Q: Kel’el Ware was playing the best basketball of his career starting next to Bam Adebayo and yet Erik Spoelstra relegates him to the bench in order to start Tyler Herro. I say, if it ain’t broke why fix it? Kel’el should be starting for his rebounding, and Herro should be coming in as an instant offense spark off the bench. – Greg, Jacksonville.
A: This is not a Kel’el Ware-vs.-Tyler Herro debate and will not be a Kel’el Ware-vs.-Tyler Herro. Tyler Herro is an All-Star coming off an All-Star season. He starts. Period. If Kel’el Ware starts, it likely would be in place of Davion Mitchell, perhaps even in place of Andrew Wiggins. With the way the Bucks constantly switched Davion into the post on Myles Turner defensively by drawing Bam Adebayo onto the perimeter, expect adjustments. Those could be adjustments based on the opponent, or perhaps something more permanent. But this in no way was a demotion for Kel’el Ware, and it would not be fair to cast it that way. He got almost equal minutes to Bam on Wednesday night, and Spoelstra showed a willingness to play the two together.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementRelated Articles
Submit your “Ask Ira” question here!
Q: Ira, I know that for the players making at or near the minimum, the money for winning the NBA Cup is nice. The downside is it makes playoff seeding a little harder. The games that count in the standings in the NBA Cup knockout round will, in all probability, be against better teams, while the added games for not getting past the knockout round will be against lesser teams. One or two games in the standings can make a huge difference, especially with how bunched the East may be this year. – Howard Garson, Hallandale Beach.
A: Correct. If the Heat advance, you are talking potential Cup quarters and semifinals against the likes of the Raptors, Pistons and Magic. But, if not, it is possible the Heat get a road game added in Brooklyn and a home game added against Indiana. More than that, consider what could be brutal scheduling. If the Heat advance in the Cup, it is possible they could play in Toronto on Dec. 10, travel to Las Vegas on Dec. 11, play in a Cup semifinal in Las Vegas on Dec. 13, perhaps against Detroit, and the Cup final on Dec. 16 in Las Vegas, perhaps against Oklahoma City. And then return to their schedule of Dec. 18 in Brooklyn, Dec. 19 in Boston and Dec. 21in New York.
Q: Ira, I’ve gone to home games in the last week when the Warriors held out everyone, Dallas did not have Anthony Davis, and now when Giannis Antetokounmpo warmed up and then didn’t play Wednesday night. What’s happening? – Jay.
A: An 82-game schedule when each game only counts for 1/82nd of a team’s overall regular-season record. So when there is any injury doubt, sitting it out tends to be the option of choice. And then you have the decisions that are made with back-to-back games, with that the case with the Warriors holding out Steph Curry, Jimmy Butler and Draymond Green last week after playing in Orlando the night before. Next up you have the Pistons coming to Kaseya Center on Saturday night after hosting the Orlando Magic in an NBA Cup game on Friday night. So who knows who plays then? This very much, as stated previously in this space, is a caveat emptor league when it comes to which games deciding to attend.
AdvertisementAdvertisement