After a slow start in the first quarter, the Miami Heat blew past the tanking Washington Wizards with a 132-101 in a Sunday afternoon affair inside Capital One Arena.
The Wizards jumped out to a quick start, owning a 29-21 lead with 3:40. The Heat quickly flipped the script, ending the opening quarter on a 16-4 run while outscoring their East counterpart 95-68 the final three quarters.
Heat star Bam Adebayo tallied a team-high 22 points on 9-of-15 shooting, with eight rebounds, three assists and five steals across 28 minutes. For the first time in over a month, Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra deployed Adebayo alongside second-year center Kel’el Ware.
Ware and Adebayo have struggled for much of the season, posting a minus-6.6 NET across 266 minutes. Well, in 15 minutes that the two shared the floor, Ware and Adebayo were a plus-29, according to PBP Stats.
The Heat’s rising star was outstanding; Ware finished with 19 points and 14 rebounds on 8-of-13 shooting, one of his best games since the New Year, where he consistently played with the energy and effort we know he’s capable of doing.
Norman Powell, who was named a participant to the 3-point contest, had 21 points on 5-of-10 shooting from 3-point range. Simone Fontecchio added 12 points and three steals; Andrew Wiggins posted an 11-point, 10-rebound double-double across 23 minutes.
Kasparas Jakucionis scored a career-high 22 points on 6-of-6 shooting from 3-point range. He had three rebounds, six dimes plus a pair of steals in 26 minutes.
Miami shot 47.1 percent from the floor and 21-of-47 from beyond the arc. Meanwhile, the Wizards, led by Alex Sarr’s 12-point, 12-rebound double-double, shot 41.3 percent from the floor and 33.3 percent from 3-point range.
No Wizards player scored more than 14 points in the losing effort.
The Heat’s dominant performance marks their fifth 30-point win of the season. They now move to 28-26, while the Wizards drop to 14-38.
With no Heat starter playing more than 28 minutes, they were able to get some much-needed rest ahead of the Monday’s back-to-back against the Utah Jazz, their penultimate game ahead of the All-Star break.
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going to hibernate for awhile…see you all after the allstars. or in the playoffs. or next season. or when we get giannis in the offseason or when pat and spo steps down whichever comes first
Try to find another coaching genius and send him to Miami. Spo talent surely came from his Filipino roots. See you soon.
I watched some of the game NY-celcs. Literally the same type of the game then Bos-Heat, the only difference was, that NY was able to response to the Boston run in third qt.
Anyway, that was a good game by Kas and Ware, which is great to see.
Getting growth from Ware and Kaspar will be key this second half.
Even though the Wizards have moved towards tanking, there were some smart uses of personnel that helped make this win come easier. The biggest, Ware playing with Bam, was obvious. But, also, Myron as a starter, and Kaspar subbing in for Davion, Simone moving up the rotation ahead of Niko, all these moves should be explored further as perhaps they will always work or maybe they will work only against certain types of lineups. But, they all seemed to work today.
bam ware 35 mins each should have started game 1 .
But you said time and again that it wasn’t working. And that Bam was stunting Ware’s growth. And that one of them needed to be traded.
But today is another day
spo never lets it play out r u experienced they needed to play together alot alot figure it out.it took bron d wade about 20 good games to figure it out.i said before season started key to this season is bam ware.spobot just hasnt let it play out enough.after using it for 25 games 35 mins each guarantee that would be a much stronger lineup than current dumbot lineups..guess his step dad said eric i need the 64 million dollar man to get pt. we paid him u play him son
It’s not that I disagree. It’s just that you said something different for a long time. First you felt, as I did, that they need to play more together. But then you changed. Then you said just a game or 2 ago how bad Ware’s defense was and he was becoming unplayable. I think you are still in your purple haze.
those days are over i got a foxy lady though.wares underuse has made him bewildered.he see a guy with an extra largr nosesuking night after night getting mins over him how would u feel rc .let ware loose he semi did today need it every fn game
Like I said, I have always agreed that he should play big minutes. I was just paraphrasing your past comments. If there is a miracle, I’d be happy to meet you all along the watchtower.
You can’t start talking about Jimi without me chiming in while I’m caught in some Crosstown Traffic or I’ll go into a Manic Depression. .
Sounds like you returned to Miami via I95.
manic depression is full straight ahead watching jovic get minutos.after minutos.there must be some way out of here.
With the Heat’s easy remaining schedule I think it’s more important to play the young guys and let them gain experience now than win every game. Ware, Jukucionis, Gardner, Larsson and Jaquez need as much playing time as they can get. The team will be better for it by play-in time. Take the minutes from Jovic, Smith and Fontecchio
very well said 100% agree with your inactives also
I’m truly shocked
I agree. I see Kasparas bumping Dru for the back-up PG spot. Gardner is definitely worth a real contract. As its been all season, Miami is one clutch ss who is dependable during crunch time and one good, athletic physical two-way back-up big away from being a very competitive playoff team.
Meanwhile, the Heat will beat bad teams 75% of the time and lose to good ones 75% of the time. It is what it is.
What is going on with the Powell and Wiggins contracts? When does conservative caution turn into disrespectful incompetence? If Miami wasn’t going to sign them to extensions, why not trade them to the highest bidders before the deadline?
Why hasn’t Goldin been given any playing time during blowout games like this one. If he isn’t going to be given a chance to prove himself, what’s the point of having him hang around.
What is being done to fill the vacant position? Is Riley waiting to find a deal in the junk pile/buyout market?
Is Ware out of Spo’s doghouse now or was today’s extended playing time just temporary?
When is Jovic being sent to Sioux Falls for “seasoning?”
On Powell and Wiggins, they could have been traded for second round picks at the deadline, but what sense would that make? They are both in their prime and are winning players. The value of first round picks has increased in this CBA and teams are reluctant to trade them. The Bulls couldn’t get a first for Ayo Dosunmu and had to settle for 4 seconds. Dallas could get only two late first rounders (OKC’s this year, so #29-30, and a top 20 protected first in 2030) for Anthony Davis. The Clippers got two good first round picks for Ivica Zubac but a big factor in that is that he’s on a cheap contract and will make just $20m and $21.7m the next two years.
For people who wanted the Heat to tear down at the deadline, you’re advocating trading all-star level players for 2nd round picks, to improve the Heat’s draft position from the late teens/early 20s to the late lottery 11-14 range. This would give a low chance (<10%) of getting a top 4 pick. The lowest the Heat could likely have gone this year had they done that is 11th worst, like Dallas last year. At that spot they would have a 91.5% chance of getting a pick from 11-14. Dallas just got extremely lucky last year in getting No. 1 with just a 1.8% chance. But this is not a smart bet to make when the overwhelming odds are you'll pick in the late lottery from 11-14, which is at most only around 10 spots below where the Heat will pick anyway while trying to contend. And the Heat have shown for years how good they are at drafting in the mid-late first round and beyond (Bam #14, Herro #13, Ware #15, Jacquez #18, Jovic #27, Larsson #44, Jakucionas #20)
I wouldn’t have traded Wiggins or Powell for anything less than a player and a first round pick.
The Heat may be trying to contend, but I don’t believe they have much chance of going far this season. I hope I’m wrong, but don’t see it.
As far as getting into the lottery, it depends on how deep the draft is. The difference between picking at 11 and 20 might be getting an A level vs a B level player. And the Heat really need an A player. Also, while it may be a mathematical long shot, there always is that chance that you can get a top 4 pick.
I’m sure there are teams that would have traded a first, a young player and an expiring contract for Herro. Wiggins maybe a couple of seconds, a young player and an expiring contract. That’s two young players, one first round pick, two second round picks and two expiring contracts.
I’m sure there are a couple of lottery teams with a decent big on an expiring contract who would have been more than happy to get an expiring contract -PLUS- a second rounder rather waiting until summer and getting nothing in return for their own expiring contract except cap space.
Oh well. No mas.
I think the only Heat player who could be traded for firsts is Bam. I think there’s close to a 0% chance any team would have traded a first for Herro at the deadline this year (not because he’s not a good player, but because he’ll be in the last year of his contract next year at $33m and how this CBA values first round picks because of salary constraints).
There were only 4 players who were traded for FRPs this year. Of the 8 first round picks traded, a majority are late first round picks.
Ivica Zubac trade – LAC gets:
2026 IND top-4 protected, 10-30 protected (this becomes a 2031 IND unprotected pick if it falls between 1-4 or 10-30 this year)
2029 IND unprotected
In part because of Zubac’s contract (3 years/$58m), IND was willing here to give up a potential lottery pick (5-9) in a good draft this year and also risk unprotected picks in 2029 and potentially 2031.
Jaren Jackson Jr trade – MEM gets:
2027 LAL top-4 protected (with Luka in his second full season in LA, this will likely be in the late first round)
2027 most favorable between CLE, MIN, UTAH (mid to late first round)
2031 PHO unprotected (could be lottery)
JJJ’s contract (4 years/$205m) starts next year but stays flat (he has a $53.5m player option in the last year 2029-30, which is less than Bam’s $53.7m in 2027-28). He signed a less than max extension with Memphis and before it even started they traded him to Utah. Of the 3 picks Memphis gets, the 2031 PHO pick is by far the most valuable, the other 2 are likely late first round.
Anthony Davis trade – Dallas gets:
2026 OKC (this is currently #30 overall)
2030 GSW top-20 protected (will be #21 or higher)
Davis has 2 years left on a 3 year/$175m contract after this season, including a player option for $63m in 2027-8, which is the reason Dallas was only able to receive 2 late first round picks in a trade for an All-NBA player.
Jared McCain trade – PHI gets:
2026 either OKC, HOU, or LAC (whichever is second worst, currently HOU #23 overall)
McCain’s rookie contract has two years left after this season at just $4.4m and $6.7m, and both are team options. OKC also has 10 FRPs in the next 5 drafts and was willing to give a late first because of McCain’s cheap contract.
TLDR, Anthony Davis (10x All-star, 4x 1st team All-NBA) was traded for only two late first round picks, because his contract is not “cost-controlled” like NBA teams want now in this CBA. His PO of $63m in 2027-8 is three times what Zubac will be making the same year ($21.7m).
Teams want cheap contracts and cost certainty (players who are not in the last year of their contract), and that’s the only way they will trade lottery first round picks now. That’s why Herro is probably not returning a first but also why the Heat were able to get an All-star (Powell) for nothing, because his contract is expiring this year.
That’s a good breakdown
Good analysis. Still, as many like a trade if only 1st round pick is involved, those are almost every time low 1st round picks, which rarely turns into good players.
Teams have really tightened up on picks, seems like a league wide trend. That is useful information to examine. Thanks for posting.
True
that is one stanky team
You a stank expert?
hfl knows what a stanky team looks like.ive been watching the dolphins long enough,i dont smell a stanky team at pat riley ct .i smell a stanky player with a rather large nose