ASK IRA: Are we simply experiencing Jimmy Butler on his own Heat schedule?
Q: Patience on Jimmy Butler? Fine. But he does not appear to have much lift, looks like Dwyane Wade and Charles Barkley when they said NBA mileage hit them suddenly and the multiple pump fakes became a necessity rather than a tactic. This does not look like a rusty or casual regular-season thing. – Jon.
A: No, it doesn’t. But it still looks a lot like Jimmy Butler doing things his way on his schedule. Such stretches, even during his best of times, have not been uncommon with Jimmy during his Heat tenure. For all the talk of the Heat’s culture of seizing every moment, that has never been the case with Jimmy, as evidenced by his decision to take Saturday night off in Minnesota, three games into the season. So if there is something physically off, with the Heat now listing knee tendinitis, it is difficult to discern from Jimmy simply pacing himself on his own schedule. Jimmy declined an interview request after Monday night’s loss in Milwaukee, but did not appear to be in the need of or actually taking additional treatment in the locker room. So flip a switch? We’ll see. (With the hope of nothing more than nagging with the knee.)
Q: Ira, Kyle Lowry has the best shooting percentage of the starting five. Does he need to be more aggressive on offense? – Joel.
A: No, that’s simply not his approach with this starting lineup at this point in the season. This is similar to his differential start to last season. And that works when Jimmy Butler, Bam Adebayo and Tyler Herro are at the top of their games, and when there also is a reliable 3-point spacer in the first five. That simply has not come together all that often through these first four games. As it is, Bam has a higher shooting percentage at the moment than Kyle.
Q: I agree that Nikola Jovic is the player on the outside of the core three who has the highest ceiling, consistently showing he’s a net plus on the court. But the Heat have the luxury of bringing him along slowly. – Morgan, New Orleans.
A: Exactly, so you give him his moments, such as Saturday’s start in Minnesota and then the fourth-quarter comeback Monday in Milwaukee. But you also make it clear that more is needed to merit consistent minutes. The reality is that defense remains an adventure for the Heat with Nikola Jovic on the floor, much to the consternation of some teammates alongside at those moments.