Winderman’s view: Always an adventure, as concerning Heat trend continues even in win

Observations and other notes of interest from Monday night’s 119-115 victory over the Utah Jazz:

– The ability for this Miami Heat team to make anything an adventure is remarkable.

– Be it an overtime loss Saturday in Orlando.

– This game against the Jazz, when they couldn’t get a first half handle on Simone Fontecchio (yes, that’s a real person).

– And it likely will be the same Wednesday night when the Grizzlies visit in the void of guard Ja Morant.

– Everything is a challenge.

– Which is concerning.

– Because it is becoming apparent that there will have to be at least one play-in victory to make the playoffs.

– At this point, what they need is a victory that inspires.

– Instead, the fan base perspires.

– Perhaps Kyle Lowry emerges as the spark.

– Because it can’t always be Jimmy Butler.

– Who was hair-raising Monday.

– (Find the pictures elsewhere.)

– But, hey, Victor Oladipo was hitting threes, so who’s to quibble?

– Even if the stops weren’t always there against a team that was largely Lauri Markkanen or bust (save for those Fontecchio moments).

– The Heat again opened with Bam Adebayo, Kevin Love, Butler, Tyler Herro and Gabe Vincent.

– Even after Lowry went 36 minutes in Saturday’s return from a month off due to knee pain, Heat coach Erik Spoelstra stayed with the approach of Lowry as reserve.

– “The idea was to scale him up and I clearly did not do that,” Spoelstra said pregame. “We just got caught up.”

– Spoelstra added, “It’s always easier when you bring somebody off the bench to try to control the minutes. We will be better with that going forward. The positive about it is he feels good. Just keep him progressing there. But we don’t want to continue to play 36 minutes just for this short term, and see how his body responds to that.”

– Prudence with Lowry, Spoelstra said, is paramount.

– “We want to be vigilant about this. We want to be smart about it,” Spoelstra said. “We want to set him up for success moving forward. We’re living in the present moment right now. I’m not even thinking what this could look like in two weeks, in three weeks.”

– Omer Yurtseven then entered as the Heat’s first reserve, with Cody Zeller out with a broken nose.

– “Thank God that we feel that we have that kind of depth and somebody that we feel can really step in and fill those minutes in a productive way,” Spoelstra said. “And that he’s been able to take the necessary steps the last weeks – to get his body right, to get his rhythm right, to get his conditioning and then get the five on five in Sioux Falls, and game reps.”

– Spoelstra said it is important Yurtseven embraces the role for what it is.

– “That role is unique,” Spoelstra said. “It’s the minutes when Bam is not on the floor, so they’re shorter pockets, where you can just focus on three or four minutes of playing it hard, playing it efficient, and laying it all out there. And he’s ready for those minutes right now.”

– Max Strus followed as the Heat’s second reserve.

– With Oladipo third off the Heat bench.

– And then Caleb Martin and Lowry together for nine deep.

– Love’s first 3-pointer tied former Heat guard Eddie Jones for 40th on the NBA all-time list.

– Butler’s first steal moved him past Tyrone Corbin for 87th on the NBA all-time list, the second past Brevin Knight for 86th.

– Butler’s third free throw moved him past Artis Gilmore for 71st on the NBA all-time list.

– Butler’s third basket moved him past Bimbo Coles for 17th on the Heat all-time list.

– Herro’s fourth free throw moved him past Sherman Douglas for 24th on the Heat all-time list.

– Spoelstra said it’s all about a game-by-game approach, not getting caught up in the playoff big picture.

– “The highest form of sanity is living in the present moment? Our team is living in the present moment,” Spoelstra said. “I don’t know if that means we’re sane. But there’s no confusion.”

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Source: Berkshire mont