The Miami Heat fell short last night in a ugly loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Once again, the Miami Heat proved why they desperately need a closer in crunch time. Something they certainly needed last night, in a close battle with the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Goran Dragic led the night for the Heat with 18 points and six assists, but was shut down late in the game as the Cavaliers defense tightened up with four minutes left. Josh Richardson followed suit with 15 points.
Miami did have an opportunity for the win though, when Kyle Korver missed one of his two free throws. James Johnson collected the rebound and sprinted down the court with seven seconds left, to attempt a final shot. The only issue was, he had LeBron James defending him in transition.
"“I was going downhill against him. I liked what I was doing. The only thing is, he’s LeBron,”Johnson said."
A sloppy fourth quarter for both teams evened the playing field late in the game, but costly turnovers and errors eventually provided the loss for Miami. The Heat ended with 19 turnovers and could not shake off the Cavaliers’ defense, which ranks 28th in defensive rating with 109.2.
That alone actually says more about Miami’s offense as of late, compared to Cleveland’s defense. The Heat have been shooting a collective 43.7 percent in the last 5 games, down from 47.0 percent during their win streak. To make matters worse, their hot 3-point shooting streak has also cooled down in the last 5 games, dropping to 28.2 percent.
Overall, they currently have an offensive rating of 93.6 in these last five games. A horrible end to an otherwise productive month.
That game was actually a very crucial matchup for the Heat, as they were looking for sole possession of third place in the Eastern Conference. They fell short of that task.
They still sit fourth in the East though, so not all hope is lost. But they are in dire need of that offensive injection, in order to maintain their position. Whether it comes from a bench boost or possible trade, remains to be seen.
Even after an impressive jump start to the month, Miami has somehow lost its way since finishing 4-5 in the last nine games. While there isn’t any immediate need to panic, Miami is starting to show again why there is a fine line dividing the Eastern greats and the rest of the conference.
Miami was once breaking that barrier, but since has fallen back to their place in the standings.
Fourth isn’t bad at all, especially come playoff time, but how far they’ll advance versus the top three will truly be their toughest test.
Next: Miami Heat Makes and Misses: Lineup struggles and a new front court
If the Heat keep up this current rate, they are in for a quick first round playoff exit.