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With the league postponing the start of the Eastern Conference Semifinals until Monday, the Miami Heat will have seven days of rest since closing out the season of the Milwaukee Bucks.
That means 11 days of rest for Dwyane Wade, his sprained ankle and any other ailments that may be plaguing the team. It’s the gift and the curse.
Miami gets to relax while the Brooklyn Nets and Chicago Bulls get to pound on each other for another game or two. The downside is the anxiousness of not knowing who the next opponent is because they both pose different threats.
For instance, the Nets have done a complete 180 ever since PJ Carlesimo became the headman—and Brook Lopez and Deron Williams have become actual threats since the season series.
Chicago, on the other hand, always plays the Heat with an aggression that takes Miami to the edge. And if they can end their battle with Brooklyn early, they’ll have enough time to get their team healthy before Monday’s start. Add that to the speculation that Derrick Rose could come back for the second round showdown and the time off gives Miami more that they can’t prepare for.
But according to the South Florida Sun Sentinel, coach Erik Spoelstra is doing his best to ensure that the team is anything but comfortable:
“He’s a creative guy,” Chris Bosh said with a sort of laugh, “so I’m sure the creative juices in his mind get flowing. As far as drills and stuff are concerned, he can be the mad scientist for like three or four days and then come back down after we get back into a routine.”
Heat fans hope that the break is less of a hindrance and more of a hiatus on the road to a championship.
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Richard Nurse is a Miami Heat columnist for www.RantSports.com. Follow him on Twitter @blackirishpr.
