MIAMI – Observations and other notes of interest from Sunday night’s 103-95 loss to the Los Angeles Clippers:
– There were times when Josh Richardson appeared he was going to be shuffled out of the Heat mix.
– And for one game, against the Knicks in New York, he was.
– Then Duncan Robinson banged his head on the court at Madison Square Garden, with NBA concussion protocol following.
– Then Kyle Lowry was traded.
– And Sunday, there was no Tyler Herro, whose headache could have been a Heat headache when Herro was ruled out.
– To his credit, after a shaky, injury-marred start to the season, Richardson...
WASHINGTON – Observations and other notes of interest from Friday night’s 110-102 victory over the Washington Wizards:
– It was just over a year ago when the Heat added Kevin Love on the 2023 buyout market.
– It was a move that continues to pay dividends.
– With that again the case on Friday night, Love with a double-double within his first 20 minutes on the floor.
– Again providing quality relief for Bam Adebayo.
– Something the Heat continue to look for when Jimmy Butler dares take a rest.
– Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said pregame that keeping Love in a stable minutes range has provided tangible...
WASHINGTON – And now . . . a winning streak.
A game after snapping a seven-game losing streak, the Miami Heat remained on the right side of the ledger Friday night, this time with a 110-102 victory over the lottery-bound Washington Wizards at Capital One Arena.
Granted, this wasn’t quite the challenge of Wednesday night’s slump-busting victory over the Sacramento Kings, but this also was a game the Heat could not afford to kick away, which actually appeared possible, after falling behind by 11 early.
With a rugged closing stretch to the All-Star break, a six-game schedule that includes matchups...
WASHINGTON – For the third time in his career and for the second consecutive year, Bam Adebayo is an NBA All-Star. He also is the Miami Heat’s lone All-Star.
A week after the All-Star starters in each conference were decided in weighted balloting by fans, media and players, the seven reserves in each conference were announced Thursday, after balloting by conference coaches.
An All-Star in 2020 and ’23, Adebayo becomes the first Heat player selected to consecutive All-Star Games since Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh in 2015 and ’16.
Jimmy Butler, an All-Star with the Heat in 2020 and ’22, was bypassed...
MIAMI — Observations and other notes of interest from Wednesday night’s 115-106 victory over the Sacramento Kings:
– This was about the little things.
– Which, to a degree, is what this superstar-less Miami Heat team is about.
– (With all due respect to playoff Jimmy Butler.)
– To be at their best, the Heat have to be at their collective best.
– Which means Jaime Jaquez Jr. again bringing the energy.
– Caleb Martin playing with a fast twitch.
– Kevin Love adding the subtleties.
– Josh Richardson getting back to his Rook 2 form from a previous Heat era.
– Those all were there Wednesday night.
–...
MIAMI – The last time the Miami Heat had won a game:
– Taylor Swift wasn’t yet headed to the Super Bowl.
– Joel Embiid and Luka Doncic had yet to score 70.
– And Ron DeSantis still was a presidential candidate.
That was back on Jan. 15 when there was a one-point escape in overtime at Barclays Center against the Brooklyn Nets.
Much had changed in the interim, except for the losses that extended the Heat’s losing streak to seven, their longest in nearly 16 years.
Wednesday night at Kaseya Center, there finally was an exhale, with a 115-106 victory over the Sacramento Kings, the 1,500th regular-season...
MIAMI – Observations and other notes of interest from Monday night’s 118-105 loss to the Phoenix Suns:
– Monday’s Exhibit of A of The Heat Still Being Too Small?
– Drew Eubanks had 11 first-quarter points for the Suns.
– Drew.
– Eubanks.
– Which can happen when there is no semblance of a combination of size and ambulatory beyond Bam Adebayo.
– Where have you gone Cody Zeller?
– Heat Nation turns its lonely eyes to you.
– Then, at halftime, Eric Gordon stood tied with Eubanks for the Suns’ scoring lead, when Phoenix led by 13.
– As in 35-year-old Eric Gordon.
– Because a 35-year-old can do that...
MIAMI – The last time the Miami Heat lost seven in a row, the consolation prize was Michael Beasley in the 2008 NBA draft lottery.
It doesn’t feel much better at the moment, with Monday night’s 118-105 loss to the Phoenix Suns at Kaseya Center leaving the Heat 0-for-two weeks.
It not only was another loss, it was another bad loss in a streak that started with defensive incompetence in a 121-97 road loss to the lottery-level Toronto Raptors and the two games prior to Monday included a season-worst 33-point home loss to the Boston Celtics and Saturday’s 14-point loss to the New York Knicks at...
MIAMI – Observations and other notes of interest from Thursday night’s 143-110 loss to the Boston Celtics:
– The gap between the Heat and the top of the East?
– It was never more apparent than Thursday night.
– As if the Celtics are in another league.
– Yes, the playoffs are a different animal.
– But these Celtics are not last season’s Celtics.
– Kristaps Porzingis and Jrue Holiday have changed that calculus.
– And Derrick White is even better this time around.
– While the Heat certainly looked better than recent games, they didn’t look Celtics good.
– Sure, coaching yet could matter in a playoff...