MIAMI _ This was the good fight that might have won Friday's home-opening loss to the Charlotte Hornets. But against the San Antonio Spurs, even with LaMarcus Aldridge given the night off, more was required.
So even with Hassan Whiteside tying his career high with 27 points and adding 15 rebounds and four blocked shots on a night he left briefly in the fourth quarter with a cramping issue, in the end it added up to an 0-2 start at home and a 106-99 loss Sunday night for the Miami Heat at AmericanAirlines Arena.
"It was sort of a better response than the other night," coach Erik Spoelstra said.
Kawhi Leonard took charge late for the Spurs, closing with 27 points, supported by 20 from San Antonio center Pau Gasol, as San Antonio improved to 4-0.
Whiteside was supported by 25 points from point guard Goran Dragic and 18 from Heat forward Justise Winslow.
"You have to play great, almost near perfect basketball down the stretch in order to play for the win," Spoelstra said of going against the Spurs.
A day after giving guards Manu Ginobili and Tony Parker the night off in a home victory over the New Orleans Pelicans, Spurs coach Gregg Popovich this time rested Aldridge. The Spurs also remained without starting shooting guard Danny Green because of a quad issue that also could have him out when the teams close out the two-game season series in two weeks in San Antonio.
After blowing a 19-point third-quarter lead in Friday's loss to the Hornets, the Heat this time battled back in front after trailing by 16 in the second period.
"We were able to take a few punches and get back into this game and take a lead," Spoelstra said.
Ultimately, the Spurs' pedigree took over, while the Heat had to overcome six turnovers from guard Dion Waiters, his last coming on an ill-fated alley-oop pass attempt to backup center Willie Reed when Whiteside was out and the game was in the balance.
"It's not happening overnight, but I see progress, I see improvement," Spoelstra said.
The Heat rallied all the way back from a 16-point second-quarter deficit to tie it at 79 early in the fourth quarter.
Unlike during Friday's home-opening loss to the Charlotte Hornets, Spoelstra this time limited Whiteside to a brief break in the second half.
Then, after the rarity of a James Johnson-to-Tyler Johnson alley-oop drew the Heat within 86-85, Dragic converted a layup in transition for an 87-86 Heat lead with 6:48 to play, the Heat's first lead since 3-0.
The Spurs immediately punched back with five consecutive points on a Patty Mills 3-pointer and a driving Leonard dunk when Whiteside was trailing the play, for an 87-81 lead.
But back came the Heat, with a sweeping hook by Whiteside tying it 91-91 with 5:17 left.
That's when the game turned again, with Whiteside forced out with his cramping issue after colliding with Spurs forward Dewayne Dedmon.
"I said the reason you got the cramp was probably because that's the hardest you've played on the court," Spoelstra said of his postgame conversation with Whiteside.
After Whiteside went out, Mills hit a 3-pointer for a 94-91 Spurs lead. With Dragic fouled on a 3-point attempt on the other end, making two of his attempts to draw the Heat within 94-93.
Two foul shots by Leonard lifted the Spurs to a 96-93 edge.
The Heat later got back within 99-97 on a 12-foot floater by Tyler Johnson with 2:05 to play, leading to a Spurs timeout, with Whiteside returning during that stoppage.
But back came Leonard, with a 14-foot jumper with 1:41 to play for a 101-97 San Antonio lead.
But Dragic again made it a two-point game with 55 seconds to play on a driving layup that got the Heat within 101-99.
But that's when Leonard put it away for the Spurs, aided by a Whiteside turnover.
An 11-0 run with a smaller lineup that had Winslow at power forward drew the Heat within 64-63 midway through the third quarter, shortly after Whiteside reached his third double-double in as many games.
The Spurs then opened their lead back to 77-72 entering the fourth quarter, with Whiteside up to 23 points and 13 rebounds by that stage.
The Heat opened 1 of 8 from the field and trailed 24-19 at the end of the first quarter. The problem along the way was that both Whiteside and Dragic were forced out in that opening period with their second fouls.
With Whiteside and Dragic out, the Spurs then pushed their lead to 16 in the second period before the Heat closed within 52-44 at halftime.
The Heat struggled early with turnovers, with Waiters with five in the first half, the Heat offense often lost when Waiters or Tyler Johnson attempted to get the team into offense.
The game was the second of a three-game homestand that concludes Tuesday against the Sacramento Kings, before a challenging two-game trip against the Toronto Raptors and the Oklahoma City Thunder.
