MIAMI – As the Miami Heat suffered a disappointing loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers on Wednesday night, 130-116, it came against a team that was missing Donovan Mitchell, Darius Garland, and Evan Mobley. Coming off the Heat's win over the fully healthy Cavaliers on Monday, which ended with an Andrew Wiggins game-winning dunk in overtime, this was no doubt a shock, as Norman Powell was blunt about the performance.

Powell himself would have another productive game individually, leading the team with 27 points, five assists, and two rebounds, but was frustrated after the contest. While Cleveland is a well-coached team that has proven to be a top group in the Eastern Conference, Powell wouldn't hold back on calling the outing a “very bad loss.”

“I mean, that's a very bad loss,” Powell said to ClutchPoints. “You know, they're a good team, but we know when they're sitting their starters, their go-to guys, you know, that's when we got to put our stamp on the game and not give them any life. So it's a bad loss for us, especially coming off a game like we had earlier against them, we got to turn the page quickly.”

The veteran guard would also note the 21 turnovers that Cleveland forced Miami committ that led to 29 opposing points, and that the Cavaliers had committed more free-throw attempts than their 13, which he said, “that's the game right there.” It wouldn't start that way as the home team started like they had been all season, before letting their foot off the gas and giving Cleveland life, blowing a double-digit lead.

Heat's Jaime Jaquez Jr. on preventing deja vu 

Miami Heat forward Jaime Jaquez Jr. (11) drives to the basket against Cleveland Cavaliers center Thomas Bryant (3) during the fourth quarter at Kaseya Center.
Sam Navarro-Imagn Images

While Jaime Jaquez Jr. has grown tremendously with the Heat this season, Wednesday marked his most frustrating outing yet as he scored 11 points on making four of 15 shots from the field. Jaquez would not want to make excuses after the game, taking accountability for his performance.

He would say to ClutchPoints that Miami is going to take the loss as a “learning experience” and cites a motivation that the team has in preventing deja vu from last season in blowing double-digit leads, which they ranked first in the NBA doing.

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“Just wanting to be a great team,” Jaquez said. “I think thain t's our motivation is tonight we had an opportunity. Obviously, they had a lot of guys missing. And, you know, I think that may have gotten to us. As great teams, it doesn't matter who's out there, you gotta put your best foot forward. And obviously, you know, we just didn't do that tonight. We're going to take this as a learning experience. There's a lot to learn from this game. Hopefully we can take that into the future.”

Heat's Norman Powell on facing the Knicks on Friday

The Heat have a chance to bounce back in a huge way with a matchup against the New York Knicks on Friday, as part of the league's in-season tournament for the NBA Cup. Withhugelying for the group play contest and even next Monday's game as well, the Knicks could be without star Jalen Brunson, as he left Wednesday's loss to the Orlando Magic in “a walking boot and crutches,” according to James L. Edwards III.

“We got a in-season tournament game against the Knicks team that is going to be hungry,” Powell said to ClutchPoints. “They're playing well. Wan beat them here. So I know they want to protect home court. It's not going to be anything easy. So we got to be ready for a physical, fast-paced game. You know, they play really well at home, and it's going to take every single one of us to be locked in defensively in that game, limit them from getting second chance opportunities. It's going to be a full 48-minute game, so there can't be any excuses.”

At any rate, the Heat are now 8-4 and with Wednesday's result, are now 5-1 at home, but they will travel to take on New York on Friday.