Davion Mitchell's absence was felt in loss versus Kings

"On Saturday against the Sacramento Kings, Miami Heat guard Tyler Herro missed his second-straight game with a toe injury. As a result, his absence was missed for the second-straight night, mustering together just 111 points on 48.2 percent shooting (9-31 3PT; 20-32 FT) against one of the league's worst defenses. However, there was another Heat player whose presence was sorely missed: Davion Mitchell."

""He's the one that's flying around every possession," Powell said. "Surprising guys with the ball, double teaming them, playing passing lanes, being that extra defender in the help (position). We just missed his energy and physicality on defense. We follow off of that, and we were looking at who's going to be that guy tonight. I think we had small moments of it, but nothing that was able to be sustained for a full 48 (minutes). We know how important D-Mitch is to what we do both offensively and defensively.""

"Collectively, the Kings shot 52.7 percent, including 14-of-33 (42.4 percent) from 3-point range and 44 points at the rim alone. But he's also one of the Heat's best slashers and playmakers, where the ball didn't pop as well without him on the floor. "He adds such an incredible energy at times," Heat big Bam Adebayo said. "Certain buckets you need out of no where he finds a way to get one. On the defensive end - we all know what he brings to that side of the ball. Like I've said, he's the head of the snake when pushing the pace in transition.""

Davion Mitchell missed his first game of the season with right groin tightness. The Miami Heat also had Tyler Herro out with a toe injury, and the team scored just 111 points on 48.2 percent shooting against Sacramento. Kings guard Zach LaVine erupted for a game-high 42 points in the 127-111 win. Heat players credited Mitchell with providing energy, physicality, passing-lane disruption, extra-help defense, and transition creation. Sacramento shot 52.7 percent and made 14-of-33 threes, while the Heat's slashing and playmaking impact declined without Mitchell on the floor.

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