MIAMI – After the Miami Heat lost its 10th straight game on Friday to the Houston Rockets, there is no doubt a level of frustration within the team as the skid increases. However, Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra found positives after the defeat and expanded upon his thoughts before Sunday’s contest against the Charlotte Hornets.The loss to Houston was another disappointing outcome as Miami once again blew a double-digit lead and an advantage in the fourth quarter, the team’s 20th and 18th time respectively, both first in the NBA. However, Spoelstra would say to ClutchPoints that the “process” is improving despite the losing streak, but now it needs to result in wins.
“Well, you know, we continue to compete, definitely defensively,” Spoelstra said. “And you know, what I want to see is like the thought process, particularly getting those fourth quarter. So, you know, we are doing things with intention. At this point now, we have, we’ve had so many clutch games. We know what our package of sets, you know, even though we’ve had guys in and out a little bit, we know we’re trying to get to, we know how we’re trying to attack, and can we just do it consistently.”
There were a lot of aspects that led to the team’s demise on Friday whether it be committing 21 turnovers resulting in 24 Rockets points or getting out-rebounded offensively 15-5 leading to 23 second-chance points for the opponent. But, Miami’s leading scorer Tyler Herro finished with a dreadful eight points on three for 11 shooting from the field, only hitting on one three-pointer.
Heat’s Erik Spoelstra on Nikola Jovic recovering from a broken hand
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Bam Adebayo would finish with 16 points as the Heat’s newcomer Andrew Wiggins had 30 points, 20 in an electric second quarter, but the team will need exceptional performances from all three.
One player that the Heat want to get back sooner rather than later is young star Nikola Jovic who has been out with a broken right hand. The team would say on Feb. 25 that he will be re-evaluated in four weeks as with the time about to come up, Spoelstra would say before Sunday’s game that while they’re still awaiting word on Jovic, he has been progressing.
“Yeah, we’re still waiting on the evaluation, but he’s able to do, you know, everything. So you know, as you can imagine, he’s doing all the conditioning, he’s doing all the weight room work that he can do. So that won’t be an issue. Whenever he’s fully cleared, just to get comfortable with the ball and everything and he’s doing exercise in that regard as well.”
At any rate, before the game against the Hornets, Miami is 29-41 which puts them 10th in the Eastern Conference as they look to get one in the win column before Jimmy Butler’s return on Tuesday night.
