Mateo’s Hoop Diary: Heat comeback fails in Dallas as the offense goes cold

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The Heat’s comeback effort in Dallas caved in as the Mavericks answered every run, completing the season series 1-1. The latter’s coach, Jason Kidd, said it would be a “man’s game” 20 minutes before tip-off, and he wasn’t wrong: it was a rebounding battle the visitors lost in trenches and they couldn’t buy baskets from deep.

 

Coach Erik Spoelstra said, “I felt like it was an opportunity that slipped for us to be able to have that gratification of winning a game where we weren’t making shots.”

 

Norman Powell was out with an ankle injury, so Pelle Larsson started in his place, and that was Spoelstra’s first mistake, using him over Kel’el Ware. They felt the absence of a shot creator while their transition attack had been shut off and didn’t have the extra muscle enough time to blow up Dallas’ actions.

 

Bam Adebayo and Tyler Herro had it rolling in the first half, making jumpers and drive-by layups, but the latter was the only one in double-figure scoring, and most of their teammates had gone as cold. The second quarter meltdown saw them get outscored by 15 as Ryan Nembhard stung them with a few 3-pointers.

 

They went to halftime down 64-54.  Only 21.1% of threes were falling and the bench added next to nothing.

 

The Heatles were subsequently on the back foot most of the third because four Mavericks logged multiple baskets, and Herro’s offense ran out of gas. They then started deploying a full-court press and the 2-3 zone but couldn’t close the gap because they conceded two treys to Russell. 

 

Dallas then got comfortable, and the Heat’s 3-point shooting sliced the deficit to six with under five minutes left. Yet Andrew Wiggins kept brcking everything he threw up and shot the Heat out of it. Cooper Flagg afterward made a turnaround jumper in the lane and scored on a give-and-go set in the last two minutes to put the game out of reach.

 

The Heat lost 118-108. They made five fewer 3-pointers than Dallas and couldn’t stop them from scoring efficiently in the paint non-restricted area.

 

Game Notes:

 

  • Top overall pick Cooper Flagg picked up three fouls and five minutes, but he went on to have a strong game, logging 22 points on 69.2% shooting, with six rebounds and two assists.

 

  • The offense without Powell was missing a dependable scorer off catch-and-go moves. They were also held to 66.7 points per 100 transition plays, good enough for the 3rd percentile, per Cleaning the Glass. On top of that, Herro, Wiggins, Adebayo and Larsson combined for 20% of 3-point attempts.

 

  • Ware had a career high in made triples (4), while putting up 22 points and 10 rebounds in 25 minutes. Despite his three late turnovers, he was the team’s best player in the fourth quarter and was the primary reason they got within striking distance.



Mateo’s Hoop Diary: Clippers cutting ties with franchise legend

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It doesn’t matter who is in charge; some organizations will never develop class. Character is also measured when times are toughest: the Los Angeles Clippers are failing both tests. 

 

They cut bait with their best player in franchise history, Chris Paul, 21 games into the season of his retirement tour. They are even alleged to have notified him late at night, according to his Instagram story. 

 

It’s not much of a surprise, considering how they did another franchise icon, Blake Griffin, dirty eight years ago by trading him after he re-upped with them, thinking they were committed. Don’t expect any public answers on the real reason why Paul was let go, as the team has a 5-16 record.

 

Clippers president of basketball operations Lawrence Frank and the higher-ups must have zero pulse on the fan base because his retirement tour is about the only thing many of them were looking forward to as the season appears lost at the start of December. Maybe they wouldn’t be SOL had they realized Norman Powell is the goods, and it’s dumb to trade him for a scrap heap just because you don’t want to pay him. Now he’s thriving with the Miami Heat on a career season, while they stay attached to a sinking ship led by Kawhi Leonard, James Harden and Ty Lue. 

 

The team said, “We are parting ways with Chris and he will no longer be with the team. We will work with him on the next step of his career. Chris is a legendary Clipper who has had a historic career. I want to make one thing very clear. No one is blaming Chris for our underperformance. I accept responsibility for the record we have right now. There are a lot of reasons why we’ve struggled. We’re grateful for the impact Chris has made on the franchise.”

 

Their city rival Lakers didn’t shame Kareem Abdul-Jabbar when he was an old set of wheels. Nor did they when the late Kobe Bryant was no longer himself after tearing his Achilles tendon. Sure they won 10 rings combined for the Lakers, but the Clippers were in their shadow for a long time and their history is nowhere near as glittering. 

 

Keep in mind that before they traded for Paul in 2011-12, the Clippers had only four playoff trips between 1978 and 2011, breaking out of the first round once, as California residents. Their roots are traced back to the Buffalo Braves, but the furthest they went was three straight second rounds. Yet they went six consecutive times with him, never getting out of round two. 

 

Fortunately for the Clippers, NBA contracts for big-time players are jackpots, they still play for LA and have a shiny new home, the Intuit Dome. Time will soften the public’s memory, and perhaps some future star will think, “Hey, not me.” Maybe he’s right, playing well and long enough not allowing them to make such a move, but why should the Clippers get so lucky if this is how they treat their best? 

 

Imagine if the Heat underhandedly embarrassed  Dwayne Wade in his last season (2018-19), saying, “Old sport, you’re taking up a seat on the bench, while we aren’t going anywhere.” It would have hurt their credibility as a first-class organization and turned off lots of devoted fans.

 

The memories Paul left behind in Clipper land, including the layup that sunk the defending champion Spurs in 2015 Game 7, round one, were not enough to spare him dishonor. Hopefully, someone gets to ask the top brass on record whether they would have done this if Paul delivered them a championship.

 

 



Mateo’s Hoop Diary: Heat tie franchise best in 3-point makes at home, overwhelming Clippers

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The Heat shamed the Clippers, tying a franchise record in made 3-pointers (24) and setting a new season high in blocked shots (10). It was their fifth time scoring at least 140 points this season, yet they got sloppy at the end because of poor attention to detail and thinking the Clippers gave up. 

 

Miami started extra alert, coming off Saturday’s three-point loss at home. Coach Erik Spoelstra said that some of the motivation was that “really good teams don’t lose two in a row at home.”

 

Bam Adebayo broke the ice with a dominant first few minutes, nailing jumpers, attacking the basket, and swiping Ivica Zubac’s shot from behind. Then Andrew Wiggins went on the next flurry, making three baskets and blocking a shot in the corner. Four other Heatles made 3-pointers, bringing the output to seven out of nine for the quarter, and eight of them got on the scoreboard.

 

Their 14-point lead was short-lived because Kawhi Leonard rampaged through the lane, and the Clippers momentarily snatched the lead. Yet the Heat’s scorching 3-point shooting continued as they set a new season high for a half (14), and their lead was quickly raised to 26.

 

On top of that, Norman Powell is clearly not over the Clippers wasting his time with “blown smoke” over the summer before trading him, reflected by his 30 digits on 66.7% accuracy in the Heat’s second game against them this year. It was a slow start for him, but he eventually mowed down schemes, and he made three straight shots in the last few minutes of the first half, too.

 

They went to halftime ahead by 20, and their longest unanswered streak was 20 points, bringing their block total to nine as well. Four Heatles had multiple treys apiece, and Powell plus Davion Mitchell made the most (3).

 

They kept beating a dead horse, adding seven more trifectas, taking a 32-point lead going into the fourth. Clippers coach Ty Lue even briefly benched his starters two minutes into the third as it became clear his crew needed external motivation. 

 

The ball movement subsequently slowed down, and coach Erik Spoelstra re-inserted four starters five minutes into the fourth as they were up 25. Leonard erupted again, logging 19 points in the period on jumpers and drives, further shrinking the lead to 12. But Powell, Wiggins, Mitchell, and Herro combining for six shots in the lane in crunch time was enough to hold off LAC’s comeback. Spoelstra then gave rookie Kasparas Jakučionis his first NBA action in the last 53.7 seconds.

 

The Heat won 140-123. Eight players combined for their 24 3-pointers.

 

Adebayo kept it cool in his on-court interview on the abundance of 3-pointers, saying, “We work on that every practice…”

 

Games Notes:

 

  • Five Heatles logged double-figure scoring, between 16 and 30 points, and the half-court offense logged 120 points per 100 plays, good enough for the 96th percentile, per Cleaning the Glass. Additionally, most of Miami’s attempts came in the paint non-restricted area and above the break. They shot 12.2% above the league average at the former spot and 21.7% higher than the average at the latter.

 

  • Pelle Larsson injured his ankle in the first half and didn’t play the rest of the game. Spoelstra offered nothing but crumbs, saying the diagnosis from him and the trainers is that “he would be alright.”

 

  • Aside from 16 points, Mitchell recorded 12 assists against two turnovers. Spoelstra said, “It’s the pace. Every time there was an opportunity for us to extend the lead in the open court, he was just making all the right reads…”

 

  • Adebayo was involved with a good chunk of the long-range action, setting a career high (5) in makes. Additionally, the Heat made 30% of their 3-point attempts in the fourth quarter. 

 

  • James Harden played two minutes in the second half, and he was not injured.

 

  • The Heat were in cruise control to start fourth, and a Nikola Jović sighting never came.



Mateo’s Hoop Diary: Heat’s fourth-quarter comeback fails at home against the Pistons

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The Heat couldn’t punch the gas until it was too late and got put down by the first-seeded Pistons, who were on the second night of a back-to-back. They got to their hotel at 4 AM Saturday and still unloaded the most digits (76) in the lane that Miami had surrendered all season, and it was Duncan Robinson’s first visit back to Kaseya Center. He showcased how valuable he is without the 3-pointers. 

 

Coach Erik Spoelstra said, “Defensively, for us, it just felt like we were on our heels and passive for the majority of the night. There was a segment with our second unit where it really kind of changed the feeling of the game for five minutes, six minutes… but defensively, it took us a long time to be aggressive.” 

 

Their defense was unfastened by repeated drive-bys, conceding 22 of Detroit’s 36 first-quarter points in the lane. It was the equivalent of watching someone in the ring get tagged by endless lead rights to the dome. The Pistons even went on a 13-0 run while Cade Cunningham was getting his rest, taking a 36-23 lead into the second frame. The Heat were lucky not to be down further, as a good slice of their points came at the line and their visitors soiled seven possessions with turnovers. 

 

The Pistons were still sloppy, taking care of the ball in the second quarter, but it made no difference because the Heat were afflicted by another monsoon of paint strikes. Cade Cunningham was undaunted by any scheme, piercing the lane for half (5) of those shots at close range.

 

Herro got denied violently by Isaiah Stewart at close range and was docile until the fourth quarter.

 

The Heat went to halftime down 71-59. They were outscored in the paint by 20 (42), but had another stimulus at the charity line that prevented the game from slipping into dangerous territory. The deficit subsequently swelled before Norman Powell’s marksmanship helped cut it to 10. But the Pistons kept bodying them like a tall middleweight in a fade with a short, natural welterweight, and raised the gap back to 17 going into the fourth.

 

Andrew Wiggins’ rim pressure and shot off a pick-6 was keeping Miami’s heart pumping on offense. Then Davion Mitchell stepped up, picking up three steals, Adebayo made two shots in the lane, Herro swished three treys and Powell poured in a layup and three huge freebies with under two minutes left. Yet their 44-point late burst was diluted as Cunningham breached the lane for a short jumper with 20 seconds left, putting the Pistons ahead by four. He even swiped the ball, and it bounced out of bounds off Powell’s leg, on the following possession.

 

The Heat lost 138-135. Spoelstra said, Detroit showed us, you know, why they’ve been number one in the East so far. We’ve been an up-and-coming team, but that was a different level for big parts of the game.”  

 

Game Notes:

  • The Pistons were minus Jalen Duren and Caris LeVert, and their lowest-scoring quarter was the fourth, with 30 points. Tobias Harris channeled vintage Carmelo Anthony, roasting smaller players; Cunningham logged 25 points on 56% shooting on attempts from short, middle and long range; and three Pistons had between eight and 10 rebounds.

 

  • Jaime Jaquez Jr.’s absence opened the door for Nikola Jović to get extra time off the bench, but he was invisible, except when getting dusted or turning it over, which included a worthless pass into Ron Holland III’s hands, creating a pick-6. Instead, they got premium production from Ware off the bench.

 

  • Their 33 free throws were the third-most they’ve made this season. Wiggins was perfect on nine attempts, and three other Heatles made between four and seven.

 

  • Herro and Mitchell combined for zero baskets in their first 10 attempts. Herro’s starting lineup integration resulted in the third-straight night the offense looked washed, as they had one of their lowest-scoring first halves. This time it was courtesy of Detroit’s speed and size making it nasty, but that changed in the fourth. 

 

  • Robinson nailed three 3-pointers, including one in the corner in Herro’s eye, but most of his shots were recorded at the rim. He notably had five assists against one turnover. 

 

Mateo’s Hoop Diary: Heat show off new starting lineup and hold off the Bucks in Emirates Cup play

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Plans for Tyler Herro and Norman Powell starting together were conceived ages ago, and it finally got its first real test run in Emirates Cup play as the Heat squeaked by the Bucks for their sixth straight win. The visitors sans Giannis Antetokounmpo torched the small-ball lineup, but were contained to 37.9% shooting late.

 

“We played some bad basketball today,” Bam Adebayo said in his on-court interview. “We need to fix that before it gets too late, but for the most part, it came down to stops, and we did that.”

 

It’s no surprise Milwaukee was able to hang because someone usually steps up in these situations, and it was Myles Turner for them. He turned into vintage Kareem Abdul-Jabbar until the fourth quarter, tallying 24 digits on 60% accuracy. 

 

Norman Powell never got going, and neither did the transition offense as the crew even had its second-straight low-scoring first half despite six Heatles tallying multiple baskets (53-47). Adebayo and Kel’el Ware led them with four field goals apiece, but one of the crew’s biggest problems was making only 21% of their 3-point attempts.

 

Their three trifectas, inside pressure leading to four baskets at close range and getting to the line for eight attempts, making seven, prevented the Heat from letting control slip away in the third quarter.

 

Herro subsequently surged in the fourth quarter, scoring in transition, ripping a triple behind Ware’s down screen and slashing the half-court lane for two floaters. Then Adebayo made a jumper at the nail and a floater in the lane, giving them a five-point lead with under a minute left. They offset Ryan Rollins and Bobby Portis’ six paint baskets in the period.

 

The Heat (13-6) won 106-103, and it was the first time they’ve had a full roster healthy this season. Additionally it was their sixth game decided by five points or fewer. Their record in those games is 5-1.

 

Coach Erik Spoelstra now has 800 regular-season wins as the man in charge. He said, “It’s fitting that it comes on the eve of Thanksgiving. I just feel incredible gratitude for this organization and all of these years.”

 

He also said he’s looking forward to the team practicing on Friday to “fine-tune some things.”

 

Game Notes

 

  • The Heat’s starters were ahead 22-20 at the first substitution. They showed why they could be dangerous as a small unit, but size killed them. Spoelstra was not pleased with the Heat’s multiple efforts against post-ups. “I think we could have made those a lot more difficult.”

 

  • Six Heatles logged between four and nine baskets yet the offense wasn’t flowing like it was pre-Herro’s return. He’s a major addition to something that was working, so getting everyone in sync will take some time. Aside, in spite of their transition frequency (20.2%) being in the 85th percentile, they only scored 115.8 points per play, good enough for the 39th percentile, per Cleaning the Glass.

 

  • This was the 11th time the Heat (32) have had at least 30 assists (10-1). Most of the playmaking came from Davion Mitchell, who recorded nine assists against three turnovers, and Herro, who had seven assists and two giveaways. 

 

 

  • They used all 10 players in the first quarter. Nikola Jović never got any minutes, and Jaime Jaquez Jr.’s were cut to 17 despite a decent night. Keshad Johnson was shelved, too, since Andrew Wiggins returned from his hip flexor injury.

 

 

  • Ware wasn’t looked to for points in the second half, but he still hit the boards (4) and came away with a steal and block.

Mateo’s Hoop Diary: Tyler Herro’s back, so who comes out of the starting lineup?

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Tyler Herro was rusty for a quarter but picked up where he left off from last season as a gunslinger. He said postgame that he could have easily waited two more weeks to come back, but that Monday was circled on the calendar.

 

He wants to come into the starting five and let those guys be themselves, but one of them is probably getting benched. It’s hard to imagine coach Erik Spoelstra being thrilled about having to demote one of the guys who has been a big part of the team defying early expectations, especially when he talked about enjoying it a bit after winning in Philadelphia on Sunday. Keep in mind, they find themselves on a 54-win pace. 

 

Herro will also be getting a lot of crunch-time minutes over others, which will test the group’s unity. It’s one thing for everyone to say the right things publicly, and it’s another when there is another player who needs touches and is eating into a system established by others.

 

Off the bat, Adebayo and Wiggins aren’t going anywhere because they are athletic two-way players, and Powell has been the top dog in the scoring department, so he isn’t either. This leaves Davion Mitchell and Kel’el Ware to choose from. 

 

Mitchell is logging a sparkling 4.89 assist-to-turnover ratio. He may be short for a hooper, but he’s built like a football player, so he’s not a small guard. He’s become his best self as a slasher and cutter in the paint’s in-between area (3-10 feet) and is a dependable point-of-attack defender. He hasn’t missed any nights, and his starting record is the same as the team’s this season (12-6).

 

Kel’el Ware had some rough moments, but he had made amends by turning into Superman lite and hasn’t had below 14 rebounds in the last five outings. His record as a starter is 10-4, and the team is 6-2 when Bam Adebayo and him start together. Yet it may be Ware who slides to sixth man. 

 

The Heat have bought into playing fast and are first in pace (106.14) and first in average speed offensively (5.24). An initial lineup of Mitchell, Herro, Powell, Wiggins and Adebayo would be smaller, yet it would lean into the speed. Don’t count on monstrous fastbreak numbers like Pat Riley’s Lakers had, but this could be Spoelstra’s version of Showtime. Not even those Big Three teams that won back-to-back titles were higher than 16th in pace, and the Jimmy Butler-led squads were never above 27th (2019-20).

 

Herro can be hidden by guarding the corner man or the player with the weakest handle who isn’t a big. He would be next to four good-to-great defenders. 

 

Ware will still get minutes with Adebayo, but using him off the bench could turn into a serious advantage, facing off against other reserves or tired starters. 

 

Ware was given a taste of what will one day be his spot. Don’t forget that Adebayo and Herro didn’t become full-time starters until years three and four because Spoelstra isn’t into premature rewards. In the meantime, if he becomes a part of the bench mob, starring in his role will get him plenty of minutes and paid the big bucks when it’s contract negotiation time. 

 

Devin Vanterpool develops into two-way player, fueling Florida Atlantic’s hot start

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In an era of college basketball teams reloading through the transfer portal and changing both their identity and postseason prospects year after year, it is refreshing to see that the player currently leading the Florida Atlantic Owls in every major statistical category is one who was recruited and developed.

Sophomore guard Devin Vanterpool leads the Owls in points (16.2), rebounds (6.4), and assists per game (3.2). He is also averaging 1.2 blocks and 1.8 steals per game.

“It all starts with the defense end, caring that much to guard so much, and that hard to get a stop on defense,” Vanterpool said. “It definitely creates offense.”

A year ago, Vanterpool played 30 games off the bench as a freshman, averaging only a bucket and a board in eight minutes per game on an FAU team that finished the season in the NIT. His emergence has coincided with the Owls’ 4-1 start to the season.

FAU second-year head coach John Jukas said Vanterpool has transformed from a defensive specialist to a two-way player.

“A lot of people focus on his offense and his growth,” Jukas said. “I would hope the very first thing you say about that man, besides him loves the FAU Owls, he’s very coachable and a wonderful kid, besides him being a great human, he’s a two-way player, not an offensive guy.”

In the Owls’ first-ever meeting with Pacific to start the Sunshine Slam on Nov. 20, Vanterpool scored 12 points with five rebounds, three blocks, and two steals. During that game turned out to be an 82-59 landslide victory for FAU, who as a team recorded nine steals and eight blocks.

“We all just play defense and stack stops,” Vanterpool said. “It helps me play my offense from there.”

The block party against Pacific was shared by forward Devin Williams, who had three of his own, as well as Euro centers Maxim Logue from France and Vincent Neugebauer from Germany, who each had a block. Vanterpool said “knowing and trusting that our bigs are going to come over and make a play” has also been instrumental in helping his defensive game.

“I was fortunate to wall up and get a couple blocks,” Vanterpool said. “Nico was able to wall up and set me up for a block. So just walling up and trusting our bigs.”

FAU takes on undefeated Loyola Marymount in the Sunshine Slam at Daytona Beach on Monday night. The Lions (6-0) are led by Myron Amey Jr., a fifth-year senior guard who, despite not starting in any of the first six games, has averaged 17.5 points and 4 rebounds per game. He most recently scored a season high 29 points in a 78-74 overtime win over UC Santa Barbara.

FAU’s next home game will be against St. Bonaventure on Sunday, Nov. 30.

Mateo’s Hoop Diary: Heat’s rebounding, bench play and Norman Powell’s eruption were too much for the 76ers

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The Heat survived the 76ers, thanks to its strong bench play, locking up the glass and four players scoring between 18 and 32 digits, closing out their two-game road trip undefeated. They sped away each time their hosts got within striking distance and have now won eight of their last 10. 

 

With Tyler Herro out but nearing a return, and Bam Adebayo having missed six games in a row earlier in the month, the team has to feel very grateful for its 11-6 record as Thanksgiving approaches. 

 

Another hot start for Norman Powell ended with a glittering stat line: 32 points on 61.1% shooting, with four rebounds and one assist, and they even fouled him thrice on 3-point attempts. Clippers coach Tyronn Lue must want to flip over a desk whenever he thinks back to how his team traded him for a bag of chips, or how he played him below 27 minutes per game for two seasons.

 

The Heat’s assault was too much to handle, scoring 21 of their first 37 points in the lane.  They also logged at least 70 first-half points for the sixth time this season. A good chunk of the action was Jaime Jaquez Jr.s post ups and drives plus Kel’el Ware’s interior takes over, to go along with six offensive rebounds.

 

Their 3-point shooting and interior efficiency cooled off in the third quarter after reaching a 14-point lead, and they subsequently went into the fourth quarter up six. Then Jaquez plus Powell ripped to the cup for five baskets, and Adebayo buried two floaters  while they denied Philadelphia almost everything outside of three feet from the hoop. 

 

The Heat won 127-117 and set a new season high in rebounding (58).

 

Coach Erik Spoelstra is going to smell the roses a little bit. “I don’t think anybody two months ago thought we’d be sitting third in the East. It’s not everything, but it’s something. I want our guys to enjoy it.”

 

Game Notes

 

  • Philadelphia’s 3-point shooting fell apart in the second half, converting 26.3% of attempts. Tyrese Maxey remained their biggest threat, spraying jumpers and bolting to the rim. 

 

  • The Heat have an advantage because they get good playmaking at all times. Davion Mitchell had 12 assists against one turnover, Pelle Larsson had eight dimes with two turnovers, and Jaquez had seven helpings with four turnovers off the bench. It adds a bit more to the offense when they share the court, as they are strong paint attackers and adept passers. 

 

  • Ware and Adebayo combined for 29 rebounds, and 11 were offensive. On top of that, the bench had 43 points, 22 of them from Jaquez, against Philly’s reserves, who dropped 44. 

 

  • The Heat totaled 72 paint points, tying their second-most of the season. They are 4-0 when scoring at least 70 in the lane. 

 

  • The Heat’s biggest concern was missing 10 free throw attempts. Notably Powell, who is a 90% free-throw shooter, missed three. Larsson makes 82.9% and he missed three, too. 


Mateo’s Hoop Diary: Heat make a statement with win over the Bulls in Chicago

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The Heat sacked the United Center in Emirates Cup play, claiming their third road win and their largest margin of victory this season (36).  Andrew Wiggins missed the game (hip flexor), and as a result, Keshad Johnson, the team’s 12th man in minutes, got extra time off the bench, and they didn’t suffer for it. Yet the difference was their unforgiving defense and pressure on the glass.

 

Five Heatles logged multiple baskets in the first quarter, raising them to a 36-32 lead. Norman Powell strained his groin, and he stayed loose on the workout bike when he checked out, returning four minutes into the second quarter.  

 

The visitors suffocated the Bulls, invaded the restricted area on the other side and downed three more treys, taking a brief 25-point lead. Powell was their leading scorer in the period, logging 10 points on catch-and-shoot threes and getting to the cup. Kel’el Ware was next, tallying a dozen digits on rim attacks.

 

They went to intermission ahead by 18 and had a significant stimulus from their second-chance scoring (15-4) and 18 made free throws. 

 

Ware and Bam Adebayo subsequently contained the lane with back-line movement, and the crew had easy access to the cup, nailing five shots, including three from Davion Mitchell. He also made a pull-up jumper in the middle. 

 

Everything went right for the Heat, and the opposite was the case for the Bulls, including Kevin Huerter not being emotionally regulated and getting ejected for frustratingly tapping a ball to a ref’s backside. 

 

The Heat took their largest lead of the night (27) going into the fourth. Adebayo got his final rest shortly after extending the advantage to 39, pouring in a corner triple, and Ware momentarily replaced him. Coach Erik Spoelstra kept Pelle Larsson and Ware in to even out the lineup.

 

The Heat won 143-107 and are 4-0 this season when scoring 140 or more points. They had eight players in double-figure scoring and improved to 10-6. The Bulls are the third-fastest team in the NBA, and the Heat held them to 92.3 points per 100 transition plays, good enough for the 16th percentile, per Cleaning the Glass.

 

Spoelstra said, “It started with our defensive intentions. That looked like us before Bam [Adebayo] was out, defensively, covering a lot of ground… and then offensively, that definitely looked more like how we looked 10 days ago, two weeks ago.”

 

Regarding Powell’s groin check, Spoelstra said he “feels good right now.”

 

Game Notes

 

  • Kel’el Ware got his 12th start of the season, having a solid night throwing his body around the lane for 12 first-half points on 55.5% shooting. He finished with 20 points and 14 rebounds. Combining and staggering him with Adebayo led to the Heat having strong center minutes at all times. “He’s being much more intentional…He’s making his presence felt with his size,” Spoelstra said.

 

  • Mitchell’s showing growth as a scorer in every game, but he’s also been terrific as a playmaker. He had six helpings and zero turnovers, going along with sharp defense, too. 

 

  • Johnson recorded a season high in minutes (29), plus his first double-double of his career (14 points and 12 rebounds). The defense did well when he played, too. 

 

  • The Heat attempted a season high in free throws, making 35, and it was the second time this year they’ve hoisted at least 40. Adebayo, Powell, Larsson and Johnson each took at least six. The other time they had at least 40 free-throw attempts was their two-point win over the Cleveland Cavaliers on Nov. 10.


Mateo’s Hoop Diary: Norman Powell and Bam Adebayo took over the fourth quarter in win over the Warriors

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The Warriors’ visit to Kaseya Center was a tuneup for the Heatles, not having to deal with Stephen Curry, Jimmy Butler and Draymond Green. Even on a night when Norman Powell was dormant until the fourth quarter, it went unlike the loss at home against the Cavaliers, who were down three starters on Nov. 13. 

 

The hosts got Bam Adebayo back after he missed six straight games, and he scored 20 points on jumpers and on rim attacks. After the game, he said he felt good and was “Just trying to find a rhythm, not overdo it, and let the game come to me.”

 

Despite going cold and losing the ball five times by the end of the first quarter, the Heat led by nine because they got multiple baskets from Andrew Wiggins, Davion Mitchell, and Pelle Larsson, plus the Warriors missed their first 12 shots, being unable to bend coverages.

 

The Heat’s carelessness continued as their turnover count hit nine, and the Warriors closed the gap, spraying them with a 14-2 run. Adebayo got his crew somewhat back on track, scoring on a baseline drive and making a floater on the left side through contact.

 

The Heat went to halftime ahead 49-45, while their half-court offense was in the gutter, scoring 74.4 points per 100 plays, good enough for the fourth percentile. Their other issues were being down on the glass by six, and Jaime Jaquez Jr. plus Simone Fontecchio, two of the team’s ignitable reserves, combined for only 12 points on 25% shooting.

 

Subsequently, Golden State’s coverage, including a zone, was effective in slowing down the Heat to three makes in 13 tries in the lane. They also took their first lead of the game halfway through the third quarter as the Heat had their worst defensive stretch. Coach Erik Spoelstra said, “We’ll continue to get more comfortable. I was more uncomfortable with some of the decisions and semi-transition, or against their man [coverage].”

 

Yet Miami was able to survive because Powell erupted for 17 points in the fourth on deep jumpers and drive-bys. Adebayo also scored seven in a row to put the game out of reach. 

 

The Heat won 110-96. In spite of the Heat getting out rebounded by 10, and their attack being neutralized, they contained Golden State’s half-court offense to 76.1 points per 100 plays, good enough for the sixth percentile, per Cleaning the Glass. Powell said Adebayo’s presence had a “really big effect,” and that, “Having him on the floor kind of controlling the defense was huge for us. We definitely missed him, and we’re glad to have him back.”

 

Other notes:

  • Second-year player Pelle Larsson had sixth game in the last seven nights scoring in double figures. He’s making it impossible for Spoelstra to shelve him when Tyler Herro returns.

 

  • Jaquez had a poor night in the scoring department, shooting 33.3%, but impacted the game more as a playmaker, racking up seven dimes, the most on the team, against two giveaways.

 

  • Kel’el Ware went back to bench because Adebayo returned, and he had a big night on the glass, recovering 16 rebounds in 19 minutes. Spoelstra said, “I think Kel’el was really good tonight. Adebayo was complimentary of him after the game.