Q: My question is this: Where was Kel’el Ware at the time of need? He was put in the game to exactly what he did not do, box out. – Roland, Borrego Springs, Calif.
A: Actually, Kel’el Ware was put in a tough spot in the loss to the Rockets, also having to keep a body on Alperen Şengün, which he did. When you look at the video of the final play, of Amen Thompson’s putback, Kel’el Ware did get solid position against Şengün, keeping him positioned away from the rebound. But with the Heat (correctly) throwing the kitchen sink at Kevin Durant, it left open considerable real estate for Thompson. What the Heat needed there was for Kel’el to simply get a hand or even a finger on the ball. But also look at where Pelle Larsson was on that final play, raising his hands as if in victory when Durant’s shot bounded off the rim, instead of remaining in chase mode. But the reality was Kel’el was so poor in his initial stint, that he stood practically unplayable in this one. Inserting Ware, though, was the right move for the final play. It’s almost as if he tried to box out two players and boxed out none. But he also was not alone in that failed final defensive possession, with Tyler Herro not getting a body on Thompson as he flew in unimpeded. So plenty went wrong, even though stopping Durant went right.
Q: Ira, I like what Norman Powell did the first half of the season, and he did a lot with Tyler Herro out. But now he’s missing games again. You had mentioned his extension recently. – Scott.
A: Well, that’s supposed to be in the form of a question, but I’ll bite. First, of the 19 games Norman Powell has missed, three were for the birth of his daughter, so that is the type of leave any player deserves. But missing 16 due to ailments to this stage has to be concerning when talking about a 32-year-old who is extension eligible. While some of the speculation is that if the Heat move off of Tyler Herro or elect not to extend him then that money could instead go to Norm. But these ailments, including the recent seven-game absence with the groin strain, have to be concerning. So now we will see how long this calf tightness has him out. At some point, age and injury have to matter in a salary-cap league. The Heat soon enough will be at that crossroads with a payroll decision that could have enduring consequence.
Q: So the Dolphins finally realized that the status quo over the last few years was not working. Now they’re into a total rebuild and I don’t hear the fanbase complaining. When are the Heat going to come to the same realization? – Bob, Davie.
A: Apples and oranges. With their way of doing business, the Heat have been to the NBA Finals this decade in 2020 and ’23 and have made the playoffs each of the last six seasons. So there is a degree of success (unless you only count championships). Patience comes when you haven’t won a playoff game like the Dolphins since 2000. When you haven’t won anything of substance, you tend to be more open, as a fanbase, to trying anything and everything. That said, more play-in followed by anything close to last season’s first-round humiliation at the hands of the Cavaliers certainly could change the thinking of the Heat’s (still?) faithful.