Tag Archive for: Erik Spoelstra

5 Key Moments from Post-Game Media Call with Spoelstra, Herro, Nunn

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After the Heat’s loss in Saturday’s scrimmage game, Tyler Herro and Kendrick Nunn spoke about different improvements they can make and their current health standpoint. Coach Erik Spoelstra also shared his opinion on this. Here’s what they had to say…

Post-Game Comment #1:

Erik Spoelstra talked about Tyler Herro’s impressive bounce back game today, which he said “He’s fearless.” This seemed to be true when he went up to try and dunk on Rudy Gobert early in the third quarter. Spoelstra also said that he continues to develop his skill level, which was proven true with his play-making ability today. Another aspect of his game that has shown major strengths is his rebounding. As he continues to round out his game, he continues to show signs of a superstar type player in this league, and it is evident Spoelstra thinks the same.

Post-Game Comment #2:

Spoelstra talked a little about the main problem that hurts this Miami Heat team, which is the point of attack defense. Spoelstra said “You nailed it on the head.” He knows the problem that they have defensively, which is why we see him try so many different schemes. No matter if it’s changing to zone or rolling with a new lineup, Spo is constantly adjusting to try and fix this. He also mentions how important it is, which was seen in the first half of today’s game. Donovan Mitchell would get right by one of the Heat’s guards and throw a lob to Rudy Gobert. This is what put the Heat in such a bad position early, and will happen again if they don’t fix it quick.

Post-Game Comment #3:

As mentioned previously, getting Tyler Herro these opportunities now, will benefit him so greatly in the future. Tyler says, “I feel comfortable,” when discussing running the offense for majority of his time in the game. The most important thing for a ball handler is comfortability and the most important thing for a shooter is confidence. Well, Tyler’s got both. Tyler also mentions that he’s still young and learning, which is why these scrimmages impact him more than any other player on the team. Especially with his eagerness to learn, Tyler will pick up on this quick and be a major threat come playoff time.

Post-Game Comment #4:

Tyler Herro talks about watching both Devin Booker and CJ McCollum in pick and roll situations. After Tyler was compared to Devin Booker coming out of the draft, it’s amazing to see how much more realistic this becomes the more he plays. He said, “Taking extra dribbles, making the right pass, getting off the ball early.” These are all things I’ve said he had improved on in today’s game alone. This is another instance of being comfortable. Their must be a certain level of confidence in your skill-set to make certain passes and dribble moves, which was seen today a lot.

Post-Game Comment #5:
Kendrick Nunn “Well it’s definitely a different kind of rhythm. By the first game of the season, I will have everything under control.”

Kendrick Nunn also got to talk with some media today after his first game back, which he discussed getting back into the swing of things. Kendrick said, “It’s a different kind of rhythm.” Well, it’s definitely a different kind of rhythm when you don’t pick up a basketball for four months. His stamina definitely didn’t seem to be a problem in today’s game, which Spoelstra mentioned yesterday was due to the fact that he put in so much work in May and June. Kendrick also said he thinks he will have everything under control by the first game of the season. This will be a very helpful addition for the Heat’s offensive firepower, but may be mixed in with different lineups then we saw today. Since some of those lineups did not have enough defense on the floor.

5 Main Comments from Media Availability with Spoelstra, Adebayo, Nunn

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Heat’s starters Kendrick Nunn and Bam Adebayo finally arrived to Orlando on Tuesday. And after 48 hours of quarantining, they’re back on the practice floor. After a light practice night for Kendrick and Bam, they got to talk with some media about both their readiness and this Heat team’s odds. Here’s what they had to say…

Post-Practice Comment #1:

Spoelstra began talking about the availability of Nunn and Adebayo in Saturday’s scrimmage game. He said “I’m open to it.” This definitely means that both Nunn and Adebayo showed good signs in practice in the bubble if they’re already ready for the games. Spo did also say that “They worked intelligently today in practice,” and mentioned that they put a ton of time in May and June which put them in this position. Both Bam and Nunn add a huge spark to their respective sides of the ball. With the addition of Nunn’s scoring and Bam’s defense, it’ll be interesting to see how they come back.

Post-Practice Comment #2:

Coach Spoelstra got asked about the fact that this environment may impact shooters in a much more positive way. He responded, “I believe in our shooters. Our shooters are elite.” This seemed to be evidently true in Wednesday’s scrimmage game against the Kings. Especially for Duncan Robinson. But Spo also added to this question saying that he’s actually heard the exact opposite about the shooting in this environment, but says, “I’ll take it.” Well, if it’s harder for some shooters, it definitely doesn’t apply to this Heat roster after what we saw in their first game back.

Post-Practice Comment #3:

Nunn began his discussion with media talking about the process of having Covid-19. He said he had mild symptoms and he feels pretty strong. Nunn also mentioned one of the biggest helps during this stretch was keeping in contact with Bam Adebayo since it was “the same routine trying to get over Covid.” But on the basketball side of things, Kendrick seemed pretty positive about his return to the court. He said he will definitely try to “persuade” Spo to let him play tomorrow. This will be a very big improvement to the offense, especially since it brings a guy who can attack the rim and control the mid-range, which is something we didn’t see on Wednesday.

Post-Practice Comment #4:

After Adebayo talked about his experience with Covid-19 as well, which he described as “boring,” he began to talk about this Heat teams odds. He says their goal doesn’t change just because they took some time off. He says, “Our ultimate goal is to win a championship, that’s the mindset.” That is the “mindset” of this team in general since that is pretty similar to what Jimmy Butler said about this team a few days prior. It’s great to hear Bam continue to have this mindset even with the many distractions he’s had to deal with. He said he felt scared today during practice since he hasn’t played.

Post-Practice Comment #5:

Adebayo got to talk about the expectation coming into the season for him and how that’s impacted him. He says, “Got my opportunity now I gotta produce.” That’s another great example of the “mindset” of this young star. He knows how good he can be, especially since the work ethic with him is no problem. Adebayo also says that the biggest motivation for him was the doubters that didn’t think he could be what he wanted to be.  He says, “I wanted to prove them wrong.” This is definitely what he did, since he wasn’t even looked at as a top 15 center coming into the season, and is now a top 5 center at only 23 years old. He ends his media session saying, “Alright everybody don’t forget, Black Lives Matter.” Though Bam says the ultimate goal is a championship, the real ultimate goal is to get this message across since it truly is “Bigger than Basketball.”

Post-Practice Comments

5 Post-Practice Comments from Spoelstra, Haslem, DJJ Zoom calls

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The Miami Heat had an evening practice on Tuesday afternoon, preparing for Wednesday’s first scrimmage game. Udonis Haslem and Derrick Jones Jr spoke to the media on Zoom afterwards about the team’s current status and the preparation before tomorrow. Here’s five main Post-Practice Comments from Sports, UD and DJJ.

Post-Practice Comments #1:

There has been a lot of excitement from the players this week after practice as they get closer to the return of play. Spoelstra touched on this saying that’s all they’ve been talking about, especially for the game tomorrow. He also mentioned that every player in the bubble right now will get minutes tomorrow, which might mean no minutes upon the return of Bam Adebayo and Kendrick Nunn. This then gives these guys the time they need to get back to 100%, and gives some of the bench guys an opportunity to earn a spot in the rotation.

Post-Practice Comments #2:

Udonis Haslem got asked about what he likes about this type of environment, he replied, “Ain’t nobody complaining. We got a no complain rule.” This is indeed true with this team, especially under their leader UD. Haslem has talked about this bubble in the past and always talks about one thing, focus. He wants their guys to be with their guys and essentially stay locked in. He also said “We got a short amount of time to get a whole lot of work done,” when referring to the return of play. Although we don’t know the minutes UD will get over the next few weeks, we do know he’s been putting in more work than most team’s starting lineups.

Post-Practice Comment #3:

Derrick Jones Jr begins the discussion with the joy of getting back to doing what he loves. He said, “This is the moment we’ve all been waiting for.”

All of the guys feel the same way, but it’s a bit different for Derrick. He’s had a bit of a rocky road throughout this hiatus after testing positive for Covid-19. At the end of the day, he just wants to get back to basketball. Derrick will look to play some major minutes off of the bench for the Heat. He may be asked to jump into the starting lineup some nights for match-up reasons.

Post-Practice Comment #4:

Andre Iguodala is one of the Heat’s most intriguing players entering the playoffs. His experience–His defense–His leadership. Which is why it was great to hear Erik talk so highly of him today after practice. He said: “He’s gotten better each day.” Spoelstra also says that this has been great for him since he didn’t have a training camp before the season. He also ends the discussion saying that he’s seen the different ways that he can impact a game to help the team win. Spoelstra will definitely look to Iguodala in tough spots since he’s a guy he can trust in a playoff game.

Post-Practice Comment #5:

Spoelstra starts saying that at some point you can’t look at this situation from a basketball perspective. He says they are so grateful to partake in this since there are so many people around the world right now out of work. He says he’s talked to the team about this recently and thinks it’s important. Erik Spoelstra and the Heat have been using these zoom calls with media to touch on all of the important things going on in our world. They’ve discussed the pandemic, social injustice, and much more over the course of the last two weeks in hopes of getting their point across. They clearly have a bigger goal in mind beyond basketball.

5 Things to Expect for Heat’s First Scrimmage Game

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The Heat’s first scrimmage game comes this Wednesday against the Kings, which is exciting for one reason. Basketball is back. This will be similar to a preseason game since players will try to get their bodies back in game shape. 

Here’s five things to expect from the Heat’s First Scrimmage on Wednesday.

#1: Every player on the roster will be utilized in the Heat’s First Scrimmage.

This became pretty clear after this week’s zoom call with Coach Erik Spoelstra when he said: “Everyone available will probably play.” That means that the minutes will be pretty much split across the board. This allows the team to see which guys are in game shape, and more importantly playoff shape. Coach Spoelstra will also be able to get a good look on who he will be able to trust in a playoff setting. But for now, every player will have a chance to show that they can play a major role on this team.

#2: There’ll be an abundance of -point shooting.

Three-point shooting is something that has become essential due to the game transforming into that style of play. Well, it’s something that we will probably see even more in this format. The G-League and Summer League are two great examples of this since there are more three point attempts in these games than a regular NBA game. For one, these scrimmage games will have the feel of a pickup basketball game, which usually is a lot of shooting. And the second reason is that guys will not be attacking the rim as much when they’re trying to get their legs back under them. These first few scrimmage games may be sloppy, but that’s why they’re having them. Either way, be prepared to see a lot of shooting from beyond the arc, especially with this team.

#3: Spoelstra will “tinker” with different schemes during the Heat’s first scrimmage.

Another thing that Spoelstra’s seemed to discuss on zoom calls is the use of different possible schemes. As he’s said, this format gives them even more time to drill stuff like zone-defense or basic switching principles. We’ll definitely see this in the scrimmage, so Spoelstra can get a feel for what will work in this format. As there’s been a lot of talk about players getting acclimated to this unique style of play, the coaches have as difficult a task as anyone. Coaches will need to be very flexible with their approaches since this is something they’ve never seen.

#4: They will try to find fitting lineups.

This is one of the only things that the Heat have not been able to figure out yet that other teams have. This is only because they weren’t able to see Tyler Herro and Meyers Leonard mix in with the new acquisitions in Jae Crowder and Andre Iguodala. These scrimmage games will give the team the opportunity to try out different lineups that Spoelstra can trust in tough spots. The players also have an idea of what lineups work and what don’t. Meyers Leonard started raving about the defensive versatilities of a lineup with Jimmy Butler-Derrick Jones Jr-Andre Iguodala-Jae Crowder-Bam Adebayo. All the players on this roster are invested in finding the best lineups that will help them win. This is exactly what will be exercised in the scrimmage games.

#5: Bold Prediction: A Gabe Vincent display.

The game against Sacramento on Wednesday will allow all the players on the roster to get some playing time. This includes Gabe Vincent. There has been a lot of talk about guys like Duncan Robinson, Goran Dragic, and Kendrick Nunn playing in this type of environment. Well, the player who has played in this environment most recently is Gabe Vincent. Not only did he play in the G-League recently, he was outstanding.

He won the G-League’s most improved player award for this season. We’ve seen his capabilities of being a lethal shooter. Though it’s been slightly inefficient when he’s gotten playing time this season with the Heat. But, he’s one of those guys that can get hot or that can spark your team. This was displayed in early February against the Clippers when he hit 3 consecutive threes. Don’t be shocked if Gabe goes on a shooting tear in the scrimmage games. He may earn himself some minutes for the regular season and postseason.

 

Spoelstra

5 Comments from Spoelstra, Butler, Robinson

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Erik Spoelstra hopped on another zoom call with media after practice tonight, along with Jimmy Butler and Duncan Robinson. The Heat had a bit of a break in tonight’s practice after an intense scrimmage yesterday. And with Kendrick Nunn and Bam Adebayo nearing return, this team is ready to get back at it on a regular basis.

Anyways, here’s what they had to say after practice today…

Comment #1: Spoelstra

One of the big question marks around this team heading into the postseason was their defense. Though it seemed as good as any at times early in the season, it began to tail off. This Heat team has a bunch of guys that are elite perimeter defenders, but most of their offensive talents lack in such areas. But, Erik Spoelstra seems to be confident in fixing that, saying “I see great potential in our defense.” And this is definitely true, but they will need a bit more from their guards on the defensive side of the ball if they want to take that next step.

Comment #2:

Jimmy Butler seems ready to go for the scrimmage on Wednesday night and has a few things in mind for the game.  For one, he says he wants to “Just get comfortable hooping again.” This seems like the clear task for everyone since most players haven’t picked up a basketball since early March. He also says another plan for the scrimmage is “Making sure we are still playing for one another.” This is one of the main factors of a winning Heat team, which is why it’s great that their leader, and Spoelstra, is keeping this a priority.

Comment #3:

Jimmy Butler got asked about the news that got released late last week about a noise complaint being reported on him. He responded to it with, “I get a lot of knocks on my door…None of it really surprises me.” He also says that most of the knocks are his teammates, except this particular one of course when it was a security guard. Jimmy seems to actually like the notion of people knowing his working saying “To know my work is being noticed is not such a bad thing.” That right there defines Jimmy Butler. He knows he will outwork any competitor, and he wants them to know.

Comment #4:

There’s been a lot of discussion about some players needing some time to get back in to their prior selves. Well, Duncan doesn’t seemed to worried about it when talking about his shooting, saying “I don’t feel like it goes anywhere. That didn’t disappear over quarantine.” The most important attribute to a consistent shooter is confidence. This is something that Duncan has which is why he won’t have any problems getting back into the swing of things. He also says that you have to build synergy with your teammates and “that’s a process.” This basically reiterates what Jimmy said earlier when talking about the scrimmage games. This seems to be the most essential part of getting back to their prior selves.

Comment #5:

Jimmy Butler got asked about his shooting struggles throughout this season and responded “I’m just fine with how my game was…If we win a championship, I guarantee no one will be talking about my jumper.” There seems to be a current notion that you need to be able to shoot to be successful. Jimmy has shown that he’d rather put most of his efforts into defense, play-making, and attacking the rim, and leave the shooting for the rest of the team. This style of play seemed to be pretty productive all season, which is why Jimmy has no worries about changing his game now. And if the Heat were to win a championship, I’m sure there’d be a lot of things people won’t be talking about when discussing Jimmy Butler.

5 Key Moments from Interviews with Spoelstra, Vincent, Leonard

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The Miami Heat had another intense practice in the Orlando bubble late Sunday night. They got to do a lot more 5 on 5 work tonight, since they’re getting closer and closer to the return of play. Well, here’s some things that were said after practice…

Post-Practice Comment #1:

There has been a lot of talk this week from Spoelstra about the different defenses that may be used heading into the postseason. Well, he took a different approach tonight saying that they “created an identity and found some success with that.” He’s not worried about forming new defensive schemes as much as he’s worried about improving the current ones. One of the main defensive changes we may see will be the different defensive lineups that Coach Spoelstra tends to lean to. Will it be a veteran in Andre Iguodala or a young guy in Derrick Jones Jr? Only time will tell.

Post-Practice Comment #2:

The Miami Heat’s first scrimmage game is this Wednesday against the Sacramento Kings. Spoelstra seems to be very eager for this match-up saying, “I have to tell my staff to tell me to calm down.” He says before he jumps into it, he needs to see who will be available. Then adds, “Everyone available will probably play.” This game will be taken as a pre-season game, which is essentially what it is. But the Heat will be taking this game as serious as any other, since Spoelstra says he has a bunch of things to accomplish.

Post-Practice Comment #3:

Gabe Vincent got to talk to some media after practice tonight and seemed pretty confident in his role with this team. He first discusses the amount of elite level shooting in the NBA, which lead to him watching a lot of film on some of the best spot up shooters. He also says that he thinks he can be utilized the same way that Duncan Robinson is now and Wayne Ellington in the past. He also considers himself a major threat to pull up or create on the perimeter. Be ready to see a lot of minutes from Gabe Vincent in both the scrimmages and regular season games, especially since he has the capability of getting hot. Very hot.

Post-Practice Comment #4:

Meyers Leonard was asked how to define the Most Improved Player award. He responded, “It’s Bam.” He also adds, “You talk about a young guy developing into a superstar right before our eyes.” Meyers continues to rave about how great Bam is, but I’d like to think Meyers may have a little something to do with his improvement. The assistance of Meyers on and off the court this season for Bam has been absolutely tremendous. His ability to stretch the floor for Bam and give Bam the ball where he is most comfortable has been a huge part in the growth of this developing “superstar.”

Post-Practice Comment #5:

Meyers talks about the amount of versatility there is across the board on this team. He says, “Imagine a lineup of Jimmy-DJJ-Jae-Andre-Bam.” The pure excitement that Meyers shows when he talks about his teammates is absolutely unmatched. It shows the amount of confidence they have in each other every single night. This statement also refers back to the Erik Spoelstra comment on improving their current defensive schemes. Playing around with these types of lineups in a playoff setting will be key since there are some vulnerabilities on the floor at times on defense. Either way, this entire team will be ready for their name to be called on any given night.

5 Takeaways from Post-Practice Interviews with Iguodala, Dragic, Spoelstra

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The Miami Heat finished up a late practice tonight in the Orlando bubble. Afterward, Andre Iguodala, Goran Dragic, and Erik Spoelstra spoke with some media as they get closer and closer to their first scrimmage game this Wednesday. Here’s what was said…

Post-Practice Comment #1:

Coach Erik Spoelstra was asked about the current status of Bam Adebayo and Kendrick Nunn and if they would return in the next few days. Spoelstra responded with the words “we’ll see.” It seems as everything is “we’ll see” when discussing the circumstances of Covid-19, since there is truly so much unknown. Although, there seems to be a bunch of optimism upon them returning pretty soon, which will be much needed for this Miami Heat team to succeed.

Post-Practice Comment #2:

There’s been a lot of talk about players being able to talk with players from other teams, but there hasn’t been a lot of buzz about coaches. Erik Spoelstra said that he talked to some opposing coaches, including Utah Jazz coach Quin Snyder, about different game plans in the bubble. This is something no coach has been able to do before or thought about doing, especially Erik. But, Spoelstra has used the word “adjusting” many times over the last week which is a clear clue that he will adapt to whatever circumstances.

Post-Practice Comment #3:

Andre Igudala discussed Heat’s rookie Tyler Herro today in a very positive way. He says, “He wants to be great for a really long time.” This has been proven true through his clear hard working attitude and winning mentality. Andre talks about how he wants to help Tyler both on and off the court. He says he is there for him if he needs help with the approachment of things like endorsements and social issues. This is another reason why having a veteran guy like Andre Iguodala on this team is so essential.

Post-Practice Comment #4:

Since two veterans got to talk with media tonight, there was a lot of talk about the young guys. Goran talked about Duncan Robinson, saying “He’s always first in the gym.” When the team usually talks about Duncan, it usually is about his lethal shooting. But not today. It’s about his hard working attitude. It seems like the players have an even more locked in attitude than usual. He also says that Duncan always wants to improve, which if he was able to improve his defense and shots off the dribble, he’d be an even bigger eye sore for teams.

Post-Practice Comment #5:

Coach Spoelstra also got to talking about the different defensive schemes we will see after this long hiatus. He says that this type of environment benefits this because they have more time to drill the zone defense. This is something that we most definitely might see more of in the playoffs. Either if its to lock up a 76ers team in a first round match-up or to catch the Indiana Pacers off guard. It seemed pretty productive this season when it was used, especially to help Heat bigs like Meyers Leonard. Spoelstra also said he will be drilling the basic switching principles over the next few practices to make sure his team is 100% ready.

5 Main Comments from Spoelstra, Olynyk, Hill Interviews

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As these post-practice interviews continue, you begin to see more of a comfortability in the players as they continue to adjust to these unique circumstances. Here’s what Coach Erik Spoelstra, Solomon Hill, and Kelly Olynyk had to say to the media today…

Post-Practice Comment #1

Solomon Hill started off his interview today with media on Heat’s star Jimmy Butler. He says that he can see how some people can create ideas and stories about him. He follows this point explaining how much of a competitor Jimmy is and how he shows it every time he walks onto the court. This is a perfect example of Jimmy showing his teammates what to do instead of just telling them. Solomon also says, “He defines Miami Heat. He defines Heat culture.” It’s been pretty obvious that this is true all season with his hard-work, leadership, and winning mindset.

Post-Practice Comment #2

Coach Erik Spoelstra was asked about the troubles of maintaining focus in the bubble without being distracted. He responded, “It’s not as challenging as everybody thinks on the outside.” He continues to say that it’s actually much easier to remain focused in this format since there’s nothing to do. He also mentions that he appreciates the idea of pushing the bubble protocols. He said, “This is not something we have experience or expertise in.” He basically wants everybody to be on the same page, which he seems to think has been going pretty smoothly.

Post-Practice Comment #3

Kelly Olynyk talked about how unusual it will be for teams to play in front of no fans. He seemed pretty optimistic about it, saying “There’ll be less distractions.” This means that the only thing on players minds will be basketball. Since well, that’s the only thing to think about in the bubble. He continues to talk about the conditions, saying they have never been seen at this high of a level. Although the no fans circumstances seem unusual, they benefit the Heat greatly since there’s been a lot of summer league, international, and community college play.

Post-Practice Comment #4

When Kelly was asked about the defensive schemes of this Heat team, he says “You have to have a little bit of everything in your arsenal.” This is indeed true for both the playoffs in general and these different circumstances. We have seen the Heat’s zone be used quite a few times this season, particularly to shut down the Philadelphia 76ers early in the season. Kelly continues to say “If you give any team a steady look at one thing, you’re gonna be in trouble.” We know Coach Spoelstra will have everything in his arsenal on the defensive side of the ball, especially in a playoff setting.

Post-Practice Comment #5

Kelly Olynyk also speaks about what he likes most about this Heat’s team. He talks about how this group of guys make each other better since everybody has different strengths. He says they’ve got guys who can slash, rebound, shoot, and have athleticism. And this is definitely true. This Heat team has a full roster of guys that are capable of getting hot on any given night. Which is why Erik Spoelstra will be trying out different lineups and players throughout the regular season games, to see who he can trust once the playoffs begin.

 

5 Key Moments from Spoelstra, Herro, Silva Interviews

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After another day of 5 on 5 practice, Tyler Herro and Chris Silva talked to media along with Coach Erik Spoelstra. Here are 5 Key Moments from Spoelstra, Herro, Silva Interviews.

Spoelstra, Herro, Silva Interviews Comment #1:

There was some pretty unique news reported last night by Chris Haynes about Miami Heat’s own Jimmy Butler. It was reported that there was a noise complaint in the hotel, and when security got to the room, it was Jimmy Butler drenched in sweat in the middle of a full workout. Coach Spoelstra seemed to enjoy this, saying “That’s why I love Jimmy.” He continued to talk about his work ethic and described him with the word discipline. He says Jimmy is so unique with his workout times, nutrition, consistency, and more.

Comment #2:

Tyler Herro received the same question that Spoelstra did earlier in the interview. Tyler Herro was not surprised at all when he heard the news about Jimmy, since he’s seen Jimmy’s drive all season. He says that Jimmy was probably “bored in his room,” and usually causes him to do what he does best which is put in more work. The phrase “not surprised” is used all the time by teammates of Jimmy Butler. The team knows how he is which is why they respect him so much on and off the court.

Comment #3:

Tyler Herro talked about his health standpoint and the shape he is in after the hiatus. He says “I’m the best I’ve ever felt in my life.” This is a good sign due to the fact that it’s pretty much the exact opposite for other players in the bubble as of right now. Tyler follows this statement discussing his body fat and says it’s down to 5.5%. It seems as if that Jimmy Butler hard work is contagious throughout the locker room, especially since the coaches made sure they stayed in shape as well during the hiatus with zoom workouts.

Comment #4:

Chris Silva also got to talk to media today. He discussed the topic that seems to come up a lot in these interviews. Depth. He says he doesn’t think everybody is going to play as many minutes, which will definitely be true for the eight regular season games and probably the first round. Chris Silva will be ready to play if his name gets called once the season return. He may see the court a lot during the regular season since Spoelstra will be playing around with different lineups. Chris also talked about the impact this virus had on him personally. He planned on returning home to Gabon before the pandemic.

Comment #5:

Erik Spoelstra talks about the depth of this team once again. He says, “I don’t know if there’s ever been more of a need for depth.” This is definitely true for a couple different reasons. Guys will need some time to get back in game shape, which means there’ll be more of a need to get fresh legs on the court. Another reason is that this format is different than anything the NBA has ever seen, which means this playoffs may not only benefit veterans. Young guys may flourish in this type of format, which is why Erik Spoelstra will be playing around with this roster as much as he can before the playoffs start.

 

Butler, Spoelstra and DJJ interviews

5 Takeaways from Jimmy Butler, Spoelstra, DJJ Interviews

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The Miami Heat are slowly making their way into more intense practices this week after taking the day off yesterday to watch film. Here’s some post-practice comments from the Butler, Spoelstra and DJJ Interviews.

Post-Practice Comment #1:

There has been a lot of questions about KZ Okpala after the Heat drafted him in the second round this past year. He’s been going back and forth between Sioux Falls and the Heat roster all season. And it seems too familiar. No matter if it’s an un-drafted guy or a second round pick, the Heat always has a young prodigy flying under the radar. Coach Spoelstra also says “He’s learning how to do things at a more intense level with detail…and I like it.” It seems as if Spoelstra is just as intrigued with him as Heat fans are.

Post-Practice Comment #2:

Jimmy Butler starts off the interview with his Social Justice message on his jersey. He chose to not put a message on his jersey, just as LeBron James said he would do a couple days prior. But he also wants to not include his name on the back of his jersey, saying “I am no different than anyone of color. I want that to be my message.” He also says later in the interview that he sees a lot of talking on Social Justice topics, but he wants to see more action. Jimmy is still working on getting the approval to have no name on the back of his jersey.

Post-Practice Comment #3:

The NBA world has been waiting for the match-up of Jimmy Butler and TJ Warren after the altercation early in the season. And it seems as if Jimmy Butler still hasn’t forgotten about it. Jimmy says “I’m pretty sure you can’t see the smile that’s on my face,” when thinking about that TJ Warren match-up. He gives the Indiana Pacers credit by saying they’re a very good team, but closes the topic with “I’m taking the Miami Heat twice.” Which pretty much sums up this whole teams confidence in each other.

Post-Practice Comment #4:

With Derrick Jones Jr’s contract up after this season, there has been a lot of question marks about his decision. The salary cap may be a little tight with other players including Goran Dragic, Jae Crowder, and Meyers Leonards having their contracts up as well. But though there may be more money thrown at Derrick from other teams. He says, “I never want to be on another team.” He love everything about this team including the style of play, which is defense. Derrick said, “I’m gonna just keep doing exactly what I do. Guard the best player, make his life miserable.” This quote right here proves that the Heat don’t want him on another team as well.

Post-Practice Comment #5:

There has been a lot of complaints and comments inside the bubble over the last week about food, rooms, and more. But this doesn’t include one Heat player. Jimmy sums it up for the rest of the team. “We do get to eat, we do get a roof over our heads. For a lot of people, it could be worse. For a lot of us, it has been worse.” He adds that he is speaking for the team. But some of the others have expressed the same idea over the last few days. This type of answer shows this team is ready. They’re not here for a vacation, it’s a business trip. And like Jimmy said earlier in the interview, “I think you can count on this Miami Heat team.”