Our Heat season companion part 14 covers the Heat’s two games against the Raptors and the Knicks. The Heat lost to the Raptors 106-92 and lost to the Knicks 101-92. The Heat are now 40-37, only one and a half games ahead of the Atlanta Hawks. Let’s delve into these games a little deeper.
Heat Season Companion Part 14: The Heat Turned Over the Ball Too Much Against the Raptors
Excessive turnovers was a problem for the Heat once again in the game against the Raptors. The Heat turned over the ball 16 times compared to only nine turnovers for the Raptors. These turnovers led to 23 easy fast-break points for the Raptors.
Cody Martin and Tyler Herro both had four turnovers each. However, the Heat have to do a better job of taking care of the ball collectively. The Raptors aren’t a great offensive team in the half-court, so the Heat would have had a much better chance of winning if they committed fewer turnovers.
The Heat Fell Apart in the Third Quarter Against the Raptors
The Heat have struggled in the third quarter in many games this season. This was no different in this loss against the Raptors. The Heat were down by six points at halftime, which is a deficit they certainly could have overcome in the second half.
However, the Heat were outscored 31-20 in the third quarter and could not recover from that. Poor third quarters have cost the Heat many games this season. The Miami Heat will have to figure out how to perform better in the third quarter to finish the season well and avoid the play-in tournament.
Heat Season Companion Part 14: The Knicks Won the Rebounding Battle Against the Heat
Another reason why the Knicks beat the Heat is that they convincingly won the rebounding battle. The Knicks grabbed a total of 47 rebounds in this game compared to only 35 rebounds for the Heat. Additionally, the Knicks grabbed 38 defensive rebounds, largely preventing the Heat from scoring many second-chance points in this close game.
The Heat’s Defense Was Poor and the Knicks Pulled Away in the Fourth Quarter
Despite the fact that the Heat only allowed 101 points, a closer look at the stats showed that the Heat’s defense wasn’t very good in this game. The Knicks shot 50% from the field and 41.9% from three-point range in this game. The Knicks also scored 19 points off of the Heat’s 11 turnovers in this game.
This culminated in a poor fourth quarter where the Knicks outscored the Heat 25-16 to win the game. The Heat have been in too many close games this season and they failed to finish this close game strongly on either end. Additionally, the Knicks scored 44 points in the paint compared to only 28 points in the paint for the Heat.
The Heat’s Road Struggles Continue
In general, the Miami Heat have been a poor road team this season. The Heat are 15-23 on the road this season and that includes some bad losses to weak teams. Given that the Heat play four of their last six games on the road, they will have to perform better away from home to avoid the play-in tournament.
The Heat also lost to the Knicks on the road, 101-92. The Knicks won the season series against the Heat 3-1 this season. Butler returned in this game but only scored 12 points in his return from injury.
The Heat Host the Mavericks Next
The Heat return home to Miami to host the Mavericks next. Despite making a big trade for Kyrie Irving, the Mavericks are below .500 right now. As such, this is a game that the Heat need to win, especially since they are now on a three-game losing streak. I would bet that Bam Adebayo has a big game against the Mavericks, though.
Check back in next week for more Miami Heat content.