Q: Ira, how much longer do we have to see this before we accept this team has quit? The fourth quarter is winning time and nobody has been stepping forward. – Ray.
A: That’s where I disagree. Even with these last two losses, the fight was there to the finish, the Heat trying desperately to force turnovers in the final seconds, almost pulling off a miraculous comeback Friday against the Timberwolves and bodies flying at the close against Chicago. The reality is the talent is not there, or, more to the point, the two-way talent. It’s almost a pick-your-poison at the close, whether to go with scorers or defenders. What you need are players who are both. Bam Adebayo? Sure. Andrew Wiggins? We simply have not seen it enough. That’s why you’ve been seeing Erik Spoelstra pickling and choosing, as with Terry Rozier and Kel’el Ware. The roster Pat Riley has left Erik Spoelstra with is not necessarily built for closing time.
Q: Why was Terry Rozier in the game for the entire fourth quarter and Kel’el Ware on the bench? I think coaching is also going down fast. – Rolando, Borrego Springs, Calif.
A: There certainly have been some interesting personnel choices in the rotation. Saturday was a bit unique with Kel’el Ware coming off nearly a week away and with Andrew Wiggins having been out longer. And it also was the fifth game in seven nights. But, yes, it has been interesting where Erik Spoelstra has gone with some recent closing decisions.
Q: When are refs getting fined for being terrible at their jobs or stopping the Heat on fastbreaks? – Xander.
A: This is in reference to Bam Adebayo’s $50,000 NBA fine and a few questionable interactions with a referee in Friday night’s loss to the Timberwolves. The reality is the NBA has observers at games and sanctions officials when necessary (although not publicly). If you want to check on a certain official to see if that referee has been disciplined, check if said referee suddenly is not working games for a certain period.
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