Category: Miami Heat Blog

Observations and other notes of interest from Tuesday night’s 106-103 loss to the Milwaukee Bucks: – At times Tuesday night, even as Damian Lillard was lighting it up for the Bucks, you could see some of the fits for the Heat. – Pelle Larsson again injected energy. – Kel’el Ware entered in the third quarter when Bam Adebayo was in foul trouble and Kevin Love was out with back spasms. – And then there was Terry Rozier, who returned from his two-game injury absence as a reserve. – For just the second time with the Heat. – Playing as seventh man. – With Erik Spoelstra almost having to go out...

Observations and other notes of interest from Sunday night’s 123-118 overtime victory over the Dallas Mavericks: – This was the game the Heat couldn’t close out against the Kings at home. – The game they couldn’t close out against the Suns on the road. – This time, the endgame was the Heat’s game. – Closer to what happened in Minnesota. – Which means something. – Because it’s not as if this team has much when it comes to margin for error. – It requires the best of Jimmy Butler. – Check. – Bam Adebayo stepping up. – Such as the late defensive stop on Kyrie Irving and then the 3-pointer. –...

Observations and other notes of interest from Monday night’s 106-89 victory over the Philadelphia 76ers: – Interesting. – Perhaps just the right mix of shooting and defense. – So Duncan Robinson into the starting lineup alongside Tyler Herro. – And then Jimmy Butler, Haywood Highsmith and Bam Adebayo for the defense. – Granted, Erik Spoelstra had the freedom for the move with Terry Rozier sidelined with a foot issue. – But it also meant removing Kevin Love from the first five. – Granted, the starting lineup is only part of the process. – And this one has an undersized team even more...

Observations and other notes of interest from Sunday night’s 119-110  loss to the Indiana Pacers: – When will the Heat be whole? – Or, perhaps more to the point, will they be whole? – On a night there was thought the Heat would be getting Jimmy Butler back, they instead lost Jaime Jaquez for the night — and possibly longer — in the third quarter with a sprained right ankle. – That was with Butler already out for a third consecutive game with a sprained right ankle of his own. – Butler is expected back Monday night against the visiting 76ers. – Who already have had their share of injury...

Observations and other notes of interest from Friday night’s 124-111 victory over the Indiana Pacers: — Who was that masked man? — Well, actually, those masked men? — The difference is Jimmy Butler, sidelined again by his ankle sprain, was wearing a mask on the bench in solidarity. — Nikola Jovic was wearing it out of necessity. — And put together his best half of the season over Friday night’s opening two periods. — Requiring the additional protection after breaking his nose in a blood mess in the first quarter of Tuesday night’s overtime loss in Detroit, Jovic arguably was as aggressive...

Observations and other notes of interest from Sunday night’s  95-94 victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves: – Part of the equation was Jimmy Butler being out and having to be replaced in the starting lineup. – But part of it felt like Erik Spoelstra saying enough was enough. – So Haywood Highsmith started in place of Butler. – And Kevin Love in place of Nikola Jovic. – With Jovic very much available. (More on him later.) – Obviously not all of this will stick, with Butler to get back in that initial mix. – But either Love or Highsmith might. – Because Jovic off the bench might just prove...

MIAMI — Observations and other notes of interest from Wednesday night’s 116-107 loss to the New York Knicks: – The NBA schedule can tease. – Including the victories over the Hornets and Pistons that delivered the Heat to Wednesday night’s game at 2-1. – Then came the challenge of something real, in the Knicks. – Just like the challenge in the opener against the Magic. – Loss. – Loss. – Yes, a move above over .500 seems in the cards against the how-low-can-we-go tanking Wizards in Mexico City. – But that hardly would be a statement. – What follows, however, could be telling. – Starting with...

MIAMI — Observations and other notes of interest from Monday night’s 106-98 victory over the Detroit Pistons: – It has been an odd juxtaposition these past few days. – If you didn’t know better, it’s almost as if Dwyane Wade has been sending subtle messages to Jimmy Butler. – Sort of fit in, or fit out. – There was more of the same Monday night, when Wade’s new arena-front sculpture again was celebrated. – On the night he was honored for Sunday’s statue unveiling, Wade was asked pregame about Butler finding his way with this season’s Heat roster, saying Butler “needs to figure out this team...

CHARLOTTE — Observations and other notes of interest from Saturday night’s 114-106 victory over the Charlotte Hornets: – Forget the slop that came early and often. – Forget even the fact that this at times was far tougher than it should have been. – Against an opponent that was shorthanded. – And playing on the second night of a back-to-back. – Instead, consider what happened in the second period with Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo. – After both were held scoreless in the opening period, it was apparent that enough was enough with each. – Butler went into attack mode, sparking the Heat, with...

MIAMI – Observations and other notes of interest from Wednesday night’s 116-97 loss to the Orlando Magic: – Forget all the bells and whistles. – The preseason talk of pace and space and 3-pointers. – For the Miami Heat to be the best version of the Miami Heat, it has to start with Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo. – That made this one particularly disconcerting. – For much of the night, it was as if they weren’t there. – At halftime the two were a combined 1 of 10 from the field. – With Tyler Herro the Heat’s best player to that point. – Nikola Jovic, at least on offense, second best. – With...