The value of P.J. Tucker is he can be a perpetual-motion machine, cycling to open corners on offense, constantly seeking challenges on defense.

The problem with the veteran Miami Heat forward is that also means he rarely is willing to stop, which is not always the preferred approach with a 36-year-old who stands essential to the playoff rotation.

So, yes, coach Erik Spoelstra has attempted to craft the occasional night off. And, no, Tucker has not been willing to oblige, even Friday night against the overmatched Oklahoma City Thunder, even when he had been listed as questionable earlier in the day with a sore left knee.

So what might it take for Tucker to take a night off?

“A couple of bodyguards,” Spoelstra said with a laugh, with the Heat turning their attention to Monday night’s road game against the Philadelphia 76ers. “No, really. Like every time I’ve like suggested it, he’ll just laugh in my face. Sometimes he’ll just scowl at me.”

Because of the lopsidedness of Friday’s victory, with the Heat lead cresting at 29, Tucker played only 17:44. Still, since returning from an absence due to health-and-safety protocols, Tucker has missed only two games since Jan. 3, appearing in all but one since Feb. 1.

“But we were able to get him some rest [Friday] night,” Spoelstra said, with the Thunder game one of only two in an eight-day stretch that ends Sunday. “And this week has been very helpful for a lot of the guys. We were able to get some rest, recovery, but also work on our game and try to improve.

“You don’t get many weeks like this, ever, in this Association, where you only play two games. So I think that’ll really help. You’ll see that benefit a lot of the guys, including P.J.”

As for scheduled absences, that potentially could come in one of the two remaining back-to-back sets, when the Heat play consecutive home games next Friday and Saturday against the New York Knicks and then Brooklyn Nets, or perhaps April 2-3, when the Heat have consecutive road games against the Chicago Bulls and Toronto Raptors.

“We’ll see,” Spoelstra said. “I think this schedule, right now, I don’t think we have to. But I’ll be mindful on those back-to-backs.

“We’re not going to predetermine anything right now. We’ll just see when we get there. He’ll be fine by Monday.”

Southeast champions

With Friday night’s victory, the Heat clinched the Southeast Division title, their 15th division title in the franchise’s 34 seasons and the eighth under Spoelstra.

Because division titles do not come with automatic postseason berths, the Heat have yet to clinch a playoff spot. The division title, however, is among the NBA’s primary playoff-seed tiebreakers.

The Heat last season finished second in the Southeast, one game behind the Atlanta Hawks.

Arison donation

The Family Foundation of Heat owner Micky Arison and wife Madeleine Arison has pledged $3 million in donations to organizations providing medical and humanitarian aid to Ukrainian refugees displaced or forced to flee abroad.

Each of three organizations has been pledged $1 million: World Central Kitchen, which provides meals to Ukrainian families fleeing home and remaining in the country; Direct Relief, which provides medical aid, medicines, and supplies to people displaced within Ukraine and those who have fled to neighboring countries; and UNICEF USA, which is working with partners to reach vulnerable children and families with essential services.

In addition, Carnival Corporation, of which Micky Arison is chairman, has made a $50,000 donation to World Central Kitchen, in the name of employees and crew members from Ukraine.

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