MIAMI – With the Miami Heat beating the New Orleans Pelicans on Sunday night, 125-106, it comes right before the team embarks on a four-game Midwest road trip. As the Heat's road trip starts Tuesday against the Minnesota Timberwolves, the win on Sunday proved to be crucial, as explained by star Norman Powell.
Led by Powell with a team-high 34 points and a career-high nine three-pointers, Miami had a collective victory and handled business against New Orleans. Especially coming after a disappointing loss on Saturday to the Minnesota Timberwolves, Powell would go into why the result on Monday is “really crucial.”
“I told them, and Spo and the rest of the coaching staff, and even the guys in the locker room knew that this is a must-win for us,” Powell said. “You know, especially losing the front end of a back-to-back, we definitely had to come out and set the tone and get this win just to prepare us and get us ready for this road trip.”
“We want to do some damage on this road trip and pick up these wins,” Powell continued. “And it's going to be big for us. So I thought it was a good starting point for us to go on the road feeling good about ourselves and how we need to play collectively on both sides of the ball. But yeah, this road trip is going to be really big for us to come out and get some wins.”
Asked Norman Powell how important was it to win this game and head into the four-game road trip with momentum.
“Really crucial, I told them, Spo, and the rest of the coaching staff, and even the guys in the locker room that this is a must win for us…” #HeatNation pic.twitter.com/M8Eny766WY
— Zachary Weinberger (@ZachWeinberger) January 5, 2026
The Heat has to stick to its identity, especially during upcoming road trip
Miami Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra keeps his eyes on his team during the second half at Kaseya Center against the New Orleans Pelicans.
Jim Rassol-Imagn Images
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While the Heat has a major opportunity to stamp themselves as a dangerous team during this upcoming road trip, there needs to be a collective effort on both sides of the ball, as was on display on Sunday. Though giving up 39 points to New Orleans in the first quarter, Miami improved its defensive activity throughout the rest of the game, especially forcing 26 turnovers to score 31 points off of them.
This has been a trend in the Heat doing well in forcing turnovers, as the team has recorded the league's highest opponent turnover rate over the last six contests at 18.5 percent.
“That is and has to be our identity,” Spoelstra said. “We have to play with the recklessness and activity level that exceeds our opponent. And that’s not to put down our talent level or anything like that. It’s more about how we look different when we’re flying around and making plays and making it tough for the opponent.”
Erik Spoelstra answers if Heat being top of the league in turnovers forced is due to teams they’ve been playing or seeing meaningful change.
“It’s probably a little bit of both, both things are probably true on that, but that is and has to be our identity…” #HeatNation pic.twitter.com/8zEVa0GzgF
— Zachary Weinberger (@ZachWeinberger) January 5, 2026
At any rate, Miami is 20-16 and starts the Midwest road trip on Tuesday against Minnesota.