Comment on ASK IRA: Do the Miami Heat still have fight in them?

MIAMI — The Miami Heat and Jimmy Butler appear to have reached a point of no return, with rumor and conjecture of a trade desire turning into something more tangible after Thursday night’s 128-115 loss to the Indiana Pacers at Kaseya Center. Insisting he has been cast in a role that does not play to his skill set and robs him of his joy for the game, Butler offered pointed comments moments after coach Erik Spoelstra downplayed Butler’s limited and passive performance against the Pacers. “What do I want to see happen?” Butler responded rhetorically.

SUNRISE — Jaccob Slavin scored the go-ahead goal to lift the Carolina Hurricanes over the Florida Panthers 3-1 on Thursday night. Florida’s Anton Lundell tied it at the beginning of the second before Slavin got one past Sergei Bobrovsky with about seven minutes left in the third. Pyotr Kochetkov made 26 saves, and Slavin also had an assist.

Observations and other notes of interest from Thursday night’s 128-115 loss to the Indiana Pacers: – No, we’re not going to go through the Heat mantra that last season was painted on the court during City Edition nights. – You know, the one about, “Hardest working . . . ” – But do consider each one of those touchstones and then consider Jimmy Butler’s performances the past two nights. – Yes, illness can sap. – And 13 days off requires a degree of build-up. – But after missing 10 of the season’s first 30 games, something more could, would and should be expected. – This, of course, comes after Tuesday’s comments about trade speculation. – With no clear statement of commitment at that stage. – Which certainly is within his rights. – And then these two games following. – With lots and lots and lots of standing in the corners. – In other words, hard not to read between any lines. – Yes, a career resume superior to Bam Adebayo at this point. – And to Tyler Herro. – But also the team’s highest-paid player. – So therefore expectations. – Significant expectations. – Pat Riley addressed the trade rumors. – Is it time to address this, as well? – Because a trade simply cannot be off the table. – At least while this is being served up. – The Heat need Jimmy Butler to be present. – And engaged. – Not 48 hours of this. – This isn’t about whether Butler wins with a potential trade. – This is about the rest of the roster. – And the rest of the season. – And the future. – The Heat stayed with their preferred starting lineup of Butler, Herro, Adebayo, Duncan Robinson and Haywood Highsmith. – Entering with a 9-4 record with that group, including Wednesday night’s victory over the visiting Pelicans. – The Pacers opened with a lineup of Tyrese Haliburton, Andrew Nembhard, Bennedict Mathurin, Pascal Siakam and Myles Turner. – Kel’el Ware and Terry Rozier were the first two off the Heat bench, entering together. – Those two entered when former Heat center Thomas Bryant entered for the Pacers. – With Bryant then promptly draining a 3-pointer. – Nikola Jovic and Jaime Jaquez Jr.

MIAMI – For a second consecutive night, the edge from Jimmy Butler was missing. For the first time in a while, the defense also was missing. For the Miami Heat, that proved too much to overcome in a 128-115 loss Thursday night to the Indiana Pacers at Kaseya Center. In falling for only the second time in their last nine home games, the Heat proved unable to contain the Pacers’ pace and ball movement as well as an inability to contain Indiana guard Tyrese Haliburton. Indiana closed at .531 from the field and 17 of 40 on 3-pointers, with Hailiburton finishing with 33 points and a season-high 15 assists. A night after leading wire-to-wire in a home victory over the New Orleans Pelicans, the Heat very much had the look of a team playing on the second night of a back-to-back set. “We just weren’t mentally prepared for the pace,” Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said.

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A report containing findings by the Office of Congressional Ethics, released Thursday, provides details of multiple campaign transactions and official government office activities by U. S. Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick that investigators said may have violated House rules and federal law. The Broward-Palm Beach county Democrat, first elected in a January 2022 special election, has been under investigation for almost her entire time in Congress.