Three games into the 2026-27 NBA season, and the Miami Heat are winless. Yeah, you read that right: 0-3. This team was supposed to be one of the top improved squads in the offseason, but they are absolutely stumbling out of the gate.
Foul Trouble Derails Giannis and the Heat
The biggest gut punch came in their third game against the Charlotte Hornets. While Giannis Antetokounmpo was straight-up superb in the first two contests against the Minnesota Timberwolves and Detroit Pistons, dropping over 30 points per game and looking like his prime Bucks self, the Hornets game was a disaster. He just could not get into any rhythm, stuck in foul trouble all game. It was brutal to watch, and Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra was not happy about it. Giannis ended up fouling out after a measly 25 minutes on the court. That just shredded Spoelstra’s game plan, completely taking their star out of the action when they needed him most. Bam Adebayo, Davion Mitchell, and Pelle Larsson all busted their butts, playing over 36 minutes each, but it was not nearly enough to snag that first win.
Spoelstra Drops a Shaq-Level Truth Bomb
Spoelstra made it crystal clear he is not putting all the blame on the officials for the loss to the Hornets, but he is far from satisfied with how they are calling things. He wants the refs to officiate Giannis properly because he believes his superstar is getting absolutely hacked every single possession, yet the fouls are only being called *on* him. His quote after the game was a total mic drop: “I’m not making this game about the officials so everybody else can just kick rocks. I’m just talking about the physicality he endures every game, and then he’s the one fouling out? That’s like Shaq.” When Spoelstra compares your star’s foul trouble to Shaq’s, you know it is a serious issue. He is basically saying Giannis is getting the superstar treatment in reverse, which is just insane when you think about it.
Losing all three games to kick off the year is the Heat’s worst start since the 2007-08 season. For anyone who knows their history, that was the year the Heat limped to a league-worst 15-67 record. Obviously, with Giannis and Bam Adebayo as your star duo, that kind of performance should not even be on the radar, but this is a bleak, bleak start to a season that had so much promise back in the summer. They have got to figure this out, and fast, before this early hole becomes impossible to climb out of.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by The Sporting News.
Leave a Reply