Miami Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra said that his group needs to stop opening games so sluggish on defense following another slow start vs. the Sacramento Kings last night (trailed 71-49 at halftime).

(via Bally Sports Sun):

“That’s been a little bit of a trend, our starts defensively. Look, I don’t want to discredit them. They came in with desperation. Obviously they really wanted to get that first win, but our disposition in transition defense and also protecting the paint just was not at the level necessary to win a game on the road. That’s been a handful of our games we’ve started slow defensively and then we pick up as we get going. And that’s proven to be very costly. That has to change.”