Q: When does the Heat’s luck run out against Trae Young? – Nathan.
A: If it’s luck, the way the Heat largely have been able to contain Trae Young, then, yes, there could be a moment of reckoning with a progression to the mean when the Hawks arrive for Tuesday’s play-in game. But if it is a detailed system that requires all five defenders to be in lockstep, then there should be hope of the one more shutdown required for the Heat to advance out of Tuesday’s play-in game against the Hawks and into the playoffs. Yes, Trae can go off at any moment, but part of the Hawks’ roster overhaul has been to get enough support that Trae doesn’t have to do it all. So it remains nearly as crucial that the Heat contain Dejounte Murray and the Hawks’ other contributors. Otherwise, trying to match the Hawks point for point, whether Trae is on or not, is a dangerous game to play, particularly in the play-in round.
Q: Should Erik Spoelstra play the guys at least a few minutes Sunday to keep them sharp? – Jeffrey.
A: While a four-day layoff, with most of the regulars to be idle since Thursday, might not be optimal from a continuity standpoint, every time a player steps on the court there is a risk of injury, a risk the Heat cannot afford to take. Beyond that, if the Heat were to have directly qualified for the playoffs, there would have been a five-day break. So sit Sunday, practice Monday and then get to the job at hand Tuesday. Win that one, and there will be at least a three-day break before a potential playoff opener Saturday.
Q: Victor Oladipo took 16 3-pointers in Washington? – Andy.
A: That he did, making seven of them. Such is life while playing out the string. And there could be more of the same Sunday. Remember, a year ago in an equally meaningless season finale for the Heat, Victor Oladipo scored 40 against the Magic.
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