A look at the challenging schedule ahead for the Miami Heat
After playing nine of its past 12 games at home, the Heat’s schedule is about to get a lot tougher.
The Heat begins a four-game trip Tuesday against the Bucks, which is also the start of a stretch that includes 12 of 16 on the road.
“We understand what the schedule is ahead of us, but it does start with the very first game,” coach Erik Spoelstra said following Monday’s practice. “The only thing we can handle is what’s immediately in front of you.”
This challenging 16-game stretch includes nine against teams currently with playoff seeds entering Monday.
This is the flip side of playing 23 of the first 41 games at AmericanAirlines Arena. The Heat now has to go on the road for 23 of its final 41 games of the regular season.
“We’ve got some tough games,” Heat guard Dwyane Wade said. “Obviously, it’s always tough to play on the road, starting in Milwaukee, but we’ve got a game that can travel if we play the game we know we can. ... We’re going to take our defense on the road with us. We’re not going to win on the road without our defense, so we’re definitely going to need to pack that.”
The good news for the Heat is it owns a 10-8 road record this season, which is surprisingly better than its 11-12 home record. The bad news for the Heat is only three teams in the Eastern Conference (Nets, 76ers and Hornets) have a tougher remaining schedule, according to Tankathon.com, based on the current combined winning percentage of teams left to play.
“Just get the job done, however that may be,” Justise Winslow said of the Heat’s mind-set on the road. “Stay connected. Right now we’re getting a lot of guys back and the connection is there on both ends of the floor, from the coaching staff all the way down the bench. Everyone is connected.”
Patience is a virtue
The Heat continues to ask guard Dion Waiters to remain patient.
After missing the first 35 games of the season because of January ankle surgery, Waiters made his return in the Heat’s road win over the Cavaliers on Jan. 2. He’s now been available for six consecutive games, but was a healthy scratch in two of them.
Playing time has been up and down, as he logged 11 minutes of court time in his season debut before playing 25 minutes, 20 minutes and 10 minutes off the bench in the other three games he’s appeared in.
“My big word for him is patience,” Spoelstra said. “But I like the work that’s been putting in and the minutes that he’s played have been good and important for us.”
Waiters, 27, is averaging 8.3 points on 38.2 percent shooting, two rebounds and 2.5 assists in 16.4 minutes this season. His best performance came in Tuesday’s loss to the Nuggets, when he finished with 15 points on 6-of-10 shooting and four assists in a season-high 25 minutes.
“For sure,” Waiters said Monday when asked if it’s been tough to remain patient. “I would be lying if I said it wasn’t or if I thought things would be different. But I got to just try to figure out and try to control my emotions when things aren’t going my way and stuff like that. Just trying to figure it out and be positive when in that situation. Is it tough? Absolutely.”
▪ Heat wing Josh Richardson was held out of Monday’s practice because of knee tendinitis. But he is expected to play in Tuesday’s game against the Bucks.
▪ Heat center Hassan Whiteside was back at practice Monday after missing Saturday’s win over the Grizzlies because of a stomach illness.
“I just wasn’t feeling good,” Whiteside said. “My stomach’s bothering me. I just haven’t felt like I had the energy.”
