The Miami Heat started the new season with a record of 1-4, and at one point sat at the very bottom of the entire Eastern Conference at 15th place. Since then, this team has pulled together a 5 game winning streak.
The Heat beat the San Antonio Spurs on the road 118-113, improving to 6-4 on the season and now currently sitting in 3rd place in the Conference standings.
Led by Duncan Robinson and Bam Adebayo, there were 7 players out of the 9 in the rotation tonight that put up double figures in scoring.
#HEATWin final – Miami 118, San Antonio 113
🔥 Robinson: 26pts (4 3s), 5rebs, 4asts
🔥 Adebayo: 24pts, 11rebs, 6asts, 3stls
🔥 Butler: 19pts, 6rebs, 4asts
🔥 Richardson: 12pts, 4asts, 3rebs
🔥 Smith: 12pts, 4rebs, 3asts
🔥 Love: 12pts
🔥 Jaquez Jr: 11pts, 6rebs, 3asts, 3stls pic.twitter.com/LQ2v6lAAFg— Miami HEAT (@MiamiHEAT) November 13, 2023
Robinson has been getting the starts at SG after Tyler Herro went down with a sprained ankle. Herro isn’t expected to be missing significant time, but Robinson should be continuing to get opportunity as a starter for at least a couple weeks.
He had a team high +22 when being on the floor, and had a serious impact with his incredible shooting ability.
Duncan Robinson tonight:
26 PTS (game high)
5 REB
4 AST
8-16 FG
4-7 3PT
+22 (game high)What a birthday🎂 pic.twitter.com/LdCUvASfqP
— HeatMuse (@Heat_Muse) November 13, 2023
It has been no secret that Robinson has absolutely worked on his all around game. Offensively he has turned into a balanced player that doesn’t rely on just the 3 point shot anymore. He has been able to move well without the basketball, create offense for himself and others off the dribble and just simply look a lot more comfortable and patient with the ball in his hands.
Tonight, he displayed all those skills while shooting the ball at an extremely impressive clip; 50% from the field and nearly 60% from 3 point range.
Adebayo also continues making his early case for a 3rd straight All-Star appearance.
Bam in the win:
24 PTS
11 REB
6 AST
3 STL
10-20 FG (50%)Fourth (‼️) straight game with 20+ PTS and 10+ REB pic.twitter.com/FUHYr1MZcK
— HeatMuse (@Heat_Muse) November 13, 2023
This man has already arrived. He is about to enter the official beginning of his prime years and the versatile big man is straight special.
Adebayo continues to age, mature, and just become more and more polished. There has never been a single thing he can’t do on a basketball court.
He continues to carve out such a pivotal role on both ends of the floor as the new Miami Heat captain; stuffing the stat sheet night in and night out on route to big wins.
The Heat have been able to stack up these wins even with superstar Jimmy Butler looking like he’s “coasting”. Butler put up 19 points and 6 rebounds tonight in effortless fashion, and everybody knows how proud he is to see his other teammates excel early on in the regular season.
With no Kyle Lowry due to rest tonight, the Josh Richardson and Dru Smith PG combination tonight was super solid. They both put up 12 points apiece; as Richardson has started to come around and find a rhythm offensively.
Richardson started this season a little rusty, which should be expected since he had some minor injuries early and hasn’t been in this system in years. However, he has bounced back in the last 2 wins.
Dru Smith has been slowly starting to get Heat fans attention with his scrappy defense and nice shooting efficiency. He made a lot of nice strong drives to the rim tonight, including some much needed ones when the team was down big early on.
After moving to the bench while seeing Haywood Highsmith take over the starting PF spot, Kevin Love has gotten minutes in a now bench role over the last 2 wins.
Love has been playing as the back up big over Thomas Bryant this past weekend. Love put together a nice night with 12 points and 3/8 from the field, 2/7 from long range.
The Heat trailed by as many as 19 points tonight, but stormed right back.
Heat were down 19 tonight in San Antonio…
– Ties biggest Miami comeback win since 1/18/21.
– Biggest Miami road comeback win since 10/26/19.
– Heat had lost 50 consecutive games when trailing by 19 or more.
– Heat had lost 41 consecutive road games when trailing by 19 or more.— Tim Reynolds (@ByTimReynolds) November 13, 2023
After a rocky start to the evening, Miami shot 44% from the field, 39% from 3 and 93% from the free throw stripe. The team was 28/30 from the line; a very good sign of showing the teams aggression and efficiency.
They also took care of the basketball extremely well with just 4 turnovers compared to San Antonio’s 17.
Most importantly, superstar talent in the making Victor Wembanyama struggled to shoot the ball tonight and was forced into some difficult shots and turnovers.
Victor Wembanyama vs the Heat:
◾️8/22 FG
◾️2/9 3P
◾️7 turnovers— 𝙃𝙀𝘼𝙏 𝙉𝘼𝙏𝙄𝙊𝙉 (@HeatvsHaters) November 13, 2023
Adebayo was the catalyst, as he usually is, and set the tone defensively by keeping Wemby in check.
The Heat will get back to it on Tuesday in Charlotte against the Hornets, looking to extend this 5 game win streak even more.
Tip off will be set for 7:00 PM ET on Bally Sports Florida.
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BE CAREFUL WHAT YOU WISH FOR…YOU MIGHT GET IT!
Through seven games, Damian Lillard is averaging just 24 points on 40% shooting, including an abysmal 29% from three. The Bucks also find themselves grappling with defensive issues after trading away Jrue Holiday. With a current record of 5-4, the team occupies the 7th seed in the Eastern Conference.
Sure glad we didn’t give up our youth and future for one of the worst defenders in the league. Jus sayin…
GO HEAT!!!
Management was smart for that and another reason. Remember most of the fans wants to give everything for dame. We almost become the Clippers of the East.
Management was also smart for getting Dru Smith. Most of us were pissed when we got him in a contract. Especially in the first early games, most hated him but now ,for me, he is a parasite to the other teams,he is a bit better playmaker than gabe and if his jumper improve and become more consistent then he is better than Gabe. Lets not all forget how Gabe was in his early heat days, it took a while for him to bloom on the heat system.
What about signing PG in the office season after the clippers bust outta the playoffs again?
At the NBA Analysis office, they must have the best drugs there since the psychedelic 60s!! How about this abomination?:
”Chicago Bulls Receive: F/C Kevin Love, C Thomas Bryant, G/F Jaime Jaquez Jr., 2027 First-Round Pick (MIA), 2029 First-Round Pick (Swap – MIA)
Miami Heat Receive: G/F Alex Caruso”
Note to the idiot who came up with this: I wouldn’t trade Jaquez straight up for Caruso!
(don’t misunderstand, I think Caruso would be a good fit here)
That is a horrendous trade smh. At most I would probably give them Martin,dru, and 1st round pick.
Martin clearly isn’t going anywhere. For whatever reasons teams don’t value his playoff run as much as Miami does.
If they ever do, Miami is packaging him in a trade for an all-star level player. Not depth.
You don’t know that for sure, plus I said at most that, but maybe we don’t have to give up much. Also Caruso isn’t just depth, he is a player at a position of need who won a championship, additionally he made all-nba defensive team a couple times .you can’t downplay caruso as just “depth” .
how long until the national media realizes how good Hi-May is?
Hi- May is IMO…untouchable.
It is a blessing in disguise that the Blazers are so bad at noticing talent that they passed on Hi-May.
Dude’s got Heat DNA running all through his body.
Does Caruso play PG too?
Yes he can, he’s a combo guard, but he definitely still played the pg position very well. He played pg for the lakers who regret letting him go. Also played point for bulls when ball first went down, and was doing good. Now he’s relegated to the bench and getting his talent wasted. He has point of attack defense, elite help Defense and a pretty decent 3 point percentage. Solid all around 💯
Caruso would be a great fit for the Heat. But they aren’t trading two forwards, a center, and a first round pick for him. That’s almost what they offered for Dame! That dude is worth a draft pick and an expiring contract.
The Heat will make a move at the deadline. Probably for a guard. But they aren’t trading multiple rotation players. They’re going to trade a first or second round pick plus a contract for a vet, and everyone will go home happy. The Heat will kick butts in the playoffs and then people will get mad when a crappy team like the Sixers wins the offseason.
Over my dead and gorgeous dadbod! 😂🤣
I watched a lot of Caruso when Goran was playing on Chicago. Interesting player, because his stats is bad, but still has a good reputation. He fits in the same class as Beverley, Brooks…… and JRich, McGruder… if we are talking about Miami players. He would fit in Miami, but he os not what we need right now. If anything, I would take Derozan for his year rental.
If Caruso is a player type like brooks, Beverly, etc then Caruso,i believe,is rank 1 or 2 among those player types.
He can defend man to man against elite ball handlers, jump passing lanes at the right time, and handle weak side coverage. He still manages to rebound and block the occasional shot well above expectations for a player his size.When Caruso and Lonzo Ball play together any lazy pass or ball handling error is pounced on relentlessly.
Now imagine him with Butler,Bam,Martin and other defensive minded heat teammate. I believe blowing lead will be a thing of the past. Plus i also want Bucks to not get him in a trade since they are realizing how defense is also important and the the impact of a good perimeter defender on drop coverage defense.
We are desperate but not that desperate. But i would really like to have him and to also prevent other top east contenders to get him.
Holiday is fitting well on the boston system, he doesnt need to score since you have other players that can score and Holiday can just focus on defense, rebound,and playmaking. This is still early in the season but Boston was probably glad that Dame doesnt want to go there and instead got Holiday. I think Caruso can be our holiday.
This was an awesome, gritty, tough win. We came back through adversity with Duncan leading the charge. He had so many ups and down with the team through the years and has improved exponentially. His defense definitely is improving like herro’s was before he got hurt. His offense This game was the best I’ve ever seen from a variety standpoint. I noticed his improvement a little last year in the playoffs, but this year took to another level. He shot 3’s, blew by opp with first step quickness, had runner’s or floaters, reverse layups, the middy game, the vision, even the Steve Smith hesi on wemby was bananas. Finally Most of us can say he was worth the contract. Special shoutout to bam with another monster game, also to love for giving us a spark in the 3rd quarter. Also dru and jjj playing like vets when they’re rookies lol, and jrich coming through clutch at the end.
I love that Hi-May plays like a vet and K-Love plays like a rookie
I’ll take a rookie love because that must mean he looks rejuvenated.
I read an article in FanSided about players on expiring contracts who might help the Heat before the trade deadline. They were:
T.J. McConnell (PG) Pacers: $8,700,000
Buddy Held (SG) Pacers: $19,279,841
Bojan Bogdanovic (SF) Pistons: $20,000,000
Dorian Finney-Smith (PF) Nets: $13,932,008
I would pass on all but McConnell. Miami would need to give up too much to get them and all have their shortcomings. McConnell is a pesky defender and a playmaker. It would probably cost Miami Caleb and a filler (Dru Smith) or a second rounder.
I think one of Detroit’s “extra” PG’s will be available by then,
Killian Hayes ($7,413,955),
Monte Morris ($9,800,926) or
Marcus Sasser ($2,223,680) Rookie
Any one of them could help carry the load if Dru Smith or RJ Hampton are not able to play at the consistent two-way level needed by the team. Monte Morris would be an excellent fit with Miami, if Detroit is already in “full tank mode” by then.
If the Heat keeps playing team basketball at the current high level, especially on defense, there will be many players hoping to jump ship to South Beach by the trade deadline. Things should get very interesting before then. Time will tell.
GO HEAT!!!
Another good performance from the bench, playing good defense and scoring in double digits.Looking like “the as the bench goes, so does the Heat”. Saying so is not taking the starters for granted.”
The Heat run on Duncan! What a great win to come back on second night of a B2B. These dudes are gelling. Love had a couple really important plays. What a vet. I know it’s super early, but check out who is a top 4 seed 😛
Half of the team played like crap most of the time, and still was good enough for the win on the road. great.
Robinson was remarkable, and his little move against Wemby was the play of the game.
He really is a good player now. He improved in defence too, quite a lot.
JRich had 2 good games in the role, which is unusual for him. Just in time.
Great stuff.
Wheeeee! This team is so much fun.
Duncan was obviously great on offense. He’s been breaking down defenses off the dribble for two straight seasons. If his defense can just get a little better, he’ll be so valuable.
Also, I really can’t get enough of Hi-May. He’s probably my favorite player on the team at this point. The Heat looked awful to start the game, things started to turn around once Hi-may subbed in.
I am a well known J-Rich hater, but he was good this game. Did exactly what we needed. Played passable defense, made some shots, didn’t turn the ball over.
K-Love was good tonight. That guy is so much fun. Highsmith was bad. Dru Smith was good. Jimmy Butler was off tonight. I would have like to have seen some Jovic minutes. And this game really showed how much this team needs Kyle Lowry.
Good win. Fun game. Go Heat!
I know it’s only half a game, but I am absolutely giddy at the fact that we’re ahead of the Bucks in the standings now that the team shook off whatever was happening at the start of the season.
Damian who?
Another great team win. Down 19 in the first half and down 11 in the fourth quarter. They never say die!!! Talk about Heat culture. The rotation players are doing a great job defensively and keeping the ball moving on offense. I’m really impressed with the resiliency of players like Duncan, JRich, Dru and Love who give 100% whenever they are called on to fill in for others or play more minutes. Bam is a monster! Jaquez has to improve his 3 point shooting, but his overall game is very good for a rookie. He fits right in!
San Antonio had more rebounds, assists, 3-point shots made, blocks and shot higher field goal and three point percentages. It didn’t matter. It is hard to beat a team that is in sync on both sides of the ball and playing stifling defense. The Heat only had 4 turnovers and 12 fouls the entire game. The Spurs had 17 turnovers and 21 fouls.
The team is in Charlotte on Tuesday, home against Brooklyn on Thursday, then in Chicago for two on Saturday and Monday. Four games in 8 days. Sure would be nice if they sweep all four or at least win 3 out of 4. The Heat are currently tied for third place with Indiana behind only Philadelphia and Boston!
GO HEAT!!!
Stifling defense, which is difficult to measure and appreciate adequately, that ability to get stops, particularly in crunch time, is the thing that wins us games more than any other asset. And, this year, this is where we may be most improved. When we use lineups that utilize our best defenders, we can really make it difficult for the opposition.
I agree. Offense wins games (regular season) but defense wins championships!
wow! thanks for the breakdown! Dunc earning his $$$. everyone contributed. ok even you HH. sorry dont want to leave anyone behind. besides its a win and coming down from 19. on a back to back! only 4 turnovers! vs Wemby and Pop! then its a 2 day break! very nice. i just notice and perhaps it might be better Ty coming off the ball more. just like Dunc these past 2 games. but i dunno…i trust Spo. speaking of, t’was a great shuffle of players. very good adjustment coach. i give the Heat a solid A for this win.
lol Spurs getting torched by Duncan robinson..how ironic