Miami

Heat Drop Another Home Game

The Heat fell to 4-9 this season in games played in MIami after their loss to the Wizards on Friday

The Miami Heat lost their fifth straight home game on Friday by falling to the Washington Wizards 105-103.

On the year, the Heat are now 4-9 in games played at American Airlines Arena. On the road, Miami has a winning record but its surprising struggles at home has the team at 12-15 overall. The home record for Miami ranks near the bottom of the league.

The Heat entered the fourth quarter with a lead and still had a chance to win in the final seconds. Turnovers and second-chance opportunities for Washington doomed Miami however. The Heat had 16 turnovers as opposed to nine for the Wizards. Washington had 13 offensive rebounds while Miami only had five.

Hassan Whiteside was a bright spot for Miami in his first extended action of the year. Whiteside gave Miami 16 solid minutes which featured six points, seven rebounds, two steals and a block. The 25-year old picked up five personal fouls but infused the Heat with energy and should see more playing time in the upcoming games.

Dwyane Wade did all he could as the main option for the Heat. With Chris Bosh continuing to nurse a calf injury, Wade saw nearly every play involve him. The guard had 28 points and eight assists along with four rebounds. One of Wade's biggest scores came with under 20 seconds left when he sank a three-pointer. At the time, the basket cut Washington's lead to only one.

Shawne Williams returned to the starting lineup and scored eight points in 24 minutes. The forward also had three rebounds and the team was +18 with him on the court. Williams could continue to start with Josh McRoberts out of action for the foreseeable future.

The Heat will stay home for another contest on Sunday with the Boston Celtics at 6:00 p.m.

Contact Us