Can Miami Heat afford to exhale after ending losing streak?
Q: Ira, the January schedule might have been the hardest of the season for the Heat. Now they’ve got the Wizards, Magic and Spurs coming up. The Kings game was the start of the turnaround. – Sammy.
A: This is the last thing the Heat can start to believe. It’s not as if they pulled away and stayed free and clear of the Kings, with an 18-point lead squandered. And for all that the Wizards have not been this season, it’s not as if Kyle Kuzma and Jordan Poole can’t combine for 75 on any given night. Plus, the Clippers are coming in on Sunday and the following week the Heat have three in a row against the Celtics, Bucks and 76ers. Basically the Heat need to bank these upcoming games for what is going to follow leading up to the All-Star break,
Q: Isn’t it starting to look like the Heat got the bad end of the Terry Rozier-Kyle Lowry trade? I don’t see that Terry is any better at point guard than Kyle was. The Heat gave up an expiring contract and a first-round pick for this? – Jeff, Miami.
A: First, I was never in favor of giving up the future first-rounder in the Kyle Lowry trade. But let’s also not judge the trade one week into the deal. Terry Rozier had 10 assists Wednesday night against the Kings. Kyle Lowry did not reach double figures in assists for the Heat this season before he was dealt and had 10 total assists in the three games before he was traded. Terry has injected life into a team that needed a jolt. And if it doesn’t work out, there will instead be his tradeable contract available.
Q: I know I’m a Heat fan, but this is twice in one season. They took Bam Adebayo’s 20-rebound triple-double away, too. – Nathan.
A: This was in reference to the Heat initially being credited with a franchise-record 40 assists, only to have the stats audit adjust it to a season-high 38. The difference is this update was almost immediate, unlike it taking a day with the adjustment of Bam Adebayo’s rebounds in his triple-double.
