MIAMI -- The Miami Heat featured another new starting lineup Wednesday night, but familiar problems remained in their 112-102 home loss to the Atlanta Hawks.
Head coach Erik Spoelstra gave Josh McRoberts his first start with the Heat, and Mario Chalmers returned to his familiar spot in the backcourt alongside Dwyane Wade because Norris Cole was out due to illness. However, Miami struggled out of the gate to contain Atlanta's hot shooting in the first quarter and quickly fell behind by double digits.
Wade was held scoreless through the midway point of the second quarter, when he then proceeded to score 10 points in the next six minutes. He ended up leading the team with 28 points to go with seven assists.
Chris Bosh was also solid with 27 points, going 3 of 3 from 3-point territory as well as grabbing 11 rebounds, and Chalmers had 19 points and 11 assists, but the Heat had little help beyond those three starters. Luol Deng was unable to play in the second half because of a bruised right hand, and Shabazz Napier's seven points were the most from a Heat player after Wade, Bosh and Chalmers.
Nevertheless, it was another game where the defense was the primary issue, with the opponent spreading their shooters and making the extra pass to find the open man in the paint or on the perimeter. Each time the Heat threatened to get back into the game in the second half, the Hawks would respond with their own drive to increase their lead.
With little resistance on offense, the Hawks easily absorbed Wade's 12 points and Bosh's nine points scored in the fourth quarter. The visitors continued to hold a double-digit lead to send the Heat to their sixth loss in ten home games.
THE TURNING POINT
After a Bosh 3-pointer cut the deficit to just a single point with 7:24 left in the third quarter, the Hawks responded with a 25-10 run to finish the quarter and take a 16-point lead into the final quarter.
THE DIFFERENCE MAKER
Balanced scoring was the recipe for success for the Hawks, with four players in double figures, led by Jeff Teague's 27 points on 8-of-11 shooting. He also had six assists, three steals and five rebounds and was a perfect 8 of 8 from the free-throw line.
STAT OF THE GAME
Atlanta raced out to the early lead on the strength of their ball movement, totaling 11 assists on their 11 field goals in the first quarter.
WHAT'S NEXT
The Heat begin their five-game road trip Friday against the Milwaukee Bucks at 8:30 p.m.
You can follow Surya Fernandez on Twitter @SuryaHeatNBA or email him at SuryaFoxSports@gmail.com.
