Q: Ira, do you think this was one of Erik Spoelstra’s best coaching jobs? I’m not sure why he doesn’t get much mention for Coach of the Year. His team consists of a lot of undrafted or lower draft picks. The starters missed a lot of games due to injury. Some of the subs like Victor Oladipo and Markieff Morris were basically out the entire year. Despite all of that, the team finishes as the number-one seed in the East. What is the media looking at? — Richard, Plantation.

A: Honestly, they’re looking at the Phoenix Suns’ gaudy record and that Monty Williams coached them to that record. And Williams did that with players such as Chris Paul missing considerable time. So there is that. But is Erik Spoelstra deserving of consideration? Heck, yeah. He won games with Kyle Guy, Gabe Vincent, Omer Yurtseven, Max Strus and Caleb Martin making considerable contributions. Arguably, he did more with less, compared to Monty Williams. But a similar argument could be made for Memphis’ Taylor Jenkins. The surprise would be if Erik is not one of the three finalists for the award.

Q: Hopefully, P.J. Tucker will be ready for the playoffs with his calf strain. The Heat would miss his defense and occasional threes, since they already are undersized on bigs. – Joel.

A: This is the exact time of year why P.J. Tucker was added, whether it was to help defend against Kevin Durant or add the type of muscle that was missing in last season’s playoff series against the Bucks (and Tucker). The given with P.J. is that he will do everything in his power to be out there when the Heat open their postseason on April 17.

Q: Ira, with all the talk about Victor Oladipo, I believe you gloss over the fact that Pat Riley did believe he could be that third or fourth option when he traded for him. It’s not my money, but with the Heat holding his Bird Rights, what’s to stop them from re-signing him? — Gabriel, Miami.

A: Money. I’m not sure that Victor Oladipo pushed through his rehab the way he did to return for another veteran-minimum deal. And the Heat this offseason also have to address retaining Caleb Martin, P.J. Tucker and, possibly, Dewayne Dedmon, as well as extending Tyler Herro. There is only so much money to go around. And with the emergence of Tyler, it is not as if the Heat are necessarily looking for, or in need of, another leading man in their backcourt.

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