After this Monday’s extraordinary 120-119 victory against the Clippers, the Heat prepares to close the Western tour, facing the Nuggets this Wednesday, November 5 (9 pm TV: FanDuel Sport Network and Radio Mambí in Spanish) at the Ball Arena.
Both teams faced each other in the 2023 NBA Finals, where the Denver quintet was proclaimed champion, leaving a fighting Miami team led by Jimmy Butler on the verge of glory, which is already in the past.
The present is Bam Adebayo, who this Monday demonstrated his greatness by leading the Capital of the Sun quintet to victory in Los Angeles with a double-double of 25 points and 10 rebounds. Adebayo is averaging 22.4 points and 9.1 rebounds this season, also being the team’s main offensive bastion.
“To fight and get a victory like that, those are the most gratifying victories,” Adebayo said.
The other good news was the return of Norman Powell and above all because he did it in the best way, scoring 21 points against his former team, which had James Harden with 29 and Kawhi Leonard with 27 as its best men.
Andrew Wiggins with 17 points was the third best scorer for Miami, which once again had the invaluable help of its second unit, led by Kel’el Ware with 16 in just 17 minutes and Simone Fontecchio with 11.
“In the second half there was great harmony for our team. The kids really competed for the team. In the end, the important thing is to find a way to win,” Spoelstra said.
With the victory, the Heat (4-3) managed to remain at the top of the disputed Eastern Conference and are now tied for fifth with three teams. While the Nuggets (4-2) will defend their fourth place in the West playing at home.
It will not be easy for Miami to return with the victory of Denver, a team that has great players like Nikola Jokic, Jamal Murray and Aaron Gordon, and that has just defeated the Kings 130-124.
It seemed that Pelle Larsson was only going to be Powell’s replacement while his groin injury lasted, but coach Erik Spoelstra must have seen something in him to give him a new opportunity to be a starter this Monday, keeping Nikola Jovic and Ware in the second unit, along with Jaime Jaquez, Fontecchio and a Dru Smith who is looking overwhelmed.
Smith is part of the rotation this season, after having overcome an Achilles tendon injury in December 2024, largely due to the absence of Tyler Herro, who is recovering from ankle surgery, partly because he has the support of Spoelstra, because he has seen very little on the court.
In these season games Smith averages 5.4 points and 3.9 assists, which is very little, in addition to the fact that his physique (6.2′ and 200 lbs.) does not help him defend at all, weakening the team.
Maybe Spoelstra should alternate him with rookie point guard Kasparas Jakucionis, who appears with the point guard of the future and thus begin to give him the minutes he needs.
Not to mention giving more minutes to Ware, who plays practically the same minutes as Smith when his game and contribution is exponentially superior.
“I know people probably think Kel’el has been downgraded and he hasn’t,” Spo said. “There will be teams where it probably makes more sense to play with tall players. For us, it makes more sense to take advantage of our versatility and change the starters.”
In any case, credit must be given to Spoelstra for having changed the team’s offensive mentality and for getting the most out of this group of young players, with less name compared, for example, to the Clippers’ men.
Against the Nuggets they will have another great test of fire, will they be able to repeat their performance?
