It is no secret that the Miami Heat have been dealing with injury problems since the beginning of the year, really since last season where it hindered their chances to create any semblance during the regular season. Despite the team overcoming it for the most part, the big three of the team in stars Bam Adebayo, Tyler Herro, and Jimmy Butler are now healthy and playing all together.
However, the record of the “Big Three” in Miami is at a surprising 5-6 when they are all playing on the same floor, showing how the chemistry isn't exactly there. Even in the past two years, the three together have a record of 31-31 the past two years according to Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald. All three players have dealt with injuries that have made them miss a significant amount of time where they are limited in their time together.
This was shown once again in the Heat's loss to the Atlanta Hawks last Friday which was a bittersweet day as it was the same night the organization retired the jersey and number of Udonis Haslem. After the game, Adebayo was asked if the main three featured players need to get acclimated to one another's play-styles and he agreed saying that the team has been used to players being out.
“You get used to one guy being out there or two and we have all three of us,” Adebayo said. “We’re all trying to play the right way, but also be aggressive. There are going to be some rough patches and we just need to keep working through it.”
Tyler Herro says Heat has to get “comfortable” with people back
Adebayo missed a portion of this season with a hip injury that has been nagging him. As for Tyler Herro, he missed the majority of the month of November with a Grade 2 right ankle sprain. He spoke to the media that a main focus is for everyone to be “comfortable” as more people get back in the rotation.
“I mean just getting guys back into the rotation, figuring out a new way, not a new way, but just getting comfortable with everyone back in the rotation,” Herro said. “Obviously, teams are doubling Bam and Jimmy every time they touch it in the post. So watch the film, make adjustments to our spacing. I think we’ll be fine.”
Herro is in the midst of a career-best season as he is averaging 22.5 points, 5.7 rebounds, and 4.2 assists per game.
Adebayo “sick” after Miami's loss to Atlanta
The aforementioned loss to the Hawks was Miami's second straight loss to a losing team as the first was on the road against the Toronto Raptors where they were down 35 points at halftime, the largest deficit in the team's history. Adebayo said to ClutchPoints that he was “sick” after losing the last game as besides continuing on their shooting slump, they fell in front of their former captain in Haslem.
“I'm sick we lost this game. Just because he embodies winning. He called me right away and said only thing that are gonna make me happy is we get to win,” Adebayo said. “And you know, you take stuff like that to heart and you come up with this type of game and you lose on a special night like this, especially for a guy that's un-drafted, three championships with the same organization for 20 years. He's an anomaly. He's one of those people who they don't come around often because it's not a lot of opportunity in this league for guys like that. For him to have this moment I'm blessed to be a part of blessed that he's my OG but I'm really down we lost this game on this night.”
Asked Bam Adebayo about the bittersweet night of UD’s number retiring, but losing to Atlanta.
“I’m sick we lost this game, just because he embodies winning…” #HEATCulture pic.twitter.com/Q51FH4jXBn
— Zachary Weinberger (@ZachWeinberger) January 20, 2024
Another Heat injury to Jaime Jaquez Jr.
While the big three is together and looking to develop their bond on the court, the Heat still continue to deal with injury problems as rookie sensation Jaime Jaquez Jr. is out with a groin strain. He has missed the the last three games and will be out Sunday against the Orlando Magic as Miami will take this slowly since the UCLA product has dealt with the same injury in the preseason, but his energy has been missed per head coach Erik Spoelstra.
“I don't want anything to sound like an excuse, but certainly some of the in between plays that he can make something out of nothing. The energy plays in transition. Those things can impact but by no means their absences, that's not something we can use as an excuse for the beginning of the game, the last two games just in terms of energy and an effort defensively.” Spoelstra said before Friday's loss to the Atlanta Hawks. “Sure, we missed some shots and that's going to happen. The seasons are long so you know, particularly outside shooting, that'll have its ebbs and flows. For the most part, we are fantastic shooting team, but we have to be able to weather storms if it's not going in. We're much better and more mentally tough and we've proven that to be able to defend regardless if we're lighting it up from three.”
Heat say that Jaime Jaquez Jr. will once again be out for the fourth straight game tomorrow against the Magic as he still deals with the groin injury.
Here’s Erik Spoelstra speaking before last nights game about what it’s been missing that Jaquez brings. #HEATCulture pic.twitter.com/SRRnyIfIN9
— Zachary Weinberger (@ZachWeinberger) January 20, 2024
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