ONE MORE THING: Will the Heat Start Norm Powell When He Returns?

0:00All right, one more thing the heater playing well, but as it force some tough decisions about the rotation when norm power turns we'll talk about that next You are locked on heat your daily Miami heat podcast part of the locked on podcast network your team every day All right, welcome to locked on heat your daily podcast on the Miami heat part of the locked on podcast network now the number one supports podcast network Whether you're tuning in on YouTube or on your hair podcast that thanks so much for making locked on heat your first listen every day join the cookie gang become an every day Or that means subscribing tuning in every day one day through Friday and signing up for the every day or club with the link in the show notes I'm West Goldberg host of locked on NBA daily and real GM radio I'm here with David or mail both of us our credentialed heat media members who cover this team every day Recording this Monday morning after the heat's big win over the Detroit pistons on Sunday night David and I recorded a Great post game show after that one on Sunday night

1:01So if you haven't checked that out it is up on YouTube and in your podcast feed We got into a lot of stuff including what is really fueling Miami's five game win streak and what it means overall for their place in the Eastern Conference standings and whether or not they can make a run in the Eastern Conference But we got one more thing to talk about today, and this comes from our Listener questions from the all access to you're on the every day or club Thank you to the cookie gang as always for sending in those questions We have a few stragglers that we didn't get to at the end of our post game show yesterday This one comes from Alec Ai who writes in what a huge last couple of wins for this heat team has Norm Powell lost his spot in the starting lineup When he returns from this injury what should the starting lineup be when everybody is healthy going down the stretch here and to end the regular season We got another question about any idea when we're getting norm back and what do you guys think and what do you think if he comes off the bench so Let's start with when norm comes back I guess is maybe the most important part of your David. We don't know in classic Miami heat fashion We've got Eric's pollster giving us though. Well, he's making progress every single day and

2:02That's all that's all we're getting it is the growing strain that's held him out for the last few games He was starting Tyler here was coming off the bench prior to this injury Since norm went down Tyler hero has ascended to the starting lineup and he has made the most out of it He looks every bit the all star that he was last year. He should 50% overall 40% from three The playmaking has been really important something that we talked about over the last couple of games David I don't know that you can take I mean, I know you cannot take Tyler hero out of the starting lineup at this point There is a big question about what you do with norm when he comes back though Yeah Yeah, as far as the time lane is concerned I mean, I'm trying to determine exactly when they would typically they'll bring him back for a home game on obviously you've got games Three more home games are doing this stretch against Washington Milwaukee in Orlando Then you go off to a road game against the Charlotte Hornets next Tuesday and then on Thursday you're back for a one game against the Los Angeles Lakers. So

3:03I don't know. I mean, I think that the approach is a sound one because a groin injury is a little bit tricky You don't want to rush him back and then have him kind of miss more time especially for the the playoff run and Trying to do whatever it is that you can during the post season. So I'm fine with the approach regarding Working him back slowly, but he's missed all five games of this win if he if his name was Tyler hero people would be doing the whole They're only winning the title heroes injured and I'm not saying that that's the case with norm I'm just I'm just making a point here But but they are saying yeah like we have had some comments saying oh norm is when it should be traded etc But I think so yeah, I think it's 28th a groin strain typically will take Like a mild strain will take a couple of weeks I'm more severe strain could take three four five weeks and Again, we have no idea what the level of strain is air exposure did say something that because they got ahead of it He feels like that the recovery time might be shorter than it normally is sure Which leads me to believe that maybe it's leaning on to the more serious side of the groin strain right maybe that three to five

4:06Week timeline as opposed to the more minor one So if it's let's call it three weeks that he's out. He's been out since the 28th. So it's been roughly a week so far Um a little bit more than a week so far That means uh Maybe I'm looking at a week at some point coming back. Yeah, I think it's I think it's beyond it I think uh Monday the 23rd it tends to stand on your spurs at home Yeah, you're right because like to your point you're in Houston 21st, right? Yeah, maybe maybe you're around there. So we're talking about mid to late March here Yeah, so sometime um and that's fine. Let him recover. Let him figure it out and I like Something that players do when they're hurt is and and norm has been at these games So he's not just that he's there as an emotional support and like that like players Especially veteran players like norm they can see things differently when they're on the sidelines They can they see the the minutia of the game differently because they're not out there they're not involved and they can Kind of understand what their role is and make those kinds of necessary adjust

5:08But so when they do return they'll be able to figure it out I think norm is smart enough to have that kind of self-awareness and to be able to kind of get You know into the minutia like I said and understand exactly how he can develop a little bit differently His chemistry with the players that will be available I think as far as the overall question Like I hate sounding like a prisoner at the moment because I was just fine with Tyler coming off the bench when he was After he's returned after having missed a number of games And that was when norm was available, but then norm gets hurt and obviously you have to bring Tyler back into the starting lineup And he's thriving that role So I don't want to just be a wishy-washy about it But I just don't know how else you can put norm back in a starting lineup I think there's concerns about that because The defensive issues I've brought up before I think those are still going to be there You can't have Tyler and norm out there because you're taking away Dave your Mitchell you're taking away true Smith and Casper C. Equestrian is all of whom have been played much better defense Than either Tyler or nor pal and those three guards are in heavily in the rotation

6:09And they're bringing some defensive acumen to that position And I think you'll be removing that from the starting lineup if you just reinsert norm back into the starting role So I think that's a problem I haven't seen what norm is like on the bench because well he just hasn't played off the bench this year I don't know how happy he will be to receive what could be perceived as a demotion Um, I don't know how he's going to play as you see the thing is Tyler thrived off the bench When he was first coming back from injury because he wasn't able to develop that two-man game with Calil He was a much more easy facilitator between him and Hyman etc Norm is not that kind of playmaker. It's not to say that he can't but he is just not The strongest part of his game. He's more of a you know what give me the ball I'm going to launch it. I'm going to shoot. I'm going to drive through the rim etc so you're kind of Expecting him to develop into more of a playmaker But at the same time you do have the plantma back a point guard who would be able to facilitate a little bit more

7:09And Hyman has thrived in that regard as your back point also so he's a guy who can also initiate off and so It this might be a convoluted way of saying it But you have to look at the different ways that norms game can be maximized whether it's as a starter or as a bench player And right now as you said I don't think you can bench Tyler But I also don't think you can have both Tyler and Norm in a starting lineup So I feel like you have to keep norm off the bench like I think so I'm not sure It's not that easy and I know it's an easy choice for me to say right now But I think that's the reality is as good as he's been haven't come off the bench at least for a few games And then to see exactly how he kind of Arrives or doesn't in that role and then make the adjustment at another time because I just I'm concerned about the defensive issues that we'll cut up You know, are you going to bench Pella Larsen? I guess that's an easy choice too But Pella has been solid as it's not easy. Not yet. Not the way their polls in plan Yeah, as a connector as a glue guy as a defensive player, etc He brings a different edge than either Tyler or Norm Wiggins is out obviously

8:12So I think that you know, that's why my ring gardeners in the starting lineup now And that's probably not going to stay that way either so I guess it all depends on at what point norm comes back And whether or not Wiggins is available because he needs to be back in that starting lineup as well Maybe you can tinker around with the back court to a certain degree I don't know and am I crazy here and thinking that it's possible for Norm to come off the bench As this primary score And that's a hell for him. I'll I'll give you my answer at the other side of the break But these injuries They've sort of been helping Eric's bolster with these decisions lately And you're hoping you get to the point where that's not the case anymore But as we're discussing here it's a tough decision We'll talk about it more after this So Today's episode of one more thing is brought to you by Fandall college basketball is non-stop big games tight spreads momentum swings every single night From early tip-offs to late night west coast shootouts There's always action on the board and now Fandall is giving you a way to turn that energy into even bigger potential wins With a college basketball parlay profit boost you can build any college hoops parlay that you want rivalry games ranked matchups

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10:17Play your game Welcome back to locked on heat thanks for making us your first listen every day check out the full post game show The heat twin over the pistons on YouTube or up in your podcast feed right now David we're talking here about what you do with norm when he comes back. We've gotten a lot of questions about it How you mentioned yet he could see it as a demotion It's a demotion And it might not be it's on his fault right he got hurt. That's not his fault that he strained his groin But he was an all star this year this year like a month ago He was in Los Angeles playing for team world during the all-star game and you're gonna bring him off the bench that is a really tough sell and I just wonder if you're a spo The fact that you you're working them back from an injury and that it is something precarious like a groin strain right because this is something that can easily get tweaked again with one wrong step You know, I do wonder if you're just like hey norm come off the bench

11:19Tyler did it and he was an all-star last year um Do you just bring norm off the bench and say look we got to manage your minutes and you do that down the stretch The problem with that approach is eventually that's just kicking the hand down the road eventually Norm's gonna be like hey man I feel great. It's been two weeks of me coming off the bench the minutes restrictions gone like what are we gonna do here? So at some point even if that's how supposed starts he's gonna have to make a decision at some point here I wonder if the answer is all right bite the bullet just start Tyler and norm Try really Tyler norm probably Pella maybe Davian still you make that decision wigs and bam And you go that direction and then you quickly start staggering Tyler and norm and you say look We're gonna start this way. We're gonna try to come out swing in offensively We want norm and Tyler here to combine for 12 points in the first four minutes of every game And that's sort of how we're gonna Play to that strength And then we're getting into our rotation pattern right away And then we're gonna aggressively stagger norm and Tyler to make sure that one of them is on the court at all times without the other one

12:22Because there is something to this infrastructure that they've built where it's hey Even when you know Tyler was healthy coming off the bench and norm was healthy They had one of them on the court at all the time at all times And then that defense of guys like Davian and Pella out there on the perimeter along with Wiggins and bam That is the infrastructure that is what is helping them win games right now So do you just go that direction and then aggressively stagger and here's one thing that I was talking to people after the game last night about David This new bam at a bio minutes pattern where he starts and then comes out quickly Kalele comes in and then bam comes back into play with Kalele Yeah, I do want bam was like I don't know about this minutes pattern Like I'm kind of just getting my groove and then you're yanking me and then I come back in the game I do wonder if that's almost like setting the tone For some for Tyler or norm to kind of have that same minutes pattern to the point where Okay, well, bam's coming out you're coming out with bam and if bam's okay coming out with this weird minutes pattern So can you right like kind of bam setting the example right by his actions as we talked about so much with him I wonder if that's something that they can do and then you're aggressively staggering Tyler and norm

13:24So you've got one of your guards on the court of all times you're aggressively staggering as we know bam and Kalele So if you got 48 minutes of room protection at all times you could go between Pella and Wiggins So you have a great wing defender at all times you've got Davian and Drew So you've got one of those point of attack defenders out there pretty much at all times other than when you start games I think that's where it is the the problem with that David and I'm all acknowledge it right off the bat Is I don't know that doesn't answer how you close games. Maybe that's just a hot hand match-up scenario But that might be how you have to open games I don't know I just I feel like you're creating a disadvantage for yourself that doesn't need to exist I feel I understand that you want to Put your best offensive team out there which norm definitely needs to be a part of and yet I think We've seen Miami strengths over the last five games that they've won Be the transition that's initiated by their defense being able to put pressure forced you know be active on the rebounding battle Force turnovers and just ignite that fast break in order to be able to score points easily

14:26And that's how they've been able to attack opponents regularly to create an advantage And I don't know that that's going to be Available to you if you start Norman Tyler at the same time. I just I don't see it and so I I'm not sure if that's a good choice to be honest with you like I know these are tough decisions to be made And I'm glad I'm not the one making them because your answer is bring norm off the bench then That would be my pick right now. How do you sell that to a guy who's gonna get Because he's still closing because he's gonna play a lot of minutes because Their minutes will be staggered, but he'll also get the opportunity to shine as an offensive player Um, and I think he'll be able To still thrive like I mean he could still average 30 minutes off the bench High miss minutes gets cut a little bit You know less minutes for Casper's you know less minutes for Drew etc And at some point you just kind of figure it out and you know you you can't uh Wigs will have less minutes because he's he'll be coming back from injury as well

15:27You need him for the stretch run So you cut into his minutes a little bit and you just tinker with this everybody's been it to go down a little bit And norm continues to play more minutes and he'll thrive in that role. I at least that's that's how I would have presented Again, I don't know the nuances of how Spowe is gonna be able to sell it to Norpal and I don't know whether or not the relationship is strong enough or he could say yeah Do you feel comfortable about this or not you know But I don't see any other way of making it work like I feel like you're gonna put yourself in a whole Offensively and defensively by starting those guys because we know how the defense ignites their offense And I think that's what's led to a big part of their success over the last few games And if you take that away by reinserting power into the starting lineup Then you're back to what you were the middleing team that we saw not that long ago And so I think that's a concern moving forward. Yeah So in lineups according to cleaning the glass where the heat have Bam and Wiggins on the court with pal and hero right because I think that's important You get those two defensive guys out there Bam and Wiggins with pal and hero

16:28The have a defensive rating of 114.9 that's obviously not as good as their regular regular Their regular season rating of 111.4 defensively, but it and it would rank Um, let me scroll really quick here 18th in the end of the pack right just below middle of the pack if that's a tough look but When they play those four with Davy on Mitchell in over 200 possessions this year. So small sample size but something There are plus 7.2 net rating When they've got bam Wiggs Davy on Mitchell hero and pal If you take Davy on Mitchell out and replace him with pal arson They're plus 32.8 per 100 possessions, which is ridiculous. They've only played that's only in 33 possessions So it's basically nothing they want they basically scored a They outscored they're opponent by a point every minute that they were on the court Um or every possession that they were on the court rather Um, according to cleaning the glass really small sample can't take much from it But those would be the options if you were going to start pal and hero right over either one of Davy on or pal and so that's the only data that we have

17:33Um right now in terms of the background of those lineups It's not an easy decision. I don't know what Eric's bolster does um It's a fascinating thing and maybe the best thing for them is just the hope that one of these guys Is always hurt so you don't have to worry about it Yeah, I mean, I know supposed response is going to be it's a good problem to have We've heard that from him a number of times But it's it's a challenge nonetheless like I understand what he's trying to say by it and trying to put a positive spin on it But he does have to find the best combination and You know, I know a some injury whether it's Tyler or to Wiggs or to somebody is going to affect the decision because that's just and And invariably how it always plays out with his team But uh, you don't want to tinker with something too much That takes away from what we've seen over the last five games because they play really good basketball during the stretch And you want to continue to build off that and so I think you you're in danger of Upsetting what has worked so well the chemistry that has worked so well and the the style of play that has led to this success

18:34By returning him to the line with the politics part of it. You're also in danger of Upsetting a locker room where two guys Tyler hero nor pal who were both are all stars legitimate certified all stars Both going into a summer where they're going to be asking for new contracts And so as much as you might up end the chemistry on the court And I do I would never accuse hero or pal or causing a problem in the locker room But you just not intentionally never want to feel bad. Yeah, right. So Hey, this is why spoke it's an extension. This is why hey, it's a test of all of it, right? And we'll see what I do and I also do think that there's a fair question to be asked of okay from a basketball sense Yeah, what's the best version of this team because it's easy to say you can't do anything different While you're winning five straight games, but when they stumble if they do stumble Then maybe it becomes and that's why I think maybe they are being as patient as they need to be with norm pal is hey We're winning games right now. Let's not rush him back Let's make sure that he's totally healthy when he comes back And let's just get more of a sample size of what this things look This thing looks like without him so that when he does come back, maybe we can make a more informed decision

19:37Conversely though, the flip side of that is you don't want to wait to the last second You don't want to have like two or three games left in the season be like all right now you're back to starting and everything falls apart And you're like okay, we're ready for the playoffs, you know I hope he's having conversations now like if I can not I would never Expect Eric Spulstra to take lessons from me on how to be a good locker room leader But I feel like one thing that has to be said is that he should be communicating now Get it done as early as possible just start talking to norm like he's there be like so what do you think you know What's writing pick his brain and see you know how he feels about it and maybe get a kind of accurate read on whether norm is At least amenable to the option of coming off the bench where he's not going to create a sticker feel too bad about it Because you know what I think they're the flip side of Maybe norm is upset by it could be the opposite where he's like I don't care I've you not seen what they're looking like out there They're winning and I can go in there and I can still get my points and I can do what I have to do

20:39Was it two years ago that Westbrook was like it was my idea to come off the bench when he was playing with the clippers I think it was like it was my idea to come off the bench That could be the way to spin it where it's like it was actually and by the way, I have my doubts about that But whatever it's like It could be it was pal's idea like you get these conversations pal's like look. Let me just come off the bench Let me come off the bench. This is Tyler's team. I'm not going to try to step on those toes And then that way when your pal and in your is agent and you go into for agent say by the way This is not a six-man guy He volunteered to come off the bench after coming back from a groin train, but he is a starter and he was an all-star last year. I don't Fascinating and tricky And interesting and something that we will for sure be talking about Again, thanks for tuning in today to one more thing on lockdown heat Make sure you subscribe fall locked on heat so you get all the latest episodes You're going to want to tune in tomorrow a deep dive on Bam out of bio and his all-nba candidacy. That's right All-nba for bam potentially If you're never miss an episode the every day or club is built for you join the cookie gang and get locked on heat Add free plus members only discord access and more and to lock down heat.supercast.com to join the club