The question for the Miami Heat now is whether Jimmy Butler can put some teeth into the team’s preseason. Listed among the four players not traveling Thursday for Friday’s exhibition finale against the Houston Rockets, it was with the caveat that Butler could join the team in time for the 8 p.m. game at Toyota Center once he gets through a dental procedure. An appearance not only would be Butler’s first preseason outing but also have a potential opening-night lineup in place of Butler, Bam Adebayo, Kevin Love, Tyler Herro and Kyle Lowry. Herro was held out of Wednesday’s 107-104 exhibition loss to the Brooklyn Nets at Kaseya Center due to a bruised left thigh. Butler was listed as out due to return-to-competition reconditioning, with Love and Lowry given the night off. The Heat fell to 2-2 in their five-game preseason with the loss. “Do I feel like I need to get in a preseason game? Not really,” said Butler, who said a trip back to Houston, near where he was raised, was not a particular allure. “I think I’m in great shape. I think we get out here and compete, see what we need to see. But if I’m available, I’m available.” Also not traveling Thursday were Jaime Jaquez Jr. (groin), Josh Richardson (foot) and Haywood Highsmith (knee). Off the team’s injury report were Herro, Caleb Martin (knee) and R.J. Hampton (hip). Coach Erik Spoelstra after Thursday’s practice again downplayed the need for a dress rehearsal ahead of Wednesday’s regular-season opener against the visiting Detroit Pistons. “We’ll continue to work on what we’re trying to get accomplished,” he said. “Well be ready for game one next week, for sure.” Butler was of similar sentiment amid his uncertain status, saying after a deep playoff run the team’s core is well aware of what is needed. “Basketball is easy,” he said. “When you’re open, you shoot the ball. If you’re not a great 3-point shooter, you dribble the ball into the paint, throw it to one of our 3-point shooters, hit Bam who’s constantly putting pressure on the rim, get out, let Kyle do what he does, kick the ball ahead. “I don’t think any amount of preseason games, practices, are going to help you sharpen your skill set, the tools that you have. I think everybody’s been like this for X-amount of years now. Everybody knows what everybody is capable of.” Adebayo said the roster churn on the injury report has allowed the team to explore its depth. “I feel like a lot of people underestimate our second unit,” he said. “But I feel like when we get in here and compete (in practice), it’ll be neck and neck some days.” Back in the mix Wednesday for the Heat was second-year forward Nikola Jovic, who had missed the previous two games with a knee contusion. It was an uneven return, with Jovic closing with nine points and five rebounds, the Heat outscored by 15 when he was on the court in his 23:45. “I feel like I’ll be good at the start of the season,” the 20-year-old said. “Spo told me he played me a little bit more than he thought he would. I did struggle. It’s going to be better for sure. “I’m just trying to get in a rhythm. I feel like I already am. I felt all right, nothing crazy, just a little bit sore. They told me it would be like that.” Currently carrying 19 players, the Heat must trim to no more than 18 by Saturday’s 5 p.m. waiver deadline (no more than 15 under standard contract and a maximum of three on two-way contracts). The Heat are expected to open the season with 14 on their standard roster. That could mean one last chance Friday for those on tryout contracts to make an impression. “Guys, they’re fighting for roster spots, they’re fighting to show that they belong in this league,” Butler said. ©2023 South Florida Sun-Sentinel. Visit sun-sentinel.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
Leave a Reply