The Miami Heat fell to 3-6, including 1-2 on their West Coast road trip, after a 120-100 loss to the Golden State Warriors on the second night of a back-to-back. Stephen Curry and Co. outscored the Heat by 20 in the second half and rolled to their sixth-straight win.
Here were a few key numbers from Thursday’s loss.
35.7 – Heat’s field goal percentage in second half
Skinny: Miami’s offense was bogged down to a standstill, simply running out of gas. There were also too many ill-advised shots early in the shot clock, and too many drives at a numbers disadvantage. Miami was trying to force the issue against a very physical Warriors defense.
Evidently, the Heat shot just 35.7 percent in the second half, their second-worst field goal percentage in any half this season. They shot just 5-of-21 from 3-point range and 8-of-18 in the paint over that span.
5 – Shots Giannis took inside of paint
Skinny: While Antetokounmpo was trying to enforce his will, he did so in a completely different way that minimized his effectiveness.
Giannis Antetokounmpo typically lives in the paint. He’s one of the most feared downhill scoring threats the NBA has seen this century.
But only five of his 13 shots came in the paint in Thursday’s loss; that’s as many as he took from 3-point range, going 1-of-5. He’s never been a good 3-point shooter, but the Warriors — especially Draymond Green — consistently baited him into pull-up 2s that were a win for the Warriors’ defense, regardless of the result.
16 – Warriors made threes
Skinny: It’s becoming comical at this point.
Contested or uncontested. Open or wide open. Teams are burying threes at an almost unprecedented clip against Miami, who has now allowed at least 14 made threes in each of their first nine games.
No other team has surrendered that much in more than six games at any point this season — let alone to begin one.
Matter of fact, the Heat are the only team since 1979-80 to allow 14 or more made threes in nine-straight games to begin a season. Eight of those teams have made at least 16. Miami is the second team to allow 16 or more made threes eight times in their first nine, joining the 2024-25 Atlanta Hawks.
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- 3 key numbers from the Miami Heat’s 20-point loss to Warriors
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Are we ready to admit that whale chasing doesn’t work anymore especially chasing whales that have already won Championships, players like that arent hungry for it anymore. Jalen Brunson jimmy butler wade etc etc players that are stars and are so hungry for it they are willing to die behind it.
This team is behind schedule and until it gets with the times this is the future…….losing to teams they should beat or being in the playin for the umpteenth time. Draft picks matter only here they don’t. Again we’re being ran by a senile 80 year old whom the game has passed by it just has and that’s ok happens to the best of us.
Should’ve tanked 2 years ago when jimmy was traded missing out on Flagg/vj for what? Oh I know why relevancy that’s why we chase whales instead of building the right way. Trading players before we even know what they are, not saying any play Mia traded turn in mj but damn ware’s name was in trade talks before he played a game here. Shit I understood him not playing hard every game hell that’s was the culture around here when butler was here but nobody batted an eye. Bam doesn’t even realize the season started already until February/march. He stopped playing hard when he kept getting shafted for dpoys for atleast 3 straight years. Bam has not given his all since the last time he was snubbed for a defensive award.
Also when are we going hold spos feet to the fire? He hasn’t been the same since his divorce no innovation, no new play designs, matter of fact whens the last time anybody said spoelstra coached circles around someone? (ECF 2023) 3 years ago. Like his boss he’s living off reputation at this point and it needs to stop.
The Washington wizards lapped Mia think about that! Haven’t even been the best team in Florida in years
I don’t often agree with muchp of what you say but I must agree with 90% of what you say here.
Miami should have one of the leagues top defenses but it doesn’t. Instead, it’s one of the worst .Most of the players except Mitchell are having down years. There is no cohesion among the players. Bam plays hot and cold, as though he is distracted. Not at all playing like a team captain or potential defensive player of the year.
Giannis does not look like a happy camper. Spo does not seem to have things under control. I can understand the offense having issues, but there is absolutely no excuse for the defense being so poor. That part I lay strictly on Spo. It seems he abdicated control of the team to Giannis and everyone seems to be playing worse as a result.
I know what Riley was trying to do by trading for Giannis. He was willing to gamble on immediate gratification, at the expense of long term success.. So far, it looks like that gamble has failed miserably and the team and fans are suffering as a result.
Maybe it’s getting very close to the time for major changes. Maybe it’s time for Riley to retire and Spo to move into his spot. Maybe it’s time to trade Giannis to the highest bidder and attempt to recuperate the most assets possible. Maybe it’s time to have a fire sale and trade Bam, Wiggins, Portis Jovic, Hardaway, Thompson and others if at all possible and begin a true rebuilding process.
Who knows. One thing I am sure of is that things can’t continue as they are or Miami will be a bottom feeder for years to come,. This is especially true if Giannis, Portis, Thompson, Mitchell etc. are allowed to walk away at the end of the season as free gents and Riley has no plan b.
like u and pat do u over value our players should be if.besides greek bam theres not an above average player
Your statistics on Miami poor defense of 3s is point on. In the last decade made worse by Miami’s preference of collapsing defense and small ball with players with short wing spans ineffective for perimeter defense.
So true. And it’s not just luck that will eventually even out. In other words, after nine games, stats like that rule out the possibility we are just running into “hot” teams. The likely explanation for our now, close to historically bad perimeter defense, is we are giving up more quality, uncontested looks than any other team. It’s a shocking stat, a serious team wide defensive flaw. It’s a flaw that says really bad things about our talent, our effort, and our strategy. And, it’s an area that we went into the season expecting to be a strength. Some honest soul searching is indicated as you can’t win many when giving up 14 threes a game or more.
Wiggins will be gone sooner than later. Problem is what player can they get in return that has a skill set similar to Jrue Holiday? He is one of the only players that could play well with Giannis.
id get jrue and mt lopez
Wiggins sure isn’t justifying his salary. He could still pop out of it as his track record is quite good. But, his play has been unacceptable for several games now and the question is why? Is he hurt, getting old, or is he somehow checking out, not giving maximal effort. Maybe he wants to get traded. Whatever the reason, we need more of what he was expected to bring, not less. And any trade will have to bring in a replacement at his position as there isn’t much else on the roster at his particular spot.