Winderman’s view: Heat sixth sense with Love produces dividends against Mavericks

Observations and other notes of interest from Saturday night’s 129-122 victory over the Dallas Mavericks:

– With Bam Adebayo out, some of Saturday’s alterations to the Heat rotation were out of need.

– But Kevin Love to the bench worked.

– With Love at backup center in a five-out alignment proving liberating to both Love and Heat.

– In the absence of Adebayo, the Heat may have found something.

– Then again, Cody Zeller certainly acquitted himself well enough to maintain a spot in the rotation.

– Of course this all was against the Mavericks’ defense, so there also has to be perspective.

– And Dallas continually hunted Love on the defensive end, so there’s also that.

– As for Omer Yurtseven, his time appears to have come and gone.

– Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said there was no choice but to sit out Adebayo due to Adebayo’s hip contusion.

– “Just the movement,” Spoelstra said. “He’s just not able to move in the way [needed]. He couldn’t play in a game.”

– Spoelstra added of again playing shorthanded, “He really wants to be out there, but we’ve been dealing with this all season long.”

– That led to dual twists with the Heat starting lineup.

– Not only did Zeller replace Adebayo as the Heat starting center.

– Zeller’s first start since May 2021, when he was with the Hornets.

– But Spoelstra’s machinations also had Max Strus starting in place of Love.

– Making it the first time Love did not start since joining the Heat on Feb. 20 from the buyout market.

– Kyle Lowry played as the Heat’s first reserve.

– With Love and Caleb Martin following.

– With Love entering at center.

– Duncan Robinson then followed.

– With the appearance, Robinson tied Dan Majerle for 21st on the Heat all-time list.

– That again had Victor Oladipo as an odd man out.

– Love’s first 3-pointer moved him past former Heat forward Glen Rice for 40th on the

– Strus’ first 3-pointer tied Dan Majerle for 12th on the Heat all-time list.

– Butler’s sixth free-throw attempt tied Dikembe Mutombo for 83rd on the NBA all-time list.

– For the Heat and Mavericks it was a game of seeding desperation.

– “Basically what you’ve seen the last six weeks,” Spoelstra said.

– Spoelstra added, “Competitors like these kinds of games.”

– Of the Heat’s G League affiliate playing in Sunday’s G League Western Conference final, Spoelstra said, “There’s been a lot of moving parts there, all the different lineups and call-ups, and stayed the course and developed a culture, developed a system, developed a way of playing and an identity they could commit to.”

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Source: Berkshire mont