Miami Heat need to keep defending when it matters

For all of the flattery for the Miami Heat's offensive transformation this season, the Heat remain a defense-first organization under Erik Spoelstra.

But the defense has shown some slippage, especially in the continued absence of Bam Adebayo.

The Heat have fallen to 15th in defensive rating, after spending much of the first month in the top 10. Considering their increased pace this season, that's the statistic that most matters, because unlike points per game it adjusts to that spike in speed.

Adebayo's return is close, but not imminent; it does not appear he will play Monday in the rematch against the Knicks, this time at home. And he's in doubt for Jimmy Butler's (second) return, Wednesday with the Golden State Warriors.

What's most important, especially until then, it whether the Heat can make a stand late in games, something that hasn't been the case in the last two losses, first against a Cleveland squad without Donovan Mitchell and Evan Mobley ad then against a Knicks team without Jalen Brunson and O.G. Anunoby. That can't continue, especially with Brunson and Anunoby out again tonight.

They can't be letting Landry Shamet get loose again, for starters.

Overall, the Heat have actually defended fairly well down the stretch, as evidenced by this statistic.