Miami Heat struggling to hold onto leads

The Miami Heat have been one of the most entertaining teams to watch this season, but their high-energy style comes with consequences. Coach Erik Spoelstra has pushed the squad into a faster brand of basketball: they lead the league in pace and run far fewer pick-and-roll actions than anyone else.

That shift has helped the Heat adapt after losing some key veterans, with younger players stepping up and Norman Powell earning his first All-Star nod. Still, the same approach has exposed some weaknesses — especially when it comes to slowing the game down and protecting leads.

Why the leads keep slipping away

Miami has surrendered 31 double-digit leads this season, far more than any other team. Those collapses point to inconsistency on both ends: turnovers and sloppy offense late in games, plus defensive lapses that allow opponents to close quickly. When the Heat can’t control the tempo or hold onto the ball, even big advantages vanish fast.

Consistency has been elusive, and because of that the team hasn’t been able to string together a long winning streak. Spoelstra and his staff will need to find ways to manage the pace better, tighten ball security, and shore up late-game defense if they want to stop the streaks of blown leads.

Where this leaves the Heat in the playoff picture

At 27-26, Miami sits around the eighth seed in the Eastern Conference. They’re chasing the Philadelphia 76ers and trying to climb into the top six, which would lock up a direct playoff spot. To get there the Heat must clean up the end-of-game issues that have cost them so many leads — otherwise their roller-coaster results could make the road to the postseason much tougher.

Keep an eye on how the team manages tempo and protects the basketball in the coming weeks. Small adjustments in those areas could be the difference between a late-season push and another frustrating stretch of missed opportunities.