Patty Mills proves to be plug and play with immediate payoff in Heat debut; Herro, Love out again

MIAMI — The sense from the moment the Miami Heat added Patty Mills on Wednesday on the NBA buyout market was that the 35-year-old guard could be plug and play.

So coach Erik Spoelstra on Friday night plugged Mills into his rotation and the confident point guard played similarly to how he often has performed in Heat games over the years.

“That was great to see him finally do it in a Heat uniform instead of against us,” Spoelstra said after Mills closed with 13 points in 15:39 in his Heat debut in Friday night’s 107-100 road loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder. “We’ve seen that for too many years. You can see why he’s been able to do what he does.

“He’s ignitable. He’s smart. He’s been in a lot of very good systems, so he knows how to fit even though he hasn’t had a practice. Fifteen years in, it’s all the same kind of stuff. He can play his game. He helps our best players.”

Mills was particularly efficient in a unit alongside Jimmy Butler and Nikola Jovic.

“He was able to really help that unit we had in with Jimmy and Niko,” Spoelstra said. “That’s something that will definitely add to our depth.”

Mills’ 13 points was the fifth highest total by a player making his Heat debut after the All-Star break over the franchise’s 36 seasons. It was the third highest total by a reserve in such a situation, behind the 14 points apiece of Derek Anderson in 2006 and Jamal Mashburn in 1997.

“It’s been great,” Mills said of his Heat arrival whirlwind. “In such a short amount of time, it’s felt comfortable and it’s actually felt a lot longer than what it has been.”

Fitting in has been the priority.

“I think it’s more the mentality of whatever it takes and just seizing your opportunities, your chances,” he said, with the Heat turning their attention to Sunday night’s visit by the Washington Wizards to Kaseya Center. “The clear thing here is one goal and everyone being able to buy into that and do their part to be the last team standing at the end of the day. Whatever it takes, you go out there and you try to do it.”

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Even in defeat, Butler said there was a net gain to Mills’ Heat debut.

“We all know what he can do,” Butler said. “We all know what he’s going to bring to this team. I think that he’s a winner. He knows how to play the game of basketball. He has a very, very, very high IQ, and he just wants to help in any way that he can.

“So I’m super glad that he got to get out there and get his feet wet.”

Mills said there was an immediate comfort zone with Butler.

“It felt great,” he said of the pairing. “For the first time being on the court with him ever before, just a great IQ, understands the game really well. So there’s definitely potential there. But I think I’ve been in moments and played with a lot of players that have prepared me for these moments. So I’m just looking to slide in there.”

Heat rookie Jaime Jaquez Jr., who was just 13 when Mills helped boost the San Antonio Spurs over the Heat in the 2014 NBA Finals, was duly impressed with the immediate veteran impact.

“It just shows his professionalism,” Jaquez said. “He’s been in this league for so long. He’s been so good for so long. (Friday) is just another example of that, just coming off the bench when his number is called. Not really even having a practice with everybody and just coming out ready to produce. It just shows how professional and how lethal he is as a player.”

Out again

Tyler Herro and Kevin Love again have been ruled out by the Heat.

Herro has missed the past seven games, the first three with what was listed as a hyperextended left knee, the past four with medial tendinitis in his right foot. He last played in the Feb. 23 road victory over the New Orleans Pelicans.

Love has missed the past five games with a bruised right heel sustained when Trail Blazers center Deandre Ayton fell on him in the Heat Feb. 27 victory in Portland.

Josh Richardson also is out in the wake of season-ending shoulder surgery this past week.

In addition, the Heat have sent Jamal Cain and Alondes Williams to the G League Sioux Falls Skyforce on their two-way contracts.

The Heat listed Caleb Martin as available, but dealing with a sprained left thumb.