MIAMI, (Reuters) – Dwyane Wade’s return to the lineup failed to spark the Miami Heat as they lost their second successive game with a surprising 93-77 loss to the Indiana Pacers on Monday.
Wade, who missed the previous game with a wrist injury, made just one of 13 shots as the Heat recorded their lowest points total of the season.
“This game was obviously a surprise to me, we didn’t play well,” Miami coach Erik Spoelstra told reporters. “We just seemed anxious and tried to force the action.”
LeBron James scored a team-high 25 points for Miami (8-6), who also lost to the Memphis Grizzlies on Saturday when forward Udonis Haslem was sidelined indefinitely with a foot injury that will require surgery.
Brandon Rush and Danny Granger scored 20 points each for Indiana (6-6) as the visitors seized control by outscoring the Heat 35-19 in the second quarter to build a 13-point halftime lead.
The Heat did not get closer than seven points in the second half and managed to score just 13 points in the fourth quarter.
Chris Bosh scored 21 points and pulled down 11 rebounds but Wade managed just three points in one of the worst shooting games of his career.
Miami have been plagued by injuries with forward Mike Miller, who has not appeared yet during the regular season, out for at least another month with a thumb injury and have failed to gel since Bosh and James made headlines in the off-season to join Wade at the Heat.
