The Miami Heat took on Luka Doncic and the Dallas Mavericks on Monday. Miami was shorthanded missing three key bench players. It was a terrible shooting second half for Miami. Dallas took advantage and overcame the Heat’s double-digit lead in the third period. The Heat couldn’t get going from downtown and the ball movement was not there. Dallas played terrific defense on the Heat in the second half. With the loss, Miami falls to 37-21 for the season. Here are four takeaways from Tuesday’s loss to Dallas.
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Tale of Two Halves
This was basically a tale of two halves. In the first half, Miami was clicking on all cylinders in the first half shooting over 50 percent from the field. The ball movement was crisp, and the players were constantly moving. They slowed Miami’s ball movement down and defended the Heat’s three-point attack well. On the other end, Dallas was clicking from downtown even with Doncic struggling. Miami’s defensive plan was to stop Doncic and make the others beat them. However, Doncic’s teammates were more than ready for the challenge. In the second half, Miami went 1-14 from downtown and got outscored 56-40.
Bam Gets Assertive Again
Since the blowout in Boston, Bam Adebayo has been more assertive. The field goal attempts are up, and the scoring is up as well. Once again, he was aggressive early, particularly in the second quarter. Adebayo faced his defender multiple times and blew past them for the basket. He also mixed in a couple of jumpers as well. Seeing Adebayo be more assertive is starting to become a regular thing now. It’s certainly something that can elevate the Heat’s offense. The more comfortable he gets, the more flexible the offense gets. Adebayo finished the night with 21 points and 12 rebounds.
Yurtseven Released
In addition to Tyler Herro and Caleb Martin being out, the Heat also ruled out Dewayne Dedmon before the game. With Dedmon out, it meant more time for Omer Yurtseven. This is nothing new for Yurtseven, who started for the Heat when both of their bigs went down. Like he usually does, Yurtseven immediately filled the stat sheet. Yurtseven continued the track down the rebounds on both ends of the floor. He was also a lob target for the Heat’s guards. With Dallas focusing on the Heat’s three-point shooters, it created some easy looks for Yurtseven in the paint. Yurtseven continues to show that he’s ready to step in when his number is called. Yurtseven finished the night with 11 points and eight rebounds.
Haywood Signed, Into the Rotation
Miami signed Haywood Highsmith to a 10-day contract earlier on Tuesday. But he found himself in the rotation immediately. With Miami missing multiple players, it gave Highsmith the opportunity to play. Miami didn’t have many options with so many reserves out. His versatility was put on display early. Highsmith showed he can defend multiple positions and also provide the occasional relief three-pointer in the corner. Most importantly, he knows where to be in the Heat’s offense and does not get in the way of others. Don’t be surprised if his contract gets converted into a two-way contract at some point. He most definitely fits in the system.
Next up: The Charlotte Hornets on Thursday. The game tips off at 7 pm eastern time.
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