Absent for nine matches for personal reasons, Kyle Lowry made his big comeback tonight. A smooth return since the Spurs were deprived of their best player, Dejounte Murray. Result, an easy victory for the Heat (112-95), built first on a huge defense. Around Bam Adebayo, Floridians constantly challenged the movements of the Texans. Above all, they are able to position themselves on all passing lines and force their opponents to take off-time shots.
After a shy first 12 minutes, the Heat started the second thanks to their bench to join the break with a 10-point lead (57-47). Dominated in the racket, the Spurs never found the solutions to prevent Tyler Herro and Jimmy Butler from taking the intervals. Both Heat scorers enjoyed themselves tonight. Able to score in penetration, they are also very good at finding open teammates.
On the Texan side, White was the only one to float in the 1st half. In the second period, he fell into line and suffered in a one-sided 3rd act. With a gap that will reach 26 points, Erik Spoelstra was able to rest his executives in the last 12 minutes. A victory as a boss for this Heat team which remained on three defeats in a row.
WHAT YOU MUST REMEMBER
The Heat (almost) complete. With Kyle Lowry in its ranks, this Heat team has nothing to envy to the best teams in the league. With Lowry in charge, Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo can focus on scoring. As always, the two were exemplary on both sides of the pitch. More generally, all of Miami dominated on both sides of the field, and we will also remember the rediscovered address of a Duncan Robinson.
The Murray-dependency. Hit in the wrist, Dejounte Murray did not play this evening, but they were not the only one absent since Jakob Poetl, Jock Landale and Doug McDermott were also in civilian clothes. Without their playmaker, the Texans showed their limits on placed play. Certainly Derrick White is capable of scoring from afar, but the rest of the team came up against the aggressive defense of their opponents.
TOPS/FLOPS
✅ Tyler Herro. He is one of the favorites for the title of best sixth man, and once again he made the difference when he came on. He is the number 1 craftsman of the first “run” of his team in the first act. Able to score from a distance, he remains a formidable finisher in the circle. 24 points for him tonight and some spectacular action like a dunk in the middle of traffic.
✅Derrick White. Author of 19 of his 22 points in the 1st half, he allowed the Spurs to limit the damage. At the break, the Heat changed its defense, and it was well muzzled. Overall a good performance from him, and sitting on the bench in the 4th quarter, he would have liked to have had more support.
⛔✅Kyle Lowry. If Butler and Adebayo were able to shine on both sides, it was because Lowry took a lot of pressure off them in leadership, defensive pressure and attack management. On the other hand, we saw that it was a match of covers. Timorous in attack with a single shot, six stray balls and frustrated by the refereeing, he received a technical foul.
⛔Keldon Johnson. Like his team, Johnson never got into his game. His pitiful 1/8 from 3-pointers is the symbol of a failed match with forced shots, and most often taken out of the system.
THE FOLLOWING
Miami (33-20) : Saturday trip to Charlotte
San Antonio (19-34) : back-to-back against the Rockets
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