Heat snap losing streak but hardly left with winning feeling after 110-95 victory over Nets
Published in Basketball
MIAMI – The Miami Heat already were at an emotional loss watching Dru Smith being escorted off the court in the second period with a leg injury.
For a while, they also seemed at a loss against a team trying to lose.
Eventually, if not emotionally, order was restored enough for Erik Spoelstra’s team to snap a three-game losing streak with Monday night’s 110-95 victory over the Brooklyn Nets at Kaseya Center.
With Jimmy Butler sidelined for a second consecutive game due to a stomach illness, and with Terry Rozier sidelined by knee pain, the Heat were forced into a rotation shakeup even before the emerging Smith was lost for the night and likely far longer.
After blowing almost all of an early 14-point lead, the Heat were pushed a bit more than expected by a team in a midst of a roster selloff that already has had Dennis Schroder moved to the Golden State Warriors, with more soon expected out the door.
With sizzling 3-point shooting early, and enough from beyond the arc later, the Heat were able to somewhat rebound from Saturday night’s devastating loss in Orlando, when a 22-point lead at the start of the fourth quarter was squandered.
Guard Tyler Herro and center Bam Adebayo both filled the box score for the Heat, Adebayo with 23 points, seven rebounds and seven assists, Herro with 17 points, 12 rebounds and nine assists.
The Heat also got a season-high 18 points from Nikola Jovic, 17 from Duncan Robinson and 12 from Alec Burks.
The Heat now are idle for a two-day Christmas break, next to play a Thursday rematch against the Magic in Orlando.
But in the immediate wake of the win, thoughts were with Smith.
“I just want to say I love him,” Jovic said, “and we’re praying for him.”
Five Degrees of Heat from Monday night’s game:
— 1. Closing time: The Heat led 39-28 at the end of the first period, pushed to a 14-point lead in the second period, went into halftime up only 58-57 and then took an 83-78 lead into the fourth.
From there, the Heat moved to a 12-point lead midway through the fourth, before the Nets made it a nine-point game with 5:24 to play.
A Herro 3-pointer and a pair of Adebayo baskets then helped restore a degree of order, putting the Heat up 16 with 3:49 to play.
— 2. Sobering moment: Smith, who spent months recovering from last season’s major surgery on his right knee, went down with 8:18 to play in the second period after injuring his left leg.
Smith, who continues to play in a brace on his right knee after last season’s injury, had to be helped off the court, joined in the tunnel leading to the locker room by his wife.
The thinking around the team has been that Smith would be upgraded to a standard contract by the Heat’s Dec. 29 deadline to get back to 14 players under standard deals.
Now the primary concern turns to Smith’s health, with that roster move still required by that deadline.
— 3. Lineup remix: After starting Smith in place of sidelined Butler in Saturday night’s loss in Orlando and also Jovic in place of Haywood Highsmith, Spoelstra went back to Highsmith at power forward over Jovic, with Jaime Jaquez Jr. getting the start ahead of Smith.
Jovic remained in the rotation, as did Smith, until his injury.
In addition, Burks was injected back into the mix after being held out of the previous seven games by coach’s decision, playing key late minutes.
— 4. More Ware: Even with Kevin Love back after missing Saturday’s game due to personnel reasons, first-round pick Kel’el Ware remained in the mix.
Ware promptly converted a corner 3-pointer upon entering, also anchoring the Heat defense, with two steals and a blocked shot in his initial stint.
He then returned to a solid second stint in the second half, as Adebayo rested in the fourth quarter.
— 5. Filling it up: While the scoring often was left to others, including Robinson and his 3-point shooting (5 of 10), Adebayo and Herro offered the completeness of their games, both playing as playmakers in the absences of Butler, Rozier and then Smith,
Herro also showed lob chemistry with Ware, which is something to keep any eye on going forward.
Adebayo did not force his offense, in a game where there was little for the Heat to have to counter in the middle, but then seized control with his scoring late.
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