Heat’s Spoelstra keeps rotation decisions basic amid return to roster health, ‘Whatever it takes’

MIAMI — With the Miami Heat’s waiting game essentially reduced to Tyler Herro continuing to be listed as out on the injury report with the medial tendinitis in his right foot that has had him out since Feb. 26, the question for coach Erik Spoelstra becomes what’s next with his rotation.

Except don’t bother asking.

“Here’s what the rotation is: Whatever it takes,” Spoelstra said bluntly, with the Heat hosting the New York Knicks on Tuesday night at Kaseya Center. “That’s where we are. We made this bed, where we are right now. Because of all the moving parts, everybody, right now, it’s easy — you just be ready for your minutes, contribute in a positive way, and help impact winning.”

With Duncan Robinson returning in Sunday night’s road victory over the Washington Wizards from the back pain that had him out five games, with Kevin Love amping up his workouts after a month away due to heel pain, with Caleb Martin given Sunday off to get his sore right ankle ready for Tuesday, and with Nikola Jovic and Terry Rozier playing through knee contusions, Spoelstra has as much as his disposal as he has had in weeks, if not months.

But the priority in the race to avoid the play-in round, Spoelstra said, plays no favorites, simply the players who give the team the best chance in each particular matchup.

“That’s all it’s about right now,” he said, with the Heat’s two-game homestand to conclude Thursday night in a potential playoff-tiebreaker game against the Philadelphia 76ers. “Everybody has signed up for that, everybody is bought into that.”

Sunday in Washington, it meant five consecutive starts for Patty Mills followed by being held out against the Wizards.

“It’s really kind of simplified things,” Spoelstra said of putting wins ahead of ego, “and you can kind of get to that point sometimes when you get toward the end.”

Love a finalist

Love is one of six finalists for the NBA’s annual Sportsmanship Award, with one nominee selected by league executives from each of the league’s six divisions and Love the representative from the Southeast (Heat, Atlanta Hawks, Charlotte Hornets, Orlando Magic and Wizards).

The award honors, “a player who best represents the ideals of sportsmanship on the court.”

The other finalists are 76ers guard Tyrese Maxey, Cleveland Cavaliers center Jarrett Allen, Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Sacramento Kings forward Harrison Barnes and San Antonio Spurs guard Tre Jones.

Players will vote for the winner.

Minnesota Timberwolves guard Mike Conley won the award last year, with the Heat’s Mills winning the award in 2022 while with the Brooklyn Nets. The Heat have not had a winner since the awards advent in 1996.

The NBA on Tuesday also named the 12 finalists for the Twyman-Stokes Teammate of the Year Award, with the Heat without a nominee for that honor. That award, “recognizes the player deemed the best teammate based on selfless play, on- and off-court leadership as a mentor and role model to other NBA players, and commitment and dedication to team.” Former Heat forward Udonis Haslem was a nominee last year, with that 2023 honor going to Jrue Holiday. Shane Battier is the Heat’s lone recipient of that honor, in 2014, the second year of the award’s existence.

A Nova tribute

Having spent time with Nova coach Jim Crutchfield and studied his system in Davie, Spoelstra said he felt empathy as he watched Nova Southeastern fall in the NCAA Division II title game Saturday after the Sharks won the 2023 title.

“I watched it on the plane actually because that’s when the game was happening and they were down almost 10 points in the second half,” Spoelstra said of the flight to Washington for the Wizards game. “They came storming back and really looked like they were going to make the plays necessary to win.

“But I tip my hat to coach Crutchfield. What he’s done at Nova really is amazing. I have so much respect for him. He’s a unique basketball thinker and mind.”

The Sharks lost to Minnesota State on a buzzer-beating, tiebreaking 3-pointer.

“If I were 19, 20 years old and I was a good player down here in South Florida,” Spoelstra said, “I would definitely go there. That’s a fun style of basketball. You play at a high level. You’re coached extremely well, You get to compete for championships, and it looks like they just had some amazing memories and experiences from that.

“It was a tough loss, but there’s a lot to be proud of from this year.”