NEW YORK — Observations and other notes of interest from Saturday night’s 112-97 loss to the Brooklyn Nets:
– If not for a pair of blown 21-point leads, this could have been a 4-1 trip.
– Instead, 2-3.
– But there still is upside.
– With Saturday closing the Heat’s opening run of 12 of 17 on the road, 10-7 hardly is the worst outcome.
– Yes, some got away.
– But this wasn’t in that category.
– This was making sure Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo were right for what comes next.
– An actual homestand.
– No, the competition over these first 17 hardly was overwhelming, but the travel was.
– So rest,...
NEW YORK – What does it look like without any of your top four scorers?
For the Miami Heat, it looked like Saturday night’s 112-97 loss to the Brooklyn Nets at Barclays Center.
Playing in the injury absences of Jimmy Butler, Bam Adebayo, Tyler Herro and Duncan Robinson, the Heat performed like a bunch of imperfect strangers, closing with 18 turnovers, the most by a Nets opponent this season, and lacking a consistent source of offense other than the 22 points provided forward Caleb Martin and the from by rookie wing Jaime Jaquez Jr.
The Heat also got eight points and a season-high-tying 10 rebounds...
CLEVELAND – Observations and other notes of interest from Wednesday night’s 129-96 victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers:
– We Have Enough 1, Doubt 0.
– It’s almost as if this is who the Heat are.
– So no Bam Adebayo?
– Thomas Bryant and Orlando Robinson step up to the moment.
– After barely stepping on the court previously.
– Against one of the NBA’s biggest frontcourts, the Heat somewhat managed to stand tallest Wednesday night, as Adebayo rested recurring hip soreness.
– So Bryant did enough.
– Robinson did enough.
– And, yes, the Heat had enough, even on a night there also was no Tyler Herro...
CLEVELAND – Already two weeks into playing without half of their starting backcourt, the Miami Heat also played Wednesday night at Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse without their entire starting power rotation.
No Tyler Herro, no Bam Adebayo, no Kevin Love.
No matter.
In an inspired effort that ended with only nine players available, the Heat pushed past the Cleveland Cavaliers 129-96 for their ninth victory in their last seven games.
With two leading men out, point guard Kyle Lowry loaded up on 3-pointers early and kept going from there, closing with a season-nigh 28 points, including seven 3-pointers,...
Observations and other notes of interest from Tuesday night’s 111-105 victory over the Charlotte Hornets:
– Sometimes it’s the little things.
– At the end of a week on the road, that often can make the difference.
– Tuesday night, it was Haywood Highsmith making that difference.
– Injected into the starting lineup to add vitality to the mix, Highsmith did that again against the Hornets.
– This time it was four first-half steals.
– A total that matched his career single-game high.
– He also converted 3-pointers when needed.
– And basically never stopped moving.
– In a starting lineup with Jimmy...
CHARLOTTE – What could have been a road to ruin continues to be a road to redemption, with the Miami Heat acing the first of two extended trips this month, closing out a 4-0 road run with a 111-105 victory Tuesday night over the Charlotte Hornets at Spectrum Center.
In extending their winning streak to six, the Heat overcame an early 11-point deficit, foul trouble for their point guards and shaky early 3-point shooting.
Their reward? A one-game homestand – Thursday against the Brooklyn Nets at Kaseya Center – before a five-game trip opening Saturday against the Chicago Bulls.
Amid their season-opening...
Observations and other notes of interest from Sunday night’s 118-113 victory over the San Antonio Spurs:
– Duncan Robinson.
– Value contract.
– For all that has been uneven for the Heat at the start of this season, the ultimate revelation has been Duncan Robinson.
– Because it hasn’t just been Robinson at the arc.
– It also has been Robinson inside the arc.
– As it was again Sunday.
– On this night, as much of a threat as Bam Adebayo.
– Yes, there still will be nights when the shot is off.
– As there are for most 3-point shooters.
– Which was the case Saturday in Atlanta for Robinson.
– But...
The exhaustion was legitimate, the Heat playing in San Antonio on the second night of a back-to-back set that began with Saturday night’s victory in Atlanta.
The challenge was tangible, Tyler Herro remaining out with his ankle sprain and Kyle Lowry, at 37, given the night off for rest.
But the groove is real.
Very real.
So for the first time in two seasons, the Miami Heat are on a five-game winning streak.
Overcoming an early 19-point deficit and embracing the return of Jimmy Butler after he was missing a night earlier for personal reasons, the Heat pushed past the Spurs 118-113 Sunday night...
Observations and other notes of interest from Saturday night’s 117-109 victory over the Atlanta Hawks:
– Because this is what the Heat do, find a way to make it a game even when the roster says otherwise.
– This time no Jimmy Butler or Tyler Herro.
– But, as coach Erik Spoelstra said pregame, “We have a lot of guys that have been chomping at the bit to try to get more minutes, and they’re going to get their opportunity now. The guys are prepared.”
– So Jaime Jaquez Jr. and Duncan Robinson as starters.
– A return by Kevin Love.
– Time for Dru Smith and Jamal Cain.
– And there it stood, a 21-point...
ATLANTA – The margin of error was slight even after going up 21 in the first half.
With Tyler Herro and Jimmy Butler out for the Miami Heat, that simply is the reality.
So even with Bam Adebayo a portrait of efficiency and even with Jaime Jaquez Jr. playing with more maturity than should be expected from a rookie, there the Heat were Saturday night in a fourth-quarter scramble in what ultimately turned into a 117-109 victory against the Atlanta Hawks at State Farm Arena.
The absence of Herro will be an ongoing reality, after the fifth-year guard sustained a Grade 2 ankle sprain in Wednesday...