The Miami Heat are off to an 0-3 start, something they haven’t seen in 19 seasons. Saturday’s road game against the Charlotte Hornets ended in a 115-110 loss, and it was a gut punch for a team that made a seismic move last offseason, adding two-time NBA MVP and nine-time All-Star Giannis Antetokounmpo via trade.
The Hornets Sting Takes Down the Favored Heat
Seriously, this game against Charlotte was wild. Miami was a 3.5-point favorite, according to FanDuel Sportsbook, but found themselves down 21 points heading into the fourth quarter. You think it’s over, right? Nope! The Heat pulled off a massive 25-4 run to tie the game at 100. That’s some serious fight! But here’s the kicker: they just could not grab the lead. Charlotte made crucial shots down the stretch and closed it out. Four different Hornets players poured in 20 or more points, with Brandon Miller leading the charge with a monster 34 points. Dennis Schröder added 25, Naz Reid dropped 23, and Grayson Allen chipped in 20. For the Heat, Davion Mitchell tried to rally with 22 points and 10 assists, while Bam Adebayo had 20 points and 8 rebounds, and Pelle Larsson contributed 15 points and 7 boards.
Giannis’s Rollercoaster Start and Miami’s Deeper Woes
Let’s talk about Giannis for a sec. This is the guy they brought in to change everything, right? He absolutely lit it up in the Heat’s first two games, dropping 71 points total. That’s the Giannis we know! But against Charlotte, he had a much quieter night, putting up just 14 points on 4-of-11 shooting in 25 minutes. He even got into foul trouble and ultimately fouled out. That’s not the kind of impact you want from your superstar, especially when you’re trying to close out a game. This 0-3 start is rough, man. Before the Charlotte loss, they got thumped by the Minnesota Timberwolves 131-106 and then lost to the Detroit Pistons 128-111.
It’s clear the team is dealing with a few major issues. Offensively, they’re shooting just 30.3 percent from three-point range. With the talent they’ve got, you have to wonder if that’s going to improve much unless they make some midseason changes. And then there’s the defense: they’re allowing a brutal 124.6 points per game, which is the second-most in the entire league, only slightly better than the Sacramento Kings. Analysts are definitely taking notice of these struggles.
Yeah, the season is only three games deep, and Miami absolutely can turn things around. But the early returns are ugly. They’re hoping to finally get that first win on Monday night at 7:30 p.m. ET when they face off against the Dallas Mavericks. That game is going to be HUGE.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Bleacher Report.
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