Adebayo supplies fuel for huge comeback
Fortunately, the Purell flows freely these days at AmericanAirlines Arena.
Because for a second consecutive game against the Detroit Pistons there was plenty to disinfect for the Miami Heat.
In a game delayed five hours from its scheduled 3 p.m. start due to pandemic testing protocols, the Heat cleansed themselves of an early 19-point deficit to snap a three-game losing streak with a 113-107 victory Monday night at AmericanAirlines Arena.
With his team still far from whole, with Jimmy Butler, Tyler Herro and Avery Bradley out, Heat coach Erik Spoelstra kept pushing rotation buttons until coming up with a desperately needed winning combination.
That included giving Goran Dragic his first start since last season’s NBA Finals, opening the second half with Moe Harkless at small forward and a steady diet of rotation minutes for Kendrick Nunn.
“Probably, in some ways, it feels like two wins just because we are preserving a lot of different things,” Spoelstra said. “Just not making those excuses that would be easy to make.”
It wasn’t until midway through the third period that the Heat had a lead of more than two points. But the desperation clearly was there after a stunning 19-point first-quarter deficit.
And it had to be, after a 3-pointer by former Heat guard Wayne Ellington drew the Pistons within, 106-103, with 1 minute, 43 seconds to play. Only when Dragic banked in a 16-footer with 45.7 seconds left to make it 110-105 did the Heat have discernable breathing room. And even then, it took a pair of Bam Adebayo free throws with 16 seconds left to seal it.
“This group has a great deal of passion,” Spoelstra said.
Adebayo provided the energy, with 28 points and 11 rebounds, supported by 22 points from Dragic and 18 apiece from Nunn and Duncan Robinson.
“It was ugly, but we’re happy with the win,” Dragic said. “We’re still looking for consistency defensively.”
From the Pistons, there were 27 points from Jerami Grant and 24 from Ellington.
Butler and Bradley missed their fourth consecutive game while in pandemic protocols, with Herro missing his second in a row due to neck spasms.
Four Degrees of Heat from Monday’s game:
1. Ninth lineup: Make it nine Heat starting lineups in the season’s first 12 games, matching the most used by any team to this stage of the season.
After avoiding reintroducing Dragic into the starting lineup, including going with Gabe Vincent as the opening point guard on Saturday night, Spoelstra relented.
Dragic was joined in the opening unit by Adebayo, Robinson, Kelly Olynyk and KZ Okpala, who started for the second consecutive game, the only two NBA starts for the 2019 second-round pick out of Stanford.
Dragic’s midrange game proved essential, consistently contorting himself and converting high-degree-of-difficulty jumpers. He also took over an early huddle, telling his teammates they were BS-ing around on defense.
“It’s a crazy season and every win counts,” Dragic said. “Right now we’re still looking for our identity.”
2. Quick change: The leash was short for Okpala, who was pulled in favor of Harkless with 8:37 left in the first period after picking up two fouls. Harkless, who last played Jan. 4, entered with the Heat down, 12-2.
Nunn then followed off the bench, with the Heat promptly falling behind 25-9, forcing Spoelstra to call his second timeout just 6:36 in.
Okpala did not play after his opening stint, with Harkless relentless on the defensive end with his deflections and pressure.
“It was impossible not to notice Moe,” Spoelstra said. “He made us all take notice with his energy.”
Said Harkless: “I just wanted to raise the energy.”
3. Sign of life: Nunn provided a needed boost in the first half with 10 points and three rebounds, which tied for the most from a Heat player over the opening two periods.
“We knew what we needed, and that was energy,” Nunn said.
The Heat outscored the Pistons by nine in the first half, despite trailing 61-55 at the half.
Nunn also took several defensive turns against Blake Griffin, helping limit the former All-Star to only two first-half shots.
“K-Nunn got in a great rhythm,” Spoelstra said.
Nunn then played as the first reserve off the bench in the second half.
“It was great to be able to be out there and get another opportunity,” he said.
4. Stepping up: Adebayo was harshest in his condemnation of the Heat’s play in Saturday’s 120-100 loss to the Pistons, including his play.
So after a few shaky early moments against Mason Plumlee, he took an aggressive bent while also draining what has become a silky-smooth midrange jumper.
“We’ve got strength in numbers,” Adebayo said. “We played together and fed off each other.”
Monday’s performance came after Adebayo’s 28-point performance went to waste in Saturday’s loss.
“The first thing is how important it is to him,” Spoelstra said. “He was frustrated after our last game. That is a thousand percent what you want your best players to embody, that type of competitive spirit. When it matters that deeply, then that becomes important to everyone else.”
Adebayo’s efforts have come after five days away from the Heat last week in contact-tracing protocol.