Miami lost 110-115 at Charlotte, a closer game than the 25-point and 17-point defeats before it, and it still lost. Davion Mitchell was the best player in orange, and the Heat sit 12th in the East with Dallas next.
Closer, Still Losing
Miami lost 110-115 at Charlotte after falling 106-131 to Minnesota and 111-128 to Detroit. The gap shrank from 25 points and 17 points to five. Nobody in that locker room should take comfort in it. A close loss is still a loss, and this team has not yet been a winner this season.
Fast Start Wasted
Charlotte opened the game on a 9-0 run. Miami answered with a 10-0 run and led 12-9, then closed the first quarter ahead 24-21. The opening quarter had four lead changes and three ties, and neither side led by more than seven. Klay Thompson scored 8 points on 3-of-5 shooting in nine minutes, and Pelle Larsson added 6 in four. Miami had the game in hand early. It did not keep it.
Grades
Davion Mitchell earns an A-. He scored 22 points with 10 assists, the only Heat leader worth building on. Thompson gets a B for a clean 2-of-3 from three in his first stretch. Bam Adebayo gets a C. He went 2-of-5 for 4 points with a turnover in the opening quarter, and All U Can Heat has already written about his offensive disappearance. Brandon Miller beat Miami for 34 points and 7 rebounds.
No Excuses Available
Charlotte's injury report had four players out, Knueppel and White among them. The Hornets were also on no rest, same as Miami. The Heat took the floor with the same schedule, and the same schedule is no explanation. Charlotte, with a thinner roster, was the more reliable team.
Bottom Line
Miami is 12th in the East, one game behind sixth-place Boston and half a game behind tenth-place Brooklyn. The Mavericks arrive October 26 on NBA TV, then comes a trip to Atlanta on October 28. Those are the games where the early effort has to last all night.
What was the final score of Heat vs Hornets?
The Hornets beat the Heat 115-110 in Charlotte on October 24.
Who played best for Miami against Charlotte?
Davion Mitchell led the Heat with 22 points and 10 assists. Brandon Miller had 34 points for Charlotte.
