Heat’s Spoelstra, Dolphins’ Flores discuss the other. And 2 Heat veterans questionable.
Erik Spoelstra and Brian Flores haven’t met but there’s already admiration between the Heat and Dolphins coaches.
Spoelstra revealed Thursday that he and Flores were going to meet for coffee before the pandemic changed everything.
So it was no surprise that they expressed respect for each other during each of their Zoom media sessions Thursday.
A night after Miami beat Milwaukee to go up 2-0 in their Eastern Conference semifinal series, Flores was wearing a shirt with the Heat logo during his briefing with reporters.
“I thought the game was fantastic [Wednesday] night,” Flores said. “It came down to the wire. A lot of great situational basketball at the end and it came down to free throws, so it was good. Obviously I’m a fan of ‘Coach Spo’ and that team and the way they play.
“They’re tough. They’re physical. They grind things out. They play smart basketball. I’m a fan and hopefully we can kind of learn from a lot of things they do and emulate a lot of the success that they’ve had over there.”
Spoelstra, asked later in the day about that, noted he hasn’t met Flores yet but said: “We were planning on getting together a few months ago. I think it must have been right when the shutdown happened.
“We were going to try to get together for a cup of coffee and just talk some shop. But I actually haven’t met him in person. Just a fan of everything I’ve heard about him and what he’s all about. He’s a Heat-type guy. It’s hard not to like a guy like that. I know UD [Udonis Haslem] is really excited about the Dolphins right now. So if he’s excited, I’m excited.”
IGUODALA UPDATE
The Heat listed guard Andre Iguodala as questionable for Game 3. He left for good in the second half of Game 2 with a sprained right ankle but returned to the bench and conveyed that he was able to play.
Kelly Olynyk (right knee bruise) also is listed as questionable. Chris Silva (stress fracture in groin area) remains out and Gabe Vincent (right shoulder) is questionable.
OFFICIATING REPORT
In its daily report assessing the accuracy of officiating calls made in the final two minutes, the NBA cited several errors but said both controversial calls in the final five seconds of Game 2 were correct.
Neither the Heat nor Goran Dragic publicly complained about Dragic’s questionable foul call against Khris Middleton on a missed three-point attempt with 4.3 seconds left. Middleton hit all three free throws to tie the game.
The NBA also said the correct call was made on the foul call against Giannis Antetokounmpo on Jimmy Butler, setting up Butler’s game-winning free throws with no time left.
Asked if it’s possible to defend a jump-shooter in the NBA today, Dragic said: “That’s a good question. I don’t know. It’s tough. I know I just need to do a better job not to be so close, try to contest maybe a little bit farther away. But, yeah, in today’s game, you need to be really careful.
“The shooter needs to get space. You have smart players, too; they know how to flop, too. And it kind of puts the refs in tough positions to make calls.”
NUNN SECOND
Heat guard Kendrick Nunn finished second behind winner Ja Morant of Memphis in Rookie of the Year voting announced Thursday. Morant had 498 points, Nunn 204 and Zion Williamson 140.
Morant got 99 of the 100 first-place votes. Nunn received 56 second-place votes, compared with 37 for Williamson, six for Brandon Clarke and one for Morant. Nunn had 36 third place votes, compared with 32 for Clarke and 24 for Williamson.
Coby White, Eric Paschall, Terrence Davis and RJ Barrett also received third place votes. Tyler Herro did not get any first or second or third place votes.
DRAGIC SOARING
Dragic had appeared in 35 playoff games before this most unusual of postseasons, and his overall numbers were good.
But never — in three prior trips to the playoffs — has Dragic produced the offensive numbers he’s routinely generating now.
His 23.5 scoring average through six games ranks 14th among NBA players in postseason and easily tops his points-per-game-production in his three previous playoff sojourns: 7.6 in 16 games with Phoenix in 2009-10, 16.5 in 14 games with the Heat in 2015-16 and 18.6 in five Heat playoff games in 2017-18.
Dragic has scored at least 20 points in six consecutive games; only LeBron James and Dwyane Wade had longer consecutive 20-point streaks in postseason for Miami.
What’s more, Dragic, at 34, has been able to handle a heavy workload; his 34.0 minutes per game top his 28.2 average in the regular season. He played off the bench in all but three of his 59 appearances during the regular season and seeding games but has started every game in postseason.
“I would not say I’m in the best shape in my career, but I would say I’m enjoying the game,” Dragic said Thursday. “That’s the main thing. I have that smile on my face. I’m playing with tremendous teammates who are supporting me. If you’re enjoying what you do, then you’re always going to do [well]. I feel awesome. My legs are feeling awesome.”
Dragic admitted that when Spoelstra, before the playoffs, “asked me to start, I was like, ‘I don’t know, I feel really comfortable coming from the bench.’ But whatever it takes.”
Among all players who have made at least 15 three-pointers, Dragic ranks 10th in three-point accuracy this postseason at 42.9 percent (18 for 42). He’s 20th among NBA players in average assists during these playoffs (4.8).
“He’s one of the more experienced, skilled winners in this league,” Spoelstra said. “The problem, while he’s one of our All-Stars, is that nobody really noticed, because the last three years, we’ve only been able to get into the playoffs once.”
▪ Quick stuff: Jae Crowder said, in admiration, that Heat president Pat Riley attended every Heat workout in AmericanAirlines Arena before the team went to Disney, even the ones with just one or two players…
In postseason, Butler leads all NBA players in steals per game (2.5), Bam Adebayo is fourth in rebounds per game (11.8) and Tyler Herro ranks first among all rookies in scoring at 15.7 per game… Kevin Harlan and Reggie Miller have the call of Game 3 on TNT.
This story was originally published September 3, 2020 at 5:43 PM.
