Erik Spoelstra on state of Heat’s rotation: ‘Whatever it takes.’ Also, Tyler Herro still out

As the Miami Heat’s roster gets healthier, the rotation decisions are getting tougher.

Duncan Robinson and Kevin Love are the latest to return for the Heat after multigame absences stemming from injuries.

Robinson missed five straight games with a back issue before returning to play in Sunday night’s 119-107 road win against the Washington Wizards. While not in his usual rhythm, Robinson was immediately re-inserted into the starting lineup and finished Sunday’s victory with six points on 2-of-7 shooting from three-point range in 28 minutes.

Love, 35, missed 14 consecutive games with a bruised right heel before returning to be available for the Heat’s last two games, but he’s still waiting to log his first game minutes since Feb. 27. Unlike Robinson, Love did not play in his first two games back in uniform after missing a few days last week because of personal reasons.

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“He’ll be activated,” Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said Sunday when asked about his approach with Love. “I have every intention of getting him back into the mix. These are fluid decisions when guys are in, out and then we’re trying to keep some level of continuity. That’s relatively impossible to do and it just takes a little bit of grace from everybody.”

Instead, the Heat has continued to use Thomas Bryant in the backup center role that Love has occupied and thrived in when healthy this season.

Bryant, 26, has logged double-digit minutes in nine of the Heat’s last 10 games. He has averaged 9.1 points and 5.3 rebounds per game while producing positive minutes (Heat is outscoring opponents by 13.7 points per 100 possessions with Bryant on the court) during this 10-game stretch.

But Love was an important part of the Heat’s success before injuring his heel in late February, establishing himself as the team’s backup center behind starter Bam Adebayo this season. With the help of Love’s outside shooting, quality rebounding, timely outlet passes and charge-drawing ability, the Heat has outscored opponents by 5.7 points per 100 possessions with Love on the court this season to survive the non-Adebayo minutes.

“I’m fully aware of how important K-Love is to us and he’s been great about it,” Spoelstra said, with the Heat opening an important two-game homestand on Tuesday against the New York Knicks (7:30 p.m., Bally Sports Sun). “I think with another day of work, he’ll be ready on Tuesday.”

The expectation is that Love will return to his backup center role soon, but it didn’t happen Friday or Sunday despite being back from injury and in uniform.

Whether Spoelstra wants Love to get in more practice days before making his on-court return or Spoelstra is simply sticking to what has been working lately, the decision to play Bryant over Love in the last two games is an example of the tricky rotation decisions that come with players returning from injury this late in the regular season.

“Here’s what the rotation is: whatever it takes,” Spoelstra said. “That’s where we are. We made this bed, where we are right now. Because of all the moving parts, everybody right now, it’s easy. You just be ready for your minutes, contribute in a positive way and help impact winning. That’s all it’s about right now. Everybody has signed up for that, everybody is bought into that.”

ROBINSON’S RETURN

Robinson spoke to the media following his return on Sunday about the process of getting back on the court. He missed nearly two weeks of games because of a back issue that was diagnosed as left facet syndrome.

“Syndrome can be misleading,” Robinson said. “But I guess that’s the medical name for whatever was going on. But yeah, trying to do everything I can to get back on the floor. Obviously, I pride myself on being out there and being available, so just doing whatever I could to get back.”

There was some concern that Robinson would need to miss more time with his back injury, but a visit to a back specialist in late March revealed no significant issues.

“There was definitely concern,” Robinson, 29, said. “It was an issue that had kind of built up over time a little bit. So trying to be smart about managing it. When I do come back, I want to try to stay back and not have to be in and out, develop some continuity in that sense.”

With usual starting guard Tyler Herro out since February because of a foot injury, Robinson has started in 13 straight appearances for the Heat.

“It was good for him to get his feet wet and get those game minutes,” Spoelstra said of Robinson returning to play in Sunday’s win over the Wizards. “This is the thing that for people on the outside, you just don’t understand. If you’ve been out for some time, even if it’s just a little bit of time, you can do all the practicing, the workouts with coaches, it’s not the same as an NBA game and rhythm. I think he caught a little bit more of a rhythm in the second half.”

INJURY REPORT

The Heat continues to get healthier, as the only two players ruled out for Tuesday’s game against the Knicks are Herro (right foot medial tendinitis) and Josh Richardson (right shoulder surgery).

Caleb Martin (right ankle discomfort), Robinson (left facet syndrome), Nikola Jovic (right knee contusion) and Terry Rozier (left knee contusion) are listed as probable for the Heat.

The Knicks will remain without OG Anunoby (right elbow tendinopathy) and Julius Randle (dislocated right shoulder) on Tuesday against the Heat.

Mitchell Robinson is listed as questionable for the Knicks with a sprained left ankle.