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For the first time this season, the Miami Heat are two games over .500. They started the first half strong, leading the Los Angeles Clippers by 18 points at halftime. And just like most Heat games, it was a rollercoaster. After a strong first half, Miami went through a rough third quarter. But still, Miami was able to overcome the Clippers comeback and win the game. With the win, Miami moves to 20-18 for the season. Here are my takeaways from Monday’s win.

Adebayo Sets the Tone

Coming into Monday’s game, Bam Adebayo clearly had the matchup advantage against Ivica Zubac. The last time these two teams faced each other, they doubled Adebayo all game. Adebayo still scored 31 points in that game. The adjustment the Clippers made this time was doubling Jimmy Butler instead. This allowed Adebayo to get his one-on-one matchup with Zubac. Adebayo has the quickness to get past Zubac and can knock down his midrange jumper. The midrange jumper was falling for Adebayo and he also got some buckets around the basket. He was clearly set on being assertive this game. And he was throughout. Adebayo finished the night with 31 points and 13 rebounds.

Miami Heat’s Turd Quarter Moves in the New Year

When the year turned 2023, the Heat hoped to leave their third quarter troubles behind them. Unfortunately, that wasn’t the case on Monday. Despite a strong first half, Miami came back in the third quarter a totally different team. They couldn’t get consecutive defensive stops, as Paul George got his isolation game going. Offensively, the team was stagnant on that end. The ball stopped moving and players weren’t moving. It was all just isolation, which is not Heat basketball. It seems as if Miami gets too comfortable at times whenever they start off strong. They start to believe the game is out of reach and they can relax. Too often Miami settles with tough shots and going away from their ball movement. This is one of the things Miami needs to clean up starting this year.

Oladipo’s Offense Trending in the Right Direction

There appears to be a huge development coming from the Heat’s roster. And it’s coming from Victor Oladipo. Coming off his best performance of the season, Oladipo continued to excel on the offensive end on Monday. He provided consistent rim pressure, and his jumpers were falling as well. Defensively, he continued to make things tough on the Clippers guards. But most importantly, it’s his offense that has been the story of the past two games. Miami needs that offensive spark off the bench and Oladipo becoming more consistent certainly helps. However, Miami will continue to be cautious with the Heat guard. Oladipo has yet to play in back-to-back games this season. Oladipo finished the night with 15 points.

Butler Returns

After sitting out Saturday’s game, Butler was back in the lineup on Monday. It was a quiet game for the Heat’s star player. As mentioned earlier, the Clippers made adjustments to double Butler, mainly at the elbow. Butler also struggled from the field and from the free throw line. With Butler struggling, he deferred to Tyler Herro and Adebayo, who both had a good night. This wasn’t his night, and he didn’t try to force the action. When Miami needed to stop the Clippers run in the third quarter, he drew two fouls and got to the free throw line. Butler finished the night with nine points and six rebounds.

Next Up: The Los Angeles Lakers on Wednesday. Game tips off at 10:30pm eastern time.

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A familiar face was back in Miami on Wednesday night. Lebron James and the Los Angeles Lakers took on the Miami Heat. It was back and forth contest between both teams in the first half. Miami pushed their lead to as many as 22 points in the third quarter. In the fourth quarter, the game started to get close again when the Lakers cut the Heat’s lead to nine points. However, a key three-pointer from Tyler Herro pushed the Heat ahead and they never looked back. With the win, Miami moves to 18-17 for the season. Here are my takeaways from the Heat’s win against the Lakers.

Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo Both Sharp in their Returns

Miami’s best two players Bam Adebayo and Jimmy Butler were back in action on Wednesday. Butler was very efficient in his first game back. Butler tormented the Lakers with his midrange game. He was very under control throughout the whole game. Whenever the Lakers made a run, Butler would knock down timely shots to keep the Heat ahead. Butler finished the night with 27 points on an efficient 11-of-18 shooting from the field. Adebayo was also strong in his return. He dominated his matchup with Lakers center Thomas Bryant. The Heat center had 11 points and eight rebounds in the first half. He then scored 10 points in the third quarter and finished the night with 23 points and 14 rebounds.

Miami Heat’s Strong Third Quarter

We all know about the Heat’s history with third quarters, often referred to as ” Turd Quarters” by Heat fans. Miami has had their struggles with the third period this season as well. Miami entered this week losing eight of their last nine third quarters. On Monday, they outscored the Minnesota Timberwolves by four in the third period and turned around and outscored the Lakers by eight. Miami entered the fourth quarter up 95-78. It certainly helps playing against a struggling team like the Lakers. Miami took advantage of that and held off a Lakers comeback in the fourth quarter.

Another Oladipo Defensive Masterclass

Yes, Victor Oladipo is still struggling offensively. He still has trouble finishing at the rim. He has yet to find an offensive rhythm. However, he’s really been putting his fingerprints on the defensive end. Oladipo has been very huge at the point of attack. He has the lateral quickness to stay in front of his defender and beating them to their spot. He has great defensive instincts on the defensive end. Oladipo has a good knack of swiping the ball away from a player and forcing a turnover. You can try dribbling in front of him if you want to. But he’s going to make it tough for you. He finished the night with four points, three steals, and two blocks.

Caleb’s Three-Point Shooting

If it wasn’t for Miami’s struggling start, we would be talking more about Caleb Martin‘s development. He’s been outstanding for Miami this season. Martin was solid against the Lakers on Wednesday, especially from downtown. Martin shot 3 of 4 from beyond the arc. He’s looking more comfortable shooting the ball than he has in the past. Martin can shoot off the catch and off the jab step. The funny thing is he probably would’ve had five triples hadn’t he stepped on the three-point line two times. Martin finished the night with 13 points.

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The Miami Heat enter Monday’s game with a record of 16-17. They also were 9-8 at home. With that being said, this was going to be a huge game for the Heat. The task became even more daunting without Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo. However, the Heat were still able to get the job done against the Minnesota Timberwolves. And it wasn’t pretty. A late fadeaway jumper by Tyler Herro put the team up five points and late sealed the victory for Miami. With the win, Miami moves to 16-16 for the season. Here are the takeaways from Monday’s win over the Timberwolves.

Strus Leads the Way

Without two of their top scorers, Miami needed others to step up. And Max Strus answered the call. Strus stepped up to lead the team in scoring with 19 points. Most importantly, the three-point shooting was back for Strus. After struggling for most of the month, Strus made five three-pointers on Monday. He also got a couple of baskets off of run outs and cuts to the basket. As a team, Miami mostly struggled from downtown. But it was nice seeing the Heat sharpshooter get going from beyond the arc. Hopefully, he can continue to shoot well from outside.

Attacking the Paint

Usually when Adebayo and Butler are out, the strategy usually involves putting up more three-point shots. But yet, Miami was able to create plenty of opportunities in the paint. Kyle Lowry led the attack with his drives to the basket off the pick and roll. Gabe Vincent and Victor Oladipo also attacked the paint as well. It was the first time both Oladipo and Vincent played together in the backcourt. Oladipo’s finishes at the paint haven’t always been pretty. However, it’s going to be important in the long run as he gets back in offensive rhythm. At one point, Miami had 22 points in the paint in the first half. Overall, Miami finished the night with 64 points in the paint.

Has Miami found their Backup Five?

The Heat were thin at the center spot without Adebayo, Dewayne Dedmon, and Omer Yurtseven. But, they did have one true center left in Orlando Robinson. While Nikola Jovic started for spacing purposes, Robinson provided huge minutes at the center spot. He was active on the boards, particularly on the offensive end. Robinson’s activity around the basket provided multiple second chance opportunities for Miami. He didn’t force anything on the offensive end. Robinson set good screens and dove to the basket in a timely manner. There’s still room for improvement but overall, it was a solid night for the Heat rookie big man. Robinson finished with 15 points and nine rebounds.

Robinson closing in on Franchise Record

Now, let’s talk about the other Robinson. Duncan Robinson, who has been in and out of the rotation, got minutes on Monday. Even though he’s shooting 32 percent from downtown, Robinson is still a threat from beyond the arc. Especially when he’s shooting 40 percent for his career. On Monday, Robinson and Strus were the main Heat players shooting well from outside. Robinson shot 3 of 5 from beyond the arc. His first three of the night put him at 800 three-pointers for his career, making him the fastest player to reach that mark. He’s now five three-pointers away from passing Tim Hardaway for the most in franchise history. Robinson finished the night with nine points in 14 minutes of action.

Next up: The Los Angeles Lakers on Wednesday. Game tips off at 7:30pm eastern time.

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In case you missed it, Miami Heat legend Dwyane Wade is officially a candidate for the 2023 Basketball Hall of Fame. Wade was among several former NBA stars selected as candidates. The Heat legend delivered Miami’s first championship in 2006, and later went on to win two more in 2012 and 2013. He has been a key part in each championship run and is arguably considered the greatest Heat player. The accolades that Wade has throughout his career speak for themselves. He’s a 13-time NBA-AllStar, Three-time NBA Champion, 2006 Finals MVP, Eight-time All-NBA Player, and Olympic Gold Medalist.

The Beginning

When discussing the top three shooting guards of all-time, you have to put Wade in after Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant. Without Wade, Miami wouldn’t have won their first championship in 2006. Trailing 0-2 in the series, Wade led a huge turnaround to win the series 4-2. It was arguably one of the greatest finals performances in the NBA history. The Dallas Mavericks had no answer for him. Wade constantly attacked the paint and drew fouls. When the Mavericks forced him into jumpers, Wade may them pay.

The following couple of years were filled with underachieving seasons for Miami. However, Wade still put up great individual performances. Every year, he was an All-Star player, All-NBA talent, and was in the conversation for league MVP in 2009. In that same year, Wade was also the league’s leading scorer, averaging 30.2 points per game. He was still one of, if not the best shot blocking guard in history. Despite the years without championships, Wade still kept the Heat relevant during those few years.

Miami Heat Big Three Era

Next came the Big Three era, when Lebron James and Chris Bosh decided to join Wade in Miami. Wade played a huge role in recruiting to two stars to join him in Miami. The Big Three spent four seasons together, winning two NBA championships. The following years, we began to see a decline in Wade’s athleticism. Wade also was dealing with multiple of injuries as well. Still, the Heat guard was productive. Even though the athleticism was declining, Wade used his basketball IQ and craftiness to his advantage. He still provided clutch moments for Miami and many memorable memories. Remember the “Purple Shirt Guy Game?”

One Last Dance

Yes, Wade had some short stints with the Chicago Bulls and Cleveland Cavaliers. If you’re a longtime Heat fan or Wade fan, those are memories you would rather forget. But Wade found his way back to Miami in 2018. He was back in the place where it all started. A place that meant the most to him. The following season was his final NBA season, which was labeled as “One Last Dance.” Now, Wade can finally close his career, with a lock in the 2023 Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame. He will join other greats like Dirk Nowitzki, Pau Gasol, Tony Parker, and coach Gregg Popovich.

As always, Thank You for Everything D-Wade!

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For the first time this season, the Miami Heat have reached above the .500 mark. Playing in Mexico City, Miami was missing a few key role players. After losing to the San Antonio Spurs a week ago, Miami needed to get their revenge on Saturday. And that’s exactly what happened. Miami didn’t play well on both ends in the first half. The offense was clunky at times, and they were slow on their defensive rotations. But in the end, Miami picked up their defensive intensity and was able to seal the victory. With the win, Miami moves to 16-15 for the season. Here are my takeaways from Saturday’s victory over the Spurs.

Butler leads the Way

The last time these two teams played each other, Jimmy Butler put up 30 points against the Spurs. In that game, Miami was trailing and relied heavily on Butler’s isolation scoring. On Saturday, it was another back-and-forth game between the two times. With Miami trailing at halftime, they needed their best player to take control of the game. Butler did that in the third period to keep the Heat afloat. Butler kept attacking the paint and drawing fouls on the Spurs defenders. His ability to provide rim pressure and draw fouls was very essential for Miami at that point. It kept Miami in good position to win. Butler ended the night with 26 points, five rebounds, and four assists.

The Non-Bam Minutes

When Bam Adebayo first exited the game in the first quarter, Miami had a 20-12 lead over the Spurs. Guess what happened when he returned to the game? Well, Miami trailed 25-20. The Spurs continued to involve Dewayne Dedmon in their offensive attack. They kept attacking Dedmon in the drop coverage forcing him to play 2-on-1s. It hasn’t been a good year for Dedmon on both ends. He’s been inconsistent in his minutes and also has been dealing with a lingering foot injury. As has been the case throughout the season, the non-Bam minutes continues to be a problem. They’ll need to find a frontcourt piece through trade at some point this season.

Duncan Robinson Provides Shooting Boost

Duncan Robinson provided some quality minutes off the bench for the Heat on Saturday. He shot the ball well from the beyond the arc. Robinson was 3-for-6 from downtown. In addition to his shooting, Miami was also running their offensive sets for him again. On one play, Tyler Herro drew two defenders and threw a skip pass over to Robinson for the open shot. Robinson made it. In the first possession of the fourth period, Robinson caught the ball off a flare screen, drew the double, and found a rolling Adebayo for an easy dunk. He later scored an and-1 bucket off a dribble handoff involving Adebayo. When Robinson is rolling offensively, it creates plenty of opportunities for Miami’s offense. The problem is he hasn’t been consistent as much this season. Robinson finished the night with 12 points.

Victor Oladipo’s Elite Defense

After sitting out the last game for rest, Victor Oladipo was back on the floor on Saturday. He was the first reserve off the bench. It was still a quiet game offensively for him. He’s still trying to find his offensive rhythm as he gets his reps. However, his defense has been elite and huge for Miami. On Saturday, he was very active on the defensive end getting deflections and five steals. Yes, I said five steals. Oladipo’s defense played a key role in the Heat’s victory over the Spurs. In the fourth period, Oladipo picked up three steals in a span of three minutes. The offensive game remains a work in progress, but his defense has been on another level. Oladipo finished the night with seven points.

Next up: The Chicago Bulls on Tuesday. Game tips off at 7:30pm eastern.

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Before Monday’s victory against the Indiana Pacers, Miami Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra told reporters, “this is an important week for us.” And he’s right. After a disappointing start to the season, the Heat need to get back on track. Since the season began, it’s been an uphill climb to reach the .500 record mark. Now, the Heat are seeking to jumpstart their season by playing well on their four-game road trip. However, there’s another important date coming up—December 15th. Why is that date important? Well, it’s when most of last off-season’s signings become trade eligible. It’s usually the unofficial start to trade season.

Even though the Heat had statement wins against the Boston Celtics and Phoenix Suns, their biggest issue has been consistency. One night they’ll resemble the team that went to the Eastern Conference Finals a year ago and the next night they would drop wins against lottery teams. At 13-15, Miami currently sits in the 10th spot, the final spot for the play-in tournament. For a team and organization with championship aspirations, this is not an ideal spot to be in. This is why moves are needed. As of this week, Miami has already been linked to a few players in the rumor mill.

Jae Crowder

The most obvious and favorable one is the Jae Crowder, who last played with the Heat in 2020. Starting alongside Bam Adebayo in the starting lineup, Crowder helped the Heat reached their first finals since 2014. Crowder provided long range shooting, rebounding, and defense. He’s very familiar with the Heat’s system and knows how to play his role well. In his last season in Miami, he averaged 9.4 points, 5.3 rebounds, and shot 35 percent from three-point range. He’s been on the trade market since the training camp and away from his current team. Now, it’s been reported by the Athletics Shams Charnia that the December 15th date has reenergized their pursuit for the former Heat forward.

Bojan Bogdonavic

Next up, we have Bojan Bogdonavic, the Detroit Pistons sharpshooter. Out of all current targets, this may be the least likely one. Despite the reported Heat interest, it’s also been reported that the Pistons plan on keeping the forward in Detroit. Bogdanovic is not the defender that Crowder is, but he’ll fit nicely next to Adebayo as a floor spacer. At 44 percent from downtown, his sharpshooting will open up driving lanes for both Jimmy Butler and Adebayo. It will be a big boost for a Heat offense that’s currently ranked 27th in the league. Bogdanovic is currently having a strong season in Detroit, where he’s averaging 21 points and 3.6 rebounds per game while shooting 51 percent from the field.

Nerlens Noel

Another forward the Heat have been linked to is Bogdanovic’s teammate, Nerlens Noel. Noel was traded back in July by the New York Knicks as part of a salary dump. So far, he has not been a part of the Pistons rotation this season. And that’s because of the Pistons crowded frontcourt. He would be an interesting fit in Miami as a backup center behind Adebayo. Center depth behind Adebayo is a necessity for Miami. Dewayne Dedmon has struggled all season. Omer Yurtseven hasn’t played and probably won’t return until later in the season. Miami is also not ready to throw rookie center Nikola Jovic in the mix yet. As a defensive minded big, Noel could help Miami with shot blocking and rebounding.

Overall, all three players have some type of skillset that can help Miami. The next question is how Miami would go about pulling these deals off. It may require them to find a third team to help facilitate a deal. If they cannot find a deal, they may have to wait until the buyout for a good player to be available for them. But the time is moving fast, and Miami needs to get back on track. We’ll see what direction they decide to go.