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LOS ANGELES – It is difficult enough for Erik Spoelstra to admit his team doesn’t have enough. It is even tougher for the Miami Heat coach to acknowledge his team lacks enough on the defensive end.

So following Monday night’s 121-104 loss to the Los Angeles Clippers at Crypto.Com Arena, Spoelstra didn’t.

“Nobody cares if we have guys out. And nobody’s making excises,” Spoelstra said. “They just outplayed us, and we have to work to get better.”

With their wing defense emaciated by injuries, the Heat could not have picked a worse night to face the likes of Paul Geroge, Kawhi Leonard, James Harden, Russell Westbrook and Norman Powell.

So the Heat’s second consecutive loss in the wake of four consecutive wins.

“We have to get to work,” Spoelstra said.

Forced to turn to zone defense to compensate for the absences of Jimmy Butler, Haywood Highsmith, Caleb Martin and Josh Richardson, the Heat wound up being beaten over the top with 3-pointers and eventually also at the rim.

The Clippers closed 14 of 29 from beyond the arc, at .588 overall from the field.

It ultimately proved too much to overcome even with the Heat getting 21 points and 15 rebounds from Bam Adebayo, 17 points from Kevin Love, and 15 apiece from Duncan Robinson and from Jaime Jaquez Jr., in the former UCLA star’s return to Los Angeles.

The Clippers got 24 points from Leonard, 23 from George, 22 from Powell, needing just 15 from Harden and eight from Westbrook.

“They’re a team.” Love said, “that creates a different dynamic.”

The Heat return to Crypto.Com Arena for a Wednesday night game against the Los Angeles Lakers, before closing out their five-game trip on Friday night against the Phoenix Suns.

Five Degrees of Heat from Monday night’s game:

1. Game flow: The Heat led 35-23 after the first period, ending the quarter on a 15-4 run. The Clippers then moved to a 59-58 lead at the half, extending their lead to 95-85 going into the fourth.

“We let it get away.” Love said.

The Clippers then moved to a 16-point lead with 8:41 to play on a Leonard 3-pointer.

“We let them get too comfortable on the offensive end,” Herro said.

Eventually, the Heat lacked the firepower to rally on a night Herro struggled from the field,  closing 4 of 13, albeit with six assists and six rebounds.

“The ones that they broke our defense down and got either a layup or right at the rim, those were too costly,” Spoelstra said.

2. Another reshuffle: Make it 19 starting lineups for the Heat in their 33 games, including the second start of the season for Jamal Cain, who did not play until late in the third quarter of Saturday night’s loss in Utah.

“We’ll do whatever we have to do,” Spoelstra said of his lineups of late.

Out of the starting lineup were Nikola Jovic and RJ Hampton, who both started Saturday against the Jazz.

Hampton was bumped by the return of Kyle Lowry, who sat two games due to a head contusion, with Jaquez taking the place of Jovic.

In addition to being without Butler for the fourth time in five games, this time due to a foot irritation, the Heat also were without Highsmith, due to the concussion sustained in the closing ticks Saturday night.

“It’s always tough to play without guys.” Lowry said.

Remaining out were Martin (ankle) and Richardson (back).

3. Pushing forward: With the Heat reduced to starting Cain at power forward, Adebayo essentially stood alone for most of the game in the Heat’s power rotation.

Adebayo already was up to his fifth consecutive double-double by the opening minutes of the third quarter, compensating for uneven shooting from the field by working his way to the foul line, closed at 9 of 13 on free throws.

Love then added quality minutes off the bench in reserve of Adebayo, with the Heat immediately struggling when a brief move was made to Thomas Bryant at center in the second quarter.

It reached the point, in the deficit of so many wing players, that Spoelstra played Adebayo and Love together.

To Adebayo, it was a game lost on the defensive end.

“The biggest thing,” he said, “is you’ve got to guard your yard.”

4. Celebratory (early) mode: Robinson was on the court in his pregame shooting routine while Michigan was closing out its overtime national-semifinal football victory over Alabama in the nearby Rose Bowl.

The former Wolverine then celebrated on the court with staffers as he returned to the locker room, emerging from there to score 11 first-quarter points, going 6 of 6 from the line in the period. His scoring then tapered off from there.

With Jaquez moved into the starting lineup, and with Martin and Richardson out, Robinson basically was the extent of the Heat second-unit wing offense, with Hampton the only other reserve wing utilized. Hampton was scoreless in his 12 minutes.

5. Kawhi time: While the Heat continue to deal with injuries, the Clippers did not have a single player unavailable Monday.

That meant a return of Leonard, who had missed the previous four games with a hip contusion.

In the wake of a series of injuries, Monday night was the first time Leonard played against the Heat since Feb. 5, 2020.

“I just look at his record,” Spoelstra said, when asked of changes in Leonard’s game in the interim. “So I don’t look at necessarily what’s changed. When he’s out on the court I think he’s one of the winningest players in league history during the regular season.”

Leonard closed 10 of 19 from the field, with six rebounds and five assists.

General Daily Insight for January 02, 2024

Our emotions might create obstacles. As the expressive Moon squares communicative Mercury, anger and stubbornness could dominate every conversation as our arguments take the wheel! We then experience the Moon facing off with confusing Neptune, making it practically impossible to know if we’re responding to reality — or reacting to our id’s less-than-accurate perception of what’s happening. Thankfully, the Moon escapes the turmoil by entering soothing Libra at 7:47 pm EST. We are capable of balancing our tumultuous emotions. Let’s all take a deep, calming breath.

Aries

March 21 – April 19

To-do list? More like “already done” list! While you may be a little more irritable than usual, Aries, you also have the verve to get tons done — as long as you can channel this energy into your desired goals. Avoid letting this energy turn you into a domineering ruler, delegating instead of doing things yourself (which would risk things being done in a way that you don’t approve of). For the best results, make sure you’re working alongside anyone who’s helping you.

Taurus

April 20 – May 20

Drama may explode at any moment! You’re probably might not expecting any issues, but someone could be pushing your buttons in a way that you haven’t felt in ages, drawing deep emotions to the surface. You could feel like you must escape or shut down, as your sore heart makes things seem worse than they really are. The other person possibly didn’t even know what they were saying! They likely weren’t trying to set you off. Stay calm by finding your inner balance.

Gemini

May 21 – June 20

What you’re used to may presently seem odd to others. You likely believe that you’re acting normally, but other people could be reacting strangely to whatever you’re doing. It’s possible that you’re moving or working faster than others or that you communicate in a more direct way — they may feel as if you are criticizing their own methods simply by not doing things the same way that they’re doing them. Be true to yourself, but try to meet others where they are.

Cancer

June 21 – July 22

Your communications may not sit well with someone in your life. They might misunderstand whatever you’re trying to say and react in a way that makes you feel as though your connection isn’t as strong as you had hoped. Since this energy is strong today, crossing wires that would normally fall neatly in line, make an effort to explain your intentions calmly before snapping back at anyone else. The less defensive you are, the better chance you have to defuse the situation.

Leo

July 23 – August 22

It’s easy to lose sight of goals today. Distractions may arrive as impulse buys or lively friends. No matter how solid your plan for the day was, it can slip away speedily if you let yourself get preoccupied. Although it could be a lot of fun, you may then turn around and wish that you had stuck to the schedule. Plan some time for play, but give yourself a hard limit to return to what you had originally scheduled.

Virgo

August 23 – September 22

You may be a bit self-focused now. It’s understandable to center yourself when you’re working on a personal project, having fun, or taking care of your health, but when you’re working with a team, this can provoke a “me vs. them” attitude that is not useful when you’re aiming for a common goal. You have so much to offer, but that will be overshadowed by your attitude if you’re not taking the initiative to work with others. Show them what you’re made of!

Libra

September 23 – October 22

Your energy might not be where you want it to be. Exhaustion and confusion could muddy the waters of your work, potentially obscuring your path forward — you may entirely lose sight of your desired results. Are you sure your plan is flawless? If you’re not double-checking things, small errors could compound and eventually send you back to square one! Be aware of your own process by checking and double-checking. That’s the best way to ensure the day turns out well.

Scorpio

October 23 – November 21

Fresh friendships could take unfamiliar turns at present. It may be that you’re discussing uncomfortable topics, or you may even debate each other around a subject on which you disagree, but don’t worry — this should still turn out for the best. This person might trust you more when you prove your ability to discuss things with respect. It’s good to have friends you can have civil disagreements with, as no one can agree on everything. Be a friend to have a friend.

Sagittarius

November 22 – December 21

You can get by with a little help from your friends. You’ll potentially have an opening to speak your mind in a very public way today — maybe at something personal, like a wedding or a graduation, or even professional public speaking. The challenge could feel more intimidating than anything you’ve faced before, but inexperience is okay! Look around you: the truth is that there are almost definitely people who are already inspired by you and want to lift you up with their words.

Capricorn

December 22 – January 19

It’s hard to know what you don’t know. That is, you might need more education when it comes to an activity or subject that you’re trying to be knowledgeable about, since the day’s energy may make it difficult to know where to even start. Conversely, perhaps you’ll claim to know something, then be faced with someone who’s more than fluent on the topic. Don’t try to school a stranger — they might know more than you do! Being humble should let you avoid such pitfalls.

Aquarius

January 20 – February 18

You might not be on the same level as those around you. Maybe a concert has you less pumped than the rest of the audience, or perhaps your pals are all psyched for a premiere that simply doesn’t have your attention. Feeling like the odd one out can invite loneliness, but it doesn’t have to. Instead of spiraling into sadness, look at this as an opportunity to learn more about what others enjoy. Even if it’s not your thing, fun can be infectious!

Pisces

February 19 – March 20

It might be difficult to get your point across at present. An authority figure, such as a boss or a parent, could be standing between you and your goals. You can make a case for them to make an exception to a rule, or perhaps you’re working to convince them that you’re the right person for a job with a lot of competition. Say what’s in your heart, but try not to be disappointed if the chat doesn’t turn out in your favor.

MIAMI GARDENS — Resolve is being hardened and focus is being honed as the Miami Dolphins (11-5) prepare for this Sunday’s monumental battle against Buffalo (10-6) at Hard Rock Stadium.

“I think that with that bad taste being in our mouth it’s just going to fuel us to be better,” safety DeShon Elliott said in reference to Miami’s 56-19 blowout loss at Baltimore.

Lots is on the line this week for Miami. It can win the AFC East with a victory and earn a home playoff game.

The best news of all is December is over.

The Dolphins are 2-4 in December under coach Mike McDaniel.

The defense won’t have Pro Bowl edge rusher Bradley Chubb (knee) for the Buffalo game and it likely won’t have Pro Bowl cornerback Xavien Howard (foot), which would be two huge losses.

It’s unclear whether Raheem Mostert (knee/ankle), Miami’s 1,000-yard rusher, or Jaylen Waddle (ankle), one of Miami’s two 1,000-yard receivers, will be available. Both missed last Sunday’s drubbing by the Ravens.

Either way, coach Mike McDaniel has a message for his players.

“The bigger thing is people focus on the job at hand, not, ‘What did we lose?’ ” he said.

Related Articles

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• Miami Dolphins | Things we learned in Miami Dolphins’ 56-19 loss to the Baltimore Ravens

McDaniel said quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, who sustained a left (throwing) shoulder injury in the game, should be OK, which is a good starting point for an offense that only produced two touchdowns against the Ravens.

Right guard Rob Hunt (hamstring), who has missed the past four games, could also return to action.  

Offensively, it’d help if the high-scoring ways surfaced against quality teams.

While going 1-4 against the best teams on its schedule (Buffalo, Philadelphia, Kansas City, Dallas and Baltimore) the Dolphins have scored more than two touchdowns just once, and that was in its three-touchdown performance in a 48-20 blowout loss to the Bills earlier this season.

Miami’s offense scored one touchdown in its 31-17 loss to Philadelphia (linebacker Jerome Baker had an interception return touchdown).

Miami’s offense scored two touchdowns in its 21-14 loss to Kansas City in Germany.

Miami’s offense scored one touchdown in its 22-20 win over Dallas (kicker Jason Sanders made five field goals).

And Miami’s offense scored two touchdowns in the crushing loss to Baltimore, a game that saw wide receivers Tyreek Hill and Chase Claypool drop potential touchdown passes.

“It was a tough loss for sure,” left tackle Terron Armstead said. “They beat the (expletive) out of us in all three phases.”

It’s been that kind of season for the Dolphins, who scored 70 points against Denver but allowed 48 against Buffalo and 56 against Baltimore.

The good news defensively is that Baker (knee) is eligible to come off injured reserve and possibly play this week. 

The Dolphins will need all the eligible players they can round up to beat a Buffalo team that’s on a four-game winning streak.

Without edge rushers Chubb and Jaelan Phillips (Achilles), the Dolphins defense changes greatly. They can’t dominate opponents from both the front and the back any longer. And if Howard has to miss any time, and it appears things are headed that way, things become dire defensively from that standpoint. 

Players have enacted the “next-man-up” philosophy.

“We’re all in the NFL, bro,” safety DeShon Elliott said. “Those guys are here for a reason.”

The Dolphins are basically down to a one-game season when it comes to meeting their goal of winning the AFC East.

Fullback Alec Ingold said the Dolphins have been trained for this. He said they’ve been preparing for such a scenario all season.

“For me, going back to my upbringing, I was taught that in life you’re either walking into a storm, you’re in a storm, or you’re walking out of one,” he said. “That’s life. It’s a series of storms.”

With apologies to the the legendary Simon & Garfunkel and their iconic song Mrs. Robinson:

“Where have you gone, Charlie Wysocki?

A college football nation turns its lonely eyes to you — woo, woo, woo.”

As I sat in the press box for the Cheez-It Citrus Bowl matchup Monday between Iowa and Tennessee, I thought back to the first bowl game I ever attended in this same stadium more than four decades ago. I was a wide-eyed teenager as I excitedly watched the Charley Pell-coached Florida Gators play the Jerry Claiborne-coached Maryland Terrapins in the 1980 Tangerine Bowl. I don’t remember a whole lot about the game except that both teams were giddy to be playing in a second-tier bowl game a week before Christmas.

And even though Florida won 35-20, the star of the game was a Maryland running back by the name of Charlie Wysocki —  an NFL prospect who ran the ball 39 times for a Tangerine Bowl record 159 yards.

Sadly, in today’s world, Wysocki would have either opted out of the bowl game to prepare for the NFL draft or would have already entered the transfer portal in order to accept a larger financial offer at a more traditional college football powerhouse.

Which brings us to this year’s Citrus Bowl on a cool, sunny, honey of a New Year’s Day at Camping World Stadium, where coach Josh Heupel’s Vols destroyed Iowa 35-0 in a game that, quite frankly, had no juice or intrigue. Part of the reason, of course, is because Iowa’s offense is historically incompetent. A bigger reason is that it was played on the same day as the two College Football Playoff semifinals.  But the biggest reason of all is because bowl games are rapidly turning into glorified pre-spring scrimmages where coaches are playing backups and benchwarmers.

Tennessee quarterback Nico Iamaleava smiles as he scores a touchdown during the Cheez-It Citrus Bowl against Iowa. Iamaleava was forced into the starting lineup after No. 1 quarterback Joe Milton opted out to prepare for the NFL Draft. (Stephen M. Dowell/Orlando Sentinel)

God bless the announced crowd of 43,861 — the second-lowest attendance since Camping World Stadium was expanded 33 years ago — that showed up on Monday to watch the Vols post the first Citrus Bowl shutout since 1965, but there’s no denying that bowl crowds in general are shrinking and shriveling like a deflating New Year’s Eve balloon.

Bowl attendance will be even worse next year when the 12-team playoff is implemented, especially because fans are becoming more and more disgruntled with players whom they feel are disloyal. Give Tennessee credit for blowing out Iowa despite playing without starting quarterback Joe Milton, starting running back Jaylen Wright (both NFL opt-outs) and a dozen other players who either opted-out or entered the transfer portal.

“I wish I had a silver bullet where I could change it, but I don’t,”  erstwhile UCF coach Heupel said before the game.

Added Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz: “We, the adults, have done a lot to really screw this thing up. … We need to have a summit and really basically blow up everything and try to start over again.”

College football’s leaders — or lack thereof — should be ashamed at how they are ripping off their fans by putting an inferior product on the field for these seemingly “major” bowl games. Imagine all of those Florida State fans who spent thousands of dollars for tickets, travel and hotel rooms at the Orange Bowl only to find out that all of their star players had opted out and they would have to sit through the embarrassment of their jayvee team getting resoundingly seal-clubbed 63-3 by SEC powerhouse Georgia.

It’s disgraceful that Florida State’s star players, many of whom were likely being paid six-figure NIL deals, are permitted to abandon their undefeated team before the bowl game. It seems obvious that the fans and boosters who are funding these NIL collectives with their donations are getting royally ripped off.

I understand NFL-bound college players not wanting to risk injury by playing in a bowl game, but if they are being paid to play in college, then they need to play in EVERY game if healthy. If they don’t,  their NIL deals should be structured so that they have to pay back a large chunk of money if they choose not to play in a bowl.

Think about it: If a player has to either play in a bowl game or write a $200,000 NIL refund check to opt out of the bowl, then isn’t he more likely to play in the game?

College football bureaucrats act as if their problems are so complex and unsolvable when really they’re not. It seems to be the consensus that college programs will soon be paying players directly. If and when that happens, then what’s so hard about putting a bowl-game stipulation in their employment contracts?

As for players entering the transfer portal and leaving their team before the bowl game has even been played, that, too, is easily remedied. Instead of opening the portal on Dec. 4, why not just open it in the first week of January?

Boom. Problem solved. How hard was that?

If college football is going to sell high-priced bowl tickets, then they need to make sure fans are getting their money’s worth. Otherwise, just admit that bowl games are really just a way to satisfy ESPN’s thirst for highly rated live sports programming. Believe it or not, more than 10 million viewers watched Georgia’s 60-point rout of FSU — the largest TV audience for the Orange Bowl since 2017.

More and more, bowl games are just becoming ESPN studio shows. If that’s the case, then why even hold these games in cities like Orlando and Tampa? Why doesn’t ESPN just build a football field at their studio headquarters in Bristol, Connecticut, and fly the bowl teams up, let them play in front of a virtual A.I.-generated crowd and be done with it?

Where have you gone, Charlie Wysocki?

A college football nation turns its lonely eyes to you.

Boo, hoo, hoo.

Email me at mbianchi@orlandosentinel.com. Hit me up on X (formerly Twitter) @BianchiWrites and listen to my Open Mike radio show every weekday from 6 to 9:30 a.m. on FM 96.9, AM 740 and 969TheGame.com/listen

 

 

Potential Florida State transfer quarterback Cameron Ward announced this morning that he was entering the NFL Draft. Shortly after that  ESPN’s Pete Thamel tweeted that Florida State had gained a commitment from former Oregon State quarterback DJ Uiagalelei.

Uiagalelei and Ward had both taken visits to Tallahassee in early December and the ‘Noles end up with Uiagalelei. News about DJU’s decision surfaced about an hour after Ward posted to his X account @cameron7ward. Later Monday,  Uiagalelei posted a rendition of himself in an FSU uniform on his X account @DJUiagalelei.

Let’s Get to Work

The Owls’ latest loss took a toll on their rankings in the Associated Press Top 25 poll.

The FAU men’s basketball team (10-3) dropped from a program-best seventh to No. 17 on Monday as voters grappled with the odd resume the Owls have put together this season. They beat then-No. 12 Texas A&M and earned a marquee win with a double-overtime victory over then No. 4 Arizona, but they also lost to Bryant and were upset by Florida Gulf Coast on Saturday night.

“They outplayed us in every facet of the game,” Owls coach Dusty May said after Saturday’s game. “As a group, we haven’t handled success as well as we need to. As we close the 2023 preconference schedule, we are pleased where we are overall, but what we learned is our highs are very highs and our lows are relatively low.”

The Owls’ other loss was to then-No. 20 Illinois by seven at Madison Square Garden on Dec. 5.

FAU next faces East Carolina on Tuesday night.

Elsewhere in the men’s basketball AP poll, Purdue remained No. 1 for the third straight week, while Gonzaga dropped to No. 24 after a loss to San Diego State but kept alive its streak of 142 consecutive weeks in the poll.

Memphis made the biggest positive move, climbing four spots to No. 15 after beating Austin Peay, while Marquette rose three spots to seventh after knocking off No. 22 Creighton on Saturday.

The Hurricanes’ plans suffered a big blow Monday morning as former Washington State quarterback Cam Ward announced he was entering the NFL draft instead of picking a new college team via the transfer portal.

Miami heavily recruited Ward in the transfer portal but could not sway him to stay in college for another season.

The transfer portal has been open for nearly a month, and many of the top quarterbacks who were looking for new teams have already made their decisions — including former UM quarterback Tyler Van Dyke, who transferred to Wisconsin. Potential UM options like former Arkansas quarterback K.J. Jefferson and former Clemson and Oregon State veteran D.J. Uiagalelei committed to UCF and FSU, respectively.

However, there are still some promising options in the portal and other paths the Hurricanes could take. Here are a few:

Will Howard

Howard, who is transferring from Kansas State, was one of the first quarterbacks Miami targeted in the transfer portal, bringing him in for a visit in December. But Howard has explored his options and looks like he could be headed to USC or Ohio State.

Howard passed for 2,643 yards and 24 touchdowns with 10 interceptions in 2023. He can also be a threat in the running game, rushing for 351 yards and nine touchdowns this season.

Jordan McCloud

McCloud entered the portal after leading the Dukes to an excellent first season at the FBS level. The 6-foot, 200-pound quarterback is looking for his fourth program; before he played at James Madison, he played at Arizona and USF.

McCloud, a Tampa native, had a 68.2 completion percentage in 2023, throwing for 3,657 yards and 35 touchdowns with 10 interceptions. He also ran for 276 yards and eight touchdowns.

Malachi Nelson

Nelson could be an intriguing option for the Hurricanes. However, he may not be what they are looking for, and Miami may not be what Nelson is looking for. ESPN reported that Nelson and UM had been in communication as of Monday afternoon.

Nelson was one of the nation’s top 2023 quarterbacks coming out of Los Alamitos High in California. He was rated the No. 5 quarterback and No. 12 prospect in the 2023 class and signed with Lincoln Riley and USC.

Nelson played just four snaps during the Trojans’ season, and Miami may prefer a veteran quarterback with more experience. However, Nelson was a highly rated prospect who has not had a chance to show his potential on the field yet.

Wait and see

The other option for the Hurricanes staff could be to skip bringing in a portal quarterback during this window. The Hurricanes have two scholarship quarterbacks on the roster right now, Jacurri Brown and Emory Williams, and signed incoming freshman Judd Anderson.

Miami could choose to enter spring practices with those three quarterbacks and see what they have in the young signal-callers. Brown has shown flashes of his ability in his opportunities in 2022 and in the Pinstripe Bowl. Williams looked solid against Clemson but struggled against FSU before suffering a season-ending arm injury. Anderson is not a highly ranked prospect but he put up good stats in his final high school season at Warner Robbins (Ga.).

If the Hurricanes like one of their current options, then their work is finished, and they can name a starter. If they are not pleased with what they see in the spring, they could search for a quarterback when the spring transfer window opens. Of course, the risk with that is they look for a transfer quarterback in the spring and either do not land the player they want or do not like their portal options, either.