The Miami Heat continue to make their way through the NBA Summer League circuit and after a tough defeat at the hands of the Utah Jazz on Friday, they were right back at it against the Atlanta Hawks on Saturday.
Coming into the game off an offensive lull in Friday’s contest, only being able to put up 60 or so points in the entire game while Utah proceeded to drop 80, they would need a better offensive showing throughout to have a chance against a talented Atlanta team.
Even though Atlanta would be without their second-round draft steal, by all accounts in Sharife Cooper, they would still have a ton of talent to get the job done. That included their most recent first-round draft selection, Jalen Johnson from the 20th overall pick and NBA veteran at this point, Admiral Schofield.
The Miami Heat were, once again, fueled by the efforts of Max Strus and Omer Yurtseven. The Big Yurt finished with 21 points, seven rebounds, and four dimes, on 8-17 from the floor and 1-3 from deep.
The Miami Heat Summer League team couldn’t get the job done against Atlanta Saturday. They hit big shots, but gave up too many of them in the end as well.
Strus finished with 24 points, three rebounds, and four assists as well, going 9-18 from the floor and 6-13 from range. He also had this snazzy little play, an off-dribble pull-up three point shot, in the face of a pretty tough and gritty defender in Schofield.
Strus lightly working 👌 pic.twitter.com/ZrJ32W2FbX
— Miami HEAT (@MiamiHEAT) August 14, 2021
Even Schofield had to tap him in congratulations on that one. For all of the Max Strus heroics though, it wasn’t enough.
The Miami Heat were still eventually ousted, 90-94. On the backs of some tough long-range shot-making by the Hawks’ summer guys, the Miami Heat summer team couldn’t pull it out.
Tuesday it is. https://t.co/5Yffwyi1mC
— Anthony Chiang (@Anthony_Chiang) August 14, 2021
With the Las Vegas edition of summer league coming to a close on Tuesday and as indicated by the Tim Reynolds report above, it seems to be that the Heat will take the court in Vegas for the last time on Tuesday, as hinted on by Heat reporter, Anthony Chiang.
Hopefully, they can finish stronger than the last two contests have gone. That