Norman Powell reveals Miami’s solution to capturing the recent funk

With Miami Heat in a big slump With the team losing seven of its last eight games, the coaching staff and players are scrambling for answers to turn around this recent stretch. After The Heat lost to the New York Knicks on Sunday evening, 132-125, old Norman Powell talked about what it would take to get back to the early success the team had.

The way Miami looks right now is a stark contrast to the team that started the year at 14-7, as the unit was once among the NBA’s top-scoring teams and emphasized a fast pace. While the team still has the league’s fastest pace throughout the season, the Heat are 10th in that category and the 21st ranked team in December at 112.8 points per game.

Powell has been a huge highlight this season for Miami, averaging a team-leading 24 points per game. As he said after the Knicks loss, what they need to focus on is “Keep the game working in our favor.”

“We’ve got to extend the good stuff,” Powell said after scoring 22 points on the Knicks, according to a video from HeatCulture on X, formerly Twitter. “It’s not even about translating or anything. We have good stretches and runs, but it’s like we have to learn and understand and see how we can extend those five, six, seven, eight, ten minutes into 24 minutes, into 36. We have to figure out how to continue to extend and make the game work in our favor. I think that’s what the coach means for the whole few minutes, but he only sees a few minutes.”

Norman Powell says they need to be better at controlling the game when they have the upper hand:

“We have to figure out how to keep extending and keep the game working in our favor – I think that’s what the coach means. He sees great things, but they only happen for a few minutes … we have to … pic.twitter.com/kMb9Kik24V

— ღამარი (@VadekFlash) December 22, 2025

Warmth Erik Spoelstra on recent performances “not enough”

While there was another a disappointing outing for the heat in the loss to New York, there was an improvement in the offensive game, he scored 125 points, but there are still many opportunities left on the scoreboard. Miami coach Erik Spoelstra would even talk about how the team has been performing lately “it’s not enough.”

“We’re not happy with the result,” Spoelstra said. “We’re not just trying to play well and lose in the end, we’re developing a competitive, collective will. Our guys care in the locker room, but it’s got to be another level. It’s not enough. It’s got to be more. This league is a wild league. It’s survival of the fittest, and we’re going to get there.”

This is the most annoyed I’ve seen Spo look during these bad games:

“We’re not talking about moral victories…we’re developing a collective competitive will in these painful games…we’re not happy about the result…our guys are worrying in the dressing room, but it has to be… pic.tvitter.com/vnKNenvkGKS

— ღამარი (@VadekFlash) December 22, 2025

There were plenty of times in the loss to the Knicks that Miami could have made its extended mark, but it wouldn’t last the entire game.

“We’ve got to figure out how to extend them into longer stretches. And then we can start, when we have the lead, we can continue to build the lead,” Powell continued. “Obviously, teams are really good and they’re going to go on runs. But if we continue to work on the game and find those shots and those moments, those swing moments, those scrambles that (Spoelstra) likes to call, and we’re going to be able to beat them during games, then we’re going to be able to start winning these games.”

The Heat are now 15-14 as the team looks to get back into the win column Tuesday night against the Toronto Raptors at home.