Heat’s weirdest opener stars Butler as missing person, Winslow as rising star [Updated] | Opinion
The Miami Heat’s 32nd regular season unwrapped itself strangely Wednesday night in the downtown bayside arena. It was the missing persons who made it weird.
Miami icon Dwyane Wade: Retired, not beginning an NBA season for the first time since 2002, a franchise moving on from its most beloved figure.
New star and big offseason acquisition Jimmy Butler: Absent, shockingly and mysteriously missing his own grand opening for “personal reasons.”
Dion Waiters: Suspended, not there because of conduct detrimental to the team, a sign affixed to the nameplate above his empty locker rather incongruously reading, ‘Absolute Respect.’
And James Johnson: Inactive on account of “Conditioning,” a kinder way of saying the dude showed up out of shape.
Wade we knew would be missing, of course.
The other three? Those you sort of hoped might be available for the launch of your season as the Memphis Grizzlies visited.
Didn’t matter, it turned out.
The night began with Butler’s absence the theme.
But it ended with the declaration of Justise Winslow’s full arrival in a 120-101 Heat victory seized on a 24-1 fourth quarter run.
The continued ascension of Winslow, now in his fifth season but still only 23, is seen as a key to this season -- and he left little doubt Wednesday that he’s up to a co-starring role with Butler.
Winslow was quite magnificent, with 27 points, 7 rebounds, 7 assists and tenacious defense. He was, palpably, the team leader. He looked a man introducing himself as a rising star.
“You could see how aggressive Justise was,” said Spoelstra, “putting his 230 pounds downhill.”
“I’m 228 today,” corrected Winslow with a smile.
He had help.
Rookie Kendrick Nunn pumped in 24 points on 10-for-18 shooting, overshadowing No. 1 draft pick Tyler Herro (14, 6-for-14). A third guy making his NBA debut, Chris Silva, brought a bolt of late spark with 8 points and great defense.
Those are three young guys worth your time.
Bam Adebayo? He’s a bankable double-double. Goran Dragic (19 off the bench) remains starter-caliber.
The Heat has talent. Granted, Memphis isn’t very good. Still, it was an impressive opening win, largely for the man who wasn’t there.
Butler didn’t do it. But his teammates sure did.
“Today was good in a way not to have Jimmy,” as Winslow put it, meaning other players having to step up.
The Heat’s first meaningful loss of the season came 1 hour and 45 minutes before the first game tipped off — probably not a good sign, as harbingers go.
“Jimmy is not going to be here for personal reasons,” announced Heat coach Erik Spoelstra.
No last name was required. It’s like with Pele’. That, or the fact Jimmy Butler is the only Jimmy on the roster.
My initial reaction?
Spo had to be kidding, right? You know, like how in public speaking they suggest you start off with something that might get a laugh?
This was no joke, alas. The Heat’s biggest new attraction — the star here to ease the ache of Wade’s retirement — would miss his own formal unveiling.
The only sign of Butler was on the cover of the Tip Off game program, and featured in the pregame hype video.
Imagine if, on the night they raise D-Wade’s number 3 to the rafters, Dwyane couldn’t be here for it. Sorry.
Imagine if, just before the wedding, the priest announces the groom couldn’t make it. “Personal reasons.”
“Everything is fine,” assured Spoelstra of Butler’s absence.
Yeah, well, except that the main attraction for an arena full of Heat fans was a no-show for his Big Hello.
I was sure it would turn out to be a fine excuse. Significant-other-in-labor was the early betting favorite among media -- and the truth, based on subsequent reports.
It’s because “everything is fine” that we are permitted to have a little fun here, of course, at the colossal anti-climax caused by your team’s big new star missing the season opener for reasons initially murky.
And why the secrecy, by the way? Childbirth, whooping cough, tickets to see Taylor Swift — whatever the “personal reasons,” don’t you sort of owe it to your paying customers to be transparent?
Turns out Butler also will miss the team’s two road games but is expected to lay in the fourth game, back in Miami, Tuesday night.
Miami played on gamely, looking good enough without Butler to make one wonder what they’ll be with him.
“We’re a young, electric team. We’ve got great versatility,” Winslow said. “We can spread the floor, we can attack. Defensively, we have a lot of studs. Its’ going to be a fun year.”
Herro, at 19 the youngest player ever to start a game for the Heat, admitted no nerves, saying, “It’s just another day to go play basketball at the end of the day.”
Herro would score his first career NBA points, and the season’s first for Miami, on a left-handed floater off the glass.
There was plenty to watch. It was still Opening Night. But it’s what was missing that hung over the evening, and those stunning words that didn’t bother the Heat:
“Jimmy is not going to be here.”
This story was originally published October 23, 2019 at 9:29 PM.
