Winderman’s view: After loss to Bucks, Heat mandate simply is to not lose again (2025)

MIAMI — Observations and other notes of interest from Saturday night’s 121-115 overtime loss to the Milwaukee Bucks:

– For a team that only recently snapped a 10-game losing streak, this might come off as wishful or even hubris.

– But the Heat cannot lose another game the balance of their regular season.

– Not if they want to make a statement in the play-in round.

– Not if they want to maximize their positioning in that round.

– Granted, only four regular-season games remain.

– But then consider those games.

– A 76ers team desperate to lose.

– A Bulls team the Heat need to beat for seeding.

– A Pelicans team playing to lose.

– A Wizards team playing to lose.

– The loss at the buzzer to the Grizzlies on Thursday night hurt.

– Then Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Bucks arrived on Saturday night.

– With the Heat having to go without sidelined Tyler Herro.

– A challenge tougher than the Heat will face the rest of the way not only during the regular season, but also in the play-in round.

– Which means from here on out, until the playoffs, they need to be a can’t-lose team.

– Heat coach Erik Spoelstra stressed before the game that what matters at the moment is his team playing games with meaning.

– “It’s fun right now,” he said. “Our guys are having a lot of fun. The games mean something, they’re competitive. Lately it’s bringing a better version out of our group collectively. And you can find purpose from where we are right now.”

– Of course, that meaning is coming in the play-in race.

– “Just because it’s not exactly where you want to be in the standings doesn’t mean that you have to think less than because of where we think we should be,” Spoelstra continued. “These games have a great feel to ’em. They’re competitive and if you’re a competitor, then this is what you want, this is what you live for.”

– He added, “We’re trying to do what we do that leads to winning more consistently.”

– Spoelstra said it is a point of the year where the scouting report is somewhat secondary.

– “The most important thing for us, at this point of the year, with our group, is trying to do what we do that leads to winning,” he said.

– With Herro out, the Heat opened with a lineup of Kel’el Ware, Bam Adebayo, Alec Burks, Pelle Larsson and Duncan Robinson.

– It was the Heat’s 26th lineup.

– Spoelstra indicated there is no thought of a long-term absence with Herro.

– “We have enough to focus on one game,” he said pregame. “And this group has really shown a lot of fortitude and a mentality of not making excuses, but just to continue to get better and find a way to put ourselves in position to win this game.”

– Davion Mitchell and Haywood Highsmith were first off the Heat bench.

– Kyle Anderson followed.

– Terry Rozier then made it nine deep at the start of the second period.

– Playing only in the first half.

– Spoelstra before the game reiterated his appreciation for Heat owner Micky Arison on Saturday being named to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.

– “He’s been a blessing to South Florida sports, being able to put basketball on the map in South Florida, previously where it’s a football city,” Spoelstra said. “Now it’s many different things, but it’s definitely a basketball town because of his influence.”

– Still, Spoelstra said he would have liked to have seen Gonzaga coach Mark Few make it, with Few a fellow assistant with Spoelstra this past summer with the USA Basketball Olympic team.

– “The one buzzkill about all that, I was really hoping Mark Few would get in,” Spoelstra said, with Few a finalist. “And I think he will eventually, but the waiting game on this, that’s unnecessary. He’s a Hall of Fame coach.”

Winderman’s view: After loss to Bucks, Heat mandate simply is to not lose again (2025)

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https://sports.yahoo.com/article/winderman-view-loss-bucks-heat-025500117.html

Winderman’s view: After loss to Bucks, Heat mandate simply is to not lose again (2025)

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