The Heat kicked off their six-game road trip with a gut-wrenching double-overtime loss to the Kings in Sacramento. While the game showed some fight from Miami, it also highlighted some of their biggest issues moving forward.
Let’s break down the key takeaways:
• The Heat blew a 17-point lead in the fourth quarter, ultimately losing 123-118 in double OT.
• Missed free throws and 18 offensive rebounds allowed to the Kings were killer.
• This loss could set a bad tone for the road trip, especially with a back-to-back in Golden State coming up.
The biggest story of the night was Bam Adebayo’s disappointing performance. Look, I get it - we’ve been making excuses for Bam all season. But man, this was rough:
• Bam shot just 3-of-13 in regulation, finishing 6-of-19 for 18 points overall.
• He went scoreless in the fourth quarter when the team needed him most.
• With Jimmy Butler likely on his way out, Bam has to step up and be the guy. This ain’t it.
There are just things Bam’s doing that I don’t understand. When he grabs a defensive rebound and pushes in transition, he keeps stopping at the three-point line to look for a dribble handoff. Just keep going, man! Attack the rim and make the defense react.
On a more positive note, Jaime Jaquez Jr. notched his first career triple-double with 16 points, 12 rebounds, and 10 assists. The Heat might have found a way to get his season back on track:
• They used Jaquez as a point forward, letting him initiate the offense.
• This allowed Tyler Herro to play more off-ball, which sparked his scoring early.
• Jaquez pushed the pace and got others involved, showing his playmaking potential.
The starting lineup and rotation decisions from Spo were interesting. He went with Rozier, Herro, Jaquez, Highsmith, and Bam to start. I’m not sure why he’s so committed to forcing a point guard into the lineup lately. It seems like he’s decided Tyler can’t be the full-time point guard.
Bottom line: This was a tough loss to swallow. The Heat had no business losing this game after being up 17 in the fourth. They’ve got to figure things out quickly on this road trip, especially with the Jimmy Butler situation looming over everything.
