Jim Rassol-Imagn Images It was an unacceptable performance from a Spurs team that is going through a slump at the worst possible time. The Spurs got what they deserved in their visit to Miami. After a strong start, they played with low effort and minimal discipline on both ends and got blown out by the Heat, 128-107 From the start, it wasn’t the most aesthetically pleasing game to watch, but it was hard to imagine how things would end up going. The Heat played slow and physical, and the Spurs were happy to match them. Both teams struggled with turnovers at times and the offenses were not sharp, but San Antonio had an aggressive Victor Wembanyama to turn to early and it was enough to carve out a sizable lead. Wemby’s dominance on both ends masked the lack of cohesion that characterized the Silver and Black in the first half and would only get worse later, but when they hustled, the visitors managed to keep Miami at bay. The first stretch of lazy play in which the transition defense and defensive rebounding were a disaster was solved by a timeout. As the second units checked in, the Spurs continued to play hard and upped the pace to good results. After one, the lead was 10. An issue the young San Antonio roster often encounters after playing fast for a while is that the offense gets disorganized. It happened in the second quarter, and they paid for it. Instead of executing, everyone freelanced despite not having the individual talent to get away with it. Slowly, the Heat chipped away at the deficit by capitalizing on the Spurs’ mistakes and using a bigger lineup, with Kel’el Ware trying to draw Victor Wembanyama out and Bam Adebayo having a size advantage over Harrison Barnes. That configuration presented problems on both ends, but it was especially effective on defense, as the Silver and Black couldn’t find any reliable source of scoring. With the paint walled off, the Spurs over-relied on threes that didn’t fall. After scoring only 11 points in 12 minutes, the visitors went to the break down five. Bad execution and the occasional off game are expected from young teams, but the effort has normally been there for the Spurs. It wasn’t the case in Miami. The struggles to figure out the Heat’s big lineup and some mistakes due to lack of good communication are understandable but the disastrous transition defense, lack of a second effort and lazy shot selection were unacceptable. There was no discipline in any area for long stretches, as every player seemed intent on erasing a growing deficit with a single hero shot and the defense collapsed and left multiple players open after a single drive. The Heat deserve plenty of credit for completely dominating the game, but San Antonio made it easier than it should have been, making role players like Ware and Nikola Jovic look like stars. After allowing 46 points in the third, the Spurs were down by 24 heading into the final quarter. There was no redemption. Sandro Mamukelashvili managed to provide the spark Zach Collins couldn’t deliver earlier, as Mitch Johnson grew desperate and went deep into his bench for answers, but it was too little, too late for the Spurs. They cut the Heat’s lead to 17 at one point, but couldn’t get stops to make a real attempt at a comeback. Miami got whatever it wanted on offense, as the point-of-attack defense couldn’t stop the initial action and the help and rotations were late or came from the wrong place, resulting in open looks. It was a forgettable and disappointing performance for a Spurs team that missed Jeremy Sochan and has looked more vulnerable than ever in the past few days. The games in Paris and the return of the energetic forward will hopefully reinvigorate them. but the schedule remains tough, so there might not be a dramatic turnaround any time soon. Play of the game Get angry, Vic. YEAH VIC pic.twitter.com/mbSyGZ09FA— San Antonio Spurs (@spurs) January 19, 2025 Game notes Victor Wembanyama has looked visibly frustrated a few times over the past few games, which is understandable. He’s not without fault for the losses, but the perimeter defense has been abysmal and he can’t clean up every mistake on that end. On offense, it’s too easy for opponents to load up on him and not pay for it. Superstars find a way and Wembanyama needs to focus on what he can control, but it’s hard to blame a 21-year-old for not having the best body language after the team’s recent performances. Stephon Castle couldn’t put together another good performance. The rookie scored 11 points on eight shots but had one assist to four turnovers, struggled to stay in front of Tyler Herro on defense and allowed the Heat to have Bam Adebayo roaming instead of guarding him. It’s good to see Devin Vassell take 20 shots, as he can fade into the background at times, but he missed all six of the shots he took in the paint. Vassell made huge strides over the years as a finisher but is shooting under 60 percent within five feet of the rim this season. It’s not a bad mark, but it’s not the 70 percent he shot last year. Devin can’t be just a jump shooter. The Heat’s bench outscored the Spurs’ 73 to 32. Adebayo and Jimmy Butler combined for 14 points on 16 shots and it didn’t matter because their second unit shined. San Antonio, meanwhile, couldn’t find a spark. Depth is supposed to be a strength for the Spurs, but there are too many inconsistent performers on the roster. It’s tempting to ask more of Chris Paul and Harrison Barnes, but the veterans did their job. Expecting them to carry this young roster on nights in which the effort and focus are not there is unrealistic. They are complementary pieces. Mitch Johnson went back to Collins instead of Bassey for a stretch. We’ll have to see in Paris if he’s still undecided on who’s the backup center or if he just was trying things out on a game in which the usual wasn’t working. Next game: vs. Indiana Pacers on Thursday The Spurs and Pacers will fly to Paris to face each other twice in Europe.