‘Some guys had to get some things off their chest’: What helped Heat snap out of funk

After the Heat’s losing streak stretched to seven games (its longest since 2008) with a demoralizing defeat to the Phoenix Suns, the Heat summoned its player to Kaseya Center on a dreary Tuesday late last month.

Not a ball was bounced on the practice court that day, at least not collectively, but more good might have come from that off day than any other this season.

The Heat has won four of six since, with the only two losses coming to two of the best teams in the league (the Clippers and then to Boston, with Jimmy Butler sidelined for the Celtics game following a death in the family). Also significantly, the Heat has resumed resembling the gritty, high-effort team that was missing for large stretches of the seven-game skid.

“I don’t think it’s a coincidence,” Heat wing Duncan Robinson said of the fact that the Heat has played much better since that meeting. “If there’s anything I’ve learned during my time in the NBA, it’s that a big part of playing well is not necessarily about Xs and Os, but putting your own whatever sort of things you’re going through aside and just giving into the team. I don’t think it’s a coincidence.”

Butler, Tyler Herro and Bam Adebayo all addressed the team during that meeting, according to Herro. Several other players also talked. So did Erik Spoelstra. They watched film. And they spoke without filters.

“I’ve spoken before, but this was probably the first time I said what was really in my heart and how I really feel,” Herro said.

He declined to disclose specifically what he said — “it’s nothing for everyone to know” — but offered a general idea about part of his message that day.

“It’s about the team being together and ultimately [that] this a blessing for us all to play in the NBA,” he said. “We just had to bring more joy in being in the NBA and being here. I felt like those days were miserable, those seven games of us losing. We were all kind of just looking for an easy way out. There was no easy way out. We were going to continue to lose if we didn’t” do something to address it.

Was there any player that said anything that particularly resonated? “Everything that was said resonated with everyone because it was all from a pure place,” Herro said. “Everyone who was talking was coming from a pure place. It was good to hear everyone’s voice.”

Robinson said “maybe not everybody” spoke in that meeting “but a lot of people spoke up.” The mission, he said, was “putting everything out there in terms of what we’re trying to accomplish as a team and what it’s going to require from each person in order to get there.”

Kevin Love said one goal, achieved since the meeting, was “getting our communication back up, having each other’s back, creating that trust... It’s a huge thing. I think if anything, it’s made us understand our defensive schemes [and] what we want to do on offense. And our attention to detail has been higher because we’ve had those conversations.”

Butler — who will return to the team after the All Star break — said something interesting last week, that “We may have gotten lost a little bit trying to be individuals instead of being a group... We’re back to having fun. We understand who we are.”

Did that point about not playing as individuals come up in the meeting?

“A little bit,” Herro said. “It was more like, everyone just coming together and playing together… and staying together, instead of pointing fingers, ‘one person do this, one person do that.’”

Herro said there was “no yelling” in the meeting. “It was more ‘how can we find some solutions and get to the bottom of how we can win games.’”

Adebayo said players were “vulnerable” in that meeting and allowed each other to speak honestly, even at risk of offending.

“Some guys had to get some things off their chest,” Herro said. “Nothing wrong with that. It’s part of the business, part of grown men who all want the same goal. We all have our own opinions and it takes time to kind of mold everyone into the same place.”

What’s clear is this: Players believe that meeting triggered better play.

“It played a big role,” Herro said.

ROSTER ADDITION?

The Heat could wait until during or late in the All-Star break either to sign a player to a standard contract or instead add a player to a 10-day contract. They’ve shown at least some interest in G League point guard Jamaree Bouyea, who has appeared in 11 NBA games, including four for the Heat.

With Josh Richardson (dislocated right shoulder) and Terry Rozier (sprained right knee) expected to miss multiple weeks, the Heat could use backcourt depth.

But the list of free agents point guards is unimpressive: Cory Joseph (2.4 points per game; 13 for 42 on threes in 26 games for Golden State this season); Killian Hayes (6.9 points per game in 42 games for Detroit; 22 for 74 on threes), Jordan Goodwin (5.0 points in 40 games for Phoenix; 23 for 80 on threes), Ish Smith (3.2 points, 3.4 assists in 43 games and five starts for Charlotte and now 35), and Frank Ntilikina (five points in five games for Charlotte this season and a career 32 percent three-point shooter).

Delon Wright, earning $8.1 million in the final season of his contract, would be appealing, but there’s no indication that the Wizards plan to buy him out.

▪ The timeline for Rozier and Richardson is fluid, depending entirely on how quickly they heal. But for perspective, consider that Dwyane Wade separated his shoulder Feb. 21, 2007, in Cleveland and didn’t return until April 8. He had surgery on the shoulder after that season.

Some players can miss four weeks or more with sprained knees, but there’s optimism around Rozier that he should be back sooner.

▪ The Heat canceled Tuesday morning’s shootaround after delays caused their flight from Miami to arrive in Milwaukee at 10:30 p.m. Monday. It has been scheduled to arrive at 5:19 p.m. After playing the Bucks on Tuesday night, the Heat has a late-night flight to Philadelphia for Wednesday’s game against the 76ers.

Miami Herald sports writer Anthony Chiang contributed to this report.