(Photo Credit: Melissa Majchrzak)
The Miami HEAT fell behind early and was unable to recove against the Utah Jazz, losing 104-97. The HEAT are now 1-3 on the six game road trip. Up next, the HEAT travel to Oakland to take on the Golden State Warriors Wednesday night.
Impact Performance of the Night: Al Jefferson led the Jazz to victory behind 23 points and 11 rebounds, four of which were offensive. Jefferson hit jumpers and got to the line at will. His performance was excellent. Honorable mention goes to Gordon Hayward who scored 22 points off the bench.
The Deciding Run: The HEAT battled back from a 18-point deficit to cut the Jazz lead to two with 3:31 left in the game. But from that point forward, the HEAT were outscored 11-6, dropping the game 104-97.
Play of the Game: The Utah Jazz struggled in the fourth quarter, but Gordon Hayward drained two big shots, a three and a two, to stymie HEAT runs. They halted the HEAT momentum and gave the Jazz the cushion they needed to win the game. The big shots from Hayward are most certainly deserving of the play(s) of the game.
Efficiency Rating: Offensive Efficiency: 108.9; Defensive Efficiency: 113.9
Trend to Watch: The HEAT used some uncommon lineups against the Jazz, especially in the second half. Coach Spoelstra is using this road trip to look at some new combinations. Going forward, it’ll be interesting to see what works and what doesn’t. Tonight, Rashard Lewis came off the bench and played well while flanked by Joel Anthony and LeBron James in the frontcourt. The HEAT have a lot of players who can make significant contributions. Finding the right combinations will be important as the season goes on.
The Takeaway: The HEAT dug themselves a big whole that they couldn’t climb out of. Eight first half turnovers and a hot shooting start by the Jazz did the HEAT in. The fourth quarter, was encouraging. The HEAT fought back and made things interesting. Like the Indiana and Portland games, the result wasn’t great, but the film will give the HEAT little things to work on. Utah has been a tough place to play for the HEAT over the years, and tonight was no different.
Notes: LeBron James led the HEAT with 32 points, six assists, four rebounds, three steals and two blocks. Rashard Lewis and Ray Allen combined for 23 points off of the bench. James Jones and Dexter Pittman were inactive. Shane Battier sat out while recovering from injury.
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