Five Key Takeaways From the Miami Heat vs. Chicago Bulls Game, and Why Did the Heat Lose?

Here are five key lessons from the Miami Heat’s loss to the Chicago Bulls.

The Miami Heat fell short to the Chicago Bulls on Saturday, breaking their seven-game win streak. Meanwhile, Chicago picks up a win after dropping three straight in the 102-97 victory.

Here’s a look at five major takeaways:

1. Bam Adebayo is cementing himself as an NBA superstar.

Adebayo’s defense was never in doubt, but his offensive improvements this season have been nothing short of spectacular. He finished with 24 points on 8 of 12 shooting and 100% from the free throw line. His dominance on both ends of the floor landed him at No. 9 on NBA.com’s MVP ladder earlier this week.

2. Caleb Martin must regain his footing.

Martin struggled in his 15 minutes of action in his second game back from injury. He finished with five points on 22.2 percent shooting and one of four attempts from beyond the arc. Martin’s X-factor ability must come to live for him to be relevant in Miami’s crowded forward room.

3. When Tyler Herro returns, the Heat will be a title contender.

Miami altered gears after a 1-4 start to the regular season. Much of this is done without Herro. Against the Memphis Grizzlies, he suffered an ankle injury. Finding wins while he is out demonstrates their potential dominance in the postseason.

4. Zach LaVine did not present himself well when confronted with a possible suitor.

LaVine is anticipated to switch teams before the trade deadline this year. Miami is one of the teams that has expressed interest in him, although he did not do well against them. He finished the night with 13 points and six assists on 3 of 7 three-point shooting.

5. Miami’s lead-holding shortcomings prevail.

It’s no surprise that the Heat started the game with a 22-1 advantage but fell short in the end. Their biggest challenge thus far has been securing the game once they have gained control. Tonight’s heartbreaking five-point loss is a great example.

The Heat will have a second chance to redeem themselves against Chicago on Monday evening.

The Heat’s offense was not good on Saturday.

Days after posting a season-high offensive rating of 131.2 points per 100 possessions in Thursday’s home win over the Brooklyn Nets, the Heat totaled 97 points on 42.9 percent shooting from the field and 12-of-36 (33.3 percent) shooting from three-point range in Saturday’s loss to the Bulls while committing 15 turnovers.

As a result, the Heat had their third-lowest single-game offensive rating of the season on Saturday, scoring 104.3 points per 100 possessions.

The Heat’s worst offensive quarter against the Bulls came in the fourth, when it scored 21 points on 7-of-18 (38.9 percent) shooting from the field despite converting on 5-of-10 three-point attempts.

“A couple turnovers, a couple possessions where they flattened us out,” Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said of the team’s late-game offensive struggles on Saturday. “You have to give them credit for their defense. They’re swift, and they’re disruptive, just like us. So they can make you pay if you don’t do things with intention. We got buried two or three times till the end of the clock.”

One of the main causes for the Heat’s offensive woes was their inability to finish near the basket. In the loss, Miami shot only 5 of 14 (35.7 percent) from within the restricted area.

According to Heat.com’s Couper Moorhead, the Heat’s five restricted area attempts on Saturday were the third-fewest in any game since Butler joined the team in the offseason of 2019.

“You could still win with 97 points,” Spoelstra remarked. “We could have won ugly just by getting some defensive stops and we weren’t able to do that.”