Once again, the Miami Heat see themselves reeling, this time with 10 games left in the season.
In an airtight middle of the Eastern Conference, Miami is following a season-long seven-game win streak with a five-game losing streak, tying a season-long, highlighted by the team’s 25-point loss to the San Antonio Spurs Monday.
In addition to San Antonio, the Heat’s five-game losing streak has come against the Orlando Magic (by four points), Charlotte Hornets (by 30), Los Angeles Lakers (by eight) and the Houston Rockets (by one … after an Amen Thompson game-winner).
And frustrations are boiling over.
In the middle of Monday’s loss, head coach Erik Spoelstra and star big Bam Adebayo were seen going back-and-forth on the sideline after Spoelstra subbed Adebayo, who played 29 of the game’s 36 minutes through the first three quarters, out.
Adebayo explained the confrontation after the game.
“Some of that is he’s got to protect me from myself,” he said. “But also, I don’t want to be in the f–king play-in. So every game, I’m gonna go out there and do the best I can to carry this team and force our way out of it.”
Me too, Bam.
He scored 18 points with three rebounds and four assists on 5-of-17 shooting against Victor Wembanyama and San Antonio. The Spurs’ 7-foot-5 behemoth completely changed the trajectory — figuratively and literally — of the game in just 26 minutes, scoring 26 points with 15 rebounds and five blocks.
“I love that about Bam. He and I were barking at each other. That’s why I love him, I think he loves me,” Spoelstra said, smirking. “But even if he doesn’t, I had to do what’s best for the team, I don’t want to just play him 24 straight minutes every half. If I’m forced to do it, I’ll do it. But this was the first half and I didn’t think that was necessary.”
The Heat hit the road for three-straight games, beginning with two against the Cleveland Cavaliers. The first will be Wednesday at 7:30 p.m. EST.
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- Bam Adebayo receives one vote for coveted award
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I know the Heat never tank. But I think they should consider a rebuild.
This offseason, they should trade Herro, Jaquez, Ware, Wiggins, and anyone else not named Bam that might bring back future first round picks. Aquire as many future firsts as you can. Hold on to Bam, and compete your heart out for another play-in birth, so you’re technically not fully ‘tanking’.
But then, next time a star becomes available, the Heat have the ammunition to make a big trade, by including multiple first round picks from multiple teams. Or they can hold on to those picks and they’re still a play-in team, but at least then they’ll have potentially good future first round picks
I don’t see much chance they will trade Jaquez, and if they trade Ware, it should be for a solid player or top 15 pick. The Heat has no leverage with Wiggins with his player option. We are all free to suggest any scenario that we would like to see, but some have little chance of ever happening.
I think Riley and Spo are putting way too much responsibility on Bam. He is not a #1 option on offense, probably not even #2. He is the leader on defense. He can’t do it all. Either get him a ss Pat or trade him to a team that is serious about winning a championship.
The problem with Arison & Riley is they have champagne tastes on a beer budget.
There 3 options for owners of mediocre teams:
1) Spend the bucks needed to go for the gold.
2) Have a fire sale and acquire all the draft picks and young players with potential possible
3) Stay on the same course and continue to deceive the fans into believing a trade for a ss that will elevate the team to elite status is in the works.
Its time for Miami to pursue a direction other than option #3. Its gotten old.
watching dejonte murray hes done sun has jimmy butler legs
Kyrie Irving or Ja Morant?
anthony davis.chris middleton pat riley father time undefeated.
Kyrie definitely
Both of them should be yelling at Pat and Andy for building such a soft ahh team
gardner pelle dav are our 3 roughriders.rest of team very soft
Jaquez and Jako are not physically intimidated.
Correct. Keshad too. And Bam. Dru also.
Miami has 99 problems but Chutzpah ain’t one.
comparing bam to wemby is like comparing my posts to sunmans
Thangya vera mush heat. All opinions are valid here. I do agree with Ragu that Pat and Andy broke this team. They are responsible for fixing it. You can only fool the fans so long before they turn on you and start boycotting games.
I stopped following the Phoenix Suns over 10 years ago because of the same problem, a management that had no spine and no clue. It’s remarkable how quickly a team can turn around with good management. Maybe its time for Andy to sell and Pat to retire so a new and improved Miami Heat era can rise from the ashes.
jimmy johnson always said two most imnportant positions are qb and gm.the good teams always seem to come up with ss spurs lakers celts and until recently the heat.pats not good at his job anymore.we need a ray of sunmanshine on our org.i nominate the hardest working guy i know u
Thanks heat. I’ve always felt the PG is the most important position in basketball. He’s the team’s leader (QB) on offense. I followed the Lakers during the Showtime/Magic era and the Suns during Nash’s heyday. There is nothing more exciting and entertaining in basketball than watching an elite playmaking PG in operation. An elite PG can make everyone of his teammates better. A player like Bam would be the leader (QB) on defense. The coach should be judged on how well he develops the team. The management should be judged on the quality of the players they give the coach to develop.
If Riley can bring in an elite PG over the summer, plus front court help for Bam, the Heat could have a whole new look by next season. Before the end of this season, He also needs to decide in what direction he wants to go and what he is going to do with several players, including: Wiggins, Powell, Herro, Fontecchio, Jovic and Johnson.
agree watching dav get 4 pts a game getting old.hes a perfect backup pg is like qb in football has the ball alot.dont see anyway pry a jalen brunson type nba guard like the cheating nyk did so id be looking at the draft,i dont watch lots college hoops but hopefully we can get high enough in the draft to get a good one.i really thought when we got terry he would fit the bill.
From the Herald confirming what some of us believe:
The Heat has allowed 120 points in five consecutive games for the first time in its history and seems helpless to stop teams with a clear talent advantage. “That’s the most disappointing thing right now,” coach Erik Spoelstra said.
During this five-game skid, the Heat is allowing 126 points per 100 possessions; that 126 defensive rating is fourth worst in the league, ahead of only three tanking teams (Pacers, Wizards, Bucks) and a shocking number for an organization that prides itself on defense. For the season, Miami’s 112.3 defensive rating is sixth best in the league.
The Heat has had its full roster, aside from Terry Rozier, only six times this season, including Monday, but is just 3-3 in those games. Barring new injuries on Miami’s roster, the most significant injuries that will factor into the Heat’s seeding involve three players on other teams: Wagner, Embiid, and Maxey.
Miami stands at a disadvantage among these desperate six teams (Charlotte, Orlando, Sixers, Toronto, and Hawks as the other 5), having clinched the tiebreaker only against Charlotte.
I mean I get they’ve had their share of injuries, but let’s not act like they were missing prime LeBron or MJ.
They were missing role players, because essentially this is a roster full of role players. Role players on rookie contracts, role players on $30m a year deals, role players on 2 way contacts.
The reason we don’t seem to miss a beat when guys are out, is because it’s often a role player replacing a role player.
I love Bam, but Bam’s closer to the ultimate role player than he is to Super Stardom.
He’s kind of similar in my eyes to Chris Bosh. Good enough to carry a bad team to mediocre, but if on a super team, would settle into the 3 role with ease.
I guess I interpreted it differently. I thought it was inferring that even when fully healthy, they are at .500. Of course, it’s the smallest of sample sizes. If they had been healthier, they could have meshed better, but I still don’t think they could have been a threat in the east. I didn’t feel that way at the start of this season, and my opinion hasn’t changed. I also said they are better than last season and I stand by that. I actually forgot they were 37-45 last season.
the east is weaker this year dont see tatum being a ss this year gonna take him til next year,no haliburton.no embid.maybe no cade.harden in playoffs we know how that goes.knicks might get in if cades out.but none of these teams are strong enough to take down okc spurs denver maybe minn.next year with jt back and hali back we better get a ss to have shot to get out of east
bam and bosh good comparison quality wise.until recently bosh was the superior offensive player but lately bams offensive game at a diff level than previous 6 years.ive said for years if bam is your first or second best player im not meeting rc and 30 on bisc blvd in july
“The reason we don’t seem to miss a beat when guys are out, is because it’s often a role player replacing a role player.“
Fire statement and couldn’t have been said any better and tbh that’s Mia whole team just a bunch of role players/Jags. It’s what happens when you’re constantly picking in late lottery teens and twenties and picking the wrong players at that. I’d rather they swing and miss picking top 10
In the draft compared to what they’ve been doing.
love the Bam/Bosh comparison. Two of my favorite Heat players ever. And if they’re your third best player, you’re winning a championship. If they’re your second best player, you’re a playoff team. But if they’re your best player, you’re tenth.
preach
sit mr no d.norm pelle gardner better options yes even the gardner.d wins champs hardens traes lemelos of the world dont win jack
Sorry, I believe in reality. They are not going to stop playing Herro. And Powell is not much better defensively.
In the delusion of it all…I’m thinking with the 20-25 lbs Jovic gained…they thought he could’ve been a backup. Heat have some good young youthful players but so does everyone else. Still can’t see Giannis coming here to a stripped down roster from making the trade so similar to what Bucks were this season.
This season is on Riley. He chose not to turn left or right before the all star break. Instead he chose to do what he has been doing for the past few seasons (nothing) expecting different results. He’s been blowing smoke up everyone’s @$$ expecting different results…and he’s all out of smoke. Time for big changes in Mudville, starting at the top.
what road jaime highway?this is a family owned biz pat retires when he wants to.spo retires when he wants to.fans suffer when we want to
If this was a gap season, there should be major changes coming this summer. The fans will stop paying good money to an organization that continues to take them for granted.
And as we’ve written previously, if that was the case, they should have made moves before the trade deadline to add assets or a young player. For example, Atlanta got Kuminga for a player with a constant history of injuries.
they also took jimmy.atl gonna be better than us next year unless we add
Include Charlotte and Washington (when healthy) also.
ad trae thats a train wreck waiting to happen.injuries and ball hog ill pass on that.
miami is a front runner town when the canes were mediocre place was half filled unless playing fsu or notre dame.same with marlins..no real history going back generations like boston ny chi phily
Again, why are we in this situation? Why the f**k didn’t they get him a proper back up? Even if Ware had developed better, we would have still needed another big.
how riley did not get a big backup is mind blowing worse than paying shnozic.oh wait i take that back
Riley asleep at the wheel or at his desk. That seems to be quite common among 80 year olds.