The Miami Heat continue to prove that NBA basketball is a game of runs, as they fell short 112-103 to the Detroit Pistons on Sunday night.
The Miami Heat pitted their top-10 defense against the Detroit Pistons top-10 offense, in a mid-day match up in Motor City. Entering the matchup, the last of a six-game road trip, the Heat looked to continue the same defensive effort they posted against in a win against the Utah Jazz two nights prior. Instead, coming up short, 112-103.
Head coach Erik Spoelstra lauded the Heat’s successful defense, noting the road trip helped the young team continue its character building journey.
"“We’re trending in the right direction defensively,” Spoelstra said after the game in Utah. “We preach defense first. We’ve got a lot of guys in here that can do a lot of things offensively. So any time you give yourself a chance defensively, you have a chance to win the game.”"
The last time the Heat visited Detroit, Hassan Whiteside played hero, tipping in the game-winning shot to secure a one-point victory last season. This time Whiteside was reserved offensively early on, contributing only two points over the course of the first half. (However, he still he ended with 20 points on the night.)
Instead, the Heat’s offensive energy was spurred by their sublime three-point shooting in the first half, answering their 23 first half attempts with 11 makes.
Although both squads had their share of scoring runs, the key to the Heat’s approach was a combination of ball movement and limiting turnovers. For the former, Miami carried 25 assists, while limiting turnovers to a mere nine.
Pistons’ forward Tobias Harris proved to be the night’s biggest nuisance for Miami. Primarily for Justise Winslow, who started for the Heat at the power forward slot for the third consecutive game, and James Johnson.
Harris and Pistons’ guard Avery Bradley would combine for 49 points, but the Heat tried to match their contributions with an evenly distributed offensive effort. The first half was marked by strong starts from Goran Dragic and Josh Richardson, while the third quarter saw Whiteside contribute 11 of his 20 points, including a powerful and-one finish at the rim.
Entering the fourth with a two-point deficit, Miami ramped up the defensive pressure with a scrappy lineup, driven by Johnson and Dion Waiters. Picking up the Pistons in a full court press at the eight-minute mark proved successful for a time, quickly cutting Detroit’s seven-point lead to one.
Steady shooting from the Pistons, however, alongside an unfortunate three-point drought (2-of-14 in the second half) held Miami back, splitting the road trip at .500 (3-3).
Next: Defensive effort lifts the Miami Heat past the Utah Jazz, 84-74
The Heat will travel back home to Miami to take on the Washington Wizards on Wednesday, November 22.