Miami Heat Still Dealing With `Growing Pains' During Tough Stretch

At this point, the Miami Heat can only hope things get better.

After all, they can't get much worse.

The Heat, who were without seven players Thursday night against the Los Angeles Clippers, blew an 18-point, third-quarter lead in a 109-105 loss. It was their fifth straight defeat.

“It is growing pains, man," center Bam Adebayo said. "That is all I can really say to you. We are trying to figure it out. We are playing as hard as we can, trying to get some wins. Like I said, you just have to take one step in front of the other, keep going, keep pushing and keep staying positive. The storm is over us, but if we keep pushing and keep doing the things we need to do. We just have to stay positive.”

Heat forward Jimmy Butler was among the absent players. He missed his ninth straight game because of COVID-19. Without him, the Heat were led by guard Tyler Herro's 19 points. It was his first game back since suffering from neck and back spasms. Guard Gabe Vincent, who is on a two-way contract, added 18 points. Adebayo finished with 16 points, 13 rebounds and seven assists.

“Our group has a great spirit and a big-time sense of urgency," Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said. "It is not a matter of that, it is a matter of finding a way to be consistent throughout the course of a game. There are a lot of moving parts. That makes it unique. You can’t make an excuse for it. You have to continue to grind, to learn and compete for each other. We just need to be more consistent with it. We will be getting guys back soon enough. You get Tyler back and there is just a boost to it and that is encouraging. Everyone in the locker room really wants to play better and in a perfect world we want to be in a better place than we are right now and we’re not. We just have to continue to grind.”

The Heat return to action Saturday against the Sacramento Kings.

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