Takeaways from the Miami Heat’s 114-106 win over the Indiana Pacers
The Miami Heat clinched their sixth straight win, defeating the Indiana Pacers 114-106 on Wednesday night.
The Miami Heat can’t stop, won’t stop.
Earning their sixth straight victory in Indiana against the Pacers on Wednesday, it’s safe to say the men of South Florida are back on track. So much so, that they currently sit fourth in the Eastern Conference. Just two and a half games behind the No. 3 ranked Cleveland Cavaliers.
Still banged up, without the likes of Dion Waiters and Justise Winslow, and missing James Johnson due to a one-game suspension, Miami outplayed the Pacers 114-106. Despite arriving in Indiana at approximately 2:30 AM, after a 90-89 win over the Raptors in Toronto.
So what did the 23-17 Heat teach us on Wednesday?
Basketball Is A Team Sport
If there’s one standalone reason for Miami’s recent success, it’s the return to playing Heat Basketball. And a large part of that involves utilizing the entirety of the team. Which is exactly what happened last night.
While only eight guys saw time, seven finished the evening in double-digits. Goran Dragic led the way with 20 points, with Hassan Whiteside totaling 16 of his own. Bam Adebayo, Wayne Ellington and Tyler Johnson had 15 points a piece, leaving Josh Richardson to score 14, and Kelly Olynyk with 11.
But the Heat didn’t just take turns taking looks at the basket. They also practiced strong ball movement. Dragic dished out a team-high nine assists, while Adebayo had five of his own.
And although defensively, it was Whiteside who did the majority of the work with 15 rebounds, Ellington and Johnson each grabbed five.
"“It’s great because no one person has too much pressure on him,” Richardson said. It’s like every night, somebody else is going to be playing great. So if it’s not your night, then there’s five other guys who could pick up the slack for you, so it’s always very relaxing to be able to play like that.”"
Slowly But Surely With Hassan Whiteside
A portion of Heat Nation may have recently called for the big man to be traded, but Whiteside is making a comeback.
Having only returned to play on December 26, after missing 13 games with a bruised knee, it’s taken a while for the center to reclaim his role. Between Adebayo and Olynyk holding things down at the five, and the team’s offensive strategies having changed from the start of the season, it wasn’t easy for Whiteside at first. Especially given his minutes restriction.
However, over the last three games, he has started to look like his old self, averaging 14.3 points and 13.3 rebounds. And although he still has a ways to go, he finished Wednesday night with 16 points, 15 rebounds and four blocks in 28 minutes, shooting 7-of-10 from the field. In other words, certainly a step in the right direction.
Next: Why the Miami Heat should not look to move Hassan Whiteside
The Miami Heat will host the Milwaukee Bucks on Sunday.