The Miami Heat have done enough, and Erik Spoelstra has seen enough to chalk up the preseason as a resounding success. At this point, even with two preseason games left to play, it's probably Spoelstra's best bet to call off the dogs and focus on what is shaping up to be a tough opening-week schedule.
This may already be the plan that the team is running with, and I suppose we won't know for sure until the Heat take the floor for their fourth preseason game later this week, but it'd be difficult to blame Spoelstra for it.
There's an argument to be made that Spoelstra is too much of a worker to do so, but it should be the path taken. At this point, especially with what the Heat has already accomplished through three preseason games, there's nothing of significance that Miami is going to get (from the starters) out of these final two exhibition games.
In fact, I'd argue that the risk outweighs the reward heading into this final week of the preseason.
The Heat have a tough opening week of the regular season
The last thing that the Heat need is another injury heading into the start of the regular season. Miami is already nursing the injury losses of Dru Smith and Keshad Johnson; another key injury could greatly impact the team's rotation (which looks pretty solid at this moment) heading into a truly interesting start to the season.
During opening week, the Heat is thrown into the competitive fire pretty quickly. It'll be increasingly important for the Heat to be at full strength to see how they measure up against two of the best teams out of the gate.
To begin the season, the Heat open up with back-to-back home games against the Minnesota Timberwolves and Detroit Pistons, two teams that many believe will have a hand in who wins the NBA Championship this season.
Even though it's just games one and two of a long 82-game season, it will be interesting to see how the Heat stack up against two teams that are expected to be contenders this season.
At this point in the preseason, it's time for Spoelstra to shift the attention. The preseason served its purpose for the Heat; it's time to begin preparations for the real season, if that hasn't already begun.
Considering the Heat have such a difficult two-game tilt right off the bat, it's probably best that all the attention now shifts in that direction.
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