Key Highlights
- that number remained at four. AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisement– This time it was Norman Powell out of the mix, sidelined by lower-back soreness.– Ironically, less than a day after Powell was talking about the importance of the team’s core finally getting minutes together.– And so, as midseason approaches this week, we still don’t know about what works.– Even as we learn what doesn’t.– With Powell out, it had Pelle Larsson starting in his place, in an opening lineup rounded out by Bam Adebayo, Andrew Wiggins, Davion Mitchell and Tyler Herro.– The Heat entered 0-1 with that lineup.– For his part, Larsson was good.– Active and aggressive.– The type of energy any team could use at this point of the season. AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisement– No matter who is in or out, Larsson has to be in.– Herro had been on the injury report earlier in the day, listed with the toe contusion that had him out for 13 games, as well as a chest contusion sustained in Saturday’s hideous loss in Indiana.– He played through.– With the Thunder attacking his defense.– Even with Powell out, the Heat played a second consecutive night with Kel’el Ware in reserve.– The question now, as it was before when Ware played off the bench, is how to maintain Ware’s minutes while in a reserve role.– An element that seemingly remains a work in progress for Erik Spoelstra. AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisement– Adebayo is now two appearances from his 600th Heat regular-season games.– The Thunder opened with a lineup of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Cason Wallace, Lu Dort, Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren.– A night after shooting 4 of 30 on 3-pointers in the loss to the Pacers, the Heat this time made their first four attempts from beyond the arc.– Spoelstra lost an early challenge for the second night in a row, this time on a foul called on Adebayo with 8:40 left in the opening period.– Jaime Jaquez Jr.
- was first off the Heat bench.– Ware and Dru Smith then followed together.– A night after Smith was shuffled out of the rotation in Indiana until garbage time. AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisement– Nikola Jovic then made it nine deep for the Heat.– With it another night when it seemed that Kasparas Jakucionis would be better served with time in the G League.– With something to be said for consistent playing time at this stage of Jakucionis’ development.– Spoelstra before the game addressed the Heat’s turnover issues a night earlier in Indiana. Related Articles Erik Spoelstra, Heat not alone in terms of NBA pain, patience Heat revised rotation a work in progress as clock ticks toward decision time; Powell out ASK IRA: Should Heat approach with Ja Morant be only on the cheap or not at all?
- Heat dreadful in 123-99 loss to dreadful Pacers amid rocky road trip Winderman’s view: Heat whole but wholly unacceptable in loss to Pacers – “We have to be sharp, on top of our game,” he said.
- “We want to be aggressive and not fearful, but we do have to be mindful.”– And with that, the turnovers were back.– Spoelstra said video study was minimal from Saturday’s game. AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisement– “There wasn’t a whole lot to take away from that in terms of positives,” he said of the fiasco in Indiana.– At the start of the season, the pregame talk before road games was of media from the opposing team asking about the Heat’s pace.– Lately, it has been such media asking about adjustments the Heat have faced.– “We’ve adjusted some things as the season goes on,” Spoelstra said.
- “I mean, you are always information gathering based on how teams are planning to do it.
