Road Issues Continue For Miami In New Orleans

The Miami Heat played a nationally televised game against the Pelicans on Friday night, and Miami falls to another team on the road, 110-104.

Here’s a more detailed look at the game…

The Heat looked to Jimmy Butler in the first quarter when Miami’s shots weren’t falling, and he delivered. Jimmy scored 9 first quarter points and played great defense with 2 steals. Bam Adebayo also added 2 steals in the first quarter, which shows how much defense wasn’t the problem. Miami only trailed by 6 after all of this, and the score was 32-26 at the end of the first.

The Heat’s first quarter shooting struggles carried into the second. Duncan Robinson tried to break Miami out of this slump by hitting 2 threes early in the second quarter. Jimmy Butler also added a productive quarter with 8 more points. He scored his points by doing what he does best, getting to the free throw line. The Heat were 3/16 from three at the half with Duncan having all 3 threes. Miami can’t win a game shooting this poorly, especially on the road. The Heat trailed by 14 at the half, 65-51.

The second half was a fourth quarter story for the Heat. After Miami went down 15 at the end of the third, they tried to make a late run in the fourth quarter. Duncan Robinson led this fourth quarter run by going 4/5 from three in the fourth, who was the only positive plus minus player for the Heat on Friday night. Miami played hard late in the fourth, but it was too late. Miami fell to the Pelicans in New Orleans, 110-104.

If Miami wants to make a playoff run, they need to get going early in games on the road. It seems as if it takes Miami a couple quarters to settle in when playing on the road, which can’t happen in the postseason. On nights like these, it shows how much Tyler Herro is missed. Herro is a guy who can get you going on offense when the team is in a slump and has the guts to take tough shots when needed. The Heat play again on Sunday against the Washington Wizards, then come back home for 3 home games against bottom tier eastern conference teams. Miami looks to go on another winning streak to uphold the 4 seed, which is needed for a team that struggles on the road.