About a month ago, as (Norris) Cole was struggling on the Heat’s first long trip, I suggested shelving him for a spell. And throughout the season, it’s been hard not to notice (Mario) Chalmers’ slippage, whether in on-ball defense or long-range accuracy.

Start with Chalmers, whose left ring finger, injured in Washington on Dec. 4, has been more of an impediment than the Heat have intimated.

According to sources, he could have opted for surgery for a torn tendon, but instead played in the next game, in part out of concern that he would lose more minutes, and perhaps even a starting spot, to Cole.

via Ethan J. Skolnick of The Palm Beach Post