Miami Heat: Erik Spoelstra Facing Familiar Challenge With Lineup Improv
By Isiah Curry
Miami Heat: Coach Spo Has Helped Shine Gems Before, He Is Up To The Challenge
Whether Miami sees several slow starts in the near future or not, it’s unfair for Spoelstra to leave his second unit rotation without a desired go-to option, as trust should be instilled in his two marquee starters to pull their own weight.
NONE OF THIS IS NEW TO SPO — WHO’S MADE SOMETHING OUT OF ENTIRELY NOTHING.
As he’s done previously, we’ve seen players thrive when Spoelstra allows them to see the floor. A top example was Derrick Jones Jr., who signed a two-way contract with Miami shortly after he was waived by Phoenix in late 2017.
During his three seasons with the Heat, Jones Jr. would see 38 starts and played just under 25 minutes per game through the 2019-2020 regular season. While it’s hit-or-miss for the Heat to have someone as impactful as Jones Jr. was, the familiar challenge awaits Erik Spoelstra to find a proper rotational balance with this group.
It has been mentioned here that Caleb Martin is the designated forward, as Max Stus continues to miss time and should continue seeing the backup wing role. The Heat’s other assigned two-way talent, Marcus Garrett, while raw offensively, could have an immediate impact as a point-of-attack defender with his length to defend opposing guards.
The Heat will enter a difficult portion of their early-season schedule, as they’ll host the Utah Jazz on Saturday before kicking off a six-game Western Conference road-trip. While their questionable depth doesn’t help their chances, this isn’t uncommon territory for Miami and most especially, not for Erik Spoelstra.
He once started a lineup of Herro, Robinson, Butler, Jae Crowder, and Meyers Leonard in an NBA Finals game.
"“The league is constantly going to adjust,” Spoelstra said. “It’s not like whatever we’re doing now, that this is just going to be it for the rest of the season. You have to continue to adjust and do things sharper, and do things with more purpose and more intention. “And we’ll learn from this and get better.”"
It’s not always about who starts or who finishes but more about who steps up, as the Heat and coach Spoelstra will have a huge test ahead of them. Whether his methods may often seem bold, “Staying The Course” remains a popular Spoism for this team.
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Ironically enough, it’s also a very relatable one in professional sports. As it’s still relatively early in the season, it’s never early enough to start embracing that mantra.