or Dragic available either.
With all three expected to be available for playoffs, who will Spoelstra choose? It seems each of the three guards have their pros and cons, making for a tough decision ahead.
Nunn’s shooting struggles aren’t ideal to open up with when your team’s offense is trying to find their groove. He’s also not prone to passing the ball much, averaging just 3.3 assists on the year.
But don’t overlook that he started in all of Miami’s games before the league’s suspension, which lead to this Heat team reaching a 41-24 record and the Eastern Conference fourth seed.
With Herro, you’ve got promise, but mostly just that. His age and experience, especially specifically at the point guard position, don’t inspire a playoff commitment for Miami. And as we saw in Monday’s win, it’s unclear if he man the same role as Dragic does when coming off the bench.
Which leaves the aforementioned veteran, Miami’s “dragon,” as the remaining option. Sacrificing your bench plug in order to have an experienced gun running the show to start things off. His play against the Pacers certainly seems to fit what the Heat are hoping to accomplish: winning.
Luckily for coach Spoelstra and his coaching staff, Miami has two more games to continue experimenting with lineups and spinning the point guard carousel. With both of their remaining games against playoff teams, it’ll be a worthy test for whoever starts at point guard.
Next up for the Miami Heat is the Chris Paul-lead Oklahoma City Thunder. The two teams will face off on Wednesday night, with tip-off scheduled for 8:00 pm est.