MIAMI, (Reuters) – Miami’s recent cold streak continued on Tuesday as a 105-96 loss to the Portland Trail Blazers sent the Heat to their season-worst fifth loss in a row.
The Heat, whose signing of free agents LeBron James, Chris Bosh and Dwyane Wade last summer raised expectations of a new super team in the NBA, were in tears following a one-point loss to Chicago on Sunday, and Tuesday’s defeat was no-less painful.
Wade scored 38 points and James tallied 31, 11 rebounds and eight assists, but it was not enough to reverse their fortunes. “Nobody is going to help us but ourselves. There are no pity parties here,” Bosh told reporters. Bosh managed just seven points and 3-for-11 shooting as Miami played catch-up for most of the game. Miami pulled within two points with 3:59 remaining
but Portland answered with a 7-0 run to capture their fourth consecutive victory and seventh on the road. LaMarcus Aldridge had 26 points while Gerald Wallace added 22 and nine rebounds for the streaking Blazers (37-27). Portland’s bench contributed 41 points to the cause while the Heat’s reserves scored only eight.“We don’t have a lot of answers to get over this hump,” said Heat coach Erik Spoelstra whose team will try to regroup for a game against the red-hot Los Angeles Lakers on Thursday.
“The only thing we can do is keep grinding and not let go of the rope.”
