Why Can’t the Miami Heat Close Out Games?

The Miami Heat’s Closing Problems: A Closer Look at the Late-Game Collapses

The Miami Heat’s inability to close out games this season has become a glaring issue, as seen in their most recent collapse against the Sacramento Kings. Playing without Jimmy Butler, who missed the game due to ongoing recovery from a minor injury, the Heat squandered a 13-point lead in the fourth quarter. This marks another instance in a troubling pattern for a team that prides itself on resilience and discipline.

Major Collapses This Season:

• 17-point lead lost to the Kings (Jan. 6, 2025, without Butler.)
• 13-point lead lost to the Knicks (Oct. 30th, 2024)
• 15-point lead lost to the Suns (Nov. 6th, 2024)
• 22-point lead lost to the Magic (Dec. 27, 2024, without Butler.)
• 15-point lead lost to the Kings (Nov. 4th, 2024)
• Overtime Blunder Vs the Pistons (Nov. 12th, 2024, Late inbounding play allowed, illegal timeout by Spoelstra.)
• 8-point overtime lead after large comeback vs the Pistons (Dec. 16th, 2024,)

Despite being led by the widely respected Erik Spoelstra, these late-game meltdowns highlight critical issues, from tactical flaws to player execution under pressure.

Defensive Rebounding Woes

One of the most glaring issues for the Heat is their inability to secure defensive rebounds. Ranking 21st in opponent offensive rebounds per game (11.4), they’ve allowed too many second-chance opportunities. The Kings exploited this weakness by grabbing 18 offensive rebounds, resulting in 23 second-chance points.

This vulnerability stems from Spoelstra’s reliance on small lineups. While these rotations offer offensive versatility, they often lack the size to contend with teams boasting strong rebounders. Without Jimmy Butler’s presence, the Heat have leaned even more heavily on undersized lineups, highlighting the problem.

Clutch Stats: A Disappointing Reality for Key Players

The Heat have played the sixth-most clutch games this season but have struggled mightily, posting a 7-12 record in such scenarios. While role players share some responsibility, the spotlight falls on Tyler Herro and Bam Adebayo, who have not delivered consistently in the clutch.

Tyler Herro

• Shooting 30.0% in clutch moments, a notable drop from his 45.3% season average.
• Often struggles to create separation or convert tough shots when defenses tighten late.
• As the team’s leading scorer (23.9 PPG), his inability to maintain efficiency in critical moments has hurt the team.

Bam Adebayo

• Adebayo’s clutch performance is equally concerning. His free-throw percentage drops to 45.5% in clutch situations, down from his season average of 72.7%.
• Offensively, he attempts fewer than two shots per game in the clutch, despite opportunities to exploit mismatches.
• For a player of his caliber, fading offensively in high-pressure moments is unacceptable.

Rotational Criticism of Erik Spoelstra

Even a coach as accomplished as Erik Spoelstra is not immune to scrutiny. Several of his rotational decisions have raised questions this season, especially late in games.

Small Lineups on Defense

Against the Magic, Spoelstra’s small-ball approach allowed Orlando to dominate the boards. Similar issues arose against the Kings, where a lack of size led to repeated second-chance points. Miami needs to get back to the fundamentals of boxing out and grabbing boards as they rank 22nd with 43.2 rebounds per game.

Inconsistent Usage of Shooters

Haywood Highsmith has been shooting 42.7% from three, yet Spoelstra has frequently benched him in crunch time in favor of others. This has limited the Heat’s spacing and offensive options in critical moments.

What Needs to Change?

Bam Adebayo Must Dominate Late

Adebayo needs to assert himself offensively throughout the whole game but especially in clutch moments. Whether it’s exploiting mismatches or facilitating from the post, his presence must be felt late in games, especially as a captain of this team.

Herro’s Efficiency Must Improve

Herro has been a bright spot for Miami this season, but Herro must focus on smarter shot selection in crunch time. Attacking the rim more often and drawing fouls could improve his clutch scoring efficiency.

Commitment to Defensive Rebounding

Rotations featuring Haywood Highsmith or Kelel Ware alongside Adebayo could provide additional size and physicality without compromising mobility and spacing.

Smarter Rotations by Spoelstra

Spoelstra must adapt by prioritizing winning the boards, Miami is 9-0 in games where they win the rebounding battle. It is essential for Miami to control the game on the boards. The young players must get physical down low and learn to rebound, but Erik Spoelstra has to provide the opportunity for growth.

Spoelstra on Rotations: “We’re trying to find the right balance, but we’ve got to do better closing out games.”

Final Thoughts

The Miami Heat have the talent and coaching expertise to contend, but their inability to close out games is their Achilles’ heel. For players like Tyler Herro and Bam Adebayo, stepping up in clutch moments isn’t optional—it’s mandatory. If these issues persist, the Heat risk squandering yet another season. This Heat team isn’t the best, but plenty of games have been left out on the court compromising their record and exploiting many of their issues.

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