It’s been an up-and-down season for the Heat. Coach Erik Spoelstra would love to see that end.
After a strong stretch, Miami has dropped four straight following Saturday’s loss to the Rockets. This one slipped away late after Miami held a 10-point lead, only to get outscored 36-26 in the fourth.
It was not subtle. The Rockets brought energy. The Heat did not match it, particularly on the final play when Amen Thompson slipped through for the game-winning putback.
“When you say you have to develop some grit, you have to go through it,” Spoelstra told reporters. “There are consequences. When you feel these kinds of emotions and feel like every possession does matter.
“Part of the grit is that you have to go through some pain. We’re going through some pain right now, and that’s going to make us better.”
That is where the Heat are at the moment.
The effort was there early. The execution was not there late. Against a younger, more athletic group, the Heat had trouble finishing possessions and securing rebounds when it mattered most.
That has been part of the inconsistency. But expectation is not changing. Spoelstra wants more competitiveness, more urgency, more of a response when games tighten up.
Right now, it is not quite there, and the standings tend to reflect that over time.
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