Heat hasn’t won since and has been hampered by injuries after coming away with a statement victory over the Phoenix Suns on Nov. 14 to get back.500 following a 4-7 start to the season. The Heat lost its fourth straight game against the Minnesota Timberwolves at Target Center on Monday night, dropping to 7-11 and ending a dismal four-game trip just seven days after defeating the Suns.
After the Heat’s defeat in Minneapolis, center Bam Adebayo sighed in the sparse Heat locker room, “Rough week.”
Kyle Lowry said, “Going 0-4 is a tough trip for us.
Max Strus, a forward, said in an angry tone, “Losing sucks.
These are only a few ways to summarize the Heat’s current situation. But to underline how difficult this stretch has been, context is necessary.
The last time the Heat failed to pick up a victory on a trip that included at least four games was in March 2008, when they went 0-4 on a four-game trip. Miami had a 15-67 record at the end of the 2007–08 season.
With the Heat returning to Miami in search of a victory as it kicks off a two-game home series against the Washington Wizards on Wednesday, Lowry said, “It’s tough, but we are where we are right now” (7:30 p.m., Bally Sports Sun). “Four games have passed us under.500. Our track record stands. We are a better team than our record, in my opinion. However, our track record stands. We need to resume simply hacking away at it little by little. We achieved.500. Although we had a chance to surpass.500, we are currently where we are.”
However, the Heat did not anticipate being in this position after bringing back 13 players from the squad that advanced to the Eastern Conference Finals final season and fell one victory short of making it to the NBA Finals.
Injuries have plagued the Heat this season, especially during the four-game losing streak. Adebayo, the Heat’s third-leading scorer, missed the first two games of the trip due to a left knee contusion before playing in the next two games. Jimmy Butler, the Heat’s top scorer, returned to Miami and missed the following three games due to right knee soreness. Tyler Herro, the Heat’s second-leading scorer, stayed in Miami the entire trip due to a sprained left ankle. Other Heat players also missed the games.
As a result, the Heat only had 11 players available for their opening contest against the Toronto Raptors on Wednesday. In the second game of Friday’s overtime loss to the Wizards, the Heat had just seven players available. In losses to the Cavaliers on Sunday and the Timberwolves on Monday, the Heat had ten available players at the end of the trip.
Erik Spoelstra, the Heat coach, stated, “at some time, hopefully, we’ll be getting some guys back.” “Even if they are not 100%, as long as they are sufficiently close. They could give us some reinforcement, even if it’s only for a few minutes. We are now in such a situation. Just give us whatever you have; nothing more, nothing less. Rather than the usual 30 minutes, please give us 15. Please give us eight minutes instead of the usual twenty. Therefore, we can control things right now.
In Monday’s loss, the Heat was without seven players. Butler and Herro weren’t in Miami, nor were Udonis Haslem (personal reasons), Victor Oladipo (left knee tendinosis), Duncan Robinson (sprained left ankle), Gabe Vincent (left knee effusion), and Omer Yurtseven (left ankle sprain) (left ankle surgery).
The Heat has already ruled out Butler, Oladipo, Robinson, and Yurtseven for Wednesday’s game against the Wizards. Herro and Vincent are classified as questionable, while Adebayo and Haywood Highsmith (right hip inflammation) are likely. Max Strus (right shoulder impingement), Dewayne Dedmon (left foot plantar fasciitis), Herro, and Vincent are questionable.
Classified initially as out for Wednesday, Strus, who participated in every game of the trip, had his status revised by the Heat on Tuesday evening to questionable.
We have to maintain our optimism in some way, Lowry remarked. “Hopefully, this next week, we get some bodies back. The following two games are against a solid Washington club. However, we return home, make our beds, use our facilities, and get ready to try to win. Take one, just one.
The fact that players have been playing a lot of minutes due to injuries is not an excuse for Monday’s loss, as Spoelstra was quick to remind out, but he did admit that “the guys’ legs were maybe a little bit dead from this road trip” against the Timberwolves.
Lowry played 40.5 minutes per game while on the trip, Caleb Martin played 40.1 minutes per game, Strus played 38.3 minutes per game, and even young, inexperienced players like Highsmith (30.1 minutes per game), Nikola Jovic (27.3 minutes per game). And Jamal Cain (15.1 minutes per game) had to be used for long stretches due to the injuries to so many regular rotation players.
Spoelstra stated, “Guys are giving everything they’ve got.” “Everyone who can play is giving everything they’ve got. Even the players themselves are currently coping with numerous minor injuries. They’re just playing through it and acting in the team’s best interest. It’s fantastic and encouraging to see men work that way.
Accepting the Heat’s 0-4 record is difficult for players and coaches because they came close to winning one or more games during the trip. Miami was ahead at the half in three of the four games before losing, including one that went into overtime despite Miami being ahead by five points with one-minute remaining in regulation.
In the end, the Heat leads only the Orlando Magic, Charlotte Hornets, and Detroit Pistons into Tuesday’s action in the Eastern Conference standings. Miami’s only option with 64 regular-season games remaining is to keep playing and hope that their injury list becomes less soon.
I assure Heat Nation that we will learn from it, Spoelstra stated. “With all the men gone, this road trip was so close to being something extraordinary. We couldn’t accomplish it. Therefore, we’ll get some rest and prepare for Wednesday.