‘It’s Not Rocket Science’ Spoelstra Slams Heat’s Effort in Loss to Hawks

Getty Head coach Erik Spoelstra of the Miami Heat reacts against the Atlanta Hawks.

The Miami Heat came up second-best in their Martin Luther King Jr. Day matchup, falling to the Atlanta Hawks 121-113. Miami was unable to recover from a lackluster first half, where they trailed by as many as 26 points.

After the game, Head Coach Erik Spoelstra was asked about his team’s effort in the first half.

“You could see it. You could feel it. It’s not rocket science,” Spoelstra said. “We brought a less-than-best effort and focus in the first half and they’re an explosive offensive team. They got in a great groove. By the time we finally committed to the effort and toughness defensively, it was probably five minutes left in the half, six minutes left in the half.”

It was a half where they allowed the Hawks to hang 70 points on them and shoot 66.7% from both the field and from deep.

“Sometimes these lessons can be costly in terms of how committed you have to be to your identity. Our defense is paramount to us,” he added. “That’s how we win basketball games.”

The January 16 loss snapped a three-game winning streak for the Heat. They had strung together wins against the Oklahoma City Thunder and Milwaukee Bucks, who they beat twice in back-to-back games.

Jimmy Butler Sends Strong Message to Heat Teammates after Hawks Loss

Heat star Jimmy Butler led the team in scoring against Atlanta with 34 points. He also grabbed 3 rebounds, dished 3 assists, tallied 2 steals and blocked a shot in 34 minutes.

Butler had some words for his teammates during his post-game media availability, .

“Tonight it wasn’t enough,” he said.” Maybe I should have done a little bit more early on. But it’s always going to be a group thing. It’s always going to be a team thing. So we’ve got to figure it out together.”

The six-time All-Star left it all on the floor against the Hawks. He helped lead the second-half charge for the Heat with 20 points on 6-7 shooting. Butler and Miami were able to cut the Atlanta lead to as little as four points with less than a minute to play, but never got any closer.

The 33-year-old has been the Heat’s best player this season, despite only appearing in 31 of their 45 games. He’s averaging 22.1 points, 6.4 rebounds, and 5.2 assists on 51.1% shooting from the floor and 32.3% shooting from beyond the three-point arc.

Caleb Martin touted as Heat’s ‘Best Trade Asset’: Source

The Martin Luther King Jr. Day matchup had more to it than just a lazy first half for the Heat. It saw the returns of both Tyler Herro and Caleb Martin to the lineup. The two had missed the last few games with respective injuries. Plus, Herro welcomed his second child Harlem to the world while recovering. He played 31 minutes for the Heat, scoring 15 points.

Martin played 26 minutes in his return to the floor and contributed 7 points and 6 rebounds.

The 27-year-old is also the member of the Heat that teams around the league covet the most, according to an Eastern Conference Exec, via Heavy Sports‘ Sean Deveney.

“Caleb Martin, if you are asking other teams, he’s probably the best asset. He has a decent enough contract, he can play a few different spots, he can fit off the bench or be a starter. If they make a deal, it is probably going to have to include Martin,” the Exec told Deveney.

Martin has proven to be a quality player for the Heat this season. He has appeared in 35 of the team’s 45 games and is playing 31.2 minutes. He’s averaging 10.3 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 1.8 assists on 46.2% shooting from the floor and 39.4% shooting from beyond the three-point arc.

His bargain contract makes him a desirable player to teams throughout the association. The 27-year-old is signed through the 2024-25 season and is set to make $20.4 million.