BUZZ COLUMN

Erik Spoelstra says the Heat’s point guard play has been more competitive in this training camp than in any he can remember.

But questions surround each member of the Heat’s point guard troika, and Spoelstra on Tuesday surprisingly started Norris Cole ahead of Mario Chalmers against Orlando, though he cautioned after the game not to read anything into that.

Spoelstra's move Tuesday came hours after Chalmers said there's "no doubt in my mind I'm the starting point guard" and 10 days after Cole announced "I believe I'm ready to be a starter."

Spoelstra has declined to say who will start at point guard, even though Pat Riley said during the summer that Chalmers will be the starter.

On Tuesday, Cole (two points) played a sound floor game (six assists, no turnovers) and shot 1 for 3. Chalmers (10 points) shot 2 for 8 from the field with three assists and two turnovers and logged some minutes at shooting guard alongside Cole.

Napier, a long shot to play much at least early in the season, played the final 10 minutes --- including the overtime --- and hit two free throws late in regulation but missed five of his six shots from the field.

Spoelstra made clear that the point guards will be entrusted with more freedom to attack offensively than during the LeBron James era.

“We will need them to be aggressive,” Spoelstra said Tuesday. “Probably will have more opportunities than they’ve had in the past.”

Both of the Heat's veteran point guards came to camp in exemplary shape, Chalmers arriving at camp at what he said was his lowest reporting weight as a pro (186).

“This year will be that year to put myself out there and really see what I can do,” Chalmers said. “Coach wants me to be more aggressive, more of a leader, be another go-to guy. I’ve got to elevate my game.”

That, he said, will entail “more ball-handling, more shooting, definitely more playmaking. I’m stronger and faster.”

After averaging 4.4 points and shooting 7 for 27 in the Finals --- and losing his starting job in Game 5 --- Chalmers said he “pouted for two or three weeks” because “I was disappointed in myself and felt I let people down.”

Chalmers did not expect to be re-signed, but the Heat offered him a two-year, $8.3 million contract after James bolted for Cleveland.

Eager to be a greater factor offensively, Cole “added a couple wrinkles off the dribble” and incorporated “some footwork things with my shot” that Indiana coach Tom Crean taught him this summer when several Heat players worked out for a few days in Bloomington.

Cole’s energy and on-the-ball defense are unquestioned assets. But he must improve finishing at the basket (he shot just 52.5 percent at the rim last season), his mid-range game (he shot 28 percent from 10 to 16 feet) and avoid extended shooting slumps like the one last spring. (He shot 34 percent after the All-Star break.)

Both of the Heat’s primary point guards also could improve their floor games.

Among 47 qualifying point guards, Chalmers ranked 35th last season in assist-to-turnover ratio (2.20 to 1) and Cole was 41st (1.95 to 1).

Napier’s horrendous shooting at Summer League surprised scouts, considering he was an effective scorer at Connecticut. He averaged 18 points and shot 42.0 percent last season, including 40.5 percent on threes.

But in summer league, the two-time NCAA champion made 28 of 102 shots (27.5 percent) and averaged 4.2 turnovers.

Napier initially attributed the Summer League slump to adjusting to the texture of the NBA ball and didn’t blame a thumb injury that required protective covering for most of summer league.

“I expect a lot from myself and I was trying to figure out what was going on,” he said. “But I wasn’t down on myself. I’ve been trying to get a quicker release on my shot.”

Said Spoelstra: “There’s a shiftiness, a cleverness to the way he attacks the paint.”

But he's obviously a long shot for a rotation spot, with Cole and Chalmers clearly ahead of him.

### Swingman James Ennis is going to command playing time if he can sustain what he's displaying through two preseason games. He had 15 points, 10 rebounds and five assists in 29 minutes Tuesday.

### Is Bosh looking forward to seeing LeBron this week in Brazil? "I don't know," he said. "I'm in the mode of I'm trying to lead this team. If guys aren't in this locker-room, I don't have much time for them, if any."

CHATTER

### Jimmy Johnson denied a broadcast report from two former Hurricanes offensive linemen that claimed that he called UM coaches after the Nebraska game and offered to help against the option but that Al Golden and Mark D’Onofrio turned him down.

“Never happened,” Johnson said by phone Tuesday. “A couple years ago, I called Mark and said, ‘Anytime you need my help I’m more than happy.’ We had a five-minute conversation. I haven’t talked to Mark in a couple years.”

On the state of the program, Johnson said: “I am as disappointed as anybody we haven’t done better. But I go back to: I trust Al Golden. Al works hard at it. He’s very diligent in his recruiting. He will recruit good players. He’s a smart guy that is going to make the right decisions….

“I want it to happen right away," he said of on-field success for the program that's still dear to him. "I wanted it to happen last year. I am as impatient as anyone. [But] Al was handcuffed a little bit. We’ve got to give him time…. I had my problems early [as coach] with the Miami program. I’m sure people weren’t real happy with me the first year. I think things will work out because I trust him. I am 100 percent behind Al Golden.”

Asked if UM needs to play a more attacking defense like his UM teams did, Johnson said: “To say my style is better than somebody else’s would be wrong for me to do. I don’t know the talents of the individuals they have. I don’t want to sit here and judge and say the way we did it was better.”

He declined to critique D’Onofrio’s approach because he said he’s not at practice to analyze the players’ skills.

Johnson said he is “very impressed” with freshman Brad Kaaya: “I really like this young quarterback. He’s really going to be a good player. He’s got a great touch on the ball.”

Johnson said he hasn’t spoken with Golden this season but has told him in the past that he’s available “any time I can help.”

He knows some former players are saying “let’s go back to the old days.” But “it’s going to be hard to get back to the old days.”

Please see the last post for details on Gino Torretta's criticism of the UM staff.

### UM’s problems extend beyond defense. Despite a bevy of playmakers, UM is 81st of 125 major college programs in yards per game, 79th in scoring (27.5) and ranks worst in the country in third-down conversion percentage (23.8). UM's 15 successful third-down conversions are tied with Temple for fewest in the country.... Fox Sports Florida picked up Saturday's UM-Cincinnati game.

### There’s a good chance the Dolphins will be able to run successfully on Green Bay, which is giving up the most yards on the ground (163) of any team since 2010.

### JJ, who works as an NFL studio analyst for Fox, said though the “jury is out,” he believes Ryan Tannehill has the talent to be a successful NFL starter. “He hasn’t been consistent. But they’re in a new system. Eli Manning struggled his first couple games in a new system” this season.

### The Dolphins are very pleased with how Reshad Jones has looked since returning to practice after a four-game suspension.

"His conditioning has been very good and his play speed has been excellent," defensive coordinator Kevin Coyle said. "Sometimes guys give each other a hard time about having fresh legs when somebody comes back from either being injured or what have you, but he’s noticeably fast and covering a lot of ground and doing a good job.”

But Jones has been playing with the second team on defense and it's undetermined if he will start Sunday. He's listed as a backup on the depth chart.

### Besides waiting to see if he keeps his Dolphins starting job, this is also in play for Samson Satele: He makes $46,875 extra per game only if he’s on the active roster game days. Not surprisingly, Philbin declined today to discuss the likelihood of Mike Pouncey moving to guard, which Pouncey said is being considered.

If he’s not starting at center, he would be competing with Nate Garner, Jason Fox and Dallas Thomas for two active spots on game days. (Joe Philbin says he likes to keep seven offensive linemen active.)

Twitter: @flasportsbuzz