More injury woes for Heat as Babbitt strains muscle
PORTLAND — The Mi a mi Heat were slightly healthier for Saturday night’s late tip against the Portland Trail Blazers.
While Luke Babbitt’s MRI was encouraging, the forward did not play because of a strained muscle in his hip. But forward Derrick Williams was available after missing one game with back spasms.
“We have enough,” coach Erik Spoelstra said prior to the game. “Everybody’s dealing with something and you just focus on what you need to do during that particular game. The last game was a perfect example of that, finishing with everybody that’s a healthy body, to grind it out and win by one in an incredibly competitive game.”
The Heat had just nine healthy players Thursday at Utah after Babbitt, who started the past three games, left in the first quarter. Miami then gutted out a 111-110 victory after winning at Denver the previous night.
The Heat also are without three players who are in Miami for treatment: Justise Winslow (wrist), Dion Waiters (groin) and Josh Richardson (ankle).
Though relieved the injury is not worse, Babbitt is disappointed to be sidelined for two reasons: The team already is shorthanded and Portland is about an hour from his home. Babbitt was able to see his wife, Kara, who is pregnant with the couple’s first child.
Babbitt left Thursday ’s game with about four minutes remaining in the first quarter after feeling “some kind of pull” in his hip. His objective now is “to work extremely hard and be back as soon as possible. ... I’m thinking days.”
Although Babbitt is day-to- day, Spoelstra said he would dress out Saturday in case he is needed in a very specialized situation, like an inbound pass, shoot a free throw.
Babbitt, like most observers, was impressed with how his teammates overcame the adversity for their most impressive win of the season.
“There’s a lot of character on this team,” he said. “Guys are going to fight . We’re a physic al team, a defensive-minded team. We have a lot of tough guys on this team.”
Team compares to 20030 4 s q u a d : Whi l e many believe the Heat are playing for a high draft pick and the playoffs are a pipe dream, that is probably what many were saying 13 years ago at this time.
The 2003-04 Heat, which included rookies Dwyane Wade and Udonis Haslem, a l o n g wi t h E d d i e Jo n e s , Lamar Odom, Brian Grant and Caron Butler, had the same record as this year’s team after 17 games (5-12).
The 2003-04 team came together and made a memorable run the final six weeks, winning 17 of i t s f i nal 2 1 games, to finish 42-40 and grab the fourth playoff spot in the East. Miami defeated New Orleans in an exciting seven-game first-round series before losing to Indiana in six games.
A n d t h e s i m i l a r i t i e s between the teams (at least through 19 games this season) are notable:
■ Offense: The 2003-04 team was 22nd in points (90.3) and 25th in field goal percentage (.425). This year’s team is 26th in points (97.4) and 27th in field goal percentage.
■ Defense: The 2003-04 team was No. 8 in points allowed (89.7) and No. 7 in opponents’ field goal percentage (.428). This year’s t e a m i s N o . 7 i n p o i n t s allowed (98.8) and No. 7 in opponents’ field goal percentage (.436).
■ Turnovers: The 200304 team had the sixth-fewest turnovers (13.9). This year Miami has the seventh-fewest (12.1)
One notable difference has been the schedules and the play at home and on the road.
The 2003-04 team played 12 of its first 19 games on the road and lost 11 of those, its only victory coming at Seattle. That team started 4-2 at home.
This year’s team has been difficult to figure out considering it has the worst home record in the league at 2-7 and at 5-5 is one of 13 teams playing .500 or better on the road.
So, for those who want to keep the faith, there is always 2003-04 for reference.