Vice on Sundays? Not for the Heat, who again see red

MIAMI — The Miami Heat continue to see red, with the team’s colorful — and winless — Vice Nights uniforms put on hold for a second consecutive game.

Having gone 0-6 in the first six games played with the “Vice Nights” neon black jerseys, the Heat instead wore their alternate red uniforms for Friday’s victory over the New Orleans Pelicans.

Sunday, the jerseys again stood in contrast to the blue-and-pink outlined court and the alternate pregame introductions.

Asked before Sunday’s game against the Utah Jazz about the couture choice, coach Erik Spoelstra laughed and said, “We’re, uh ... I’m going to go with what we go. There’s few surprises in life.”

The Heat could not wear home white uniforms, with the Jazz already committed to that color scheme. Friday’s late switch caught Heat players off-guard.

“We all were surprised,” forward Josh Richardson said Sunday. “It just came out of nowhere.”

Richardson said he did not see the need for change.

“I don’t believe in superstition,” he said.

He did, however, add, “But I do always put my right shoe on before my left. But that was more from my football days.”

The Vice Nights uniforms again were in the players’ locker stalls less than an hour before tipoff.

The Heat are scheduled to next wear Vice Nights on Tuesday night against the visiting Orlando Magic at the end of this fourgame homestand, before more traditional looks on their ensuing six-game western trip.

The Heat again were without Goran Dragic, Tyler Johnson, Derrick Jones Jr. and Dion Waiters for Sunday’s game. Johnson and Jones are dealing with hamstring issues, with Waiters still recovering from January ankle surgery.

“They’re all progressing,” Spoelstra said.

Dragic missed his seventh consecutive game with a swollen right knee.

“It’s really just been a little bit of swelling, a little bit of pain, a little bit of lack of movement,” Spoelstra said, “and it didn’t respond as quickly as any of us had hoped.”

That again had Dwyane Wade as the lone available reserve guard, again requiring somewhat of an adjustment with Justise Winslow.

“For the last several games I’ve been using Justise as a handler with that second unit,” Spoelstra said in the role that Johnson had held before this six-game absence.

The Heat again opened with a lineup of Hassan Whiteside, James Johnson, Rodney McGruder, Wayne Ellington and Richardson.

The Heat also remained without two-way players Duncan Robinson and Yante Maten, who played a weekend set of games with the G League Sioux Falls Skyforce.

Maten continued his domination of the developmental league Sunday, with a career-high 42 points, 14 rebounds and five blocked shots in a 113-108 road victory over the Stockton Kings.

Robinson, who started alongside Maten, closed with 15 points Sunday, converting three 3-pointers.

On Friday night, Maten scored 30 points and Robinson 22 in a victory over the Northern Arizona Suns.

Robinson has utilized 13 of his 45 available NBA days as part of his two-way contract.