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Miami Heat: 3 takeaways from 135-122 overtime victory over the Atlanta Hawks

By Duncan Smith

MIAMI, FL - DECEMBER 10: Jimmy Butler #22 of the Miami Heat looks on during a game against the Atlanta Hawks on December 10, 2019 at American Airlines Arena in Miami, Florida. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2019 NBAE (Photo by Issac Baldizon/NBAE via Getty Images)
MIAMI, FL - DECEMBER 10: Jimmy Butler #22 of the Miami Heat looks on during a game against the Atlanta Hawks on December 10, 2019 at American Airlines Arena in Miami, Florida. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2019 NBAE (Photo by Issac Baldizon/NBAE via Getty Images) /
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MIAMI, FL – DECEMBER 10: Bam Adebayo #13 of the Miami Heat looks on before a game against the Atlanta Hawks on December 10, 2019 at American Airlines Arena in Miami, Florida. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2019 NBAE (Photo by Issac Baldizon/NBAE via Getty Images)
MIAMI, FL – DECEMBER 10: Bam Adebayo #13 of the Miami Heat looks on before a game against the Atlanta Hawks on December 10, 2019 at American Airlines Arena in Miami, Florida. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2019 NBAE (Photo by Issac Baldizon/NBAE via Getty Images) /

South Beach first quarters are undefeated

A big part of the Miami Heat’s recipe for success in the first quarter of the season has come from utilizing home court advantage to the maximum. They’re 11-0 at home now following this victory over the Hawks, and they have shown a tendency to jump all over opponents early. They build huge leads against teams who simply aren’t prepared to fight for their lives in the first couple minutes of a basketball game, and they’ve been coasting to frequent easy wins as a result.

Coming into Tuesday’s game against the Atlanta Hawks, the Heat had the NBA’s second-best first quarter net rating at home. They’re outscoring opponents by 28.7 points per 100 possessions in first quarters at American Airlines Arena, just slightly behind the +29.8 of the Milwaukee Bucks.

Even though they still struggle to avoid turnovers, they shoot the lights out in first quarters. They score 126.2 points per 100 possessions, they have an effective field goal percentage of 63 percent and a true shooting percentage of 67 percent.

Almost certainly these numbers will prove to be unsustainable eventually, but right now this is a hot team that plays to kill its opponents in the first four minutes of games. It’s a rare mentality, and it’s a fun thing to watch.

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