Heat's late rally not enough against Pistons as six-game win streak snapped

Ira Winderman, South Florida Sun Sentinel on Nov 29, 2025

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MIAMI — These are the spots in the schedule you circle: at home after a two-day break against an opponent playing on the second night of a back-to-back set after a down-to-the-wire home loss 1,400 miles away the night before.

And, still, the Eastern Conference-leading Detroit Pistons were too good for the scheduling to make a difference.

Barely.

And thus the end of the Miami Heat’s six-game winning streak, despite a furious late rally, with a 138-135 loss Saturday night at Kaseya Center

With Cade Cunningham doing all the things for the Pistons expected of an elite leading man, closing with 29 points, eight assists and four rebounds, not even solid nights from the Heat’s Andrew Wiggins and Norman Powell and a valiant late surge were enough to compensate.

Wiggins closed with 31 points, Powell with 28, on a night Tyler Herro, on his third game back from preseason ankle surgery, closed at 6 of 17 from the field, albeit still with 24 points.

The Pistons also got 26 points from veteran forward Tobias Harris, as Detroit improved to 16-4 and the Heat dropped to 13-7.

The Heat complete their four-game homestand Monday night against the Los Angeles Clippers, before then heading out for three of their next four on the road.

Five Degrees of Heat from Saturday night’s game:

— 1. Game flow: It was a dreadful first period for a Heat team coming off their two days of rest, down 36-23 after one, at 6 of 22 from the field, including 2 of 10 on 3-pointers.

It didn’t get much better in the second period, with the Heat down 71-59 at the half, the 71 matching the Pistons high for a first half this season.

The Heat then went down 19 in the third period, taking a 108-91 lead into the fourth.

Detroit went up 22 from there, but it wasn’t over.

The Heat then closed within 131-123 with two minutes to play, with a Herro 3-pointer making it 131-126 with 85 seconds to play. Later, three free throws by Powell with 55.5 seconds to play cutting the deficit to 131-129.

From there, Pistons basket, Heat basket and Pistons basket left the Heat down four with 20.2 seconds to play, the rally ultimately too little, too late.

— 2. Too small: Even with Pistons bruiser Jalen Duren sidelined, the Pistons had their way against the Heat smallish lineup, including 42 paint points in the first half and 76 overall, most against the Heat this season.

The Heat again opened with Bam Adebayo surrounded by wings Wiggins, Powell, Herro and Davion Mitchell.

That again had 7-foot Kel’el Ware playing in reserve, with the Heat able to offer little in the way of rim deterrence.

Detroit’s power play was such that Pistons journeyman reserve Paul Reed was arguably the game’s most productive big man until Adebayo came on late to close with 15 points and 10 rebounds.

— 3. Herro hunting: A reality the Heat will have to get used to again is opposing offenses hunting Herro defensively, with the Pistons opening by relentlessly forcing Herro switched onto their scorers.

In Herro’s injury absence, the Heat moved back to more switching defenses, which now means having to deal with the Herro hunt that stood as a prime liability in last season’s blowout playoff series against the Cleveland Cavaliers.

On one early set Saturday, it meant the Heat running a help defender to Herro’s side, resulting in an open 3-pointer for Duncan Robinson.

On the other end, Herro opened 0 for 7 before converting a 3-pointer early in the second period.

— 4. Back in: A game after being moved out of the rotation, Nikola Jovic was back in the mix with Jaime Jaquez Jr. sidelined by a groin strain.

It was the first absence of the season for Jaquez, after the first benching of the season for Jovic.

It was another uneven run for Jovic.

“We’re going to continue to push for that development,” Spoelstra said. “And the beginning of the year so far has been a little bit uneven, but that’s going to happen to young guys. I’m not stressed out about that.

“A challenge when you’re coaching a team that has several young guys, it’s probably not realistic that everybody’s going to hit at the same time. So there’s gonna be some little ups and downs. But he’s dedicated. We’ll continue to work with him.”

Jovic struggled mightily, with five turnovers in his 10:12.

— 5. Trade winds: Honored with a pregame video tribute for his standing as the Heat’s all-time leader in 3-pointers, Robinson came out and drained an early pair of 3-pointers.

By contrast, Simone Fontecchio, the player obtained from the Pistons in the trade that sent Robinson to the Pistons, was out of the Heat rotation, even with Jaquez sidelined.

It was the first time Fontecchio was held out this season, shooting 5 of 33 on 3-pointers over the previous five games.

Robinson closed with 18 points on 7-of-14 shooting, including 3-of-9 shooting on 3-pointers.