The Shorthanded Miami Heat fall to the Washington Wizards

The Miami Heat had just seven active players for this matchup and fell just short with a 107-106 loss to the Washington Wizards at the Capital One Arena. Six of the seven players available for Miami scored in double figures, but with four of them playing 40+ minutes the fatigue eventually caught up with them.

Despite the loss, there were a lot of positives to take away from this one. The Heat were in control of this game from the start and even down the stretch they were able to keep the Wizards at bay and give themselves a chance to win it. Unfortunately, with the rotation being as tight as it was, heavy minutes were played and fatigue started to set in. They didn't have their legs under them and were short on nearly every shot down the stretch. Miami scored 37 points between the 2nd half and overtime combined, but their ability to slow things down on defense and force Washington into the shots they wanted them to take allowed them to stay within striking distance.

Kyle Lowry, Max Strus and Caleb Martin were the only rotation players that were available in this one and they definitely looked the part. They each played 45+ minutes with Lowry topping that group with 51(!) minutes played and he delivered his best game of the season in that time. He finished the game with his 21st career triple double at 24 points (season-high), 15 assists (season-high), 10 rebounds, two blocks and one steal. His importance to the team's flow on both ends was felt when he sat for the first time at the end of the third quarter. It was expected that he would only sit between quarters and be back by the start of the fourth, which gives him about 10 minutes of real time rest. Unfortunately, he was held out at the start of the quarter and the Wizards went on a 9-0 run to wrestle back momentum. He dominated throughout this game and was the player the Heat and their fanbase were hoping to get for the majority of this contract. Now the question is whether he can continue this level of play when Jimmy Butler, Bam Adebayo and more importantly Tyler Herro returns from injury.

In the first half, Strus was dialed in with 16 points on 5-of-9 shooting, but the extended minutes eventually caught up with him and he struggled to get himself good looks in the second half with six points on 3-of-12 shooting. What I love most about Strus's game is even when he struggles to shoot he does not allow it to affect the other areas of his game. He is still locked in and making the right play. As for Caleb, he was once again doing it all for Miami and providing non stop energy on both ends of the court. He finished the game with 12 points, five rebounds, three assists, two steals and a block. He was a menace at the top of the 2-3 zone Spo was running all game and even though he didn't shoot it particularly well overall, he went 2-of-5 from deep.

Nikola Jovic is the real deal and should be the starting power forward for the remainder of the season. Now I don't expect the Heat to make that move right away because of how well Caleb is playing, but it should happen when Bam gets back from injury. Jovic already has an incredible feel for the game at the young age of 19 and is much further along than anyone could have imagined at this point. He's got excellent touch around the rim, he has a pure shooting stroke with a quick trigger and his length and mobility shows me he has potential on the defensive end. Even in this game he made things difficult for Kristaps Porzingis and was rarely bullied on the low block. He had 18 points on 4-of-10 shooting as well as 9-of-10 from the free throw line, six rebounds and a team-high +6. The ability to get to the line that frequently is a skill you don't see in teenage rookies very often. Plus, his playmaking is extremely advanced for his age. I could go on and on about him, but the main point is that pairing him up with Bam feels like a match made in heaven. I am officially on the Jovic train.

I need to formally apologies to Haywood Highsmith. You really can't blame Heat twitter for jumping off the wagon after his putrid start to the game, which included an 0-of-5 start and three air balls. Especially when you consider how he's looked in his minutes so far this season. However, when the Heat were struggling to find offense it was Highsmith who answered the call with eight straight points in the fourth quarter. He finished the game with a team-high 14 rebounds and 12 points for his first career double double. Orlando Robinson was also a huge positive in this game and made a case to be the backup five. His finishing was much better than I was expecting as he was able to make multiple tough layups in traffic and even had a post hook in his bag. His defense in Miami's defensive scheme was solid for his debut and he was even in the lineup down the stretch, which even with the limited bodies should tell you that Spoelstra trusts him in some degree. With size being one of the biggest issues for this team they just got a lot bigger.

Next, the Miami Heat will look to get back on track as they take on the Cleveland Cavaliers on Sunday at 7:00 PM EST. The Cavs come into this game as one of the better teams in the Eastern Conference at 9-6, but they've lost five of their last six games. They are one of the taller teams in the league boasting a startling lineup with both Evan Mobley (6'11") and Jarrett Allen (6'9"). If the Heat are shorthanded again they'll need to rely on heavy three point shooting to get them the victory.