The Miami Heat are in one of their best stretches of basketball all season following another win at home last night against the San Antonio Spurs 116-104. The Heat improved to 28-24 and are just 1.0 game behind the Indiana Pacers for the sixth seed in the East. They finish the season 2-0 against Victor Wembanyama’s Spurs.
#HEATWin final – Miami 116, San Antonio 104
🔥 Herro: 24pts (4 3s), 7asts & 6rebs
🔥 Adebayo: 20pts & 5rebs
🔥 Butler: 17pts, 11rebs, 11asts & 3stls
🔥 Rozier: 13pts & 5asts
🔥 Jaquez Jr.: 10pts & 3rebs pic.twitter.com/2PmjA1nZzl— Miami HEAT (@MiamiHEAT) February 8, 2024
Miami is now 4-1 over their last 5 games and have officially responded pretty nicely following that 7 game losing streak.
It was another great game for the Heat’s core of Jimmy Butler, Bam Adebayo, Tyler Herro and Terry Rozier.
However, Butler winds up being the player of the game as he put in his 19th career triple double. It is his 15th triple double as a member of the Heat; with his last one coming in a game against the Toronto Raptors during the 2021-2022 season.
Butler had 17 points, 11 rebounds, 11 assists and 3 steals on 5/12 shooting, 6/6 from the free throw line and a +16 on the court.
22 one of the greatest to ever do it https://t.co/AB4o8q6QrE
— Hot Hot Hoops (@hothothoops) February 8, 2024
A performance like this just shows how dominant of a player Butler can be by impacting the game in all sorts of different ways. There isn’t one thing that this man can’t do on the basketball court and his versatility as a two-way player often goes unnoticed by the media.
Herro led in scoring and showed versatility of his own with 24 points, 7 assists and 6 rebounds. Adebayo added 20 points and 5 boards on an impressive 10/14 shooting (71%).
Rozier chipped in 13 points and 5 assists with two long range buckets. New starting PF Caleb Martin had 9 points, 5 rebounds and 2 steals.
The Heat four-man bench unit in Jaime Jaquez Jr, Josh Richardson, Duncan Robinson and Kevin Love combined for 31 points. Which is more than enough bench production from a contending team.
The entire starting group had a double digit positive +\-, showing that this is clearly a group that makes the team better when out on the floor. It took a while but the greatness of Coach Spoelstra was able to find a good combination in the starting unit and bench rotation with so many talented guys to work with.
The insertion of Martin in this first unit and the success in a small sample size with him may indicate that Miami will not end up trying to move him prior to the deadline. That is even with his contract situation looming this offseason.
With Caleb Martin back in the starting lineup, it would seem less likely that he will be traded before deadline.
If healthy, he provides some skills that the team needs this season, and that may override the risk of not retaining him this summer.
— Five Reasons Sports 🏀🏈⚾️🏒⚽️ (@5ReasonsSports) February 8, 2024
The Heat shot 49% from the field, 32% from three and 78% from the free throw line as a team in last night’s win.
They also were in control of the basketball with just 10 turnovers compared to the Spur’s 14.
The Heat get some much needed rest with the next game not being until Sunday afternoon against the Boston Celtics in South Florida.
However, the Trade Deadline is today at 3:00 PM EST with the buyout market looming shortly after.
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Just read the comments…I’m late lol
First, coz this is a game recap, very good win because of a very good fourth q on the end of a b2b. The tired legs showed a few plays but kept it close and ran it the final q. Strong coffee showed up so we’re all happy.
Second, the deadline… good to see there are some possible pickups as ive read here. And so the Knicks got “better”. We’ll see. Good for them. For me it still looks like its the Celts ecf to lose. Milw looking more vulnerable than last time. Sixers one man show but that one man is fragile. Cavs rising, again. But hard to trust them in playoffs. Yet.
If Heat strings up wins and reach the 5-6 spot east will be scared to face them in playoffs. Well, they’ll still be scared with Heat just being in playoffs anyway 😁😁😁
Interestingly and, imo, oddly, PJ says he won’t request a buyout. That should make many of you feel relieved.
he still has another year left on his contract, they’re stuck with each other until the offseason, and maybe until the next trade deadline
And PJ ain’t getting any younger in the meantime.
Remember when the Sixers signed him away from the Heat with that contract and people were mad at the Heat because of it. lol. Just proof that we don’t know anything
Yup, he chased the money, and now look where he is.
$33 million richer. Same deal with Crowder. Oh well.
gotta be honest, i’d probably take a crappy job for 3 years $33 million
Lol yeah me too I guess
Actually, if we’re being honest, i’d take a crappy job for three years for $3 million
PJ’s time with the Heat passed already imo. He wanted to stay but needs the $$$ to fund his shoe collection 😉
From Bobby Marks:
”The following teams are ineligible to sign a player waived and had a pre-existing salary of $12.4M+.
– Golden State
– LA Clippers
– Boston
– Phoenix
– Milwaukee
– Denver
– Miami”
Yutu Watanabe still available
Good to know, sad for Heat I guess they just gonna move forward with what they have and then some
Knicks got a great deal better without giving up assets. Sixers too. Boston, Cavs and Knicks look pretty tough. Heat not so much…so far.
Miami still needs a big to help Bam in paint. Miami has a great record when they outrebound opponents (mostly losing/lottery teams) and a terrible record when they are outrebounded (by mostly winning/playoff teams). With a lot of hard work and a little good luck, the Heat can potentially reach the #4 spot. Without another big, that may be difficult to do.
Time will tell.
GO HEAT!!!
The Heat made their move early with the Terry Rozier trade. And all it cost them was an expiring Kyle Lowry and a protected pick.
Yes, but the Knicks made several moves. I guess the Heat won’t need another “BIG” to go to finals? Their record is dismal when the get outrebounded. Oh well.
well, that’s a different conversation. I would definitely like to see the Heat start playing bigger. Maybe now that they’ve found their mojo after the losing streak, Spo will tinker with the lineup a bit. I’m not sure there were any bigs out there better than Bryant and Jovic.
That was why making a move before the deadline was so important. Maybe we can get another Cody Zeller off the trash heap.
I just don’t see a big man better than Bryant or Jovic that’s available out there
No Murray trade. That one surprised me.
Hawks are repeating the John Collins mistake, and keeping him until he has no trade value
I read they were asking for the farm and the adjacent lot for him 😆😂
McDermott to Pacers
Annnd, times up! On to the buyout market!
Kelly O finally going home to play for raptors, ik chf is happy about that .
Though he dislikes Toronto due to fellow Canuck on Canuck crime
Oh ok I didn’t know that, but that makes sense.
does that make CHF a free agent? I can’t imagine he’ll stick around with the Jazz after this
Yeah, but he ll stick with KO no matter what, even in the wrong team.
Upcoming players to be waived so far:
Killian Hayes (I’d take a flyer on him or give him a 2-way contract)
Harry Giles
more to follow….
Hayes would be a good backup pg for us, Giles is interesting a talented young player, he was a beast in college. But injuries and very limited pt hampered his nba career so far.
Yes, he was going to be maybe top 5 pick before bad injury. Never seemed to fully recover and reach potential.
Maybe we take a flier on him
My guess is that is more of an offseason move
He’d be competing with RJ Hampton for Skyforce minutes
Keep the list going. We’re going to hit on one of them
Danuel House. No biggie there
Robin Lopez
Marcus Morris
probably the two most realistic targets
Dinwiddie
Oladipo. If only…..
Thaddeus Young
Cory Joseph
Checking trades.
G Hayward to OKC.
Bojan Bogdanovic and Burks to Knicks (ouch!!)
PJ Washington and Gafford to Dallas
Olynyk to Raptors
Tillman to Boston
Yeah, eff the Knicks!
Rosier was Heat move.
Until the buyout market I think.
beverly to buckst
great idea. Nothing better for a team struggling with their chemistry then adding Patrick Beverly
Knicks keep getting better, when they become fully healthy, they will be a dangerous team. Hopefully we can make a move for a pf/c.
bogy no d burks average
Sure, but those moves improves there shooting, and scoring punch.
That is correct. No one said they’re getting A level players, just that they have improved their roster. Both are shooting over 40% 3p%. Of course they have some flaws. Besides his d, Bojan has a bad assist to turnover ratio. But, again, that’s not the point.
They’re learning, that they don’t always have to make an A move. The little moves will suffice as well.
And if one or both have some good games against us, I bet that a certain someone will bitch and moan “why couldn’t washed up Riley get us some additions like that?”.
Like clockwork
LOLOL!!! See below. So very predictable.
I think that’s exactly why they made the trade too, so they don’t gotta rely on inexperienced players like grimes in the playoffs. They got veteran players capable of doing just that ,and the other part like you Said lol.
They’re definitely looking like they’re trying to make it past the second round.
Yes definitely ,now making it to 2nd round will get harder for us sheesh.
yeah, the Knicks definitely making some smart moves. We can only hope the Thibs wears out his players during the regular season and gets pantsed by Spo in the playoffs (again)
I hope so, but it will be harder to wear the players out with more quality vet depth.
I wouldn’t be talking trash about them if I wasn’t secretly worried
ogunoby heckuva a 2 way player knicks gm killing it last few years riley doing squat lately
Lol you already forgot Riley traded for rozier, picked up jrich, and picked love in the buyout market last year.
Nice. Didn’t see the game, but I see the 29 assists number. 4-1 in the 5 games post losing-streak, with 3 against Bos/Phi/Mil before the all-star break. Let’s do this thing.
On a separate note, happy trade deadline day. Looks like the Knicks, Sixers, and Celtics have already made some moves. I’m guessing the Heat add a veteran stretch-4 (Maybe finally getting Gallinari) in exchange for a second round pick and maybe O-Rob.
that could be a good trade.
I too hjave thought Gallo finally ends up here, possibly even after a buy out
Me too
That was a trap game. A solid win at the end, with Butler, Bam and Herro leading the way.
Things looks almost normal these days.
Boston will be a good test.
Agree that it was a solid win. Won 4 of 5 and go into a 3 day break where I feel like Spo is going to go in to his labratory and come out with something new for Boston.