Winderman’s View: Heat Shorthanded But Without Excuse In Loss To Pacers

Observations and other notes of interest from Saturday night’s 144-129 loss to the Indiana Pacers: – Typically a loss without your starting center, starting shooting guard and starting power forward wouldn’t be considered a bad loss. – But even with the Heat without Bam Adebayo and Tyler Herro, and losing Haywood Highsmith in the opening minutes, this was different. – Because without Tyrese Haliburton, what exactly are the Indiana Pacers? – So Adebayo’s bum hip, Herro’s sprained ankle and Highsmith back spasm were not ample excuse. – These are the games you need to win, particularly at home. – But games you can’t win when defenseless. – So an 11-9 record at the season’s quarter pole. – Needing to get healthy. – And needing to find consistency beyond a single winning streak. – In an interesting twist, with Adebayo out, Erik Spoelstra opened with Orlando Robinson and not Thomas Bryant at center. – It was Robinson’s second career NBA start. – And kept Kevin Love with the second unit. – Orlando Robinson played well. – But also nowhere close to the defensive presence of Adebayo. – The rest of the first five remained Jimmy Butler, Kyle Lowry, Highsmith and Duncan Robinson. – The Heat entered 10-3 this season with Highsmith as a starter, but he left early holding his back, replaced by Caleb Martin. – Inactive for the Heat were Adebayo, Herro, Cole Swider, R.J.