MIAMI _ The pace was fast and furious, with the Miami Heat more than complicit, part of Erik Spoelstra's goal to catch up with the rest of the league.
But when the shots aren't falling, it also can be fast and fatal.
It was in Monday night's third quarter, when the Heat yielded 43 points and what had previously been a 12-point lead turned into a 17-point deficit.
Ultimately, playing catch up proved too much, with the Heat falling 123-113 to the Sacramento Kings on a night guard Josh Richardson scored a career-high 31 points and center Hassan Whiteside grabbed 24 rebounds, one off his career high.
Those numbers, however, were more than offset by the Kings' 18 fast-break points and 68 points in the paint.
"They just kept on coming," Spoelstra said. "The speed and the pace, the quickness just wore us down in the second half. We're capable of much more and we like to play at pace, but it has to be on our terms."
Until last year, the Kings had won three times in 29 years in Miami. They now have won twice in the last two years, this latest victory dropping the Heat to 3-3.
With Sacramento whipping the ball either for open 3-pointers or point-blank attempts, the Heat wound up running on fumes, perhaps raising question about the intent and ability to play at pace.
Center Willie Cauley-Stein scored 26 points for the Kings, with Sacramento guard Buddy Hield adding 23.
