The Miami Heat look ready for the offseason, months before the offseason even arrives. Their latest woes have yet to come to a halt, as they will go into Friday night’s matchup against the Houston Rockets sporting a nine-game losing streak.
Miami’s downfall has seen them spiral to the very bottom of the Eastern Conference play-in picture. They are lucky enough to have played decent in the beginning half of the season to virtually lock in the 10th and final play-in seed at the very worst. However, fans are wishing that wasn’t the case.
The tank outside noise is as loud as it has ever been, as the Heat have spiraled in the worst way possible. Since trading Jimmy Butler, they have gone just 4-16. And in return, Butler has elevated his new Golden State Warriors squad to contending status again— going 16-3 as a team since the trade.
The headliner in Miami’s return package in Andrew Wiggins has played well in games that he’s played. But the problem is it hasn’t been an encouraging sample size. Wiggins has quickly showcased an ability to be an injury prone player as soon as arriving to his new team.
He is listed as questionable again for tonight and in jeopardy of missing his third consecutive game, along with nine of his first 20 as a member of the Heat.
The Rockets are coming into the matchup surging as the Western Conference’s second seed.
Houston just took down the Orlando Magic in their previous game, and have gone 8-2 over their last 10. All eyes will be on the defensive matchup between Tyler Herro and Amen Thompson— following their on-court brawl during the Heat’s win in Houston earlier this season.
Injury Report (at the time of this publishing):
Miami Heat:
- Nikola Jovic (hand) — OUT
- Dru Smith (achilles) — OUT
- Josh Christopher (g-league) — OUT
- Keshad Johnson (g-league) — OUT
- Andrew Wiggins (leg) — QUESTIONABLE
- Isaiah Stevens (g-league) — OUT
Houston Rockets:
- Reed Sheppard (thumb) — OUT
- Amen Thompson (ankle) — PROBABLE
- Dante N’Faly (g-league) — OUT
- Jack McVeigh (g-league) — OUT
- David Roddy (g-league) — OUT
Projected Starting 5 (subject to change):
Miami Heat:
- Tyler Herro, G
- Duncan Robinson, G
- Andrew Wiggins, F
- Bam Adebayo, F/C
- Kel’el Ware, C
Houston Rockets:
- Fred VanVleet, G
- Jalen Green, G
- Dillon Brooks, F
- Tari Eason, F
- Alperen Sengun, C
Broadcast Info:
- Tipoff: 8:00 PM EST
- TV: NBA TV & FanDuel Sports Network Sun (Eric Reid & John Crotty)
- Radio: AM 560 Sports WQAM & The HEAT Radio Network (Jason Jackson)
- Spanish Radio: WAQI 710 AM & The HEAT Spanish Radio Network (José Pañeda)
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GameThread is up, sorry guys!
Thanks
Loads of great basketball on right now w March Madness but I’m a Heat fan above a basketball fan so locked in. Let’s go heat!
Me too
Am i the only person not finding the game thread???
Not finding game thread?
to go against cats like green brooks thompson bring on dunc lol
Truth SunMan. Those guys are on the roster…play’em !!!
WTF is Johnson doing in Sioux Falls????? The Heat could use him in Miami. At least give him a shot! Larsson has played in 46 games and 593 minutes this season. Johnson has played in 10 games and 57 minutes. WTF is wrong with that picture Pat? It would also be nice to get a glimpse of Stevens and Christopher. They can’t do any worse than lose 9 straight, can they?
Yk what pat is thinking don’t know how many times I have to say it, pat wants to live vicariously through picks like Larsson, Herro, jjj, Duncan and to certain extents jovic and love (who should no longer be playing let alone on this team)
they all have one thing in common hmm
If Miami is going to clean house, it can use upgrades in several areas. This team has lost it’s “Mojo” and it’s identity.
i c 3 keepers two top 30 players wares hard to tell.rest are basura
You say the things I only dare to think. Maybe G Leaguers are a step behind second draft picks in the hierarchy. It’s been perplexing, this strange reluctance to release the Sue Falls four ( I include Little) from bondage.
My guess is it’s Riley’s Last Hurrah and he’s doing it “ His Way,” ao, “regrets he’s had a few, but then again, too few to mention.”
I’m not against giving Pelle some minutes. He was a good shooter in college and needs to start showing that ability here. But I can’t agree more that not giving those other 3 minutes is totally ridiculous.
Over the past few years, the Miami Heat has gone from being one of the best run organizations in the NBA to one of the worst. Even Joe (Friggin) Cronin has a plan. The sure sign of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again (aka “running it back”) and expecting different results.
It’s time for wholesale changes in Miami before the franchise goes completely to shit. If the team is this bad without all the injuries it had last year, just imagine what would happen if Bam or Herro was out for an extended period of time. I don’t even want to think about it.
80 is a good retirement age Pat. Time to let go.
i didnt mind standing pat riley but adding terry was a bust,add better player we could have been top 4 in east and with motivated jimmy in playoffs id like our chances.keep on running a guy who couldnt guard my grandmother.in todays nba cant have that.tys d is bad enough .rest of the dudes with ty gotta be ballers
bam was out we can see what ware could do
dunc can guard jalen green better than keshad i guess