For all the talk of what the Miami Heat have been doing with their offensive possessions — a transformation that has been a positive revelation until a dreadful fourth quarter in Wednesday’s home loss to the undermanned Cleveland Cavaliers — there hasn’t been enough emphasis on what’s happening in their defensive possessions.
They are too many of them.
Some of that is a product of the increased pace, which plays into an increase in turns for each team in most of their games. But some of it is self-inflicted. In too many instances, the Heat simply cannot grab a defensive rebound. And it’s costing them, repeatedly, with other teams taking two, three, sometimes four shots, and one of those eventually going in. Only the hapless Washington Wizards have been more generous on the defensive backboards than Miami.
The Heat have given up the 2nd most offensive rebounds in the entire NBA
1. Wizards – 179
2. HEAT – 177
3. Celtics – 165
4. Hawks – 157
5. Bucks – 153
Rebounds have been a tough watch so far this season 🫠pic.twitter.com/40XkFBCGHe
— Heat Central (@HeatCulture13) November 13, 2025
So what’s the fix? Well, it won’t be the return of Bam Adebayo from a toe injury alone, though that will certainly help. Without Adebayo, Kel’el Ware has been the only true “big” available for the rotation, since Nikola Jovic (while 6-foot-10) doesn’t really play that way. We knew that the Heat would have some size problems, as they entered the season shorthanded up front, choosing not to fill a roster spot until likely mid-December when it won’t push them over the luxury tax.
Heat Defensive Rebounding%
Bam ON: 74.0 (Would Rank 3)
Bam OFF: 62.2 (Would Rank 30)
Have been able to pretty much copy and paste those numbers for each of the past six seasons.
— Couper Moorhead (@CoupNBA) November 12, 2025
As Heat.com’s Couper Moorhead pointed out, prior to Wednesday’s loss, the Heat have actually been quite good at preventing second chances when Adebayo has played — third in the NBA in defensive rebounding percentage. They were last in the league when he’s sat or been unavailable due to injury. And it only got worse Wednesday night.
He’s out of the walking boot now, and he did some light warming up on the Kaseya Center court Wednesday, and we will see if he can suit up Friday in New York or maybe Monday at home, both games against the Knicks. While the Knicks are likely to be without star point guard Jalen Brunson, they will still be plenty formidable up front.
Perhaps if Adebayo had played Wednesday, Jarrett Allen — the only one of the Cavaliers’ core four players who was available — wouldn’t have had such an easy time.
Rhona Wise-Imagn Images
But more will still be needed from others, going forward. The Heat can’t get taller — and won’t when Tyler Herro returns, though he’s always been a decent defensive rebounder. Collectively, they need to get more aggressive. They need to be better at boxing out. And even though they’re in more of a rush to leak out in transition this season, you can’t do anything on offense without the ball.
Time to go grab it — or this issue will have the Heat by the throat all season.
Andrew WIggins appears joyful in Miami now
Disastrous 4th quarter costs Heat against the Cavs