Giannis says the 2-5 Heat don't trust each other

Monday night in Los Angeles was ugly. Luka Doncic dropped 42 on Miami and the Lakers put up 79 points in the first half alone. By Tuesday morning, the Heat were trying to work out what went wrong.

Erik Spoelstra didn't hide behind the roster. Miami built this team to be a problem, with Giannis next to Bam Adebayo, and 7 games in, his message was basically that the names on the jerseys don't guard anybody.

Anthony Chiang

@Anthony_Chiang

NEW: "Effort," "trust," "pride"? Heat searching for answers after surprisingly bad defensive start t.co/Tsc8vcO4lc Erik Spoelstra: "It can’t just be on paper, and it can’t just be reputation. It has to be backed up by real actions.”

That's a coach telling his team its reputation is worth nothing right now. The numbers back him up. The Lakers hit 19 threes and beat Miami 58-38 in the paint, and that's against a frontcourt that should own the paint. Austin Reaves added 27 on top of Luka's night.

Then there's Giannis, and he went further than his coach. He didn't talk about schemes or rotations. He talked about guys not trusting each other, and that's a much rougher thing to say 7 games into year 1 of a marriage everybody already has opinions about.

Ira Winderman

@IraHeatBeat

Giannis insists "we’ve got to have some pride," with no defense for Heat in humbling 2-5 start. t.co/sAhfwwYamX "Right now we don’t trust one another. We’re not giving that extra effort."

"Not giving that extra effort" is about as blunt as it gets from a franchise guy talking about his own locker room. Bam was on the same page, saying the communication goes once fatigue sets in. Giannis also promised a response, and he said it like a guy who has done this before.

ClutchPoints

@ClutchPoints

“Usually after a bad whooping like this, you’ve got to find a way to respond. I tend to respond.” Giannis Antetokounmpo after the Heat’s blowout lost to the Lakers last night 👀 (via @TomerAzarly)

"I tend to respond" is a 2-time MVP telling you to circle Wednesday. The catch showed up Tuesday night: Giannis wasn't on the injury report before the Lakers game, and now he is.

Ira Winderman

@IraHeatBeat

Giannis Antetokounmpo has surfaced on the Heat injury report, listed as probable for Wednesday night, with a sprained right wrist. Myron Gardner is listed as questionable with a right quad contusion. Dru Smith is listed as available with a facial laceration.

Probable with a sprained right wrist means Miami expects him to play, but it's one more thing going wrong in a bad week. The Clippers, meanwhile, are getting healthier. Rui Hachimura, Derrick Jones Jr. and Max Strus are all cleared to play together for the first time since Honolulu, though Brandon Ingram and Bradley Beal are still out. Giannis said Wednesday at the Clippers is where the response starts. If he plays and Miami still can't guard anybody, the trust talk turns into a real problem in a hurry.