Heat skid reaches seven after 125-91 no-show vs. Grizzlies, even with Morant out
Not good enough. Again. For the seventh consecutive game.
Through all the lineup changes (including yet another one) and the alternating between falling behind early or collapsing late, defeat has become a constant for the Miami Heat, including Saturday night’s 125-91 loss to the Memphis Grizzlies at FedEx Forum, their most lopsided road loss of the season.
The losing streak now seven and the record 29-38, the Heat find themselves nine games below .500 for the first time since the 2016-17 season.
As in before Bam Adebayo and Tyler Herro arrived.
As in before Jimmy Butler was added (and then blew up this season before leaving).
Even with Adebayo coming around with his offense on an 18-point night, the Heat were unable to take advantage of the injury absence of Grizzlies guard Ja Morant on a night Herro again struggled as the focus of the opposing defense, closing 3 of 12 from the field for eight points.
In Morant’s absence, the Grizzlies had more than enough, with Jaren Jackson Jr. scoring 31 and Desmond Bane finishing with 22 points, 10 rebounds and eight assists.
The Grizzlies closed at .554 from the field, with their 72 points in the paint the most by a Heat opponent this season.
The Heat next take their losing streak to Madison Square Garden for a Monday night game against the New York Knicks on the back end of this two-game trip.
Five Degrees of Heat from Saturday night’s game:
— 1. Game flow: The Grizzlies went up 18 early and led 38-27 after the first quarter and then 63-48 at halftime.
The Heat then got within 12 early in the third period, before the Grizzlies seized a 94-67 lead going into the fourth, pushing their lead into the 30s early in the final period.
By that point, Herro and Adebayo were parked on the bench, with Herro’s streak of consecutive games scoring in double figures ending at 88 (a streak that had stood at 93 when also factoring in playoff games).
The added playing time with Adebayo on the bench allowed Kel’el Ware to close with 19 points and 11 rebounds.
— 2. Rotation remix: After shaking up his lineup in Friday night’s loss to the Celtics, Heat coach Erik Spoelstra had Ware back in the opening mix Saturday, but kept Duncan Robinson with the first five in place of Davion Mitchell.
The reshuffled deck didn’t end there, with Kyle Anderson getting his first minutes in three games and Terry Rozier back in the rotation after being held out Friday against the Celtics.
Anderson played as backup center after Ware was called for two fouls in the opening 4:43.
Mitchell then started the second half in place of Robinson, who was scoreless on 0-for-3 shooting in the first half and did not return.
— 3. More Adebayo: After attempting only two shots in each of the previous two games, Adebayo this time eclipsed that total with 1:23 remaining in the second period.
After scoring 15 total points the previous two games, Adebayo closed with 18 on 7-of-15 shooting in 30 minutes, including 2 of 4 on 3-pointers.
— 4. Elite spectator: The Grizzlies were the latest team feeling enough comfort to sit a leading man against the Heat. A night after scoring 44 in a home loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers, Morant was scratched an hour before tipoff due to shoulder soreness.
That was after the Celtics held out Jaylen Brown and Kristaps Porzingis in their Friday victory at Kaseya Center, with both returning Saturday in Brooklyn.
And that was after the Los Angeles Clippers held out Kawhi Leonard in their Wednesday night victory in Miami.
Morant has not played against the Heat since Oct. 30, 2021.
— 5. So when?: It’s not as if the Heat schedule eases.
After Monday night’s game in New York, the Heat return home to face the surprising Detroit Pistons on Wednesday night and the contending Houston Rockets on Friday night.
That could mean continued misery until next Sunday’s visit by the lowly Charlotte Hornets, an opponent that already has won at Kaseya Center amid this losing streak.
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