Miami Heat: 3-game losing streak; Heat have superficial, overpaid players

The 24-27 Miami Heat are now on a 3-game losing streak, first starting with an awful loss to the Chicago Bulls, an understandable loss to the explosive Oklahoma City Thunder, and now topping it all off with a loss to the Victor Oladipo-less Indiana Pacers.

In the past week, we saw the Miami Heat hit a .500 record for the first time in weeks, Dwyane Wade made his last All-Star game, Derrick Jones Jr. injured knee and is out for 6 weeks, and now a 3-game losing streak, leaving the Heat with a rollercoaster of emotions.

Specifically, in this loss against the Indiana Pacers, the Heat had every chance to get this home win to obtain some hope before moving on to their next 4-games on the road. Unfortunately, the Heat’s roster and Head Coach Erik Spoelstra could not get it done, and while many will blame Spo for his roster adjustments, or lack thereof, this Heat team just looks too down on themselves to win a game right now.

Even with solid performances from Hassan Whiteside (19 points, 14 rebounds), Kelly Olynyk (14 points, 7 rebounds, 3 assists), and Dwyane Wade (21 points, 6 rebounds, 4 assists), it was apparently not enough to stop the Pacers defense, who only allowed the Heat to score 11 points in the 4th quarter.

Albeit, the Heat also allowed Indiana to only score 11 points in the 4th, but that should be expected of the Heat, as Miami has a top-ten defense. Ultimately, these 4th quarter efforts by both teams lead to an annoying end to a topsy-turvy game.

Spo put the teams’ frustrations in an illuminating light below, via Ira Winderman of the Sun Sentinel:

"“You’re constantly searching and digging and grinding for solutions to get to another level, and that’s where we are right now,” Spoelstra said. “We’re looking for collective consistency right now.”“I’m not frustrated, I’m invigorated,” Spoelstra said. “I want to figure this out for this team.”"

These were typically frustrating quotes from Spo, so I will try and lose the political correctness for him.

Consistency prevails over complacency, and that is truly what makes a winner. Spo’s invigorated mentality and hope for consistency is all of Heat nation right now, and the first thing I believe fans should do is point their fingers at the players and not the coaching staff, nor Pat Riley.

All players not named Whiteside, Olynyk, and Wade, went 9-32 in this game and 4-17 from the arc (0-9 in the 4th from downtown). The inconsistency that Spo is talking about can be seen all over this roster, and maybe they just need a wake me up.

While every one of the current members of the Heatles were once grind-it-out players on minimum contracts, they all seem to have become superficial, off-brand, overhyped role players. This group used to be the “Bad News Bears,” and would bring excitement and awe to AmericanAirlines Arena, now it just feels like they are a bunch of players who make solid money and would rather look pretty in their suits and jewelry before games than actually care about playing the sport that gave them those material items.

It will ultimately be up to Spo and Pat Riley to decide on whether they want to shake up this roster or make some serious noise in the locker room, as the Heat look to have lost the D-league – now G-league – mentality that got them to be where they are in their beautiful Miami mansions, living a lavish lifestyle, that apparently doesn’t include a hardworking attitude.

I would keep this squad together, but I would also make these points known if I was Spo and Riley, but alas, I am not, so time will tell with this roster.