Half-court offense still an area that’s not clicking for the Heat
The one issue that has consistently followed the Heat this season, even through all of its success, has to do with its halfcourt offense.
The Heat’s half-court offense was again shaky in Friday night’s 111-110 loss to the Atlanta Hawks in Game 3 of their firstround playoff series at State Farm Arena. Miami’s series lead is down to 2-1, with Game 4 set for Sunday in Atlanta (7 p.m., TNT and Bally Sports Sun).
Most of the attention will be directed toward the Heat’s late-game struggles, and for good reason after wasting a 14-point lead with 9:06 to play. But Miami’s halfcourt offense was an issue for most of the game, scoring just 85.4 points per 100 half-court plays in Game 3.
The Heat fell to 7-17 this season when finishing with a half-court offensive rating of worse than 90 points per 100 plays. Meanwhile, Miami is 26-1 when finishing with a half-court offensive rating of better than 105 points per 100 plays.
The Heat finished the regular season with the NBA’s 11th-best half-court offense, according to Cleaning the Glass. Over the past 10 seasons, only one team has made the NBA Finals with a halfcourt offense that ranked outside of the top 10 in the regular season: The Los Angeles Lakers in 2020.
The potential absence of starting point guard Kyle Lowry, who is questionable for Game 4 because of a left hamstring strain, could make generating quality half-court looks even more challenging for the Heat. Miami scored 22.1 more points per 100 half-court plays with Lowry on the court compared to when he wasn’t playing in the first three games of the series.
With Lowry exiting Friday’s game late in the third quarter, the Heat’s offense struggled down the stretch. Miami shot just 6 of 18 (33.3 percent) from the field during the final nine minutes of the game.
“It’s not like the perfect scenario without him,” Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said of playing without Lowry in Friday’s fourth quarter. “But we’ve done it a lot this season and we’ve been able to find different solutions even offensively down the stretch. Again, if we put in a couple of those baskets, it always looks different.
“We weren’t going to have a 35-point fourth quarter. But a couple of those timely baskets. I’ve seen Tyler [Herro] make that floater so many times. Max [Strus] got a layup earlier. That one was in and out. We had some good things. Even Jimmy [Butler’s], when were up one. It wasn’t the easiest shot, but he’s making some of those at the end of the clock. That one had a chance and we got the ball where we wanted it to go.”
If the Heat can advance past the first round, things will only get more challenging for Miami’s offense. The Hawks closed the regular season with the NBA’s fifth-worst defensive rating.
The positive news for the Heat is a lot of its Game 3 issues can be fixed by just hitting more open looks.
According to NBA tracking data, the Heat shot just 6 of 20 (30 percent) from the field on wide open looks Friday, which is defined as a shot with the closest defender more than six feet away. Miami made 44.1 percent of those shots in the regular season.
“We were getting great shots all night,” Herro said. “Some of it is make or miss, but we were generating good looks, getting into the paint, making plays. So the next game, it’s going to be make or miss again. Hopefully we knock them down.”
WINNING ON THE ROAD
The Heat used a 21-0 run to take a 16-point lead in the third quarter Friday. Then the Hawks dominated the final nine minutes of the game to complete the comeback from a 14-point fourthquarter hole. Herro admitted the Heat’s Game 3 loss was “very draining emotionally.”
“But you know, it’s all part of it,” Herro said. “We got to get one on the road. The series doesn’t start until someone gets one on the road. Hats off to Atlanta, they fought their butts off. That’s what the playoffs are. You don’t give up on a lead until the end of the game.”
The Hawks have been a much better team at home this season. Atlanta has won 21 of its last 24 home games — dating back to Jan. 17.
How can the Heat get over the pain from its Game 3 defeat? By winning Game 4.
“Sunday. That’s the only way to move past it,” Heat center Bam Adebayo said. “Get ready for Sunday and try to go up 3-1.”
Whether the Heat wins Game 4 or not, there will definitely be a Game 5 on Tuesday at FTX Arena (7 p.m., NBA TV and Bally Sports Sun).
INJURY REPORT
Along with labeling Lowry as questionable, the Heat also listed Adebayo (left quad contusion), P.J. Tucker (right calf strain) and Caleb Martin (left ankle sprain) as questionable for Game 4.
Gabe Vincent is probable to play with a right big toe contusion.
On the other side, the Hawks upgraded starting center Clint Capela (right knee hyperextension) to questionable for Game 4. Capela missed the first three games of the series
The Hawks remain without Lou Williams because of a back injury.