(Sports Network) - The Miami Heat will try to halt a two-game losing streak
Monday night when they ring out 2012 in the Amway Center against the Orlando
Magic.
The Heat fell in Detroit to the Pistons on Friday night, 109-99. In that
contest, the defending champion Heat were without Dwyane Wade, who was
suspended a game for kicking Charlotte Bobcats' guard Ramon Sessions in the
groin.
One night later, with Wade back in uniform, the Heat got clobbered by the
Milwaukee Bucks, 104-85 in Milwaukee. The Big Three did its part. LeBron James
had 26 points, followed by 24 from Wade and 12 points and 16 rebounds for
Chris Bosh.
The rest of the Heat combined for 23 points.
"The last 48 hours has not gone the way we wanted to," said Heat head coach
Erik Spoelstra. "We need to take some steps forward in terms of developing our
resolve and road toughness. We're not quite there yet. We have it at home. We
need to develop it on the road."
The Heat, who were without Udonis Haslem on Saturday, were outscored 35-14 in
the fourth quarter and committed 21 turnovers to just six they forced from the
Bucks.
At least the Heat can recall fondly the year 2012. They won the franchise's
second NBA Championship and it was the first for this group of James, Wade and
Bosh.
The Magic can reflect back on 2012 as the year Dwight Howard held them hostage
before finally moving on from the talented big man.
As the year winds down, the Magic are mired in a five-game losing streak. They
lost forward and captain Glen Davis to a sprained left shoulder, but saw the
return of a familiar face.
Hedo Turkoglu came back after nearly two months on the sidelines with a broken
bone in his left hand. He played a little more than 23 minutes in a Saturday
night loss to the Toronto Raptors and scored eight points on 3-for-8 shooting.
"I was nervous a little bit," Turkoglu admitted. "I've never been out this
much, like two months of being out injured, so I was a little nervous. After
that, I was OK, though."
The Magic are not OK, though.
They fell to the Raptors, 123-88 at home. Six Toronto players scored in
double-figures, compared to just three Orlando players. The Raptors shot 56.1
percent from the field and 55.6 percent from long distance. The Magic shot 44
percent as a team, but under 28 percent from the 3-point line.
The Heat and Magic have split the four-game series each of the last three
seasons. The Heat are 1-4 in their last five in Orlando.
The Sports Network