Only now has Miami Heat coach Erik Spoelstra pulled back the curtain, opened a window into what was happening behind closed doors in January, February, early March, before Victor Oladipo made this return, before Jimmy Butler and Tyler Herro found themselves in a playoff alignment alongside Oladipo, as conversation swirled about too many alphas souring the success.
With the Heat, secrecy is sacrosanct. In order to access the Heat’s workout space the media first gathers in one room, are led up a staircase or elevator, lined up behind double doors, and only then allowed onto the practice court that sits alongside Biscayne Bay, a sun-splashed setting of sweat.
All the while, Spoelstra was sewing a tapestry of seemingly similar skill sets, convinced the whole could be even greater than its part.
So far in these playoffs, Butler-Herro-Oladipo have played 33 minutes together, as compared to 11 minutes over the regular season. And it has worked, as evidenced by the 2-0 lead the Heat take into Friday’s 7 p.m. Game 3 against the Philadelphia 76ers at Wells Fargo Arena in this best-of-seven Eastern Conference semifinal.
As Spoelstra explained, it was all about time and place.
“You have to have the right kind of guys, that are about winning, and are willing to work through a process of it,” he said. “It’s not going to happen through osmosis. Now, the last three months we’ve been able to work through this, even though it hasn’t necessarily been on the wood.
“We’ve had film sessions, shootarounds, practices, where we’ve been able to work different combinations and put together a menu, and how we’re trying to maximize each others’ strengths.”
Because of those hours, these moments of truth have proven prosperous.
“If we didn’t start the process three months ago in practices and all those kinds of sessions, it probably would be a little bit dramatic, trying to do this in a playoff setting,” Spoelstra said. “There was a time, actually, we were trying to prepare for this in January. It just took a lot longer, but not behind the scenes. So we’re just kind of methodical with that process.”
So Butler starts, then gives way as Herro enters, only to have Oladipo eventually join those two as Spoelstra cycles through his machinations.
“All of you are able to see that now,” he said of the three-wing success. “But it’s been going on for a while. And the guys really understand.
“Jimmy really wants to win. So he wants guys playing well, and to their strengths. And Tyler’s always been able to adapt to different lineups and rotations. And Vic, as I’ve said many times, he’s just been really flexible and open to whatever role and just give to the team.”
The cycling of the wings has allowed Herro to further spread his wings, no longer a sole perimeter focus during his minutes.
“We’ve gotten more reps, been able to play with each other now for a couple of games, and Vic’s starting to be back to who Vic is,” Herro said. “I think we can play well off each other.
“I feel like when we’re spaced, not holding the ball, being able to attack into the open space, we create mismatches and driving lanes for each other when we’re attacking and making plays for each other.”
The satisfaction has come in triplicate.
“We got a lot of talent on the team and we’ve got a lot of guys with great ability, with the ball and without it,” Oladipo said. “I’ve been blessed and fortunate enough to play with a few great players in my career, so I understand how to play off people and to play off the ball. Those guys made great plays, and I just try to feed off it.”
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