Winderman’s view: Win over Hawks moves Heat closer to key playoff tiebreaker
Observations and other notes of interest from Saturday night’s 117-109 victory over the Atlanta Hawks:
– Considering the razor-thin margin the Heat are attempting to thread, this one meant, in some ways, double.
– But only if the Heat can double up with another home win against the Hawks on Monday night.
– Poorly positioned in just about every head-to-head tiebreaker in their playoff range, the Heat potentially could have an escape clause.
– While head-to-head season series is the first playoff tiebreaker, the next tiebreaker goes to division champions.
– Finishing ahead of the Hawks would give the Heat such an edge (barring some type of late-season charge by the Wizards).
– With a Monday win over the Hawks putting the Heat up 3-1 on Atlanta to close out the season series.
– Yes, Friday’s loss to the Heat still stings.
– Saturday removed some of it.
– Monday could remove even more.
– The Heat stayed with the lineup that entered the night 1-4, again opening with Bam Adebayo, Kevin Love, Jimmy Butler, Tyler Herro and Gabe Vincent.
– Love again had his moments.
– Victor Oladipo and Cody Zeller entered as the Heat’s first two reserves.
– The game was the 500th regular-season appearance of Zeller’s career.
– He played as if it was a meaningful night.
– Max Strus and Caleb Martin then next followed together off the Heat bench,
– All with Duncan Robinson remaining out of the primary mix.
– An opportunity to become even more limited when/if Kyle Lowry returns.
– Heat coach Erik Spoelstra before the game was asked about Butler after Friday night’s loss to the Knicks saying, “We really get bored with the process and I can’t tell you why. We play hard and sometimes we get back into the game like tonight and sometimes we don’t.”
– Of that comment, Spoelstra said, “I’m good with all of that. I’m good with all of it. None of us should be happy right now. All of us will express different ways of our disappointment, frustration and anger about the season. It’s a matter of putting it all into action right now. We know what we need to do to win basketball games and we have to commit to that.”
– Spoelstra was non-committal when asked pregame about whether there is a Heat expectation of Lowry returning during the regular season from the knee soreness that has had him out since Feb. 2.
– “He’s not playing tonight,” Spoelstra said. “Same process, the same protocol. He’s making progress, and that’s all I got for you today.”
– Spoelstra offered a unique perspective when asked about Quin Snyder this past week taking over as Hawks coach.
– “He’s a great basketball coach and a really good guy,” Spoelstra said. “I’ve actually known Quin since I was 14. We played on the same traveling AAU team. He was on the senior team, I was on the junior team. So he was actually like our chaperone at one of these tournaments. But I’ve been a big fan of his for a long time and it’s a great fit for him.”
– Butler’s second rebound moved him past Kelly Olynyk for 18th on the Heat all-time list.
– Butler’s first steal tied Byron Scott for 88th on the NBA all-time list and moved him past No. 89 Carmelo Anthony.
– Love’s second 3-pointer moved him past former Heat guard Tim Hardaway for 41st on the NBA all-time list.
– Adebayo’s third basket moved him past Hardaway for ninth on the Heat all-time list.
– Martin’s first defensive rebound was the 500th of his career.
– Vincent’s third 3-pointer moved him past Kendrick Nunn for 22nd on the Heat all-time list.
– Chris Bosh was among those in the crowd, receiving a rousing ovation when introduced in the first half.
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