First Half:
The Heat struggled to score to start this one off, missing its first 3 looks while Oubre and Maxey did damage on the other end. Maxey had eight of Philly’s first 10 points to put Miami down by 10. Things looked very ugly early on for the boys in black and red. Miami was completely out of sync as it turned the ball over, missed easy shots and had no answers on defense and Embiid and Co. feasted in the paint.
It took a while but Rozier, Bam and Jimmy got the Heat flowing better – unfortunately its porous defense kept Philly ahead. With Jimmy, Niko and Rozier hitting some tough buckets, Miami finally locked in and pushed within striking distance trimming the lead to only five. KJ Martin had other ideas as he brought a surge of electricity to the Sixers, while Miami’s reserves looked just as disjointed as the starters. Just like that the Heat were back down fourteen.
Scrambling towards the end of the first quarter, the Heat converted its defense into a 2-2-1 full court press and it paid off as it caused multiple turnovers resulting in six straight points. Highsmith continued his stellar play to start the second quarter hitting some tough looks, and Jimmy and Klove backed that up to get Miami back within two.
Highsmith has been spectacular, we have to give this man is flowers he had 10 points in the quarter, and was getting it done on both ends. He put Miami in a situation to take the lead and Martin would get it done, pushing momentum back in Miami’s favor.
Philly didn’t go quietly though, going a 20-1 run to go back up 16 and leave Miami reeling. With Miami turning the ball over and the Heat struggling to score things looked bleak. But a light in the darkness in the form of a Highsmith bunny, and a Scary Terry buzzer beater three to get Miami within eight offered the Heat real hope headed into the second half.
Second Half:
Rozier continued his hot shooting into the second half once again making the most difficult of shots look easy. Bam also hit another three! He hasn’t lied about being serious about those shots.
Lowry haunted the Heat with some good shooting, as did Embiid to keep the Sixers ahead. Despite not being able to steal back the lead for long stretches, the Heat stayed right there throughout the third quarter as they chipped away off strong play from Bam and Terry. A fifth Terry triple, Jimmy paint bucket and a follow up And-One dunk would put the Heat up one headed into the fourth quarter. Miami just wouldn’t go away as much as Philly wished they would.
Butler continued to score to start the fourth, showing some willingness to take over. With Jaime closing passing lanes for steals, and Kevin Love hitting big threes the Heat were able to get up eight.
Maxey and Payne would continue to be menaces for the Heat as he worked to bring the Sixers back in it. But the Love and Jimmy connection stayed strong with some electric plays to keep Philly on its heels. Kevin Love looked like he was back in Minnesota as he grabbed boards and sunk jumpers with ease.
Up six with Embiid on the bench the Heat would attempt extend its lead, but the Heat would come up short often from three while Maxey and Martin did their absolute best to buy time on the other end. An Oubre Jr. led 9-0 run put Miami behind once again with just over 3 minutes to go. With Joel Embiid back in, and Maxey surging the Heat were looking at an uphill battle as it dealt with its worst scoring drought of the night.
A huge Terry three brought the Heat back within two, but a bobbled final possession would cost them the win. It looked like Terry tweaked something as well extending Miami’s continuous injury woes. This is one that will have postseason implications that I’m sure the organization wishes it could have back.
*Butler missed Thursday’s morning shootaround due to “personal reasons.” Was he filming another commercial or working on another country music video? Inquiring minds want to know.
Duncan does not look right since he came back from injury.
Dude is a minus 8.7 in the 3 games since he’s been back.
His defense is shtty so when he isn’t producing offensively he hurts the team when he plays.
We have gone from being the fourth best 4th quarter team last season to the 2nd worst this season.
So last night’s 4th quarter results were the norm not the exception.
How is it that we consistently just stop playing offense midway through the 4th quarter?
It’s like we just forget what actions we want to run, how to attack mismatches, what to do when the first pass doesn’t lead anywhere.
Also mad props to Terry for that step back three along the Sixers baseline that brought us to within 2. That was such a a huge shot (off what I thought was a lost possession).
Correct me if I’m wrong through–if we take the 6th seed and win the first round series we end up with the winner of Boston-8th in the second round? Yeah I’d prefer we catch them earlier than the Conference Finals, if we have to catch them.
I doubt we go beyond the second round this season, no matter who will play. Heat’s lingering problems persist. Most teams know Heat’s weaknesses except the Heat.
Incorrect.
Be really interesting.
im not a big plus minus guy but bam was -29 love was +25.your 2 bigs.play the same position.wow and this coach is closing with bam.
Last night was Spo playing guys he had predetermined will close the game instead of making on the court adjustment of what was going on. It was frustrating for me to watch towards the end.
His predetermined lineups are exactly why we lost. He left Caleb and Jaime in a lil too long, should of gave love some rest at the beginning of the 4th. Also what’s up jovic almost never getting any 4th quarter minutes. He should of got minutes over Caleb. Then Jimmy playing like a role player and was scared for some reason whenever Lowry was sticking him like when barea was sticking LeBron in the Dallas finals. Also jimmy lately waits too long to turn it up. Bam played one of his worst games of the season that’s all I’m gonna say. Bottomline this lost in spo mostly, bam, and Jimmy gets some credit too for the loss. I guess Kyle Lowry gets the last laugh.
Yeah bro I agree on the Jovic not playing in 4th quarters thing.
I can’t understand that sh!t either.
You would think by now that Spo would’ve given Niko a shot to play next to Bam in crunch time considering that according to plus-minus data the Niko/Bam tandem has been the Heat’s highest rated pf/c tandem in the Jimmy Butler era.
Maybe spo will give a longer leash to Jovic sooner rather than later. Hopefully spo changes it up and adjust better instead of predetermined lineups.
You know Lowry vs Butler was an emotional thing. Coaches often use it against friends. It worked well against Butler. Both coaches could have also matched the Martins against each other but they chose not to.
Shidd well nick nurse sure outcoached spo.The night nurse along with Maxey and embiid put us to sleep.
I don’t blame Spo for taking KL out, KL was completely gassed down the stretch of that game.
He’s been out too long, doesn’t yet have his legs under him.
I think Spo wanted to keep him in but KL looked too tired to play any longer.
id like to ask love if he had anything left to finish the game im pretty sure love could of and should have played more towards the end of game. as soon as he was out the floodgates opened.a big indictment of the guy u want to build the future around.
I wonder how the Heat will do in play-in game against 76ers if Tobias Harris, Mo Bamba, D’Anthony Melton, Robert Covington, and Patrick Beverly are all healthy? Hmm?
PatBev plays for Bucks
Forget Beverly. Was just looking at box score which listed him as out along with others I mentioned.
https://www.msn.com/en-us/sports/nba/game-center/sp-id-34a90621b50e4cbc93dd74a7c4216eb0?ocid=hpmsn&cvid=a711704868664b13b64af64abd737e0f&ei=7
Where are our ships…. ups, stars?
Somebody should show Butler a calendar (its April, playoff Jimmy !!!!!!).
SPOELSTER, this loss is on you!
The Heat’s bench outplayed the Heat’s starters.
The Heat’s bench outplayed the Sixers starters.
The Heat’s bench outplayed the Sixers bench.
The Heat’s bench outplayed every other player both sides of the court on the floor.
The Heat’s bench spearheaded the rally that erased Sixers 16-0 lead in the first half.
The Heat’s bench spearheaded the rally that erased Sixers 17-0 lead in the 2nd half
My hope was that Spo saw the trend and will let the Heat’s bench close the game for the Heat. Alas, no. Spo decided to go with Heat’s starters to close the unit. For 8 minutes in the 4th qtr, the Heat made only one score.Terrible, terrible. In the last game against the Knicks, in the 3rd quarter the Heat was scoreless for a 6 minutes period and I had said that if not for the Heroics of Rozier in the 4th qtr, the Heat lost that game on the 3rd quarter. I had also said that in TODAY’s NBA you can not win a game going scoreless for that length of time. Behold, the same repeated itself today but in the 4th qtr against the Sixers when the Heat went almost went scoreless in 8 minutes with only one basket to show for it. I had hoped that Spo should have brought back the Heat’s bench after 5 minutes of going scoreless.He did not. I knew the game was lost and I lost interest in the game. I got myself busy watching some YouTube videos and watching the game.
I almost don’t watch Heat’s postgame conference. This was one postgame conference I waited to watch. Spo was so clueless of what unravelled during the game that he rambled in his speech and I did not understand the heck he said. Anyone who understood him, should please explain to me what he said.
This loss was squarely on Spo.
Clarification:
When I say the Heat’s bench, I mean any combination of Jovic, Klove, JJJ, HHH, Caleb plus one starter on the court was better than Rozier, Bam, Buttler, Duncan plus any other player on the court. Having at least 4 starters on the court for the Heat was painful and unproductive in this game.
AGREE 100%erics use of personnel at it again.players determine games ultimately .but play the players that are cooking that night.spobot not a good feel for that
I think Spo wanted to keep the bench in longer but KLove was completely gassed down the stretch of the 4th quarter.
I think last night was a night that even Thomas Bryant would have been more effective than Bam.
Bam was a complete and utter no-show.
bam vs jokic and joel hes defeated before he walks on ct.yes bryant could have competed better.
He’s intimidated by superior size and talent. That’s why Miami needs a legit big.
Painful loss. Team choked. Period!
team didnt choke just not good enough
1 basket in 8 minutes is “choking” I don’t care what part of the Bronx you are from.
I want to say what great effort the Heat gave last night, several players really played well. The team we were playing, with most their players back, is a championship level team. If Embiid didn’t get hurt, the Sixers would have ten to fifteen more wins. And we came very close. Maybe Ty could have helped at the end. The Heat are definitely a good team, when healthy.
its unhappy again here in HHH. call me wishful thinker, hopelessly hopeful but it was a good fight almost made it but i know almost doesn’t cut it coz they need Ws. just fell short that ugly drought for a couple of minutes in crunch time did them in. age is really showing for Jimmy but still believing for a good run to make that 6th. Go Heat!
Yes. I was upset about the loss too but when I thought about it, it was a game that could have gone our way, it was that close. It was a game that said more good things about the Heat than bad. So I wrote something similar above.