LOS ANGELES – Observations and other notes of interest from Monday night’s 120-119 victory over the Los Angeles Clippers:
– The fascination with the Heat offense is fine.
– Offense is fun.
– But if there isn’t a corresponding component, what does it all mean?
– A night after surrendering 77 first-half points in a loss to the Lakers, the Heat this time yielded 71 to the Clippers in the first half.
– As a matter of perspective, the Clippers scored 79 in a loss last week to the Warriors.
– With the Clippers’ 41 points in Monday night’s second quarter, a season high.
– To their credit, that also is when the Heat on Monday night said enough was enough.
– Getting back to their feisty selves.
– Which has to be the flip side of offensive free-for-all.
– Prior to the loss to the Lakers, Heat coach Erik Spoelstra was asked about the Heat potentially losing their way defensively with so much focus on their offense.
– “You know who my boss is, right?” Spoelstra said of Heat President Pat Riley. “We better have that mentality to defend. You put on that Miami Heat jersey, you understand that’s the expectation. Our guys understand that as well.”
– Spoelstra added, “The new players, they were well aware of that kind of standard. It’s not easy. This league is a tough league. There’s so much skill now. It’s so much different than it was 10 years ago. The three-point line, the pace, and just the things that players can do with the ball now make it tough. You can come up with any scheme but really it’s more of a mentality. You just have to commit to doing very difficult things collectively night in, night out. We’re trying to build that habit.”
– For six quarters in Los Angeles, it was a defensive foundation that was lacking.
– And then something closer to Heat normalcy in Monday night’s third quarter.
– When needed.
– A night after nominal playing time for Kel’el Ware in his start against the Lakers, Ware this time was out of the starting lineup for the second time this season.
– Having also previously played off the bench in the season-opening loss in Orlando.
– Instead, with Norman Powell back after a three-game absence with a groin strain, Spoelstra opened with a lineup of Powell, Davion Mitchell, Andrew Wiggins, Pelle Larsson and Bam Adebayo.
– Inactive for the Heat were Tyler Herro (ankle), Kasparas Jakucionis (groin), Vlad Goldin (G League), Myron Garnder (two-way) and Terry Rozier (not with team).
– Interestingly, before the game, and before the announcement of the lineup change, Spoelstra said, “We’re still learning about our team. But there are some good things that are trending.”
– Of Powell returning in the game against his former team, Spoelstra said, “He’s fit in very well to our way of viewing competition, our way of viewing work.”
– Asked pregame about Powell, Clippers coach Ty Lue said, “Norm’s a big part of what we did last year. Without his play, we wouldn’t have had the success we had last year.”
– The Clippers opened with a lineup of James Harden, Bradley Beal, Kawhi Leonard, Ivica Zubac and former Heat forward Derrick Jones Jr.
– Jaime Jaquez Jr. and Kel’el Ware entered together first off the Heat bench.
– With Ware entering for Adebayo.
– Simone Fontecchio was third off the Heat bench.
– With Dru Smith and Nikola Jovic following together for nine deep.
– That again left Keshad Johnson as the lone available player on a standard contract out of the Heat rotation mix.
– The game was the 200th regular-season appearance of Fontecchio’s NBA career.
– Jaquez’s second basket was the 200th of his career.
– Adebayo extended his career-best streak of games with at least one 3-pointer to 19, dating to last season.
– The Clippers became the last of the league’s other 29 teams that Adebayo has converted a 3-pointer against.
– Asked pregame how Herro will fit on his return, which is roughly two weeks out, Spoelstra said, “That’s easy to figure out. He’s doing well. And his skill level, I mean, come on, he’s one of the most skilled guys in the league. It’s going to fit, it’s going to add. We miss him dearly.”
– Spoelstra added, “That offensive talent, playmaking, scoring, he can play fast, all of that, he fits well.”