Perfect time for needed laugher
T. Johnson, Winslow help Heat pull away, end three-game losing skid.
MIAMI — If ever the Miami Heat needed an easy win, Saturday was the time.
Having lost 7 of 8 games and coming dangerously close to dropping out of the playoff picture in the East, Miami routed the hapless Memphis Grizzlies 115-89 at AmericanAirlines Arena for its largest victory of the season.
The Heat (31-29) took advantage of playing one of the few teams in the league struggling as much as they were. Memphis (18-40) has lost nine straight a nd 11 of 12. Miami’s two biggest wins have come against the Grizzlies, including a 107-82 victory in Memphis on Dec. 11.
The Heat, who won for just the fourth time in their past 14 games, are two games ahead of Detroit for the eighth and final playoff spot in the East.
Heat coach Erik Spoelstra finally got a chance to empty his bench with Udonis Haslem seeing his first action since Dec. 29.
Tyler Johnson led the Heat with a game-high 23 points. Justise Winslow, who was in his worst funk of the season the past five games, scored a season-high 17 points and grabbed seven rebounds.
The Grizzlies, who entered the night with the sixth-worst record in the league, were without their four best players: Mike Conley (heel), Chandler Parsons (illness), Tyreke Evans (rib) and Marc Gasol (rest).
Miami is awaiting the return of big man Kelly Olynyk, who missed his sixth straight game because of
a shoulder strain, and swingman Rodney McGruder, who is on a two-game assignment with Sioux Falls, the Heat’s developmental league team. McGruder played his first game of the season late Saturday for Sioux Falls and is expected to make his Heat season debut Tuesday or Thursday.
The Heat held a pregame tribute to the victims of the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shooting in Parkland on Feb. 14 with a moment of silence and video honoring the 17 people who were killed. Dwyane Wade addressed the crowd and saluted the school’s students.
“We applaud the fearless students that are fighting for their lives,” he said. “We also make sure that their voices are heard around gun safety. You are our nation’s inspiration. We salute you and we support you.”
Here are our four takeaways:
Finally, a blowout: The Heat entered Saturday having played in a franchise-record 17 consecutive games decided by single digits (5-12), which was three shy of the NBA record of 20 set by the Pacers in the 1982-83 season. Miami’s past three losses — at Toronto, Philadelphia and New Orleans – were by a combined six points. Against Memphis, Miami opened a 22-point lead in the third quarter and cruised home.
Sticking with Winslow pays off: Spoelstra stuck with the struggling Winslow in the starting lineup and the power forward had his best game of the season. Winslow entered averaging 3.4 points and shooting 19.2 percent in his past five games. He was shooting 25.0 percent in February, which was last in the NBA among the 187 players who have attempted at least 50 shots. But Winslow was aggressive and as confident going to the basket as he has been in a long time. He made 7 of 12 shots, including 2 of 3 on 3 pointers.
Tyler Johnson sets the tone: Johnson’s point total was his most this calendar year, or since scoring 31 on Dec. 30 in Orlando. Johnson has been out of synch since missing five games in mid-January with an ankle injury, averaging 9.7 points while shooting just 39 percent in 11 games since returning. But Saturday was different. Johnson was attacking the rim and got to the freethrow line nine times, making all nine. He also mixed in the jumper, going 2 of 6 on 3-pointers. Johnson set the tone with 11 points in the first 7:43.
Tightening up the defense: After allowed New Orleans to score 124 points in a one-point overtime loss Friday, Miami started slow Saturday, giving up 31 first-quarter points while watching the Grizzlies shoot .591 (13 of 22). But Miami started to clamp down in the second quarter and Memphis shot 36.6 percent (15 of 41) in the second and third quarters as the Heat put the game out of reach.
Home is where the Heat is: The victory over Memphis started a stretch of five consecutive home games and 7 of 8 at AmericanAirlines Arena. But Miami must take advantage of the favorable schedule to gain breathing room in the playoff standings. Miami is 15-12 at home, but three of the next four home games are against teams with sub.500 records.