CLEVELAND — That trade for Terry Rozier in January, the one for a future first-round pick and Kyle Lowry? It seemingly was made for this moment.
With Rozier completing a late four-point play and then hitting a go-ahead 3-pointer with 14.5 seconds to play, the Miami Heat stole into the night Wednesday with a 107-104 victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse, despite being without Bam Adebayo, Tyler Herro, Duncan Robinson and Kevin Love.
“This,” coach Erik Spoelstra said, “is why we wanted him here. He’s a great clutch performer and he’s been that way his entire...
Miami Heat rookie Jaime Jaquez Jr. was eliminated in the first round of the Slam Dunk championship during All-Star Saturday in Indianapolis, despite an opening dunk that had him elevating over 7-foot-1 former Heat center Shaquille O’Neal.
Jaquez was the first to compete in the opening round of the two-round competition, participating in a “Heat Culture” jersey.
The first of two first-round attempts by the 6-6 wing had him placing O’Neal in the lane facing the basket, with Jaquez elevating above to complete the dunk on his first attempt.
Jaquez’s second attempt in the two-dunk first round...
PHILADELPHIA — Observations and other notes of interest from Wednesday night’s 109-104 victory over the Philadelphia 76ers:
– That oversized Duncan Robinson contract that was the source of much consternation?
– Those trade rumors that reduced Robinson to mere salary-cap ledger entry?
– The notion that with Cole Swider being developed, Robinson was expendable?
– Never mind.
– Never mind.
– And never mind.
– The essential Duncan Robinson has resurfaced when needed.
– Picking up Wednesday night where he left off Tuesday night in Milwaukee.
– Is there still time for an addition to the 3-point...
PHILADELPHIA – This wasn’t necessarily teams on fumes in their final game before the All-Star break, but this also was a pair of teams hardly whole.
With Jimmy Butler, Terry Rozier and Josh Richardson out for the Miami Heat, and with Joel Embiid and Tobias Harris out for the Philadelphia 76ers, Wednesday night at Wells Fargo Center hardly was the best of either team.
Ultimately, though, for the Heat, there was enough, the harrowing 109-104 victory making it wins in six of their last eight, a run that followed a seven-game losing streak.
So into the All-Star break at 30-25 it is for Erik...
MILWAUKEE – Observations and other notes of interest from Tuesday night’s 123-97 victory over the Milwaukee Bucks:
– As he awaited his turn for pregame shooting, Nikola Jovic smiled at the irony.
– “It’s like I either start or don’t play,” he said.
– Tuesday night he started.
– And converted his first four 3-point shots, establishing a career high before the intermission.
– Later with a career high in points.
– Including 10 in the third period.
– With his ballhandling particularly useful with Terry Rozier and Josh Richardson sidelined.
– In this one, the options were limited for Erik...
MILWAUKEE – The pregame questioning included Erik Spoelstra being asked about his team being shorthanded.
The questioner barely got four or five words out before Spoelstra gave the look, the one that lasers through anyone who dare suggest the Miami Heat don’t have enough.
Which, by all reasonable measure, they didn’t.
Which, by final score, didn’t matter.
With Jimmy Butler, Terry Rozier and Josh Richardson away from the team, the Miami Heat not only stood up to the challenge Tuesday night of Giannis Antetokounmpo, Damian Lillard and the Milwaukee Bucks, but ultimately stole into the night...
MIAMI — Observations and other notes of interest from Wednesday night’s 116-104 victory over the San Antonio Spurs:
– It was a game that crystallized the Jimmy Butler experience.
– Doing enough most of the way to keep it competitive.
– Then take charge as needed.
– Sort of like his approach with the regular season and playoffs.
– So this time, no rest at the start of the fourth quarter.
– Not necessarily because of Erik Spoelstra’s new rotation.
– But because there only was a one-point lead at that stage over a 10-win team.
– Butler at his most energetic remains, by far, the Heat’s most...
MIAMI – Through all the unevenness of what now is a 28-24 record, the given for the Miami Heat has been beating up on the bad.
So now make it a 19-7 record against teams with losing records after Wednesday night’s 116-104 victory over the San Antonio Spurs at Kaseya Center.
With Jimmy Butler stabilizing the Heat late, with Bam Adebayo holding his own in his matchup against Victor Wembanyama and with Tyler Herro keeping the Heat afloat through the first three periods, the Heat made it four victories in their last five games.
“That was a good defensive game overall,” Heat coach Erik Spoelstra...
MIAMI – Observations and other notes of interest from Tuesday night’s 121-95 victory over the Orlando Magic:
– This is where the talk of a Heat Big Three largely should be reserved as a lower-case description.
– Because for all that (regular-season) Jimmy Butler, Bam Adebayo and Tyler Herro provide, it is a trio that also requires ample support.
– In this one, they got it.
– Because at least during the regular season, an ensemble is what best suits the mix.
– It keeps everyone engaged on offense.
– Which also makes it easier to keep everyone engaged on defense.
– So at the end of the third...