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MIAMI -- The season has not started the way the Miami Heat envisioned.After a season-opening win over the less-than-mediocre and winless Orlando Magic, the Heat (1-2) have suffered a pair of disappointing losses entering Tuesdays home game against the Sacramento Kings (2-2).Miami blew a 19-point, third-quarter lead, losing their home opener to the Charlotte Hornets, and the Heat lost again at home on Sunday night against the San Antonio Spurs.And while the Spurs are an excellent team, they were playing the second of two games on consecutive nights. They flew in from San Antonio and arrived in Miami at about 3 a.m. Sunday morning, just 15 hours before tip-off.The Spurs also rested five-time All-Star LaMarcus Aldridge and played without injured starting shooting guard Danny Green ... and still had enough to subdue the Heat.We have to figure out a way to pull these games out, Heat guard Dion Waiters said, especially at home.And thats the thing: The Heats three-game homestand ends Tuesday. It could be a dreadful 0-3 homestand if the Heats not careful.One of the various problems for the Heat during this first year in which they no longer have any of their famed Big Three of LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh is that Miami no longer has a closer.James used to be that guy. Wade used to be that guy. And Bosh could be that guy on certain occasions.Now, they are getting beaten by teams with closers. Such was the case in the loss to Charlotte, which has Kemba Walker, who scored 15 of his 24 points in the second half. Such was the case with San Antonio, which has Kawhi Leonard, who scored the last 12 Spurs points and finished with 27.Miami needs to develop a closer. The best options are point guard Goran Dragic and center Hassan Whiteside.But Dragic is still inconsistent and is best suited to star in an up-tempo situation and not the half-court sets that typically arise in end-game scenarios.Whiteside is often not even in the game at the end, either due to foul trouble, poor free-throw shooting or, as was the case on Sunday, he had leg cramps because he is not used to having to carry a team on his back. He needs to find the energy required to play hard on both ends of the court for a full game.Unfortunately for the Heat, the Kings have a closer. In fact, they have two in center DeMarcus Boogie Cousins and small forward Rudy Gay.Not that everything is so great for the Kings, who lost 106-95 to the Atlanta Hawks on Monday night.The Kings havent had a winning season in 10 years, they lost the division title by an incredible 40 games to the Golden State Warriors last season and they fired coach George Karl.New coach Dave Joerger, who took the Memphis Grizzlies to the playoffs in each of the past three years, is working with some interesting players in an attempt to build around Cousins and Gay.With point guard Rajon Rondo gone in free agency and backup Darrin Collison injured, the Kings signed Ty Lawson, 28, in August. This is Lawsons third team in the past year, which says a lot about where hes at in his career.Arron Afflalo, who signed as a free agent from the New York Knicks, is Sacramentos starting shooting guard. Kosta Koufas, an eighth-year man, is starting at power forward.The bench includes Garrett Temple, who started 43 games for the Washington Wizards last season; forward Anthony Tolliver, who is on his ninth NBA team; forward Omri Casspi, who is in his seventh year; and forward Matt Barnes, a fierce defender who is on his 10th NBA team.We have older veterans on the team this year, Kings guard Ben McLemore said, guys who have been to the playoffs.McLemore, a first-round pick in 2013 (seventh overall), leads the Kings young reserves, a group that includes center Willie Cauliy-Stein, a first-rounder last year (sixth overall).The Kings drafted three more first-round picks this year, although none of them are playing yet.Is that enough to turn the Kings around in the near future?We will see. But the Kings, who are on the second of a five-game road trip, dont have much pressure. This is a franchise that has grown accustomed to losing.The Heat, on the other hand, became NBA royalty early this decade, and they pride themselves on being in contention no matter the scenario.Beating the Kings, who will again give Miami a tired opponent since Sacramento played on Monday while the Heat rested, will be a bigger deal than might be expected at this early stage of the season.But thats what its come to for the Heat, a franchise that has yet to find a closer or an identity for the 2016-2017 season. Cheap Nike Zoom Shoes . The giant slalom world champion slipped during her first run in the morning, landing on her back and then twisting forward before getting her leg caught in the protective material on the side of the slope. Cheap Nike Zoom Australia .25 million option on reliever Jose Veras. http://www.wholesalenikezoomaustralia.com/ . Andrew Luck lost his favourite target and the Indianapolis locker room lost one of its most revered leaders when Reggie Wayne was diagnosed Monday with a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee that will cost him the rest of the season. Wholesale Nike Zoom Cheap . -- Timbers coach Caleb Porter didnt stray from his business-like approach to the season even after Portland downed the two-time defending league champion Los Angeles Galaxy to gain crucial playoff position. Nike Zoom Womens Australia . -- Playing time has been limited for Maxim Tissot this season, so the Montreal Impact defender made the most of his first scoring opportunity on Saturday. This story is part of ESPN The Magazines Oct. 31 NBA Preview Issue. Subscribe today!Vancouver CanucksOverall: 116 Title track: 111 Ownership: 90 Coaching: 114 Players: 107 Fan relations: 106 Affordability: 121 Stadium experience: 115 Bang for the buck: 112 Change from last year:?-3The Canucks free fall down our standings continues. Vancouver was No. 43 as recently as 2011, when they lost to the Boston Bruins in the Stanley Cup final. They repeated as Presidents Trophy winners the following season but still tumbled to 92 in 2012 -- and only continued to slip every year since.Whats goodNext to nothing. The product on the ice is terrible; the Canucks havent won a playoff series since that gut-wrenching finals loss, and they missed the postseason entirely in two of the last three years. Theyre in the triple digits in every category but ownership ... which ranks No. 90. Not good. Loui Eriksson was a nice summer pickup, and the classy Sedin twins remain the faces of the franchise. But they also just turned 36 and are nearing the end of their Cup-less careers.Whats badJust about everything. The Canucks play in the soulless 21-year-old Rogers Arena, which provides one of the worst stadium experiencees in professional sports (115th overall).dddddddddddd And Vancouver fans, who have never seen their team win a title in 45 NHL seasons, pay more than all but one of the 122 other teams in the four major leagues for the privilege. Thats an awful combination. Have we mentioned the team yet? Theyre second-worst in hockey in title track and coaching and fourth worst in players. Considering all that, its not hard to understand how only two NHL franchises (the Bruins and Maple Leafs) provide less bang for the buck.Whats newFan relations dropped 12 spots from a year ago - not surprising given that the Canucks offer the least frequent promotions, contests and giveaways in the NHL. And third-year bench boss Willie Desjardins clearly isnt inspiring much confidence around British Columbia after winning just 31 out of 82 games in 2015-16, with coaching slipping 22 places. At 114th, Desjardins is only six spots better than John Tortorella -- who lasted just one disastrous season in Vancouver -- was after being run out of town in 2014.Next: Toronto Maple Leafs ?| Full rankings ' ' '