The Heat put up 8 points in the 4th quarter. No, this is not a joke. It wasn’t a bunch of Heat fans from the lower bowl to play the quarter in substitution. The Heat started the fourth up 106-84. Then the Magic, without Franz Wagner and Paolo Banchero made a fantastic comeback.
It is difficult to explain why the team was up by 25 at one point and lost the game. Many fans are frustrated with the Heat’s troubles. Fans chirp about finally trading Jimmy or Bam, firing Spoelstra, decrying how Riley has failed, etc. The Heat players look like a unit that “say one thing and then do another.” Coach Spoelstra needs to look again at players’ commitment.
Bad choices in 4th quarter
Rozier took a three-point shot with 12 seconds on the shot clock. The Magic were on a 9-0 run to start the fourth quarter. Duncan Robinson had taken a three-point shot and missed in the previous possession. This was a time for the Heat to slow the game down and look for a good shot or a foul. Then, Herro took a three-point shot with 15 seconds on the shot clock. The Magic run was 17-3.
The score was 109-101 for two minutes from 7:24-5:04. Tyler Herro begins possession with about 6 minutes remaining. He attempts a shot with 20 seconds on the shot clock but gets stripped. Then, at 5:26, he tries another three-pointer with 15 seconds on the shot clock. As former Heat analyst Tony Fiorentino would say, the Heat possessions would be one shot and done.
Lack of focus
The Heat were up 22 and “took their foot of the gas.” The players began to “check out” with bad turnovers. One was, Duncan Robinson threw a pass to Jaquez and he wasn’t even aware of the pass. Then on another possession, Jaquez threw a high pass out of bounds on a drive. Another possession had Tyler Herro throw a contested pass to Bam Adebayo off a drive that was picked.
The Magic decided to “dig in” defensively and push back against the Heat. Look at this article here from the fan site, Orlando Magic Daily. Their defense boosted their offense. The Heat players then took a step back psychologically.
Reexamine “We have enough” team philosophy
In my article on our site, Bam Adebayo is 1B, I highlighted a Youtuber who analyzed how Bam is “the quarterback of the defense.” As of now, it appears that Bam has “too much to do.” (rather than be lauded for all his responsibilities) He needs someone else on the team to take over his defensive assignments during a game. As a remedy, Isaiah Stevens is in the “G League” averaging 11 assists per game for Sioux Falls.
If the organization is considering a future without Jimmy Butler, now is the best time to reassess. How will players respond after this result? Will they only talk about their ability to score and win? Will they parrot what coaches want to hear? Who will attack the real problem and try to be part of the solution?
One Response