P.J. Tucker explains Heat’s ‘good energy’ and how Jimmy Butler has set the tone

The Miami Heat is still waiting to learn if it will be represented in next month’s NBA All-Star Game. But it seems to have pretty much everything else figured out.

Despite enduring constant injury and COVID-19 issues during the past two months, there’s a sense of clarity among those on the Heat’s roster regarding roles and goals.

“Pretty much everybody on our team knows exactly who they are,” Heat veteran P.J. Tucker said ahead of Friday night’s matchup against the Los Angeles Clippers at FTX Arena. “That’s a big deal. We have a team where all the veterans are not struggling with identity. Most of them want it at a high level. We all know what we do well, we know what we don’t do well. We all know each other really well and we all have a common goal.”

Tucker credited Heat star Jimmy Butler for setting the tone for that team-first approach.

“To me, I think he’s one of the most unselfish superstars in the NBA,” Tucker said of Butler. “It’s unbelievable. He literally tells me games he doesn’t want to score. He’s like, ‘Just be ready. I’m going to pass you the ball.’ That’s just his mind-set, and he still will play defense and do all the other great things that he does. He’s super unselfish and wants to see us succeed and play well. When you have that kind of unselfishness, it makes it easy. It really does.”

With the Heat’s depth, that unselfish attitude is important.

Rookie center Omer Yurtseven went from starting to out of the rotation when Bam Adebayo recently returned from injury. Forwards Max Strus and Duncan Robinson have each started at different points this season. And guard Gabe Vincent’s role has fluctuated from starter to back of the rotation depending on who’s available.

“I think it’s great veteran leadership,” Robinson said. “Guys that have won before, guys that know what it takes. I think we also talk about it. We’re very open about it that in order to win at a high level, it’s going to take sacrifice. It’s just about buying into something that we have going on here that’s bigger than any individual. It’s not always easy to swallow from the standpoint of if you’re the one sacrificing. But at the end of the day, it’s about winning. It’s about that bottom line.”

That’s why there isn’t much concern internally about whether the Heat will be represented at the Feb. 20 All-Star Game, even as it entered Friday with the top record in the Eastern Conference.

Butler finished sixth and Adebayo finished eighth among East frontcourt players after taking the fan votes, player votes and media votes for All-Star starters into account. Heat guards Tyler Herro and Kyle Lowry placed 12th and 14th, respectively, among East backcourt players.

The conference coaches determine the seven All-Star reserves from each conference, which will be announced Thursday night on TNT.

“Now we’re getting our guys back and they may not be playing, we still have to keep that same energy,” Tucker said. “It’s tough. It’s hard, it’s hard. But it’s something that we talk about a lot. [Coach Erik Spoelstra] talks about it every day. Everybody probably gets tired of it, but it’s so serious. Because I’ve been on those teams where it’s dog eat dog and the guy on the bench is like, ‘Oh, I’m better than him.’ It sucks. That’s not fun, man. The season is too long. But we have a good energy here and we want to keep it.”

BACK IN MIAMI

Friday marks Justise Winslow’s third game against the Heat, but it’s his first game back in Miami against his former team.

The Heat traded Winslow, 25, to the Memphis Grizzlies in February 2020 and he signed with the Clippers as a free agent this past offseason.

“It’s going to be amazing, I got so many close people, friends, people I’ve met in the organization as well,” Winslow said ahead of his return to Miami. “It’s a great place to play. They really get behind the team. I don’t think I’m going to be emotional or anything like that. It’s just going to be good. We got three nights there, so I’ll be able to see family and friends, and reconnect with people out there. Be in my Spanish culture with my peoples out there. So I’m excited to get that.”

Winslow, who was drafted by the Heat with the 10th overall pick in 2015, entered Friday averaging 3.9 points, 3.4 rebounds and 1.3 assists in 34 games with the Clippers.

INJURY REPORT

Butler, who was listed as questionable because of left big toe irritation, will play Friday against the Clippers.

But the Heat remains without Lowry for a sixth consecutive game because of personal reasons. There’s no definitive timetable for Lowry’s return, and the Heat has not issued an update on his status.

The Heat also ruled out Markieff Morris (return to competition reconditioning), KZ Okpala (right wrist sprain), Victor Oladipo (right knee injury recovery) and Chris Silva (ineligible to play as COVID-19 replacement) for Friday’s game.