The art of sublimating yourself is something with the Heat. Despite a number of absences, including three starters (Jimmy Butler, Tyler Herro and Terry Rozier), the Floridians found the means to win on the floor of the Kings (110-121), who nevertheless remained on a benchmark victory the watches against the Clippers. Kings who pushed very hard to come back to the score, after finding themselves 20 points behind at the start of the last quarter.
The gap was reduced to two possessions, but Miami held on until the end. “ This is what this group is made of “, can let go of Erik Spoelstra after the match. The list of his heroes is long. Close to the triple-double, which his opponent of the evening Domantas Sabonis reached for the 21st time of the year, Bam Adebayo was immense, like his counterattack against Trey Lyles in the last minute. The Heat leader himself had just scored a decisive basket in the heart of the racket a few seconds earlier.
Jaime Jaquez Jr. regains his level of play
What can we say about the baskets converted in this “money time” from a unleashed Jaime Jaquez Jr. near the circle where he was able to showcase his physical qualities and his (already) excellent support game. Let us also mention Kevin Love who scored 10 of his 19 points during the terrible 17-2 defeat by the visitors, to end the third quarter. It is here, after a very competitive first period (62-65), that the Heat took off with the score (81-101).
Miami's veteran interior was fed a lot under the circle, where he benefited from several “matchups”, by a surprising Duncan Robinson in this part: terrifyingly clumsy (1/11), but essential to the distribution (11 assists , career record, and +25 to the score), to compensate for the absentees. The Heat were above all intelligent in their management of the tempo and showed their defensive seriousness.
Passages in the zone helped disrupt the rhythm of the Californians, who were contained to 19 points scored in the third quarter. Kevin Huerter or Malik Monk struggling with their outside shooting, the locals had to rely on the skill of Keegan Murray, as well as the vision of De'Aaron Fox who got back in the right direction in the last period. With these two men, Sacramento came within four points (110-114), but Miami signed a final 7-0 to win.
WHAT YOU MUST REMEMBER
– Too many X factors. With these multiple absences, Erik Spoelstra still had to tinker with aligning his… 30th different starting five for the 57th game of the year. For his first match in his new colors, former Wizards player Delon Wright was thrown into the deep end. And responded perfectly by signing a performance between sobriety and efficiency. An X factor like Kevin Love mentioned above, or Haywood Highsmith who scored all 15 of his points in the first period. In short, Sacramento found itself with more players to control than imagined.
– The Heat overtakes the Pacers in 6th place. The defeat of the Pacers coupled with its own victory is synonymous with good performance in the standings for the Heat (32v-25d): it now occupies 6th place in the East, i.e. a potential direct qualification for the playoffs. We'll see if Bam Adebayo's squad can build on their current momentum (eight wins in ten games) to move on to Portland next night. The Kings (33v-24d) find themselves in 7th place, but in either case, the density is such that nothing is set in stone.
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
How to read the stats? Min = Minutes; Shots = Successful shots / Attempted shots; 3pts = 3-points / 3-points attempted; LF = free throws made / free throws attempted; O = offensive rebound; D=defensive rebound; T = Total rebounds; Pd = assists; Fte: Personal fouls; Int = Intercepts; Bp = Lost balls; Ct: Against; +/- = Point differential when the player is on the field; Pts = Points; Eval: player evaluation calculated from positive actions – negative actions.
