Q: Ira, you have been dodging the elephant in the room. The Heat have not been so great with Tyler Herro as a starter. So why do you think his return will change that? – Stephen.
A: While the Heat opened 4-4 with Tyler Herro as a starter this season before he was lost Nov. 8 against the Grizzlies with his ankle sprain, they went 37-30 with him as a starter last season. That .552 winning percentage was actually better than the Heat’s .537 overall winning percentage last season. I just can’t fathom, especially with some of the Heat’s late-game scoring struggles, that there could be any debate that Tyler’s scoring won’t help. Now, you certainly can debate the best possible role, be that of starter or reserve. But the Heat need Tyler to be at their best. He has done nothing, even at the start of this season, to change the thinking that he is worthy of an NBA starting role. It is up to the coaches to now maximize that potential. With Kyle Lowry sitting out Monday, it will ease at least one of the decisions for Erik Spoelstra. So now, for Heat and Herro, it begins again.
Q: Why give Kyle Lowry the night of the first game that Tyler Herro and Bam Adebayo are back? Don’t we want to see this all together? – Adam.
A: Because at some point, enough is enough. Kyle has done everything asked, and done it while playing big minutes, especially for a 37-year-old. He deserves a break and the reality is that Wednesday night’s game in Orlando, against a division and conference rival, has greater meaning to potential playoff tiebreaker, as even does Friday night’s home game against Atlanta. So this gives Kyle three days off before the Heat face the Magic.
Q: It’s very early in his career, but is Jaime Jaquez Jr. a flash of Dan Majerle? It is a long way to become an elite defender like Thunder Dan was, but to see him playing without fear, I see some Thunder in him. – Julio.
A: I like the analogy and see some of that in Jaime Jaquez Jr.’s game. And that certainly would be a lofty goal for emulation. Both have sneaky athleticism, and both have a comfort from beyond the arc. And even now, it is clear that Jaime is more than willing to work on his defensive chops.