Erik Spoelstra usually discusses embracing the competitors, significantly the higher-level moments over the course of the 82-game drudgery of the NBA common season.
Sunday night time in opposition to the Brooklyn Nets at FTX Arena was one of many moments for the Miami Heat, exhausted in coming off an eight-day journey however exhausting up in opposition to an opponent that had gained 13 of its earlier 14.
This in some ways was competitors of the Heat’s highest degree this season, compelling from begin to end.
But it additionally was a recreation performed on the end within the harm absences of Heat heart Bam Adebayo and Nets ahead Kevin Durant, with Adebayo saying he was coping with “excruciating” hand ache.
Against that backdrop, the Heat misplaced a nine-point fourth-quarter lead, battled again into the lead, however then fell brief 102-101 on a Nets putback basket with 3.2 seconds to play.
“Our guys really played well,” Spoelstra stated. “I actually felt we deserved to win the sport, simply from the power and the tenor.
“I think we did what we needed to do to win the game.”
On the following and closing possession, Heat ahead Jimmy Butler went exhausting to the basket, drew contact, however no foul was known as, as time expired.
Spoelstra has one perspective.
“I want to be measured with my words, but I thought Jimmy absolutely made the right play,” Spoelstra stated. “I think that earned the right to go to the free-throw line.”
Butler had a unique take.
“No,” he stated when requested if he thought he was fouled. “I should have made it. It’s part of the game.”
Butler led the Heat with 26 factors, supported by 24 from Tyler Herro. Kyrie Irving led the Nets with 29.
The loss dropped the Heat to 21-20 at midseason.
“Now we’ve got to find a way to string some wins together,” level guard Kyle Lowry stated.
Five Degrees of Heat from Sunday’s recreation:
1. Closing time: The Nets closed the primary quarter up 31-30, with six factors scored within the closing 1.6 seconds of the interval, first a T.J. Warren 3-pointer for the Nets after which a Gabe Vincent 3-pointer for the Heat that beat the buzzer. Brooklyn then stood up 66-64 at halftime.
The Heat then went into fourth quarter forward 92-79, pushing their result in 9 early within the interval, earlier than the Nets retook the lead with 3;02 to play, ultimately going up three.
But with 72 seconds left, Butler scored in transition for a 101-100 Heat lead.
Turnovers adopted on each ends, leaving the Heat in possession up one with 34.5 seconds to play.
Butler then was brief on a drive, with Nets ahead Royce O’Neal scoring on a putback on the opposite finish with 3.2 seconds left for a 102-101 Nets lead.
“I think nine out of 10 times we come up with that rebound,” Spoelstra stated. “It was just a crazy circumstance of colliding bodies.”
That arrange the sport’s closing sequence off a pair of Heat timeouts, with Butler lacking on the buzzer.
“I wish I had a couple more seconds,” stated Butler, who stated he then would have handed to an open Victor Oladipo for a jumper.
During the ultimate scramble, Herro went down close to midcourt, however stated it was due to a moist spot on the ground, and that he was not injured.
2. Too fierce?: Adebayo had arguably the fiercest dunk of his six-season Heat profession when he posterized the Nets’ Joe Harris within the second interval.
But no sooner did he get to the road for the blocking foul known as on Harris then Adebayo began clutching his proper hand.
Adebayo was greeted by coach Wes Brown when he went to the bench shortly thereafter, after which, after lacking a third-period dunk, once more acquired consideration from Brown.
Adebayo stated the hand had beforehand been bothering him and that it was not injured on the driving dunk. An preliminary X-ray was adverse, with Adebayo’s hand wrapped afterward.
“This is something that’s a couple of days old,” he stated.
He stated it was among the many causes he closed 0 for 3 from the road.
He was changed on the end by rookie heart Orlando Robinson.
“I had to own up that I couldn’t shoot the ball,” Adebayo stated of sitting out on the finish.
Adebayo missed seven weeks final season for surgical procedure on his proper thumb.
3. Highsmith’s time: A day after his $1.8 million wage was assured for the season, Haywood Highsmith began at energy ahead rather than Caleb Martin, who was out for the fourth time in six video games attributable to a quadriceps pressure.
The Heat almost have been with out their beginning energy rotation, however Adebayo was in a position to push by the thigh bruise that had him on the harm report.
Back for the Heat was Herro, who missed Friday night time’s highway victory over the Phoenix Suns attributable to again spasms.
Herro stays on name for the upcoming delivery of his second baby.
4. Durant departs: Durant, with 17 factors at that stage, departed late within the third interval after Butler accidently fell into his proper knee. Durant was dominated out for the sport shortly thereafter.
Durant closed 5 of 11 from the sphere and 6 of seven from the foul line.
It truly was Irving who stored the Nets afloat early, as much as 24 factors by halftime, the second most by a Net in a primary half this season to the 28 Durant scored in opposition to the Chicago Bulls on Wednesday night time.
An MRI on Durant is deliberate for Monday.
5. Enjoying the journey: On a extra upbeat be aware, Spoelstra spoke earlier than Sunday’s recreation concerning the Dolphins making the playoffs.
“I got to go to a training-camp practice and hang out with them and see their process and then this year’s been all-eventful, it’s been everything,” Spoelstra stated. “It’s been enjoyable. It’s been nice for town. And I simply get pleasure from seeing groups come collectively, significantly when there’s adversity and figuring some issues out, after which squeezing into the playoffs with a super-low-scoring recreation.
“It’s been a fun ride.”
The Heat then supplied congratulations to the Dolphins on their video display screen through the recreation’s first timeout.
()
Source: www.bostonherald.com
