A third-quarter surge fueled the Phoenix Suns’ 113-97 victory over the Miami Heat Friday, as the Heat ended their five-game West Coast road trip 2-3.
The Heat shot 36.4 percent in the second half–and 4-of-22 (18.2 percent) from 3-point range–getting outscored 51-42, including 32-20 in the third quarter after Miami entered halftime down seven. For the game, Miami shot 41.0 percent and 27.0 percent (10-37) from beyond the arc.
Bam Adebayo tallied a team-high 28 points and 10 rebounds on 11-of-19 shooting. Kevin Love finished with 20 points–15 coming in the first quarter–on 6-of-9 shooting, including 3-of-6 from 3-point range. He also added seven rebounds with a pair of assists.
Josh Richardson and Jaime Jaquez Jr. had 10 points apiece, though the former was 2-of-9 from the floor while the latter was 5-of-7.
Grayson Allen finished with a game-high 31 points on 11-of-19 shooting with a career-high nine 3-pointers … only one fewer than the Heat finished with as a team. Without Kevin Durant in action for the Suns, Bradley Beal–in his 11th game of the season–tallied 25 points on 11-of-17 shooting with eight rebounds and eight assists. Devin Booker finished with a 20-point, 10-assist double in 35 minutes, converting on nine of his 19 shot attempts with five boards and a pair of steals.
The Heat’s 97 points tied for their second-lowest scoring output of the season. It had two previous outings with 97 points: Nov. 18 against the Chicago Bulls and Nov. 25 against the Brooklyn Nets. The Heat have six games with fewer than 100 points this season, tied with the Memphis Grizzlies for the fourth-most in the NBA–trailing the Portland Trail Blazers (9), Charlotte Hornets (8) and San Antonio Spurs (7).
The Heat scored just 102.1 points per 100 possessions in non-garbage-time situations, which graded in the 15th percentile, against the league’s 16th-ranked defense, according to Cleaning The Glass; for perspective, the Suns, sans Kevin Durant, scored 120.2 points (66th percentile).
The Heat are 0-6 when scoring fewer than 103.0 points per 100 possessions and 1-8 when it’s below 107 points.
The Suns have won five of their last six games, while Miami’s dropped three of its last four. Miami will head back home for four straight at home, beginning on Monday, Jan. 8, against the Houston Rockets.
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4.Knicks 21-15
5-8. Heat, Magic, Pacers, Cavaliers all 20-15.
yup, all those teams are only a couple games back of the Sixers also. I don’t expect the Heat to get any seperation, I just want them to stay in the mix, get healthy, and hopefully make a run close to the playoffs.
Turrible defense by the Heat man, just turrible.
Who’s idea was it to constantly double and triple Booker and Beal while leaving a 47% 3 point shooter open all night?
I know we don’t have any perimeter players that can consistently get by his man in 1-on-1 situations but why the hell is it so easy for opposing players to get by our perimeter defenders?
Tyler Herro seems to have a stamina problem.
Every year he comes in refreshed, plays well for a few games, he then wears down and plays like sh*t, then he gets injured.
Then he comes back from injury refreshed, plays well for a few games, wears down and plays like sh*t then gets injured. Returns from injury then……..
There’s no way Lowry should ever be in a starting lineup at his age.
He can’t competently defend the perimeter anymore so he just stands in the lane like a center waiting to take charges, while his man gets open 3 point shots all day.
The only 37+ year old nba player that should be in a starting lineup is Lebron.
Jaquez is good but he should never ever try to pass the ball on a fast break.
It’s just a turnover waiting to happen.
The Heat player that frustrates me the most though is Bam.
I’m very disappointed in Bam man.
I really thought that this was the year he would could back with some kind of 3 point shot.
Instead he’s the same player he was last season.
I don’t understand how a player with Bam’s good shooting form could be so damn scared to take 3 point shots.
What is it about the 3 point line that gives Bam the shivers.
He’s now 26 years old and players are still defending him the same way they did when he was a rookie.
Nurkic spent the entire game standing 10 feet off Bam when he had the ball on the perimeter, yet this type of disrespect didn’t seem to bother him. SMH.
The only thing stopping Bam from becoming a top 10 player is a 3 point shot.
Also last but not least, Heat players need to stop those hit ahead passes. It’s on the scouting report now, teams know its coming, they’re prepared for it. So it’s just another turnover waiting to happen.
very accurate description of ty when he has fresh legs at beginning of season or after return from injury hes very good but as time goes on he wears down and then breaks down.right now he doesnt have the bounce so hes either wearing down or just pacing himslef so hes there at the end.when he was out jjj looked great .now jjj looks ok
Yeah, they’re 23-year old dudes.. They just spent 10 days working in 5 different cities. Tyler just came back from 6 weeks of rehab. Jamie went back to LA for the first time after living there for 4 years. It’s January 6 and they haven’t been home since Christmas.
Let’s cut these dudes some slack. It’s been a long road trip. They went 2-3 on the road and they’re in the thick of the playoff mix. They’re fine.
Have to watch Ty the next few games, see if this pattern you guys see seems accurate. So far, I think he just was off again in the Phoenix game. There are games where his limitations show, where he gets the same shots he normally makes, and he starts missing. In other games he plays very well, and I am not sure if it has anything to do with stamina. I think certain teams, certain situations, still overwhelm him a little. You have to use him right. His ideal fit seems to be as a sixth man.
I agree with this. He’s had rough games the last 2 out of 3. I’ve been disappointed. If you want to reach that next level, when your best player is unavailable, you need to put the team on your back. He was a good 4th quarter player last season, not so much this season. When he was rehabbing, he stated he had been having an all star early season. Now, less talk and fashion statements, and more production is needed. He has the ability and skill set. Now he needs to show it.
bam is happy getting his 20 10.last night vs nurkic could have gone for 40 .thats not his dna
You related to h4l?
tells it like it is.u have to take good with the bad unless your talking about the 72 dolphins
I like some of your analysis, except I thought you were harsh on Bam, who I think is doing so much right without the three. But, you notice things that are not discussed much. I especially like your comment about 37+ players. It’s not just true in basketball, but hockey too, and it might be 36+ really. I think that a team having a player like Lowry, basically a mercenary stealing money from a foolish GM, kills them in so many ways, not the least of which is handtying them from making other moves. BTW, Dame had another off nite last night. He is early in the aging process, not as far along as Lowry, but definitely past his prime. Teams should be very careful in taking on older players in any sport.
Especially the formerly great players who cost the most in salary, and trading capital. It doesn’t hurt as much to take on a complimentary type, who you don’t pay as much or give up as much, or depend on as much.
Levron is the rare exception to the rule. And even he is finally slowing down a tiny bit.
Lebron.
bam could have put up 50 last night on slowkic
Spot on with Bam. Nurkic is giving him all the space, and still he’s not shooting the ball. If only he just shoots it and hits some, then maybe Nurkic would have been forced to closin on him. Then Bam could have used his quickness to attack the basket. Maybe Bam should practice those bank shots that Tim duncan used to do, it might help his confidence shooting the ball.
Herro, Bryant, and a second or conditional first round pick for Rozier and Cody Martin? The numbers are almost even with Heat bringing in an extra $250K.
Not bad. Would they have use for Bryant? Even though it’s hard to be objective, that seems like a reasonably fair trade.
Just one option. Could include Robinson instead.
How about Lowry, Herro, Bryant and a pick for DeRozan, Vucevic, Caruso and Craig? Works for me.
Caruso, DeRozan, Butler, Bam, Vucevic
Richardson, Robinson, Jaquez, Highsmith, Love
Jovic, Craig, ORob, Cain, Hampton
I might do it, but the don’t think the bulls would entertain that unless they’re stupid.
Herro is not getting traded for anyone that hasn’t made an all-star game
DeMar DeRozan has played in 6 All-Star Games in his career. Jus sayin.
i doubt it.
This is like back in the old days when people used to say “the Heat should tank” and I would just respond by saying it doesn’t matter what you or I think, Pat Riley will never tank.
Tyler Herro is a really good shooting guard. An above average role player. He’s done everything the Heat have asked of him and more. Pat Riley doesn’t trade guys like that unless he has to. The same is true about Duncan Robinson, Caleb Martin, Jamie Jaquez, Kyle Lowry, Kevin Love, etc.
None of those dudes are getting traded for a Terry Rozier or Kelly Olynik or Vucivic Caruso and Craig. Now, if Donovan Mitchell or Damian Lillard or Kevin Durant become available, it’s a different story. But unless a franchise changing player becomes available, the Heat are going to offer g-league guys and draft picks, or wait for the buyout market, and hopefully add an extra guard that can pass and play defense, and maybe an extra big man as Jovic insurance.
People can keep suggesting fun fake trades, and I hate to be the fun police, but it ain’t happening. As long as this team is in that 4-8 mix, nobody from the core rotation is getting traded unless a legit all-star becomes available.
Good comments. And, most of the time, the trade proposed is from such a homerist perspective that the other team would be offended. I thought the Rozier trade seemed more fair than most proposed by Heat fans. I do think you are right about Ty. I wish Riley didn’t feel the way he does about him, but he does. I think that Rozier trade would improve us. And, I want DeRozan even more. But, with the play-in, only maybe 5 teams are truly out of it. Even Utah is still alive. And Memphis is coming for sure. So, hardly anyone is going to give up even by the trade deadline.
not a fan of rozier, he’s erratic. Cody is meh. I still think we need to get Brogdon and Jerami Grant. I know Portland hates Herro, so…
Miami gets : brogdon, grant
Utah gets : Herro
Portland gets : draft picks from Utah, some guys to match salaries
Thing about ty when hes off he stills gonna shoot alot.Still think hes the trade bait to get us rozier.Kyle had a very nice career but his decline was rapid and we are bearing the brunts of it.
I agree on both your points about Ty and Kyle.
TBH, we have to trade one of Ty or Dunc, to get better. Ty will bring more. And Dunc, being a second teamer, is actually more effective overall IMHO. If Ty plays second team, after trading Dunc, that would be his best fit. But Dunc won’t bring us the two way A- player we need without more picks or pot sweetening.
As for Lowry, he was great, emphasis on was. Now, if he has one good game in four we are lucky. And he needs rest. He gets paid too much for what we get. So, I have soured on him.
Less we forget, Kyle is in his 20th season and averaging 9pts per game and playing 25 + minutes this season .There are only 10 players in NBA history including our own Ndonis Hasslem who have played more games than Lowry.
True. I realize that. He was a great player who torched us several times not unlike what Bradley Beal did to us in the third quarter last night. I am a little surprised he is even averaging nine. That is some contribution. And he is still the best quarterback we have right now. And still, he aged out earlier than any of us hoped, but after all those years, maybe we shouldn’t be surprised.
It is what it is. Apart from Bam, an all round poor performance by everone else . A loss sometimes is good for young dudes like Jovic wanting more playing time. More work for everyone.
And Love.
Only Love was good. Bam wasnt.
love 1st qtr only.nurkic might be slower than lowry bam could have put up 50 on him .when u see everybody is sucking just abuse nurkic.
Fine, but when a player scores 20 with 7 rebounds, shooting 67% and 50% on 3s, it’s a good game.
Jaquez was 5-7 (71.4%) 3 rebounds 1 assists, 2 steals. Maybe Herro 4-17 (23.5%) should have taken a few less shots and JJJ a few more?
Herro is a volume scorer. When he’s hot, he’ll give you 40pts on 25 shots. Its his job to produce points.
Jaime wont score 40 cos he’s a rotation player, picks his spots, and cuts to the basket. He rarely isos, and when he does, its a back-to-the basket, lowpost, high percentage shot.
Bottomline : at this point in their careers, Jaime and Tyler have different expectations and responsibilities.
That was bad.
Big “last game of the road trip” energy tonight. Mostly young guys out there and they were clearly worn down. Hopefully this team gets home and gets healthy and gets some wins
LA still in a swoon. And Golden State barely got past the Pistons. So far, It still looks like we can only beat the bad teams, or teams not playing well at the time we met, or teams with multiple injuries..The questions are, if we ever do get healthy, how good are we? And, with so many older players, will we ever get healthy? And, can Jimmy still carry us way beyond expectations? Eventually, time will tell.
You can’t win with these kinds of performances plus poor team defense. Looks like some folks took the night off.
Herro – 9 (4-17) in 35 minutes
Lowry 6 (2-7) in 23 minutes
Jovic 3 (1-3) in 24 minutes
Robinson 4 (1-7) in 27 minutes
Doesn’t get easier. Up next: Houston, OKC and Orlando.