NEW YORK — Observations and other notes of interest from Friday night’s 102-86 loss to the Brooklyn Nets:
– Eight consecutive nights on the road is testing enough, a trail from San Antonio to Chicago, Philadelphia and then this one in Brooklyn.
– Eight consecutive nights on the road with the trading deadline mixed in is even more challenging.
– In this one, the Heat had the look of a team needing a taste of home.
– Which they will get for just a single game, Monday against the Celtics at Kaseya Center, before heading back out to Oklahoma City and Dallas ahead of the All-Star break.
– In this one, it was the look of a team simply trying to survive.
– Against a team playing for the lottery.
– Against an opponent on the verge of a buyout with Ben Simmons.
– No such luck.
– Instead, nine fourth-quarter points.
– Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said at the morning shootaround he was impressed how his team handled the deadline and all the drama leading up to the deadline.
– After the deadline? Not so much.
– “I really commend our group. I mentioned that again,” he said going in of his discussions with the team. “This could have looked a lot worse with potentially other teams, if you had to go through a lot of different changing situations, kind of the unknown and then stay the course.”
– Spoelstra’s players seem to be embracing the change, albeit amid the fatigue of it all.
– “Super happy to have the new guys, get past everything going on the last six to eight weeks,” Herro said. “It’s kind of refreshing. It’s good to get new energy, new life into the building.”
– And needed.
– As if there was any doubt, as this one showed, it is clear the Heat intent is to lock into their defense.
– “We know what it is and our blueprint for success, can we consistently be reliable to that?” Spoelstra said.
– On Friday, it was the only option.
– For the seventh consecutive game the Heat opened with a lineup of Herro, Bam Adebayo, Kel’el Ware, Haywood Highsmith and Duncan Robinson.
– With the start, Robinson passed P.J. Brown for 16th place on the Heat all-time list.
– It was Ware’s ninth consecutive start.
– Ware had five offensive rebounds in the first quarter.
– None of the Heat trade acquisitions were available.
– With Andrew Wiggins, Davion Mitchell and Kyle Anderson expected to practice with the team for the first time on Sunday.
– Jaime Jaquez Jr. and Nikola Jovic entered together in the Heat’s first substitution.
– Terry Rozier followed.
– With Pelle Larsson then inserted in the second period for his energizing role.
–The Nets opened with a lineup of D’Angelo Russell, Keon Johnson, Ziaire Williams, Cam Johnson and Nic Claxton.
– Spoelstra was asked if he had spoken to Warriors coach Steve Kerr about Jimmy Butler since the forward’s trade to Golden State. Spoelstra served as an Olympic assistant coach to Kerr.
– “No, not really,” Spoelstra said. “I think we have enough respect for each other, we texted each other once the deal went through, just to wish each other the best on it. And we also have that respect that you want each other to learn about the respective players without any kind of influence. So we’re both on the same page about that.”
– Of Butler, who is expected to make his Warriors debut Saturday in Chicago, Kerr said, “Players sometimes need a fresh start, so do teams. That’s the whole idea behind this. I know he’s excited and ready to go just from talking with him. I think we’re going to get the very best version of him. That’s why we made the deal.”
– It was Herro’s 74th consecutive regular-season game scoring in double figures. As a means of comparison, Jimmy Butler’s longest such Heat streak is 63 consecutive games. The franchise record is 294 by LeBron James.
– Herro entered 40 points shy of Tim Hardaway to tie for 11th place on the franchise all-time scoring list.
Originally Published: