The Miami Heat dropped their fifth-straight game Monday night inside Kaseya Center, getting demolished in a 136-111 loss to Victor Wembanyama and the San Antonio Spurs.
San Antonio’s offense was on cruise control all night. Wembanyama led the way with a game-high 26 points in 26 minutes, shooting 11-of-22 from the floor while grabbing 15 rebounds with four assists and five blocks. San Antonio shot 47.5 percent from the floor and 34.5 percent from 3-point range in the 25-point win. That may sound modest, but those two marks are superb relative to a fully healthy Miami Heat team, who shot 40 percent and 30.5 percent from beyond the arc.
The Heat couldn’t develop any sort of offensive rhythm against the now-54-win Spurs, a top-3 defense in the NBA, spearheaded by Wembanyama. They had just 30 points in the paint through three quarters, as well as just four second-chance points over that span, before both coaches emptied their benches.
Wembanyama completely walled off the rim for the Heat, essentially deterring everything that entered his path. Offensively, he was just as dominant, using every inch of his 7-foot-5 frame to his advantage against a smaller, weaker Heat.
Bam Adebayo and Tyler Herro scored 18 points apiece in the losing effort. Additionally, their struggles continued with Norman Powell and Herro together, dropping to 5-11 in games played when both are active. Powell scored a team-high 21 points on 7-of-17 shooting, including 10 points with a pair of threes in the fourth quarter.
Miami’s five-game losing streak keeps them as the No. 9 seed in the East, mirroring Orlando’s five-game skid. Oddly enough, it looks more at ease the more injured it is. With 10 games left in the season, time is running out for Miami to avoid a fourth-straight play-in. Currently at No. 9, Miami is two games back of Atlanta for the No. 6 seed in the East.
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Last 5 losses, CHA was a 30 point loss without Bam, then Spurs are simply a better team and it would take close to a perfect game (with top #3 defense, >40% 3pt shooting etc) for the Heat to win.
But three of those games were winnable (ORL, LAL, and HOU) and the point differential in those three losses was -13 total. Those teams also shot above their averages
Would start Powell going forward, I think he does better as a starter when he can get off to a fast scoring start.
Mitchell
Powell
Larsson
Wiggins
Bam
Herro
Jaquez (should win 6MOTY)
Jakucionas
Starting lineup has 4 defenders around Powell and 3 40% 3PT shooters (Mitchell on low volume, Wiggins and Powell). Then bring in Herro and Jaquez as the first two off the bench to put pressure on the opposing defense. Play Ware, Dru Smith, Gardner, Fontecchio as matchups require. Fontecchio’s 3PT shooting has been up and down (36% on the year) but he’s shooting 44% in March and he fits the offense well
Makes sense but logic is often ignored in the current environment.
capt 3 rebounds wassup bam little intimidated by vic big time player lol dav 2 pts.got a problem with our pg u just cant have that time and time again the non scoring efforts.ofa guy whos getting 25 mins herro weve given up 120 pts 5 games in a row problemo dude.play some d your an embarassment.we have to many solid players to get whipped like that.in a game when u have an opponent about 7 5 u cant put a guy 6 9 on him didnt u learn that by now.at least ware is in his stratosphere.wemby will not overpower anybody but he outheights everybody.ware is a much better matchup than bam.gardner plays little out of control but hes coming for u doesnt mind putting a lick on u like his bad ass attitude.sort of similar to pelle.those type guys need more on the floor than herro.back to sleep still think we can give anyteam in the east a battle.less herro more gard pelle and spice of kj.dumbot
Anyteam in the east?
Orlando?
yes w/o franz.get set rotation last 10 games,get use to playing together.this teams been in dissaray one injury after another.
They played the magic w/o Fran’s and still lost stop yapping
were healthy now need to stay healthy ,get some set rotations continuity.we wont be an ez out.i wouldnt play mr no d we have enough scoring need just 2 wayers.spobot would never do that hes very stubborn and robotic.
In a long time I couldn’t watch the second half. It would be just a waste of time.
So I cant really comment about the game.
Vibes are exactly the same as last season during that losing streak. But this year, its not Jimmies fault.
We got smoked and I’m not even mad about it. One or both of herro and powell gotta go tho. Top 10 draft pick here we come !
Unless we win the lottery, no. Realistically, the best we could do may be in the 12-14 range, but there are some seriously talented players in that range. In that range, players I really like are pf/c Yaxel Lendeborg and sf/pf Thomas Haugh.
Dang I forgot, but I would be happy with those 2, or even ament.
Yes! He is right there too.
We win 7, then lose 5. In these 5 losses, the opposition scored over 120 points, and over 130 in 3 of those. Tough to win like that. I can’t say I’m disappointed because the record is about what I expected. Win or lose, I remain a staunch fan and still think they’re trending in the right direction. They are better this season than last season and I believe they’ll be much better next season.
I have a tough time feeling like they are trending in the right direction. I like the path many of the young guys are taking – but one thing Erik is good at, is getting the most out of guys. So while I think Pelle and Jaquez look like legit pieces, and Kel’el has shown promise, is it real – or just the part of “Heat Culture” that’s real?
And the front office – still constantly whale hunting, in lieu of real roster building. And if the whale hunting reports are to be believed, they still don’t value draft picks.
The front office – is also still over-valuing it’s own players. Look no further than unplayable Nikola Jovic – his 4 year contract is going to be another unmovable player.
Good signs are they haven’t given Herro some $300M contract, or extended Powell, but at the same time, until those players are gone, there’s still a chance Mr. I like our roster – will fork over more money than those guys are worth.
lets judge the season when there is no more season zach,
Jovic is essentially making the non-taxpayer MLE. His contract is hardly unmovable, especially for someone who is only 22 years old. He is still developing. The contract was simply continuing the investment we made in him. He literally just turned 19 years old 2 weeks before the Heat drafted him. You don’t pull the plug on someone that young before he even reaches his prime unless you KNOW he’s a bust.
Look at the other non-max rookie extensions from the 2022 draft. Jabari Smith Jr. – 5 years, $122M. Keegan Murray – 5 years, $140M. Shaedon Sharpe – 4 years, $90M. Dyson Daniels – 4 years, $100M. Christian Braun – 5 years, $125 million. Andrew Nembhard – 3 years, $59 million. Jovic is making less than all of them and he’s the youngest of them all. Heat are paying him for his potential to be a competent starter and they locked in a rate for 4 more years.
I’ve said it before, but the $26.6M stuck on Terry Rozier is a much bigger problem for this current roster. THAT is what puts us up near the apron and stopped us from building our roster anymore (Precious? Really, ANY competent rotational big?).
Jovic will be fine. Eventually, with Wiggins, JJJ, Pelle, Jovic, Simone, etc., the Heat are going to have to move someone on the wing. Once that settles and if Jovic is still on the roster, he’ll have every opportunity to become the player the Heat see in him. Right now, there’s just a log jam and someone has to be miscast as a backup big.
It is right now. But things can change quickly. He is basically in the same position that JJJ was last year. JJJ is now a strong candidate for 6th players award.
That was JJJ’s second year and he was not physically 100% most of the season. This is Jovic’s 4th season and he has been relatively healthy but unplayable.
All true, but Niko is 2 years younger.
That is an excellent, well researched, take on the subject. I don’t know how Jovic will develop, despite these 4 non productive years. He seems particularly immature at this point when compared to other young players like Kas and the older Pelle. The same argument can be made about Ware. If he applies the physical gifts he has been blessed with, he can be one of the better centers in the league.
I agree. They both have some growing up to do.
Jovic hasn’t proven anything in the NBA though, unlike many of the players listed. Nembhard’s is one of the best contracts in the NBA and the contract value of Daniels, Braun etc are debated but not their impact.
Heat made a bet on potential and locking in a below market extension with Jovic that many thought was a big win (I did). But they would surely take it back now if they could based on how he has played this season. Not writing him off entirely but imo the contract is completely unmoveable/negative value right now.
Difference between Jaquez and Jovic is Jaquez had a lot of recurring injuries last year that affected his confidence, Jovic appeared to be healthy this year but not bought in to the team. Jaquez is a legit two way player with one big weakness, his 3PT shot. He’s a solid defender and great downhill threat on offense. He competes/plays hard in his minutes. Jovic is younger but doesn’t have any standout skills at the NBA level and at least this year doesn’t play with any intensity at all.
Also on top of that the one standout skill he did have, which was 3 point shooting has fallen off the cliff.
With due respect, I disagree with your comments regarding Jovic. Every other player you mentioned has had a far more established career and has contributed to their teams way more than Jovic. And Jovic has not shown any semblance of being fine in four years, mostly he has been virtually unplayable. You have every right to your opinion, but that’s my alternate point of view.
He has about 20 games stretch in 2023-24 with around 10 points average and good % in 20 minutes, about 25 games long similar stretch averaging 12 ppg in 24-25 and nothing this year. He didnt play much as rookie.
So basically, he was playing solid in about 45 games out of 153 games, he played.
Not good, but those mentioned as a comparison are not exactly peak of an arrow. There is still hope.
I was primarily pointing out the size of Jovic’s contract when comparing him to the others in his draft class. It’s hardly crippling, regardless of whether or not Jovic pans out. The Heat have invested in him. I’d rather the Heat have paid him a cost controlled contract instead of having let him get to free agency and potentially have to pay more to match a contract.
The crappy year he’s having AFTER the contract extension is hindsight. I agree with everyone here that he is playing like crap. Yes, he’s virtually unplayable right now, but that doesn’t mean he has to remain that way. Jacquez went through the same growing pains last year. But he has time to turn it around. You’d hope that a 22 year old who plays international ball will continue to improve his game during the offseasons. At WORST, he’s salary filler in a future trade. He’s hardly unmovable. That was my only point.
And don’t get me wrong, I’m HARDLY a Jovic fan. He’s easily the worst of our recent first round picks that we’ve kept (and even throw Pelle in there). Even given the so-called potential he showed playing for the national team this summer, I couldn’t see how he fits with our current roster makeup. He doesn’t fit as a small ball 4 next to Bam and he’s too raw offensively and defensively to play major minutes on the wing. BUT, given all that my point was that there shouldn’t be so much doom and gloom on him making $15M. That’s an average starter salary in the NBA. He’s hardly crippling the Heat given the production we’re getting elsewhere.
Think the issue is next year Jovic’s contract starts at 8-10% of the cap per year for 4 years, so does that impact any of the extension decisions the Heat make. There are about to be 5 of the top 7 players extension eligible – Herro, Powell, Wiggins, Larsson, Jaquez.
Patrick Williams is paid a slightly higher number than Jovic – $18m vs $14-16m for Jovic. His contract is considered not worth the cost to Chicago to move. Jovic actually has more money and years remaining, Jovic has 4/62 starting next year vs 3/54 for Williams. Their stats are similar this season. Point is just that Jovic would need to show a dramatic improvement next year for his extension to not be seen as negative value in a trade
Absolutely! I really do hope Jovic becomes the player he has the potential to be. The Heat could use that player. In order for that to happen, he’s going to need to get his mind and game together over the next dew months, because right now both are a mess.
id be happy if he became a 12/6/6 guy and played with aggression
The worst thing that could have happened to Jovic was playing alongside Jokic last summer. His self-confidence was sky high and his cockiness was very apparent from day 1 of training camp (especially after receiving that huge contract from Riley based on his perceived future potential and not his past production).
He came into camp with almost a sense of entitlement. He appeared to think all he had to do was show up and he would automatically be given a starting position. He was wrong. He quickly found out he would need to work for it.
Up until now, Jovic hasn’t demonstrated that he was worth an extension at all…much less one for $62.4M. Riley should have saved that money for Jaquez. Now he is going to want $20-$25M/$80-$100 for 4 years…and who can blame him?
All those players are now established starters or top notch reserves. Jovic has been around 4 years and has digressed rather than progressed. 19 year old Jakucionis has demonstrated more maturity and larger testicles than Jovic.
The problem is he sees himself as a finesse EuroBall SF without the requisite talent or skills and Miami needs him to use his God given size to be a physical PF or at least a combo SF/PF.
If he would only grow up and grow a pair, he could become a very good player. Until then, he is going to find hiself on the end of the bench moping. He has from until his new contract kicks in next season to get his shit together.