The Brooklyn Nets came alive in the third quarter, outscoring the Miami Heat 57-42 after halftime to steal the game.
In the third of four meetings this season, the Miami Heat would face the Brooklyn Nets for the first time with D’Angelo Russell in the lineup. Russell missed the last two contests against Miami with a knee injury, one of which was played in Mexico City as part of the NBA’s Global Games.
With Hassan Whiteside coming off a hot game in chilly Milwaukee on Wednesday, January 17, the Heat again turned to the big man to take control in the Barclays Center.
While five Heat players dropped double digits, scoring alone couldn’t elevate Miami past the Nets’ fourth quarter run. Despite the loss, here are some other takeaways from the night’s matchup.
Whiteside Repeats
The seven-footer continues to help Miami play their best basketball. The center position is changing in and around the NBA, but Whiteside’s presence as an imposing rim defender and scorer on the low block, is unmatched.
Whiteside posted 22 points, 13 rebounds and four blocks, while limiting himself to a single turnover. Keeping the ball safe has become a mantra for Whiteside of late, as he’s averaged just 1.7 turnovers over the last 10 games. Dominating the interior tonight, including a finesse filled spin-and-jam past Rondae Hollis-Jefferson, kept Miami’s spirits high on the third game of a five-game road trip.
Adebayo + Olynyk
The Bam Adebayo-Kelly Olynyk bench combination is a good fit for Miami, as one of the NBA’s slower teams. Prior to tonight, Olynyk and Adebayo have played 247 minutes together, and the two help to keep Miami’s rebounding and turnovers in check.
The divergent skill sets of Adebayo and Olynyk complement each other nicely: Adebayo can switch onto faster guards and forwards when necessary, and still provides some rim protection with Whiteside on the bench.
Offensively, the lineup feeds off of Olynyk’s jump shooting and size, which lets the Heat moonlight like a more modern, pace and space team. Lineups with Adebayo and Olynyk tend to be most effective when Olynyk can contribute, as he did tonight. Even though the Nets outpaced Miami after the break, Olynyk provided 12 points and five rebounds in his 24 minutes on the hardwood.
James Johnson Scoring Struggles
James Johnson has struggled to get going early. His third straight game without a bucket in the first half, Johnson has failed to score in double figures in the last five games.
Though his role as a point-forward benefits Miami through his play making, the do-it-all forward needs to regain the scoring prowess he flaunted in November, to help set the tone from the jump ball.
Next: Miami Heat: The time is right for a Dwyane Wade reunion
Miami’s road trip will continue tomorrow, when they travel to Charlotte to face the Hornets.