(Mandatory credit: Imagn Images)
Following a crushing buzzer-beating loss over the weekend, the Miami Heat are taking a four-game losing streak into another daunting task as they host the San Antonio Spurs.
Led by sophomore sensation Victor Wembanyama, the Spurs have consistently been one of the best teams in the entire league this season. They are coming into Kaseya Center owning a 53-18 overall record, winners of nine of their last 10 and the second seed in a competitive Western Conference. The Heat are 0-1 versus San Antonio this year, with an early season October 107-101 loss.
However, Miami is 4-1 against them in their last five matchups overall.
Slowing down Wembanyama and even the likes of De’Aaron Fox and the Spurs’ depth won’t be easy. Wembanyama, the reigning Rookie of the Year, is averaging 24.3 points, 11.1 rebounds, three blocks and one steal on the season to go along with 50.4% shooting. The likely primary defenders will be Bam Adebayo and Kel’el Ware in hopes of containing him.
Adebayo is coming off yet another dominant 30-20 performance, and will be getting some help back within Miami’s injury report. Both Jaime Jaquez Jr. and Andrew Wiggins have been upgraded to probable. Wiggins has missed the previous eight consecutive games with a toe injury. His 3 and D efforts have surely been missed in his absence with the Heat’s rotation.
Can Miami secure another upset statement win and snap this current skid?
Injury Report (at the time of this publishing):
San Antonio Spurs:
- Devin Vassell (hamstring) — QUESTIONABLE
- Stephon Castle (hip) — QUESTIONABLE
- Harrison Ingram (g-league) — OUT
- David Jones Garcia (g-league) — OUT
- Emanuel Miller (g-league) — OUT
Miami Heat:
- Andrew Wiggins (toe) — PROBABLE
- Jaime Jaquez Jr. (hip) — PROBABLE
- Norman Powell (calf) — QUESTIONABLE
- Vlad Goldin (g-league) — OUT
- Trevor Keels (g-league) — OUT
- Terry Rozier (not with team) — OUT
Projected Starting 5 (subject to change):
San Antonio Spurs:
- De’Aaron Fox, G
- Dylan Harper, G
- Julian Champagnie, F
- Harrison Barnes, F
- Victor Wembanyama, C
Miami Heat:
- Davion Mitchell, G
- Tyler Herro, G
- Pelle Larsson, F
- Andrew Wiggins, F
- Bam Adebayo, C
Broadcast Info:
- Tipoff: 7:00 PM EST
- TV: Peacock
- Radio: AM 560 Sports WQAM & The HEAT Radio Network (Jason Jackson)
- Spanish Radio: WAQI 710 AM & The HEAT Spanish Radio Network (José Pañeda)
Come back to Hot Hot Hoops at game time to join our GameThread and chat about the game live with other Heat fans!
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tank tank tank ill see u guys in 3 years if im still here
If the injury report is to be believed, we may be closer to full strength than we have been in a while. And it’s just in time as we are playing one of the best teams in the nba. You never know how our team will do but even against the Spurs I feel we have a chance. Going to be worth watching, that’s for sure.
NBA TEAM POWER RANKINGS #11 – #22 (heavy.com)
11.Hawks 39-32
12.Sixers 39-32.
13.Raptors 39-31.
14.Magic 38-32.
15.Hornets 37-34.
16.Suns 39-32.
17.Heat 38-33.
18.Clippers 35-36.
19.Trail Blazers 35-37.
20.Warriors33-38.
Note: Miami is the lowest ranked team in the NBA with a winning record.
ELITE TEAMS
To put things into the proper perspective, the Heat are a very, very long way from the NBA’s elite teams. For example:
#1 Thunder
Have steamrolled to 11 straight wins, and 14 out of their last 15.
#2 Spurs
Have won 10 of their last 11, and 21 of their last 23.
#3 Lakers
Have won 9 straight games, with a clear path to 13 straight wins which would also mark 16 wins in a 17-game stretch.
P.S.
#11 Hawks
Have been the hottest team in the East, at 13-2, since the all-star break.
#17 Heat
Have been 9-6 since the all-star break and have lost their last 4 straight.
were healthy now but versus spurs w/o a ss they would win 10 out of 10 games
wig jjj prob wow that gets my toes tingling .im gonna ride around town with my windows down .lets go
Sittin on the porch in my shorts drinking a beer.
u get peacock?
I get it way up on 1211.
Never better!
For those who don’t follow such things, Wemby’s brother is in this year’s draft. Projected as a mid second round pick with some tools that could be developed. 6’8”, not 7’+. Maybe he can be a good player, or maybe he will be more like Thanasis is to Giannis?
A hook for his brother?
I would give him some consideration, for a 2nd round pick. I heard he only been playing ball for 3 or 4 years, but I would take the gamble with wemby genetics.
Based on my 11 game analysis (8 are now complete), it is now 3 wins in a row or bust for me. Is that realistic? No, but one can hope.
I m still on the track on my 46:36 plan. But we need this one and one of two against Cle.
Based on the schedule, 10th place is more likely than 6th imo
True, but the other teams are getting beat also. One of the teams we are competing with plays OKC tonite.
Going to be tough. Cleveland is no slouch either.
-Heat have allowed 125.7 points per 100 possessions over last 4 games (a lot of that was the Charlotte game)
-Last 3 opponents have all shot >40% 3FG
-The Heat are 6-3 without Bam Adebayo, but their game in Charlotte without him on Tuesday was their worst loss of the season. They’ve been 11.1 points per 100 possessions better with Adebayo on the floor (plus-7.5) than they’ve been with him off the floor (minus-3.6), easily his biggest on-off differential in his nine seasons in the league.
-8 of the remaining 11 games are against teams >.500
https://www.nba.com/news/power-rankings-2025-26-week-23
Yes, I read that. Not very promising.
Silver lining in this recent 0-4 stretch is the point differential with Bam playing is just -13 in 3 games. They were close losses and in the last two it took LAL shooting +8.1% from three over their season average and HOU +9.3% to win.
This team is somewhat better than their W-L record, I don’t expect that to be shown tonight but a competitive showing against this Spurs team would be good. And if they somehow get an unlikely win it would be a huge mentality shift for this closing stretch of games
Spurs have a small chance to be #1 in West (3 games back of OKC right now) so they need these wins as much as Miami
Miami wins games with points in the paint and with fast break points, don’t see how that is possible vs Wembanyama. And on defense how does Miami contain the top 5 paint scorers – Wemby, Fox, Castle, Harper, Keldon Johnson.
Think a win would require 40 minutes from Bam and/or a great shooting game from 3. Line is only San Antonio -4.5 and that seems low. I do think Miami will be going all out this game, great test vs a title contender
(From nba.com)
Spurs are 21-2 since Feb. 1.
In the last 11 games their offensive rating is 124.7 (120 and above is elite offense)
sunmans lebron stat man michael jordan
This one is a must win.
Lets see if Ware can keep up with Wemby.
More pessimistic here because Ware on his own will lose the minutes he plays, and that is the reason he is playing few minutes or his minutes are coinciding with Bam. Matchup to watch imo is Bam vs Wemby, I also don’t think Wemby likes Bam. That matchup is an MVP (Wemby) vs All-NBA center (Bam) but I think Bam can raise his level in these games
Ware already play well against Wemby, so I m optimistic.
I remember he had a good game early in the season vs Wemby but I think his inability to guard the paint vs Fox, Castle, Harper and in OREB vs Keldon Johnson will be decisive this game. Would not be surprised if he plays limited minutes for that reason
Although if the Spurs go double big with Wemby and Kornet would force the Heat to go with Bam and Ware. I would go with any strategy to isolate Ware on defense as San Antonio
Yes, probably. Well see. Should be a good game.
Heat racing to a 5 game losing streak, after winning 7 in row?
Feels about right for the middling squad.
Maybe Wiggins, Powell and Jaquez can’t end the streak, but it won’t be easy.
Feels just like last season lost ten straight won 10 straight the definition of mediocre average middling whatever verbiage you wanna use with this team
Last year Heat was +0.6 net rating (#15/average) with the #9 defense, #21 offense
This year +3.0 (#11), with #6 defense, #13 offense
So they are a better team than last year by the numbers. With team average age 25.6 this year vs 27.5 last year
mr positive the ny knicks spy