The Miami Heat was looking for their second triumph of the season at the Kaseya Center on Monday and their second consecutive in a row against the Kings who don’t have a bad team at all, but none of that happened.
A basket of Domantas Sabonis in the absence of a second, on an offensive bounce, turned the score and the 111-110 triumph to the Sacramento team, in a disputed and emotional encounter against the Miami quintet, which did everything to win and who again at home is left empty-hand after the final basket.
In the last play, we couldn’t catch the bounce. All that would have been needed was a touch to secure the win. It’s a shame. It was a tough defeat.
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In this way, the Heat (3-3) ceded the Nets 4th place (4-4) and fell to 5th before going on a long six-game tour.
The key to the defeat was not the final offensive rebound, but the disastrous third quarter of the Capital of the Sun quintet without anyone caring. “At some point, you have to take a stand and say enough,” Spoelstra said.
Miami shot 43.5 percent (41.7 percent in triples), but missed 7 free throws (21 of 30) and lost in points in the 54-38 paint. Although it is costly to recognize it, the Heat has a problem with height.
Tyler Herro and Jimmy Butler were the best on the offense with 27 points each. Herro scored 5 triples, grabbed 6 rebounds, and gave away 6 assists, while Butler, who didn’t score in the first quarter, gave 6 assists, got two rebounds, and made three steals.
“We were winning every quarter except the third,” Herro said. Bam Adebayo brushed the double-double with 16 units and 9 rebounds, in addition to giving 5 assists, 4 stoppers and making 3 steals.
Terry Rozier with three triples in six attempts made it to 10 that he completed with 5 rebounds and four assists.
While Pelle Larsson stunned leading the second unit with 13 points (3 triples), followed by Duncan Robinson who reached 9 (3-3 in triples), even though he played only 13 minutes.
For Sacramento, they stood out DeAaron Fox with 28 cartons, DeMar DeRozan with 26, Domantas Sabonis with 16, Keagan Murray with 14, and Malik Monk with 12.
The first half ended 61-48 in favor of Miami showing a great defense and an attack that improved in the end with 16 points from Herro, 12 from Larsson, and 11 from Adebayo, against Kings who leaned on 15 units of DeRozan to stay alive.
The Heat took the first quarter 25-24 which was more contested than expected with 6 draws and 4 exchanges on the tip, thanks to his good defense and Herro’s 13 points, which remains sweet at the start of the games.
In honor of the truth the quintet of the Capital of the Sun remained longer ahead of having 5 of the advantage.
The second was just as much of a fight and every time the Miami quintet took advantage, Sacramento reduced it until 2:20 left the local team, supported by Larsson, took off with a 12-1 rally to win the 36-26 partial and go to rest with 13 points of advantage.
It seems the Heat players take some sleeping pills when they go to rest because they almost always fall asleep.
The Kings started the third quarter better with a 9-2 rally to get close on the scoreboard.
Miami stretched the lead to 10 and Sacramento first reduced it to three and then climbed on the board and finished top 85-78, after winning the 37-17 partial.
They started the last quarter better and reduced the difference to 3 points, then went up in the middle of the partial with a basket and a free throw from Herro.
With the game tied at 99, the Heat took over and then two triples in a row from Butler and Rozier extended the lead.
De Rozan reduced it to one with a triple and a free throw, but then Herro masterfully stole the ball preventing a new shot, and received a foul.
The escort scored the two free throws to give his team three ahead with 37 seconds to play.
Monk nailed it, Butler failed and with 9 seconds Sabonis on an offensive bounce put the Kings in front by one.
Rozier missed the long triple-final with 0.7 seconds left on the clock and although Miami won the quarter 32-26 it was Sacramento who took the win and that’s what counts.
The incumbent center saw his name printed on a flag at the top of the arena with the inscription: 2024 USA Basketball.
The honors have been a tonic in this start of campaigning on the Miami team. First, it was President Pat Riley, who was named after the main court of the Kaseya Center, and then came the statue of Dwyane Wade that was placed last week at the entrance of this enclosure.
