Upon getting eliminated from the Emirates Cup quarterfinals on Tuesday, we knew the Miami Heat’s next opponent would be the loser of the other East quarterfinal between the Toronto Raptors and New York Knicks.
As a result of the Knicks’ 117-101 win, Miami will square off against the Raptors. And the game will be on Monday, Dec. 15, at 7:30 p.m. EST, the Miami Herald’s Barry Jackson first reported Tuesday evening.
Miami is in the midst of a four-game losing streak to the Dallas Mavericks, Magic (twice) and Sacramento Kings. Against Orlando on Tuesday, it blew an early 16-point lead, allowing the Magic to nearly double them up from 3-point range (15 to eight) without any resistance at the point-of-attack.
Nearly a week off may be good for the Heat, whose offense has slowed down from its back-breaking pace to start the season. Their shooting and point-of-attack defense has regressed. And their bench — once a strength — has tailed off in productivity.
Combine all of those together, and it’s not a recipe for success. It’s a long season, where there are plenty of ups and downs. But a few of the problems expected to have in the preseason (shooting, lack of size) have crept back up.
Next Monday’s match against the Toronto Raptors will be their first of the season. Toronto is also in the midst of a four-game skid and six of its last seven.
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Time to carefully assess what the team’s assets are and the best ways to improve the team. Keepers are Mitchell, Powell, Jaquez, Bam or Ware and Jakucionis.
Jovic should be sent to Sioux Falls…the sooner the better. He needs to get his head together and find his mojo, especially since Miami is on the hook for 4 more years/$162M.
Spo needs to make adjustments.
5 days off. Time to put together a trade?
My guess is the Heat are paralyzed by the Rozier situation. Perhaps they will get some resolution by the trade deadline, maybe not even then. Meanwhile, the season is, as Paul Simon might say, slip sliding away.
We agree on some Heat issues, disagree on others. But we are in total agreement, it seems, on music!
Maybe you grew up in Miami in the sixties?
Brooklyn in the 60s.
Close enough. That’s where my dad is from. Maybe 80% of my high school was from either Brooklyn or the Bronx. HFL and I went to the same junior high, had the same phys ed teacher, Coach Kouchalakis. I think he’s more my brothers age, three years younger than me, but not sure.
5 days off. Time to put the team on the track again?