MIAMI — Continuity will have to wait.
Then again, with this depth of talent, it is a luxury the Miami Heat can afford.
Continuing to take the long view in a season they hope to again extend deep into June, the Heat went with their sixth different starting lineup in their first 11 games in Tuesday night’s 104-88 victory over the Atlanta Hawks at AmericanAirlines Arena.
And improved to 8-3.
“We understand what needs to be done when guys are in there, in and out of the lineup,” forward LeBron James said of winning with such lineup diversity.
This time reverting to an either-or approach with Dwyane Wade when it comes to games on consecutive nights, the Heat this time sat out Wade a night before Wednesday’s road game against the Orlando Magic.
The result was the first start of the season for James Jones and uneven early play, including a scoreless first quarter from James.
No matter. Not against a middling Hawks team lacking ailing Paul Millsap and Lou Williams. Not on a court where the Heat’s only home loss came on a buzzer-beating desperation 3-pointer from Boston Celtics forward Jeff Green. Not when Mario Chalmers is contributing 12 third-quarter points in his return from suspension.
“As long as we have three or four of the core guys available,” Jones said, “the rest of the supporting cast, we do what we do.”
Ultimately, with center Chris Bosh scoring 19 points on 8-of-9 shooting, James adding a season-low 13 while required for just 31 minutes, and Ray Allen returning from illness to score 17, the Heat improved to 6-1 at home, with a defense that forced 24 Hawks turnovers.
“I think it says a lot about everybody’s professionalism,” Bosh said of winning with so many lineup looks. “It’s just guys always being ready, staying ready.”
This was supposed to be the night the Heat again would be whole, with Udonis Haslem back from a four-game absence due to back spasms and Allen back after missing three games with a cold.
Instead, it was more mixing and matching from Heat coach Erik Spoelstra, including keeping Shane Battier in an undersized starting lineup instead of returning Haslem to the starting role he held for the first six games of the season.
“I think with the starters,” Spoelstra said. “I think it’s proven that as long as it’s the right fit there, and guys are committed to getting us off to a good start, our guys are comfortable there.”
Allen had his moments in the return, particularly from beyond the 3-point line, where he was 3 of 6, but Haslem largely was limited to cameo duty in reserve, with Michael Beasley again called upon as an energizer for the front line. Haslem, in fact, fouled out in just seven minutes, closing with seven points and two rebounds.
Up 48-45 at halftime, the Heat turned the game in the third quarter, when they outscored the Hawks 30-23, shooting 11 of 16 in the period, including 5 of 6 on 3-pointers, with Chalmers 3 of 4 on 3-pointers in the period and Jones 2 of 2.
As for Wade, so much for sitting out the second nights of back-to-back sets. This time he was held out of the first night.
“I came in with all the intentions to play tonight,” Wade said, with Spoelstra and the training staff opting for the night off.
Spoelstra said it was purely a preventative move, with Wade working his way back from offseason knee treatment.
“We’re looking at the big picture,” Spoelstra said. “We think it’s best to sit him.”
Spoelstra said Wade would travel for Wednesday’s game at the Amway Center.
“It’s still early,” Wade said, “I just want to do what’s best for my body. I’m day-to-day.”
Wade said the priority now is “getting stronger the next couple of days.”
He would not commit one way or the other regarding Wednesday’s game.
“Like I continue to say, everything is day to day,” he said. “It’s a slow climb at this point.”
Asked at what percentage he stood, Wade said, “Seventy percent, some days 75. It’s a slow climb. Your body has two get used two that pounding.”
Wade sat out the second night of the Heat’s first back-to-back set, a road loss to the Philadelphia 76ers on Oct. 30. He then played in both games of a back-to-back set that opened with Friday’s home victory over the Dallas Mavericks and ended with Saturday’s road victory over the Charlotte Bobcats.
Wade, however, spent the fourth quarter of the victory in Charlotte in the training room, getting treatment for his knees. He later said he played against the Bobcats only because of the suspension of point guard Mario Chalmers for a flagrant foul against the Mavericks.
Tuesday opened the Heat’s third back-to-back set of the season.
ROCKETS 109, CELTICS 85
HOUSTON — Terrence Jones scored a career-high 24 points and grabbed nine rebounds to lead Houston over Boston for its third straight victory.
Jones was 10 of 12 from the field as the Rockets shot 57 percent as a team, including 72 percent in the first half in building a 24-point halftime lead.
Patrick Beverley chipped in 16 points, James Harden added 15 points, five rebounds and five assists, and Dwight Howard had 10 points and 11 rebounds as the Rockets raced out to a 17-point, first-quarter lead and were never threatened.
PISTONS 92, KNICKS 86
AUBURN HILLS, Mich. — Rodney Stuckey scored 15 of his 21 points in the second half, and Detroit beat New York for the first time in eight meetings.
Josh Smith added 19 points for the Pistons, who led 71-63 after three quarters and scored the first seven points of the fourth. New York cut the lead to four in the final minute, but the Knicks could never reduce the deficit to one possession.
Carmelo Anthony led the Knicks with 25 points.
Greg Monroe had 16 points and 11 rebounds for Detroit, and Andre Drummond added 13 points and 11 boards.
WIZARDS 104,
TIMBERWOLVES 100
WASHINGTON — Bradley Beal scored 25 points, John Wall added 14 points and tied his career high with 16 assists, and Washington beat Minnesota to snap a four-game losing streak.
Martel Webster’s 3-pointer with 42 seconds to play gave the Wizards a 100-98 lead. Beal added two free throws with 12.9 seconds left to make it 102-98.
Webster had 17 points, including five 3-pointers.
Kevin Love led the Timberwolves with 25 points and 11 rebounds/
KINgS 107, SUNS 104
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — DeMarcus Cousins had 27 points and 19 rebounds, helping the Sacramento Kings rally to beat the Phoenix Suns 107-104 on Tuesday night.
Rookie Ben McLemore had a season-high 19 points, Isaiah Thomas also scored 19, Greivis Vasquez added 11 and Patrick Patterson 10 for the Kings, who had lost seven of their previous eight. Sacramento scored the game’s final 10 points in a run that was aided by three straight Phoenix turnovers in the closing minutes.
Gerald Green scored 23 points and Marcus Morris had 19 for the Suns, who lost their third straight. Phoenix’s five losses this season have been by a total of 16 points. Morris missed a corner 3-pointer and Cousins grabbed the rebound and made 1 of 2 free throws with just under a second left to preserve the Kings’ victory.
By wire sources