Hawks Cool Off Heat, 100-92
MIAMI (CBSMiami.com) – Usually when a player or team is in the zone, it's playing at an incredibly high level. For the Miami Heat, seeing the Hawks in the zone was kryptonite as the Hawks handed the Heat their first loss, 100-92.
The loss was Miami's first of the year and came at the hands of the chief rival in the Southeast Division. But it was the 2-3 zone defense Atlanta ran that really got to the Heat throughout the game.
"We need to work through it," Spoelstra said. "Look, we're going to see enough of it that we will have our breakthrough. We hope to have it sooner than later. ... But you can see, our minds were heavy from that point on and our minds were occupied rather than playing free."
LeBron James led the Heat with 28 points, Chris Bosh scored 19 and Dwyane Wade scored 12 points and dished out 10 assists.
Miami cut the lead to four twice in the fourth quarter, but could not get any closer.
"The zone changed the rhythm of the game," Hawks coach Larry Drew said.
But, if you didn't get enough of the Hawks versus the Heat Monday night, the two teams will mix it up again on Thursday night in Atlanta. It will be Miami's fourth game in five nights.
