- Joined
- May 8, 2002
- Posts
- 411,278
- Reaction score
- 43
BOSTON – In defeating the flyweights, bantamweights and featherweights amid this five-game winning streak, the Miami Heat have shown they can pack a punch against NBA lightweights.
Not that the games against the Charlotte Hornets, Philadelphia 76ers and Washington Wizards weren’t exactly as needed in the immediate wake of a 10-game losing streak.
But now Erik Spoelstra’s team will have to punch up in class, amid the scramble for play-in seeding.
Because up next for the Heat are the Boston Celtics on Wednesday night at TD Garden, the Memphis Grizzlies on Thursday night at Kaseya Center and then the Milwaukee Bucks at home on Saturday night.
As in opponents that entered Tuesday a combined 149-84. As a means of comparison, the Heat’s last two wins have come against opponents a combined 39-111.
So a winning streak with heft or a winning streak crafted from lottery sewage?
Buckle-up time has arrived.
“I mean, we’ll find out,” Spoelstra said of his 34-41, ninth-place team. “Our guys are competitors, so they’re going to look forward to this. It’s not like we’re going to be ducking the competition or anything like that.
“But we’ve developed some much better habits, the process has been solid, guys are gaining confidence. I think all of this has built off the adversity and playing well. Hopefully, we give a real good shot at it in Boston.”
Largely, that has not been the case this season, with the Heat 9-26 against teams with winning records. The lone victory during this winning streak came against a Golden State Warriors team lacking Stephen Curry.
Still, Spoelstra said the newfound confidence could go a long way.
“What I believe is we’ve been playing playoff basketball for about seven or eight weeks,” he said of the team’s recalibration since Jimmy Butler first started acting out and then forced his trade to the Warriors. “All of these games have felt like pressure, stress, all of that.
“Now, the last three have not. But literally for several weeks in a row, every game had that playoff type feel and I think that does mean something.”
Now about to find out just how real. Because if the Heat are to advance to the playoffs through the Eastern Conference play-in chum of the Chicago Bulls, Orlando Magic and Atlanta Hawks, it likely would mean a first-round series against the East-best Cleveland Cavaliers.
“It’s an opportunity for us,” guard Tyler Herro said of the upcoming schedule. “We’re on a five-game win streak. We’ve been through a bunch of different obstacles this year.
“Everyone knows how hard it is to get a win in Boston. Just going up there with a five-game win streak, we’ve built a lot of confidence throughout the last five games and we feel we have an opportunity to get a tough win on the road.”
The challenge comes with Herro on arguably his hottest scoring streak of the season, including 27 points in Monday night’s 120-94 rout of the Wizards at Capital One Arena.
Also solid in that game was center Bam Adebayo, with the Heat captain closing with 28 points, 12 rebounds, despite sitting out the fourth quarter, now ready for this next set of challenges.
“We’re going to go out there, play to the best of our abilities and let the chips fall where they may,” he said, with the Heat’s 0-3 record against the Celtics coming in losses of 19, 18 and 12 points.
The difference now, in the collective sentiment of the locker room, is a higher degree of confidence.
“I think we’ve been doing all the karma things, as Spo likes to say, that are putting us in a good position,” forward Jaime Jaquez Jr. said. “Taking every game seriously and this is all to prepare for a game like we have on Wednesday against Boston. So that good karma should be paying off. And I know everyone is gaining their confidence and having a great spirit. I think that’s more important than anything. So I think we’re looking forward to it.”
Continue reading...
Not that the games against the Charlotte Hornets, Philadelphia 76ers and Washington Wizards weren’t exactly as needed in the immediate wake of a 10-game losing streak.
But now Erik Spoelstra’s team will have to punch up in class, amid the scramble for play-in seeding.
Because up next for the Heat are the Boston Celtics on Wednesday night at TD Garden, the Memphis Grizzlies on Thursday night at Kaseya Center and then the Milwaukee Bucks at home on Saturday night.
As in opponents that entered Tuesday a combined 149-84. As a means of comparison, the Heat’s last two wins have come against opponents a combined 39-111.
So a winning streak with heft or a winning streak crafted from lottery sewage?
Buckle-up time has arrived.
“I mean, we’ll find out,” Spoelstra said of his 34-41, ninth-place team. “Our guys are competitors, so they’re going to look forward to this. It’s not like we’re going to be ducking the competition or anything like that.
“But we’ve developed some much better habits, the process has been solid, guys are gaining confidence. I think all of this has built off the adversity and playing well. Hopefully, we give a real good shot at it in Boston.”
Largely, that has not been the case this season, with the Heat 9-26 against teams with winning records. The lone victory during this winning streak came against a Golden State Warriors team lacking Stephen Curry.
Still, Spoelstra said the newfound confidence could go a long way.
“What I believe is we’ve been playing playoff basketball for about seven or eight weeks,” he said of the team’s recalibration since Jimmy Butler first started acting out and then forced his trade to the Warriors. “All of these games have felt like pressure, stress, all of that.
“Now, the last three have not. But literally for several weeks in a row, every game had that playoff type feel and I think that does mean something.”
Now about to find out just how real. Because if the Heat are to advance to the playoffs through the Eastern Conference play-in chum of the Chicago Bulls, Orlando Magic and Atlanta Hawks, it likely would mean a first-round series against the East-best Cleveland Cavaliers.
“It’s an opportunity for us,” guard Tyler Herro said of the upcoming schedule. “We’re on a five-game win streak. We’ve been through a bunch of different obstacles this year.
Related Articles
- ASK IRA: What would be the optimal play-in path for Heat?
- Winderman’s view: Heat again seize upon the chum in lottery waters
- Adebayo, Herro keep Heat on a roll, win streak now at five with 120-94 rout of Wizards
- Heat’s Jaquez again headed to NCAA Final Four with UCLA, this time to support sister Gabriela
- Spoelstra waffles on Wiggins watch, views Heat as postseason threat; Mitchell (illness) out vs. Wizards
“Everyone knows how hard it is to get a win in Boston. Just going up there with a five-game win streak, we’ve built a lot of confidence throughout the last five games and we feel we have an opportunity to get a tough win on the road.”
The challenge comes with Herro on arguably his hottest scoring streak of the season, including 27 points in Monday night’s 120-94 rout of the Wizards at Capital One Arena.
Also solid in that game was center Bam Adebayo, with the Heat captain closing with 28 points, 12 rebounds, despite sitting out the fourth quarter, now ready for this next set of challenges.
“We’re going to go out there, play to the best of our abilities and let the chips fall where they may,” he said, with the Heat’s 0-3 record against the Celtics coming in losses of 19, 18 and 12 points.
The difference now, in the collective sentiment of the locker room, is a higher degree of confidence.
“I think we’ve been doing all the karma things, as Spo likes to say, that are putting us in a good position,” forward Jaime Jaquez Jr. said. “Taking every game seriously and this is all to prepare for a game like we have on Wednesday against Boston. So that good karma should be paying off. And I know everyone is gaining their confidence and having a great spirit. I think that’s more important than anything. So I think we’re looking forward to it.”
Continue reading...
