The Miami Heat came out firing against the Los Angeles Clippers at home on Monday night. With a dominant 140-123 victory, the Heat improve to 14-7 on the season while winning the season series against the Clippers 2-0.
Monday night’s game saw some terrific performances across the board for Miami. From the starting lineup to the bench unit, the Heat saw elite scoring and defensive effort for the majority of the game.
As impressive as the scoring was in the first half, the start of the second half was equally noteworthy. With Norman Powell and Bam Adebayo leading the charge, Miami looked unstoppable as they extended their lead to 38 points.
Although the Heat had done a tremendous job of locking down on defense and securing rebounds, they unraveled in the fourth quarter, allowing the Clippers to make a comeback. Nevertheless, some timely baskets by Herro helped Miami stay in front.
Monday night’s win helps Miami prevent a losing slide from building. Given that several players played a role in securing this victory, we rate the performances of all the active players for the game.
Norman Powell: A+
Game Stats: 30 PTS, 3 REB, 3 ASSISTS, 1 STL, 1 BLK, 12-18 FG, 6-10 3P, 32 MINS
Norman Powell was undoubtedly one of the best players on the floor for the Miami Heat tonight. While facing his former team, the veteran guard delivered a strong performance, scoring 30 points, grabbing three rebounds, and dishing out three assists, while shooting 12-of-18 from the field.
Powell’s crowning moment for the game came at the end of the second quarter when he knocked down consecutive three-pointers. Given that the second was essentially a heat check, Powell’s shot-making gave Miami the necessary momentum to come out strong in the third quarter to extend their lead.
Bam Adebayo: A+
Game Stats: 27 PTS, 14 REB, 3 AST, 2 STL, 2 BLK, 10-17 FG, 5-8 3P, 2-2 FT, 32 MINS
Bam Adebayo was equally impressive against the Clippers. Although he started slow on the offensive end, Adebayo asserted himself defensively, as he put up two steals and two blocks for the game. While anchoring Miami’s defense, the star big man also played a key role in maintaining the intensity.
Adebayo eventually went on the offensive, too, as he recorded 27 points, 14 rebounds, and three assists for his team, while shooting 10-of-17 from the field and an efficient 5-of-8 from three-point range.
Adebayo’s impact on both ends of the floor was undoubtedly the difference maker for the Heat in this outing. Given how Miami’s defense fell apart in the fourth with him off the floor, it is evident that the team depends on him heavily.
Tyler Herro: A
Game Stats: 22 PTS, 3 REB, 2 AST, 0 STL, 1 BLK, 8-15 FG, 4-6 3P, 2-3 FT, 29 MINS
Miami Heat star Tyler Herro had a relatively quieter performance tonight, though he was still one of the biggest contributors on the scoring front. While recording 22 points, three rebounds, and two assists for the game, along with one block, Herro delivered the clutch baskets to seal the victory.
Aside from big offensive displays, the 25-year-old has also played a key role on defense. Although he primarily focuses on stealing the ball by intercepting passing lanes, his disruptive presence was crucial in keeping the Clippers at bay. Since returning from injury, Herro has been nothing short of impressive.
Andrew Wiggins: A
Game Stats: 22 PTS, 9 REB, 3 AST, 0 STL, 3 BLK, 9-14 FG, 2-3 3P, 2-2 FT, 32 MINS
Andrew Wiggins played a critical role in securing the victory against Los Angeles. The former All-Star demonstrated his abilities as one of the best two-way players in the game early on, playing an active role on the defensive end by restricting Kawhi Leonard.
While his defensive displays were impressive, resulting in three blocks, he was also a valuable asset on offense, posting 22 points, nine rebounds, and three assists on 9-of-14 shooting from the field. Although he was culpable for the stagnation of the offense in the fourth quarter, he made up for it with his rebounding effort.
Davion Mitchell: A
Game Stats: 16 PTS, 3 REB, 12 AST, 2 STL, 0 BLK, 6-6 FG, 4-4 3P, 31 MINS
Davion Mitchell has certainly grown in stature in the capacity of a starting point guard. While anchoring the defense as the point-of-attack defender, Mitchell also did a terrific job of facilitating the team’s offense.
The guard’s activity was crucial in disrupting L.A.’s offensive sets and preventing them from building a scoring rhythm. Having recorded 16 points, three rebounds, and 12 assists on a perfect 6-of-6 shooting from the field, he was truly vital to the winning effort.
Simone Fontecchio: B
Game Stats: 7 PTS, 4 REB, 2 AST, 0 STL, 0 BLK, 2-7 FG, 1-6 3P, 2-3 FT, 21 MINS
Simone Fontecchio was among the first players to come off the bench for the Heat tonight. While his defensive contributions aren’t reflected in the stat sheet, the forward had a strong performance, particularly in executing tough positional defense.
Having established himself as a reliable role player, Fontecchio continued to live up to his reputation, notching seven points, four rebounds, and two assists for the game. Although his shooting wasn’t up to par and he faded in the fourth quarter, he remained a key contributor.
Dru Smith: B
Game Stats: 7 PTS, 0 REB, 2 AST, 1 STL, 1 BLK, 3-6 FG, 1-4 3P, 32 MINS
Miami Heat guard Dru Smith had a better performance tonight compared to his previous outings. While earning more minutes in the rotation, Smith contributed on both ends of the floor, coming away with seven points, two assists, a steal, and a block.
Although his shooting dipped in the second half, especially from behind the arc, his activity on the defensive end and without the ball was still noteworthy.
Jaime Jaquez Jr.: B
Game Stats: 4 PTS, 4 REB, 5 AST, 0 STL, 1 BLK, 2-10 FG, 0-2 3P, 21 MINS
Jaime Jaquez Jr. may view tonight’s game as one to forget from a personal standpoint. After emerging as a reliable scoring option this season, Jaquez fell short of expectations as he logged only four points on the night on 2-of-10 shooting from the field. Although he wasn’t very effective while scoring, Jaquez still found a way to contribute, delivering four rebounds and five assists to add to the Heat’s winning effort.
Game Stats: 5 PTS, 1 REB, 2 AST, 0 STL, 0 BLK, 1-1 FG, 1-1 3P, 2-2 FT, 8 MINS
Assessing Pelle Larsson’s grade is much harder since he received very little playing time tonight. In only eight minutes, it would be unrealistic for a player such as Larsson to be a contributor. Regardless, the guard posted a solid five points, one rebound, and two assists on 1-of-1 shooting from beyond the arc. Overall, it can be said that he wasn’t an impactful player, but his performance was still meaningful.
Kel’el Ware: C-
Game Stats: 0 PTS, 9 REB, 0 AST, 0 STL, 0 BLK, 0-3 FG, 0-1 3P, 16 MINS
Miami Heat big man Kel’el Ware was probably among the more disappointing players on the roster tonight. After 16 minutes, Ware only managed to put up nine rebounds while shooting 0-of-3 from the field. The 21-year-old looked like a shadow of himself. His tentativeness on offense and limited defensive effort were a major concern down the stretch. Although the Heat came away with the win, Erik Spoelstra may need to find a way to get his big man going again.