In Miami since the start of the season, we party at halftime, then disillusion when we resume. The Heat have indeed suffered since the start of the season in the third quarters, and in problematic proportions. The Florida franchise certainly lost on Monday on a basket just before the siren of Domantas Sabonis. But she can also feel that she scuttled herself with her failed third act, won 37-17 by the Kings.
And the evil seems quite profound as it is so recurring. During their three defeats this season, the Heat completely missed their return from the locker room: 39-18 for the Magic in the first game, lost by 19 points, 35-22 against the Knicks in a loss of nine units. And so this terrible -20 Monday, before bowing by a very small point. Even the victory against Detroit was synonymous with such a slump, with a third quarter won 26-14 Pistons, before Erik Spoelstra's players ended up winning with forceps.
“Enough is enough”
“ We studied everything. At some point, you have to assert yourself and say that enough is enough, that enough is enough » railed the Heat technician on Monday. “ We played another very good first half. I have the feeling that we dominated them in the other three periods. We will have to find solutions. »
The numbers prove him right. +3 in the first quarter, +10 in the second and +6 in the fourth, Miami controlled the game most of the game. With the exception of this cursed third quarter, concluded at 6/20 shooting including 1/8 from distance, two small assists, or even a deficit of six rebounds in 12 minutes. A culpable lack of aggressiveness, which once again was costly.
The observation is all the more surprising as it is not within the standards of this group, almost unchanged compared to last season. Without being brilliant, the Heat held up last season over this period, thanks in particular to an iron defense at the end of half-time (fourth lowest average of points conceded).
The “Net Rating” (difference between points scored and conceded over 100 possessions) at Miami's home ground, in the third quarter, was even slightly positive (+0.5) last season. This season, however, it is -16.5! To give an idea of the extent of the problem, Utah is 29th with -9.3, which means that there is more of a gap between Miami, 30th, and Utah, 29th, than between Utah, 29th, and Memphis, 20th, which is on its side at -2.5…
Celebrations at the Kaseya Center causing these restart delays?
However, these are the same players who start the matches, and rather successfully, as those who collapse at the start of the second period. “ There's not much to talk about at this point in the season other than the third quarters » summed up Tyler Herro. “ We have to find a solution. »
This could perhaps come by itself. Because since the start of the exercise, the Kaseya Center has in fact been the scene of numerous half-time ceremonies, which extend the break, between the inauguration of the floor in the name of Pat Riley, a tribute to Dwyane Wade or even a nod to the Olympic medals won by Bam Adebayo and Nikola Jovic.
To see if the Heat players have less cut legs after halftime during the next meetings…
