First Half:
Bam got to work right away as my eyes struggled to adjust to Charlotte’s tournament court. That wasn’t a problem for the Hornets who’d asking four straight threes to spark an early 12-0 run for the Hornets. It was Jimmy who’d lead a quick comeback effort with three consecutive baskets, but still Charlotte kept things just out of reach with its hot three point shooting (the went 6-6). But with Jimmy putting up 11 points in the first quarter alone, Miami remained within striking distance. The Heat struggled to make good looks in the first, similar to last game against the Spurs – but still continued to compete with Kevin Love taking charges, Duncan playing good defense,
Miami was less effective to start the second quarter, taking tougher looks and forcing things – but the tide started to turn when Bam began to attack, and dish out quality assists while Charlotte’s shooting stalled. With Bam feasting, and Duncan getting hot Miami put together a 10-0 lead to take the lead albeit briefly.
While Jaime wasn’t as much as an offensive threat compared to previous games, watching this rookie off-ball is a treat. The way he hunts rebounds is relentless, and he’s constantly in motion. He’s going to be very good.
Highsmith bounced back from his disappointing outing last game, producing great offense and scoring 12 points in the 2nd quarter to put Miami ahead. With Jimmy hitting a near half court bank shot to end the half Miami was firmly in control to start the second half.
Second Half:
Bam continued to score well to start the second, but so did Charlotte as they attempted to chip away at the small lead. Bam was a monster as he feasted on Charlotte’s porous defense, slashing, pulling up in the midrange and bodying his way into the key for easy buckets. With his aggressiveness Miami got ahead by 10.
One of the most fun parts of this team is the veteran presence. With Championship talent littered through the roster, there is excellent playmaking. At one point in the third quarter, Kyle passed to KLove who set up a look to a Jaime alley-oop. This is incredibly difficult to execute on the fly and they make it look so easy – poetry in motion.
The Hornets didn’t go easy, chipping away and making big shots periodically. But with Jimmy getting to the line with ease and JRich making his looks Miami was able to maintain a comfortable lead headed into the dreaded fourth quarter.
Because this is the Miami Heat we’re talking about, our boys from South Florida found themselves in a four point clutch game almost immediately in the fourth quarter. Luckily Duncan and Jaquez Jr. were both balling allowing the Heat to maintain its lead. However any sort of ease dissipated once again around the 8:00 mark, with Charlotte once again cutting the lead to five.
With some outstanding defense by Highsmith and Bam, some big shots by Bam, Duncan and Jaime and Jimmy coming through in the clutch with a dagger for a 32 point game Miami was able to hold on for its sixth straight win. They also advance to 2-0 in the In-Season tournament standings.
***
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Per ESPN:
9. Miami Heat
2023-24 record: 7-4
Bam Adebayo had 21 points and 11 rebounds in Tuesday’s win against the Charlotte Hornets, the fifth consecutive game he’s had a 20-point, 10-rebound performance and the longest such streak of his career. Miami, decimated by injuries early this season, has already started 11 different players and will need to lean even more on Adebayo’s consistency as they navigate an up-and-down start.
VERY INTERESTING ARTICLE ON REASONS FOR MIAMI’S RECENT SUCCESS.
GO HEAT!!!
https://allucanheat.com/posts/3-stats-that-explain-miami-heat-win-streak?utm_campaign=FanSided+Daily&utm_source=FanSided+Daily&utm_medium=email&sc=e0273490fd355e2c28bdb25751d41af65a4dd80936ff00a80be9866c97887955
“Tyler…was averaging a team-high 2 steals per contest…” Improved defense. Also even if Heat opponents are shooting better 3s, Heat keeps winning. Good stats eh? Thanks for this link bro. Go Heat!
What I like about this team.
Bam’s versatility took an exponential upward growth in these last few games.
Herro (always in my mind praying for your recovery) has improved his defense and added much more to his game (finding open guys and not hesitant going down lane).
Jimmy though less animated, makes one wander if he is disappointed that no great moves were made during the off season. He still comes through when it counts.
Duncan, is less foul prone. Hopefully, the refs will soon stop picking on him. He has been taking his defenders down in many other ways.
Lowry brings a calming efficient presence to the team. An underestimated hustler in defense.
Love, the consummate savvy veteran and professional. Teaching the younger ones how to put your imprint on a game, no matter how few your minutes are. He is willingly sacrificing his body to take charges, throws those quarterback-sque long passes, knocks down 3s.
Highsmith, showcasing why I always believe he had been kept in the shadows far too long.
Jaime, proving to all that he is a “veteran” in a rookies body.
JRich showing occasional flashes why he was once the Heat’s best two way player. Not many may remember that once the offense was run through him before he got traded from the Heat.
Dru Smith, an aspiring young PG who has qualities the coaches trust.
Martin who is quietly recuperating in the sidelines. His calmness on the sideline belies the fearless frontline fighter that he is.
Cain, Swider, Hamilton, Orlando patiently or impatiently staying in the shadows with so much hunger for that opportunity to be counted in.
And of course, the coaches whose strategy for the season is steadily unfolding with wins over the competition.
Wishing you all an injury free season.
I have and will continually believe in this present roster. We are yet to see this team come to its full potential. I will say it again, though many will differ. THE HEAT IS NOT JUST OK, THIS TEAM IS FINE.
Go Heat, Go!
Nice write up on each player.
Thanks!
I agree. Nice assessment. Is your planet connected to Vulcan? Very logical and reasonable.
Live long and prosper.
…and Go Heat!
Jovic?
G League for “seasoning”
Sorry.I knew I forgot someone but could not tell who.Thanks for the reminder.
Jovic– is a gentle mind in the waiting.
Haha, a solid take by Ira on questions on the mind of certain people:
”Tyler Herro goes down and the Heat make it to the NBA Finals. Tyler goes down again and the Heat rattle off six in a row. Coincidence? Can less be more? They seem to play smoother, calmer without him. “
and…
and…. “Tyler Herro’s absences in the playoffs last year and during this current winning streak show that he is just a bad offensive fit with Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo. Shouldn’t the Heat try to trade him for a quality point guard and power forward who would fit in better”
and…
“I am a Tyler Herro fan, but it is hard to ignore our current winning streak with him out. I think we are a better team with him because of his ability to score. He was very successful as a sixth man. Upon his return from injury, do you see any chance of him resuming that role for the good of the team?
“A: I grouped these together because I have received several on the topic and these offer three of the perspectives. So, first, stop it. To say the Heat are better without Tyler Herro would be to say the Heat were better without Jimmy Butler when they won Saturday in Atlanta or without Kyle Lowry on Sunday in San Antonio. Also, since Tyler was lost, the Heat beat a Hawks team that just returned from Mexico City, a Spurs team that is at the bottom of the league in both offense and defense, and a Hornets team lacking six rotation players. And in each case, the victory hardly was resounding or overwhelming. Tyler Herro is one of the few Heat players, if not the only Heat player, who can create his own shot. You need that. It would have made all of those four quarters less stressful. Now, as for the notion of the Heat possibly being better with Tyler as a reserve, I do see positives, since it could either get more defense (Caleb Martin, Josh Richardson) or shooting (Duncan Robinson) in the first five and then provide a point of attack in the second group with Tyler. But the reality is that Erik Spoelstra largely had been playing Tyler as the quarterback of the second unit, anyway.”
Interestingly, same thought went through my mind. Is Tyler Herro a ball hugger is a question that came up in my mind? As the team “apparently” plays better when he is injured, conversely, it can be rationalized that the truth hits home harder to everyone that the team is short and every one has to chip in their best.When Tyler comes back, the team has to keep moving the ball around and trusting everyone to be capable of hitting shots.Perhaps, it is subtle and unnoticed, players should stop deferring to Tyler to be the one to hit the shot.That is the conclusion I came to.This is a mental issue everyone has to come to a full realization.
And when I say “everyone” this includes the coaches. This should be an eye opener and maybe play him less as the team’s quarterback and trust everyone else to move the ball around and make shots.
Good analysis about Herro’s effect on the team. I do think the narrative that the team is better without Herro is a false assumption based on results that other things factored into more. But, maybe he is best used as a sixth man of the year. Truth is, all our players are helpful when used correctly. And we are still figuring out what that is. The biggest problem often is playing a player as a starter who is better off coming off the bench.
Right. To suggest the Heat is ‘better’ without Herro is ludicrous! Now, if the idea is to use him in the best way that maximizes his efficiency and talent, that’s fine.
ty scores alot but takes lots shots .hogs ball at time.plays crappy d.for me he is expendable for a good pg(t rozier).got enough 6 4 – 6 7 guys need a pg desperately.
Glad you’re not the gm. And while I don’t always agree with Ira, I take his opinion over yours 7 days every week, lol!
True.
Before all is said and done, the Heat are going to need all hands on deck. Spo has a very deep group of players at his disposal. Like a Swiss Army Knife, Miami has tools for all occasions. See Depth Chart below:
PG: Lowry, Smith, JRich, Hampton
SG: Herro, Duncan, Swider
SF: Butler, Jaquez, Martin, Cain
PF: Highsmith, Love, Jovic,
C: Bam, Bryant, ORobinson
What is very clear is that Miami needs a starting two-way PG who can match Lowry’s defensive intensity and have a ppg average of at least 10-15 ppg, or more. Lowry is currently 4th in minutes per game (29.5) but 9th in points per game (7.2). The 10th highest scorer, Nikola Jovic, is averaging 6.5 ppg in only 14.0 minutes per game. JRich (8th highest scorer just above Lowry) is averaging 7.4 ppg in 24.9 mpg and Dru Smith is averaging 5.6 ppg in 18.1 mpg.
Hopefully, JRich, Dru Smith or RJ Hampton can step up to fill the PG starter void. Otherwise, looking at the depth chart above, Miami appears to have an excess of guards and forwards, plus draft picks available, that may be used to trade for a PG before the trade deadline. It will be interesting to see how the season develops.
GO HEAT!!!
Smith is starting to remind me of Vincent. Pesky defender, hard worker, and seems to be improving in his shooting.
I’m with Tyler. And with you RC hehe. FYI Heat already won back to back before he went down vs Mem. Its the system that the Heat has that when one or two or three guys are out, others step in and rise to the challenge. We’ve all seen it. The league and every fandom has witnessed it. Just look at the Suns, Grizz, Clipps, also Milw, and Nets seasons ago, if their star or stars are unavailable they suck. Lots of fans are just wanting “perfection”. You know…that the starting 5 should be all two-way players. That’s crazy! They don’t say it but its very well obvious in their posts, comments. So I just give them a lol…LOL!
Right now, the Heat and Dolphins are similar. They’re playing very well, have some really good players, but, as others have pointed out, we need to be competitive against the tier one teams. We don’t need to beat them all, but we need to go toe to toe with them for 48 minutes and not have inexplicable breakdowns in the 4th quarter.
When was the last time Bam got a lob dunk that wasn’t from Duncan?
Very impressive win for the Heat. All the secondary players doing well. And Jimmy back to being the star that he is. And now, he has another star with him as Bam has ascended from being an A player to the lofty A+ status of the very few best players. That ascension in his play, and the stifling defense, are taking this team of two stars, a few grizzled vets, some rookies, some G leaguers, and some outstanding play by Duncan, on a nice win streak.
But, next up is a measuring stick game. If we are really going as well as we seem to be, we should be able to beat the Nets. They have our number lately, and that has to end as the good teams usually beat them.
The best out of this game is, that Butler seems to start the season. all the rest were good, everybody contributed. This team can do the job, but I m curious, what would be the result playing with elite teams.
Everybody played well, but I have been very much impressed with Kevin Love. This is a distinguished veteran but yet humble and willing to accept any role he is asked to play. I hope the younger players are learning
The Heat are rolling. This team looks awesome. They shot poorly and the other team shot well and the Heat still controlled this game for the last three quarters.
They do need a proper point guard. Lowry has looked good but he’s unreliable. Herro has looked great but he’s a shooting guard. J-Rich ain’t it. They have reliable scorers (Butler, Bam, Herro, Duncan) but they need a steady hand to distribute the ball to the right player at the right time when Lowry isn’t in the game.
and oh yeah, the in-season tournament is fun. The wacky court reminds you it’s a tournament game. Checking the tournament standings after the game is fun. The later it goes, the more it will matter if you’re still in it. I’m a fan. Heat are 2-0 and first place in their bracket. Let’s hang the first in-season banner in the league!
when was the last time they went on a 6 game win streak? hoping this keeps up even vs top tier teams. Heat rising!
Probably 2 seasons ago if I’m being honest.
6 game win streak! 21 more to go before the tie the Heatles win streak.
13 more to go before the tie the improbable Dragic-Waiters 7-11 team with their 19-game win stream.
Udonis is gone, so there is nobody left from the Heatles. But J-Rich was on the 7-11 Heat! If this goes past 10 games, I’m going to start giving him credit.
I double checked, and the 7-11 team only won 13 in a row. So one more win and the Heat are halfway there!
Portland punching the air right now, seeing Jaime tear the league up while their prize acquisition, ayton is struggling…just saying
And bucks are facepalming themselves for giving up someone that made them a top defensive team in the league.
they would’ve wasted his talent probably not using him the right way.
HiMay is my favorite player on the Heat this season. Can we start calling him “The Hawk”? Because his name is Hi May and he looks kinda like a hawk? Too cheesy, or just right?
I thought Portland is planning for 2034 NBA finals (maybe why Dame did not want any of it) not 2024 NBA finals,….. just saying.
Good point
Thank you Spo and Heat players. A very encouraging win. Please no more trade talks. Everyone seems committed to play to win. Go Heat, Go!
Once again, I will repeat myself. I am so happy we didn’t give up our young players and draft picks for Lillard. Right now, 13 of the 17 players on this roster are under 30 years old. I think that’s a good thing especially when you can still remain competitive. As you develop those players, it gives you an opportunity to part with a couple of them to bring in that A or A+ player down the road.
Pleased with the roster.
And Dame has had several very poor shooting games and missed some too. I believe he went 3-17 the other night.
I won’t count on Dame continually shooting poorly To do so is a mistake by any competitor. Though the trade never happened, I am still a fan
Dame would not have fit on this team. He is the worst defensive player in the NBA! He’s an even worse defender than Trae Young…and that is saying a lot!!! The Bucks gave up an all-NBA defender (Jrue Holiday) to get Dame and allowed their number one opponent (Boston) to get Holiday. What fools. https://www.statmuse.com/nba/ask?q=2022-23+nba+team+defensive+rating+rankings+pg