The Miami Heat came into Wednesday night’s St.Patrick’s Day matchup against Memphis on the cusp of playing their fifth game in seven nights. Having two sets of back to back games right out of the gate after the All-Star break, they would really get a chance to test their mental makeups on Wednesday.
Though not a complete failure at all, the Miami Heat weren’t able to get it done. The game started out in a manner that reflected a lack of something from the Miami Heat.
While shots not falling is one thing throughout the course of the game, they barely managed to get on the board until they had already spotted Memphis a bundle of points to work with. In true Miami Heat fashion though, they pulled the game close by halftime again.
Then, in the third quarter, it happened. Strolling through the third period as if that isn’t typically one of Miami’s worst periods from game to game, they almost made it to the end without a mistake, but then it began to happen.
The Miami Heat almost squeaked out a victory on Wednesday, but weren’t able to in the end.
Before you knew it, the Memphis Grizzlies had gone on a 17-0 run, turning a nearly 10 point Miami lead into a nearly double-digit lead of their own. That still wasn’t enough though.
The Miami Heat would pull close again as the game wound down. Down about seven points with around four minutes or so left in the game, the Miami Heat made another run to close the gap.
This one was fueled by a Jimmy Butler breakout basket and a huge Tyler Herro triple. With the ball game tied late and with just under 10 seconds left on the game clock, the Grizzlies were to inbound the ball.
Ja Morant drove the length of the court, through the paint, up, and over two defenders to make the basket that would seal the deal. The Miami Heat would never get off another good look at it.
Though the Miami Heat fought back multiple times when they needed to, don’t forget that they were nearly up 10 points themselves. Their shot-making failed them at the most inopportune times on Wednesday, both down and up with a lead.
That screams fatigue. While they’ll need to get better, get over this, and learn how to overcome said fatigue, hopefully, this can be a great learning tool that they can use to somehow show and/or prepare themselves for how it looks or when it happens.
You have to experience something to get better about or in it, so hopefully, this was that for them. This wasn’t a awful defeat, but you hate to lose anytime, so there’s that.
The Miami Heat are right back at it on Friday, facing off against a tough and hard-nosed Indiana Pacers squad that also lost on Wednesday. That should be a fun contest to view, but a tough one to play in and they better get some rest.