First Half:
Miami struggled to get it going to start this one, going scoreless for the first two minutes and missing its first 6 shots. It was Andrew Wiggins who would get Miami on the board, but they appeared out of sorts, turning the ball over and playing porous defense on the other end. Cleveland went ahead by eight early and showed no signs of slowing down.
With the Heat shooting 2-12 from the field, 1-6 from three-point range, Coach Spo called a timeout to reset the group. He’d insert Jaquez Jr. shortly after to spark momentum, and it worked with Jaquez getting involved and Larsson and Powell getting some tough buckets to cut the lead to two. Suddenly, the Heat were on a 9-1 run, and things looked very different from the slow start.
The Heat offense continued to surge with Fontecchio tying up the game. Cleveland wouldn’t go quietly, with Donovan Mitchell and the Cavs responding. The Cavs and Heat would go back and forth to end the first, but it was Cleveland who’d take a five-point lead into the second quarter.
Fontecchio continued to be a force for Miami, going 3/5 from three for 11 points in only six minutes played. There are so many players on this Heat team who can contribute; they truly play team basketball. Jaquez Jr. and the Heat generated another 8-0 run to take its first lead of the game. I know it’s been talked to death already, but Jaquez Jr.’s improvement can’t be overstated. He looks like a completely different player.
Even with the Heat playing well, Cleveland did not go away, stealing back the lead and going up six. The Heat sorely missed Bam Adebayo’s defensive presence, with Ware struggling to guard Allen. Still, he made up for his defensive shortcomings with some good offensive plays and a ton of rebounds to help the Heat take back the lead with just over three minutes left in the half.
It was Powell, Larsson, Ware, Wiggins, and Mitchell who’d help Miami seize control on a 20-2 run and keep Cleveland scoreless for over three minutes to take a nine-point lead into the second half.
Second Half:
Miami continued where they left off with Davion Mitchell leading the charge to start the second half. Powell continued to be such a source of stability with the Heat getting his points total to 23 with more than 7 minutes remaining in the third quarter. The key factor for the Heat tonight? Rebounds, Ware and the gang crashed the glass extremely well, keeping Cleveland from second-chance opportunities. Andrew Wiggins came alive in the third quarter, helping Miami withstand Cleveland’s push back to give the Heat an 11-point lead.
Donovan Mitchell and Dean Wade kept Cleveland in striking distance as they trimmed the lead to just six. There was drama towards the end of the quarter with Kenny Atkinson getting ejected after arguing with the Refs. Despite Cleveland pushing back, Miami was able to retain a nine-point lead headed into the fourth and final quarter in what had turned into a slow, foul-ridden game.
Sam Merril tied the game for Cleveland with four straight three-pointers, leaving the Heat in a precarious situation. Donovan Mitchell took back the lead for Cleveland with free throws, cementing a 14-2 run for the Cavs. With its back against the wall, Jovic, Larsson, Powell, and Ware all stepped up with some key plays. Powell was absolutely clutch down the stretch, hitting a huge shot and firing up the Kaseya center.
Even with the Heat delivering some highlight-level moments, Cleveland continued to press, keeping things tied with just over three minutes to go. Cleveland would get ahead, but shortly after, Powell would get to the line to help take a one-point lead with just over two minutes to go. A botched possession, Evan Mobley’s putback dunk made things difficult, but Jaime Jaquez Jr.’s impressive finishing ability got him to the line seconds later for an And-1 to go up two.
Hunter tied things up, but a euro step by Norman Powell put the Heat up again with just over 40 seconds remaining. But a three by Mobley put Cleveland up one with 20 seconds left. Powell would try again, but turn the ball over, forcing the Heat to foul and putting Cleveland up two, and giving the Heat a shot to win. Instead of a three, Jaquez Jr. would drive and spin to hit a beautiful shot to send the game to overtime.
Overtime
Jaquez Jr. would go back to the free-throw line to start OT, putting Miami up two. Cleveland would make a push, and some poorly timed fouls had things in flux, but another Ware rebound and follow-up kept the Heat lead alive. A botched possession by Mitchell gave Cleveland another chance to tie things up, but Evan Mobley missed a free throw on an And-1 chance, keeping the Heat ahead one with 1:49 remaining.
Davion Mitchell would come up huge with a layup to get the Heat up three, but Hunter would hit a shot seconds later, keeping the Heat only up one point. It was Jaquez again who’d score again to keep the Heat up three. Some excellent Heat defense kept Cleveland from tying things up, but they’d call a timeout with 8 seconds left to organize themselves and get one more look.
Powell would foul Hunter to keep them from tying things up and send him to the line. Up one point, the Heat would try and kill the clock, but Tyson would accidentally foul Powell, and he’d unfortunately miss his first of the game. Powell would go back to the line again with 6 seconds left, but sink both this time.
Sam Merril missed a three to tie the game, but a rebound by Donovan Mitchell gave Cleveland another chance. He’d hit the tough three, and it looked like the game would go to double overtime. Coach Spo would call a timeout and draw up a last-chance inbounds play. With 0.4 seconds remaining, Jovic found Wiggins for an inbounds alley-oop lob to win the game.
A spectacular win for a Heat team who never say die.
***
To check out our other content, click here.
Follow Hot Hot Hoops on Twitter/X here!
Follow Hot Hot Hoops on Instagram here!
Check out Hot Hot Hoops on Facebook here!
Subscribe to our YouTube channel here!
- Heat will have 13th best lottery odds ahead of 2026 NBA Draft
- How this Heat rookie ‘surprised’ many in organization
- Why this two-man combination was ‘challenging’ for Heat
- How the Miami Heat can move up to 12th in lottery race
- Norman Powell noncommittal on future with Heat
- Pelle Larsson reveals areas he wants to improve entering third season
- The 2026 offseason has arrived — now what?
wow no donovan mobley garland tomorrow .whatsa matter cavs u scared we’d prob beat u with those guys .we remember what u did to us last year.revenge is a btch
Only Game 12 and Mobley and Mitchell are both out for rest? WTF?
Their ego got bruised 😜
Maybe they’re afraid of Jaquez running over, under, around and through them some more.
that mob mitch combo top 5 combo in association.mob super impressive hes the new bosh with a little more athleticism impressive player
The Cleveland cowards to scared lol
maria taylors excellent at everything ditto tirico.i like our guy mr reid hes a heat lifer like yours truly.sunmans a converted suns fan im all heat all day from day 1
They say converts are the worst.
i miss wade on tv he was very good they have melo on nbc hes meh vince carters good
sixers w/o embid are similar to us w/o jimmy
More like warriors without steph.
they run and gun more sixers.embid slowed them down
these nbc games look rigged theyve been all close trying to sell the nba on natl tv
Per NBC Sports Heat #10 in NBA Power Rankings (76ers and Warriors out)
https://www.msn.com/en-us/sports/nba/2025-26-nba-power-rankings-rockets-pistons-heat-in-top-10-while-the-76ers-and-warriors-are-out/ar-AA1Qfq9s?ocid=BingNewsSerp
stephs been out 4 games sun
Bam played 8 minutes against Denver and hasn’t played last 3 games. Herro has been out all 11 games this year. So there’s that. Btw, GSW are getting their butts kicked again by 20 today. They’ll drop to 6-6. Your buddy has 12 points, 3 rebounds and 2 assists.
bam and herro together are not steph sorry sun.ware bam same level.jjj powell both better all round players than herro
Steph played tonight.
okc is in a league of their own,believe there playing w/o that williams kid.something like 10 1
steph prob top 10 player all time.bam maybe top 500 all time herro top 1000
u didnt mention who the warriors were playing.i hate jimmy what he did we thought he was injured fkn guy wasnt trying .once stephs done which is coming soon that team is done
You didn’t mention that Steph played.
I believe we started the season ranked in the mid 20s.
I remember them at about 20-21. ESPN Preseason Championship odds were 125-1 to win the NBA Championship, 40-1 to win the Eastern Conference Championship and 12-1 to win the Southeast Division. They were projected to win 38.5 games.
alaska emily had them at 3
She just forgot to mention it.
Aldridge had them at 23 in his preseason rankings. I remember thinking, “I don’t believe that there are 22 teams better than us.” I figured us possibly 6th best in the east and maybe there were 8-10 in the west that were better. I remember that 38.5 projection and wanted to put some real money on the over. Didn’t do it, too late now.
still need about 32 more alot can happen rc gamblings bad never gambled one cent.det ind phil nyk milw orl atl cleve bost all could beat us any night and vice versa .can jjj keep this up for 82?can wiggy keep this up for 82.will ty help or hurt?will we get another big not 305 hes only 6 ft..lots season left still.if this team is playing like this 30-35 games in and is like around 20 12 we’ll have a better idea than just after 9 games
I don’t gamble much either. Only time I go to Hard Rock is for a concert and a meal prior to the show. But I would put money on that 38.5.
I said before the season we should know what kind of team we have after game #23 on December 5th. Those first 23 games are hell. If 11-10 or better they should be a playoff (top 6) team. If under .500 then a play-in or lottery team. 15-8 and 14-9 wasn’t on my bingo card. I had no idea they would start out this way. Anyone who says they knew it is lying.
its a good and somewhat unexpected start based on how last year ended.we’re only 9 games in .nba is a marathon hopefully jjj and norm will be playing at this level in march.the rest of team is kind of playing like i thought they would.still need a valachunas type bruiser to bang with joker hartenshtein adams and just be a physical presence(the great european wall)
11
So you think Heat need another Whiteside? Hmm, you may be right.
i say we might have one free goldin if not need a space eater for joker .if we were to meet denver in finals w/o a space heater we would lose.whats josef nurkic up to these days
Yes, I mentioned him a couple of days ago. The good news is he is playing on a Utah team that is tanking again. The bad news is he’s making $19+m, a salary that we can’t absorb. Maybe they’ll buy him out at some point. 6’11”, 290 pounds.
I wonder if Utah would take Rozier for Nurkic with the understanding if NBA rules this season’s salary is refundable to them if they would do it. It will help them tank it up again. Separately, if NBA determines Miami was harmed by nondisclosure, they could get reimbursed for last 2.5 seasons and/or have their draft pick returned. Sounds feasible to me.
I was going to say that it would not be allowed by the league, but I looked it up and I can’t find any specific information one way or the other.
Per HHH, Heat top 5! Haha!!
Powell is eligible to sign a three-year, $77.4 million extension right now. On Jan. 7, six months after the trade, Powell will be eligible to sign a four-year, $128.5 million extension, the same extension he was eligible to sign with the Clippers. He has already said on multiple occasions that he loves being in Miami.
Should Riley try to sign Powell now on a team friendly contract or wait until after Jan. 7 when the price and number of years will increase? $25.7M a year for 3 years sounds a lot better than $32.1M for 4. That’s less than what Rozier is/was making ($26.6M). Powell would be 35 in the final year of his new 3 year contract.
It seems like a clear decision to me.
Yes, the sooner the better.
bball players at age 35 that are still in prime few and far between.lets look at the association now lebron kd still playing at high level but oft injured.who else at 35 playing good level.bball like most sports youth young legs rule.i hope we can get 3 more really good norm years.after that prob diff player
So you’re saying a 3 year deal is a good idea?
unfort norm is 32 in bball thats almost at the end.hes the alpha leader of the team best player but in 3 years chances of him being the same player are very small.wiggys up there 2.so get a quality big asap got 3 year window i think to have a parade i wonder if im taller than rc?
I would absolutely sign him to a 3 year deal asap. When I look at him, he appears physically younger than his age and stays in good condition. If I remember correctly, Ray Allen was like that. And you were all in on giving 35 year old Butler a 2 year extension. Powell is playing better than Butler at one third the salary.
And height has little to do with anything. It’s not the size of the dog in the fight, but rather the size of the fight in the dog.
That’s right. And “quitter” was already starting to break down. Dude couldn’t run with our guys now if his life depended on it. I can’t really blame him entirely. Dude is bowlegged as a mofo.
doesnt really bend the knees.hes prob close to knee on knee no more quitter cartilige its all worn out
$55M a year doesn’t get you what it used to. Did you see his latest hair style and dress? When in Romania do as the Romanians or something like that.
And so begins. He becomes a distraction. As is his personality, he loves to draw attention to himself. I’m sure not all his teammates find it amusing. It moves focus to him and away from the team. How long before he loses his joy again?
needs to join the lebron fitness program for nba seniors.rc its called wear and tear catches up to u.the goat has sciatica now.
He:s staying out until they promise not to release Bronny.
Powell is 8 years younger than LeBron. He’ll likely be fine until at least 35 years old. You wanted to give quitter $60m a year that ended when he is 37, but not $30m to Powell that ends at 35??
DeRozan and several other players are still good at 35. I think Powell is good for 3 more years, even if he is coming off the bench by that time.
Also his game will age good because he’s a good shooter, not mention the advancement in sports science helps athletes play longer.
Exactly! He is not a high flyer. He is a methodical, shifty, savvy vet who can score from anywhere. He is the type of anchor this team needs, someone to inspire and teach the young players. He’s a team player and humble – the opposite of quitter.
before quitter quit he was a team player 100% but never humble.although i believe he is from humble tx.
I guess he hadn’t heard that quitters never win and winners never quit.
Kind of like Love with lots of gas still in the tank.
derozan not much of a driver hes pretty much couple dribbles around foul line js going in more times than not,norm drives a little more than demar still very quick which is a good sign at 32.jimmy had one of the best bball iqs ive ever seen.always trying to get best shot for his teammates.jimmy at hispeak was apoor version of lebron
Jaquez game is like quitter’s for 1/10th the price.
between quitter and jjj right now gimme jjj same with norm.maybe even wiggy.quitters got little cartilige left in those legs.bballs not nice to old legs
So, since you were among those who felt Miami got fleeced in that 11th hour trade and that Riley once again sucked, you now see the light that getting Wiggins, Mitchell, Kasparas, and, later using SLO-mo (and Love) to get Powell, was pretty brilliant maneuvering by the old man? And excuse my run on sentence.
I used to be 5′ 11.75″ but then I started shrinking. Now I’m like 5’9″ ,- 5’10” ish and still shrinking.
If it’s 77 mil. for 3 years or 128 mil. for 4 years it’s a no brainer. 4 year extension would be more risky and more expensive. 3 years seem optimal to me in regards to his age. And it is quite a good deal actually. I would sign it right now if I were Riley.
Me too Sharkey! He can anchor the team for the next 3 years while young players continue to develop.
Looks like the Heat dodged a bullet, big time, when Caleb Martin got greedy and thought he could do better than Miami’s 5 year $65M offer. After money dried up around the league, he ended up signing a 4 year $32M contract with the 76’ers. He was a major disappointment in Philly and is now an even bigger one in Dallas. The Mavs are on the hook until 2027-2028.
“Ex-Heat wing is falling apart with no signs of recoveryCaleb Martin looks washed.”
https://allucanheat.com/miami-heat-ex-wing-falling-apart-no-signs-recovery-caleb-martin?utm_campaign=FanSided+Daily&utm_source=FanSided+Daily&utm_medium=email&sc=e0273490fd355e2c28bdb25751d41af65a4dd80936ff00a80be9866c97887955
he had one good playoff series versus boston ,besides that very mediocre.was athletic could guard just his ability to put ball in basket very limited
Yup. How many players have we seen get greedy and pass up good money holding out for more then wind up getting f’d. Oladipo, Thomas, Martin, etc.
oladipo injuries derailed him .lack of ability derailed martin.isiah thomas the celts midget believe he had a really bad injury never the same.how many dudes got the big check and were never the same way many more of those type
Yup. Owners take a big risk signing these guys to mega contracts. I understand they are insured.
the og of big contracts and not producing a guy by the name of albert haynesworth.ring a bell sun?
Nope. Bowie, Bennett and a few other busts do.
Definitely dodged a bullet with that broken shot of his.
the no arch shot sort of like wiggy but his going in little more this year
Martin also has a hitch to his shot, wiggy doesn’t have a hitch on his shot.
On a completely unrelated subject, it appears the 2026 draft class may be the best ever. Miami was able to keep this pick because they didn’t tank last year. Maybe Riley will find a way to move up in the draft and possibly pick up a second round pick as well. Interesting reading if you have the time.
“There are four prospects who are in a similar prospect tier as Cooper Flagg was entering last year’s draft. All the guys in this tier have the best shot at developing into superstars.”
“All told, this draft class seems to have it all — elite talent at the top and rare depth throughout. Even if a Michael Jordan–Kobe Bryant–LeBron James-caliber player doesn’t emerge to elevate it into the company of the 1984, 1996 or 2003 classes, it would still be surprising if this group doesn’t produce multiple Hall of Famers and go down as one of the best drafts in NBA history.”
https://www.yardbarker.com/nba/articles/2026_nba_draft_class_is_stacked_with_future_stars_and_might_be_the_best_ever/s1_13132_43041552
draft already .get a good big might be parade time,
Or trade for one.
First off that was awesome win, it was like a Rollercoaster, and I hate getting on them type of rides. The passion between both teams was exhilarating, and the atmosphere was electric. That last shot donovan hit was ridiculous btw, after that Wiggy got jiggy with the game winner and I loved it .4 seconds. Furthermore kudos to spo, who is the best coach in the NBA, and has been for awhile now. He’s been through so much, and continues to adapt, and evolve along with the NBA. He’s probably the only coach or one of the select few that can revamp an offense, and build it around the players he has, and just plug and play. After being a slow plodding team with crybaby butler, now we’re running a run and gun offense with Hella ball movement. Playing like pacers from last season, but with better defense. Spo ages like fine wine, if he keeps this up he might win his first COTY award( an award he should of been won). Lastly Scott foster is the worst ref in the NBA….
I know you work the games. Were you there last night? The crowd was absolutely insane at several points.
best game in a while.looked like donovan stepped oob final shot there cant believe no review wtf
Yes I agree with you totally, also yes he did step on the line, very egregious call. Also don’t get me started on that And 1 3 ball Norman hit that they took back. It wouldn’t surprise me if Scott foster is gambling too, with silver there to sweep it under a rug.
Reminds me of the call made after several minutes had elapsed against Strus in Game 7 of the 2022 playoffs. Players and officials should be prohibited from betting on games in their particular sports. Even college players are getting caught up in it. With gambling, not everyone wins. Those who lose are vulnerable to blackmail (point shaving/game fixing) by the shady (and dangerous) characters who control gambling.
I agree its a shame all that is happening and it’s only getting worst ugh .
foster always fks us over he shouldnt do any heat games
No reason for him to be reffing for the nba on a random Monday night in Mia vs Cavs not even a prime time game absolutely part of the gambling if you ask me.
Maybe Silver is in on it. Why is he jacking the Heat around on a trade they would never have made if they had known Rozier was under investigation by the FBI? Silver knew it and Charlotte knew it yet nobody opened their mouth and Silver approved the deal. Miami got screwed out of their 2027 1st round pick and $60M+ in salary. On top of that, Silver hasn’t given Miami any cap relief this year so they can go out and get another player. I hope Riley sues the hell out of Silver/the NBA and Charlotte.
i was saying why didnt they review that.thats very fishy big..they showed on tv he clipped the line
Actually stepped out twice
I hate Scott foster
It was strange af cuz he reviewed when ware took the ball off the rim, but no review of him stepping out of bounds. There is no consistency with the calls. Nba has the worst refs out of all the sports in my opinion, football is a close second.
I feel exactly the same way. Can’t believe it wasn’t reviewed.
Yes I was the there, it was fun, and chaotic, intense, exciting, stressful, fearful, anger,joy. Crowd was definitely Insane and went through all the emotions lol.
Wow! Great to know an HHH regular was there.
Yes sir, I gotta represent, and can’t wait for the warriors Game, so we can beat them, and make Jimmy cry, and lose his joy again.
nico harrison fired deservedly so .
Finally.
might have been the worse trade in history of nba
Might? It was
how bou lew alcindor for bridgeman dave myers and some other dude
Kobe for Vlade?
Definitely was the worst, he destroyed that franchise. Luka balling out and has lost weight, while Davis is fat, and more hurt then ever.
hey sun i doubt milw would do this what about ty and bam for greek.greek weather similar to miami weather
Worth pursuing. He would give Miami another player to run & gun, attack the paint and rebound. I’m waiting to see what Riley plans to do about all the players on expiring contracts or those who are eligible for extensions or team options. It won’t be cheap.
believe to beat houst denv and okc a ss is needed.i would give up bam and ty in a heartbeat for greek and they can have a pelle fonz or niko for the greek
anyone see this coming but alaska emily.im shocked how good this team is playing.after last years celeve debacle.i didnt realize what a leader and how good norm is.and jjj after stinking up the joint last year playing all star ball.those two have raised a mediocre team to a team that can challenge in the east.going against west conf powers still need a good big man to be competitive with okc houst denver san antonio.but what a difference in this years team.cant wait to play gsw
Some of us did, in fact, have some confidence that this team would be better. You asked my prediction when we were 3-3. I said 45-37, you said 41-41. I expected this Powell and Wiggins. I expected Jaquez to be better, but he has improved beyond my wildest expectations.
And, while most are really enjoying the early success, you are again suggesting unloading 2 of the players or staff you are biased against (Herro, Bam, Jovic, Spo, Riley). It is not about whether such a trade has merit. Giannis is a very special player. But just try to chill for a moment and appreciate this unexpected start to the season. It is highly unlikely that Giannis will be traded until at least the February deadline, if at all. And I have no interest in the mash unit of Ja, Zion, or Trae. We are about 1/8 into this season. Let’s see where we stand at the 25-30 game mark. Now take a deep breath and smell the roses.
I agree RC. I would prefer to allow this core to have time to grow together as a team. If they are this good now, I can’t imagine how good they can be after a few more months of experience playing in the new offensive system and playing together. It’s remarkable how well this team has meshed in such a short period of time. I really like the players and the team’s humility. They let their play do their talking. Not a trash talker, dirty player or prima donna in the bunch.
If there is anything I think the team needs it is an additional big to rotate with Ware and Bam. A young gun who can run, play defense and rebound sounds like exactly what the doctor ordered.
In desperation, not too long ago, I and other folks were throwing out names of players who could possibly make a difference. Players like Zion, Trae and Ja. You are absolutely right though. They are a mash unit and would make the team worse, not better. The one trade that might work, while keeping costs down, would be Herro straight up for Dejounte Murray.
There will be time to look at all the team’s options before the trade deadline. In the meantime, “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.”
what do u do with ty whos mins get slashed.or do u trade him.
Oh, I posted before I read this. Yes, some tough decisions coming up.
If Herro works out well, a few players’ minutes might get cut. That would mean the Heat are doing better with than without him. If not, I think Riley can find a suitable trading partner before the deadline.
I agree and also agree with you, 30, hfl, and others about another big. The crazy thing is, with the players who are getting minutes right now, who goes to the bench if you add a big plus Bam and Herro. Tough decisions.
Maybe no one goes to the bench. Maybe Miami trades a couple of the peripheral players for a big.
I had my partner play coach/GM after the last game to show her the difficult choices Spo is facing. Who are the peripheral players? With the return of Bam and Herro, we came up with:
Herro, Powell, Pelle, Wiggins, Bam, then Jaquez, Davion, Ware, Jovic. That’s 9 deep. That leaves Simone and Dru on the outside looking in as Kaspar, Keshad, and Rozier are not in the rotation. But I LOVE what Simone and Dru are bringing right now. So who do you trade? My hope is the league jackasses are compelled to give us enough cap relief to sign a big and keep the team intact. I was frustrated 2 years ago watching quitter dog the regular season before he got hurt. And last season was worse with the chaos he caused. And the play-in 3 years in a row. This team has been the most fun to watch for some time.
GSW in town next week (Wed. 19th).
that will be a tough game if their seniors are all able to play,im sure that will be a national game.jimmy is enemy #1 down here theres not a more hated player in recent history than quitter is there.paul pierce comes to mind
Heat gonna run the old folks off the floor. Quitter gonna be breathing hard with his tongue hanging out after first quarter. Thank God Riley had enough sense not to resign his lame @$$. Like the year before, that team wouldn’t have made it out of the first round.
Win or lose this team is fun to watch. I’d like to buy in that we’re developing a winning team, but before that I just want to enjoy the scoring.
Last years and much of the Jimmy era slow down, one on one basketball appears dead. And thankfully Spo has adjusted.
Great win. Great lob. Great finish. And good job by Spo stealing the play the Pistons ran against us last year for the game winning shot,
i havent seen a positive email from u for years wow the heat must be good if zach is giving props
Since the beginning of quitter era, this is the most fun Heat basketball. During this time, Heat were good and fun only in play off.
aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa……. we wiiiiiiiiiiiiiin
first…we need to tune it down a little. i love ma’am emily’s enthusiasm but i agree with sunman, idiot’s a bit harsh coz someone’s opinion differs from others.
second…loooooong waaay to go, but doesn’t hurt to celebrate a little. what a win!! unbeaten at home! anybody here watched live?
third…some stats, interesting ones
Cavs / Heat
FG 49-120(!) / 46-98
3PT 21-65(wow!) / 12-36
FT 19-27 / 36-41(lol)
Paint pts 50 / 66 (i thought they were bigger!)
…and here’s the weird part, both had 27 fouls! or maybe that’s a typo?
just checked the sked. Heat vs Cavs 2x then NY 2x ?!
I like this new Heat team and what they are doing. I’m cautiously optimistic, because 82 games is a long season. We are only about an eighth of the way there. Also, I have this nagging caveat in my mind that I wonder how many are playing well because they enjoy it here at Miami (probably the ones without looming contract deadlines) and the ones that are upping their value by playing well. I guess I’m the pessimist here.
Damn, that had so many ups and downs it felt like we won the in-season tournament. 😛
Most people have said what needs to be said, but the one point I will bring up again is that the Heat are doing this missing All-Star players. Herro is a one-time All-Star and former 6th MOY. Powell was an All-Star last year. Bam is an All-Star. I’m not worried about integrating them. This system and team camaraderie seem to supersede any concern about fit. This team is going to end up in the hearts of Heat fans forever if they keep this up.
This sort of reminds me of the second half of the Deion Waiters/Goran Dragic season where they went 30-11 to close out the season. That was exciting basketball. This is, too.
Are you not entertained! That was, to this observer, one of the five best basketball games I’ve ever seen. There were heroes on both sides. The Cavs are tough to beat. But, it seems fair to say now, the running may and gunning fitness of the Heat style is working. Maybe the Heat are approximately five points better than they would be using last years style, which could translate to five more wins over a season of close games. A lot is going right.
But, one thing is clearly wrong too. We keep getting killed on the boards, especially giving up offensive rebounds. We need to get another big, even when Bam returns. This team deserves it. Our players have a chance to surpass all expectations. The team must not have enough confidence in Goldin to not use him with Bam out. So, we have a glaring need and I do feel confident it will be addressed. The right move will take some time but will bring even more excitement to this surprisingly upbeat start to the season.
I agree with all of this. We definitely need another mobile bigman. Is there a Kelel Ware light out there?
I think the plan has always been to resign Precious, if they go free agent route. If I recall, I think they can sign him in mid-December to avoid luxury tax. They may have wink-wink deal in place to wait it out. Or if the league gives the Heat cap relief due to shady Terry before mid-December.
I think the Terry cap relief makes them players at the buyout market.
I thought, precious, signed with the kings already.
Yes they did.
Well there goes that big lol
WHOAAAAAA!! Heat ftw!!!!
….sorry anti-climactic I’m soooo late
Still perfectly expressed.
For years, I said I wanted to see the Heat get younger (as well as skilled, of course). I admired the Celtics reboot after the KG and PP trades. More recently, it was OKC and Houston. Not counting Rozier and the 2-way players, 11 of the 13 on the Heat roster are under 30 years old. Seven of those are 25 and under. We are definitely trending in the right direction.
The youth movement is musical to my ears. Pass the Dutchie to the left hand side.
The last few games have aired at awkward times for me and I haven’t been able to catch them, but after that early Knicks win I said I’d wait until 10 games in before talking shit, and since this was game 11…
Listen, everyone who doubted this team is an idiot. I’m sorry, nobody likes to hear that, but you gotta call ’em like you see ’em. People keep disrespecting the FO, keep disrespecting Spo, and it’s not okay. Maybe these guys know a little bit about basketball. Maybe the guys we put on the court are pretty good at playing the dang game.
I swear, I went off on that rant about being better than a .500 team even when injured, and then Bam went down, and I was getting ready to eat crow because honestly I thought that was the one injury we couldn’t really tank. But guess what? Three game win streak, even without Bam or Tyler.
Think about that for a second. Imagine going back in time to the end of last season and hearing that Miami would essentially make no splashy moves in the offseason, and that both Bam and Tyler would be out, and we’d have a 3-game win streak going, on the back of the team that just swept us out of the first round in the most embarrassing fashion possible.
This team is legit. I don’t want to hear doubters anymore.
After sitting through the clusterf*** that “quitter” dropped on us last season, why wouldn’t there be doubts about this year’s team? I admit I had doubts as did RC, heat, 30, and several others for several very good reasons. Nonetheless, RC and I were optimistically predicting the Heat would be at least a .500 team.
Why did countless NBA officianados predict the Heat would win 36-39 games this season?
Who knew Jaquez would have an unbelievably resurgent season (17.5 ppg, 7.5 rpg and 5.2 apg).
Who knew the Clippers would suffer temporary insanity and trade Powell to Miami for a McDonalds value meal?
Who knew Fontecchio would seamlessly fit in the Heat rotation and have a higher ppg average than the person he replaced (Uncan) for half the price ($8,307,692 vs $16,834,692). Who knew he also plays better defense than Uncan?
Who knew Larsson and Smith would do so well as part of the rotation?
Who knew Spo was going to completely revamp the offense from the slow, methodical, boring half-court game the Heat have been playing for years to an exciting, fast paced run & gun offense?
P.S. Plenty of people had doubts about Riley and this year’s team for good reasons. It doesn’t make them idiots.
I’m sorry, people were being downright apoplectic about Miami’s chances. I’m not saying everyone should have expected a 7-4 start with multiple blowout wins like what we’ve gotten, but considering all of the extenuating circumstances from last year, even beyond Jimmy Butthurt, it really should have been clear that last year was an anomaly. I’m not saying people should trust implicitly, but show some respect. Give the team a chance to actually do something on the court before passing final judgement.
But no, if we don’t sacrifice half our roster for a chance at Durant, then the front office has gone senile. If we try to build around just Tyler and Bam, we’re hopeless. Spo is washed, we don’t have any bigs, we’re one injury away from irrelevance. Blah, blah, blah, through the whole offseason and even up to just a few days ago.
There have been enough Chicken Littles running around this place yelling about the sky falling to give Colonel Sanders an aneurysm.
And they were all wrong. So I get to gloat a bit. And you all just have to deal with it.
And Duncan Robinson has started all 11 games for the team currently leading the Eastern Conference. So he’s probably doing okay.
It seems like you are critical of everyone’s opinions but your own. We all want to see the Heat succeed. Some of us have different perspectives than others. None of us is ever always right or always wrong. That’s ok. This is still America. What we don’t need to do is self-righteously call anyone whose opinion differs from ours an idiot. Capiche?
It’s easy to second guess some of our comments in the past. I readily admit I had some biases that led me to improperly assess some of the talent level on the team. I also gave up on two players prematurely. I also was too quick to think our GM was becoming a fossil. There have been several things I have been absolutely right about, far more than the times I was incorrect. But, I am learning, evolving, getting more accurate in my observations. We all make mistakes. Hopefully we can all accept each other and enjoy the give and take of this site together. Can’t we all just get along?
great post.
Amen brother!
Kudos for mentioned Dunc.
I agree that gloating and calling people idiots is a bit over the top. I am very happy with this team. It’s still early, but they are must watch tv for this fun and exciting brand of basketball. I was amongst several here who were maligned all summer long for being optimistic and not giving up on our young talent. It was frustrating at times and I take little satisfaction that, at least to this point, our best hopes for Jaquez, Jovic, Ware, Wiggins, and Pelle are being realized, Each one of those players was unfairly denigrated for one reason or another. Simone and Jaquez have exceeded my expectations. I am beyond happy that Dru is healthy and contributing. I really did expect what we are seeing from Powell. Spo should be given credit for his solid coaching. It’s odd that so many fans and sportswriters of other teams seem to respect him more than some people here. He has done a complete 180 with the style of play. And, like you, I have consistently rejected the idea that Riley is washed up. I don’t want to call detractors names because we are all correct at times (the call for a backup center/better rebounding amongst those). I only wish people weren’t so quick to throw players and staff under the bus without giving them a fair chance.
I like you talking shit. It’s fun. But, I often wonder why you like to do it so much. And the issues you address are much more complex than your answers which you tend to see in black and white because you crave certainty. I mean, it’s still early and the results are encouraging, but you want to jump right to the team is great. I could call someone who does that a disparaging name but I won’t as I don’t get off doing that. And, btw, Sun, below your comment, already explained the complexities very well. Furthermore, we should all be exulting in our win and not trying to outsmart each other. Let’s get on the same team.
So I say…
There she goes, there she goes again…
What a game! What a win! So many players stepped up and kept the Heat in a position to win throughout the entire game and O.T. After they won, the guys looked about as happy as I’ve ever seen them…including during the “quitter” years.
Before commenting on anything else, I want to apologize to Ware for suggesting he might not be Heat Culture material. I also want to apologize for suggesting Jovic plays too soft for his size.
Ware showed what he is capable of doing if he is motivated. He knew it would be a very tough game defensively and on the boards without Bam. He also knew he would need to play his best game if Miami would have a chance of winning. Finally, he knew if he did not give everything he had and failed miserably against Cleveland’s front line, he would be taking heat from the coaches and the fans. He played one hell of a game! 20 rebounds is unbelievable, especially against Cleveland. Mobley and Allen combined only had 17 rebounds! He tried to make a difference on defense too.
I hope tonight is the first night of a new and improved Ware. I’m sure he enjoyed performing at a high level and winning such a tough and exciting game. If the light has finally gone on for him, I expect him to have an excellent season and an outstanding career!
Back to Jovic, he demonstrated what he is capable of doing offensively and on the boards against Portland. Tonight he demonstrated that he has made a commitment to play more physically and to improve his defense. His rebounding has also improved. He’s had 17 in the past two games.
I am feeling very positive vibes about both Ware and Jovic. With all the quality, hard working players on this team, I see them only getting better as the season progresses. If Herro is able to embrace the new offense and mesh with the players and excel at the run & gun offense, the Heat could be the NBA’s Bogeyman that no teams will want to meet in the playoffs.
Before the season, Miami was projected to win 36-39 games in 2025-2026. Cleveland was projected to win anywhere from the mid 50’s to low 60’s.I think the prognosticators are going to need to revive their forecasts some time soon.
P.S. Another great clutch win! Last year, it seemed as though the Heat had no clutch players, no closers. This year, it looks like we have several.
It’s gonna be a fun season!
GO HEAT!!!
Really well written comments. Ware and Jovic have been happy surprises. So have about five other guys. Things are definitely looking up.
I concur… Sunman should write for HHH. Not that anyone writing for HHH is bad. I just like what he writes here.
Thanks Swish. I try to see all sides and find solutions rather than wallow in disappointment and misery. My glass is always half full.
It was cool that Wiggins scored the first 2 and last 2 Heat points in this game.
Good observation! The last one was way more exciting!
There is unadulterated joy in Heat nation right now. Jimmy who?
This is not a trick question but who would fans rather have the “quitter” or Wiggins, Mitchell and Jakucionis?
We said the Heat made a good trade at the eleventh hour of the quitter trade deadline. Detractors said we were fleeced. That trade, including secondary ones, gave us Wiggins, Mitchell, Kaspar, and (via slo-mo) Powell. We have been endlessly preaching patience and optimism and been called delusional. Now folks have climbed on the bandwagon. Vindication is okay, but I would so much rather we not throw players under the bus before giving them a chance.
Where were these bandwagon people (who will remain nameless) during the dog days of summer and the preseason when things were looking bleak? The team starts winning and all of a sudden, people we haven’t heard from for months, start coming out of the woodwork.
Dude. We just played the Cavs. You need to specify which Mitchell you’re talking about, I was so confused for a second.
That said, right now I’d rather have Wiggins by himself over Jimmy Butthurt. Everything else we got through that trade is icing. At his peak, Jimmy was the better player, but if he wasn’t willing to play in Spo’s system, then he’s basically worthless. Wiggins is younger, and $25 million cheaper, so we’re not going to be paying him $50 million in the near future to play on Team Denture, like we’d be doing with Jimmy.
Everyone else has been great, but if it had been a straight-up Butthurt for Wiggles trade, we’d still have come out ahead.
When referring to Miami Heat players, there is only one Mitchell. I could gaf about anybody else in the NBA with the same name.
When the Heat traded “quitter” they also made other trades including one for Davion Mitchell. As far as “quitter’s” willingness to play in Spo’s system, he is too old and too slow to be effective in this year’s run & gun offense. I’m glad he’s gone.
Btw, Miami is tied for 3rd place in the East. Golden State is tied for 6th place in the West. Life is good.
I agree. It seemed entirely clear to me that the 3 players you referenced were all acquired from the Butler trade.