Miami Heat Struggle to Defend Against Denver Nuggets
As the Miami Heat returned to Denver, a place where they have historically struggled, they aimed for their first regular season win there since 2016. The team received a boost when Kasparas Jakucionis was listed as available and could make his NBA debut. However, the injury situation worsened when Bam Adebayo injured his left foot early in the game after stepping awkwardly during a handoff and screen involving Norman Powell. Adebayo left for the locker room and did not return.
Impact of Adebayo’s Injury and Bench Adjustments
After Adebayo went down, the Heat bench was scrutinized for solutions. Coach Erik Spoelstra attempted to limit Kel'el Ware's minutes against Nikola Jokic, but had no better alternatives. Ware showed moments of solid positioning and effort to contain Jokic, though Miami’s defensive struggles were evident.
- Denver dominated the defensive glass with 14 offensive rebounds in the first half, compared to only 1 for Miami.
- After Ware's exit, Miami had no other big men available on the bench.
- Two-way contract player Vlad Goldin remains with Sioux Falls, so Keshad Johnson was used as the backup center.
“14 offensive rebounds for Denver compared to 1 for Miami in the first half pretty much tells the story.”
Key Takeaways
- Adebayo’s injury greatly affected Miami’s interior defense and rebounding.
- Limited bench depth forced adjustments that were insufficient to contain Denver’s offense.
Miami’s inability to control the defensive glass and protect the paint allowed Nikola Jokic and the Nuggets to maintain their offensive rhythm despite the absence of a key player.
Author’s summary: Miami Heat’s hopes for a Denver win were hampered by Bam Adebayo’s injury and a thin bench, leading to dominance by Nikola Jokic and the Nuggets inside the paint.