by Andrew Powell | Miami SPORTS&Lifestyle
So here we are in late January and the Miami HEAT are 19-24.
Miami played the Indiana Pacers tonight and were up by 20 points in the 3rd quarter before eventually blowing the lead. The HEAT were able to pull it out when Indiana missed a game tying shot, but it came after a missed free throw from Wade that left the game wide open for the Pacers. Lady luck was definitely on Miami’s side tonight, but a win is a win, and Miami will take it.
The player of the game was Luol Deng who had a stat line of 23 points, 5 rebounds and 3 assists.
Other notable stats was Chris Bosh with 19 points, 4 rebounds and a steal; Dwyane Wade with 13 points, 4 assists and 2 steals; and Chris “Birdman” Anderson with 13 rebounds. The HEAT shot a total of 48% from the field.
One big thing that HEAT fans could take from this win is that it was a win at HOME. The Miami HEAT are 8-13 at home this season, and this win gets even better with the fact that the HEAT struggled in the second half (again) and had to really earn this victory in a dog fight in the last minutes. At the end of the day, if you want to be something great in this league, you have to win the close ones, and Miami did that tonight unlike prior games where leads have been blown; especially the debacle against the Philadelphia 76ers which HEAT fans had flashbacks of tonight when Miami had blew a 21 point lead back in December.
The Indiana Pacers went on an 11-0 run and that put them right back into the game. Luol Deng, who was returning from an illness, saved the game for Miami tonight. Indiana was only down 77-72 when Deng hit a pair of three’s in the fourth quarter, with the second one bringing them to a 10 point lead. The Pacers kept coming for Miami, but the HEAT never lost the lead. The only Pacers lead in the game was in the opening minutes.
One of the notable facts from the game was Miami’s 54-37 halftime lead; it was their largest of the season. Miss Universe Gabriela Isler, who is relinquishing her crown in Miami on Sunday, was in attendance. Hassan Whiteside, who is out with a sprained ankle, is back active for the Miami HEAT and warmed up before the game, but did not play. And Chris Andersen’s 13 rebounds was a season high for him.
Even though the Miami HEAT blew a 20 point lead and had yet another “turd” quarter, the good news is this: Hassan Whiteside is coming back soon. And Miami got a win against a Roy Hibbert team without him, so as long as the HEAT stay healthy with a team of Wade, Bosh and Whiteside, this team could definitely make a strong push for the playoffs. Even Riley said in his press conference yesterday that he sees this team making the playoffs.
Only time will tell, but the odds are looking good for the HEAT.
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