(My Sportsbook) - After eight losses in nine games, Pat Riley has run out of tantrums to throw. So when the Heat dropped their third straight game 77-75 to the Orlando Magic -- despite the absence of Tracy McGrady and Grant Hill from Orlando's lineup -- the often demonstrative coach seemed almost accepting of his team's constant ineptness.

"It's the same analysis," Riley said. "We've had an absolute ton of opportunities to extend any kind of advantage that we had with open shots and looks. They got open looks and made theirs when it counted; we got open looks and missed ours when it counted. This is what we are."

After this brutal start to the season, one would think the Heat had run out of ways to lose. Not so fast: Sunday night against the Magic, Miami found yet one more bizarre way to give a game away.

On Orlando's final possession, Mike Miller, who was the Magic's No. 1 option the entire game, was almost certain to get the ball off the inbounds pass. Before the Magic even threw the ball in, Caron Butler fell to the floor. Eddie Jones scrambled to get to Miller, but he also fell after running into a Pat Garrity screen. Miller was free to release a 22-foot jumper that finished off the Heat. The third-year forward finished with 31 points and 19 rebounds.

"[Jones] fell down," Riley told the Miami Herald. "He fell down four times today. I mean, he got screened, but both guys fell down. Caron fell down. What's that about?"

Adding to Orlando's effort was Shawn Kemp, who had 10 points in the fourth quarter, eight of those coming on open jumpers.

"Brian [Grant] had the same shots [Kemp] had," Riley told the newspaper. "It comes down to: Are you going to make or are you going to miss? Right now, we're not making anything. We had all the opportunities in the world."

SHAQ HEADS FOR SOUTH BEACH

Things don't get easier for Miami on Tuesday night. The Los Angeles Lakers attempt to improve to 3-0 with Shaquille O'Neal when they begin a three-game road trip Tuesday by battling the Heat at AmericanAirlines Arena.

The Lakers have posted home wins over Chicago and Milwaukee since O'Neal's return after recovering from toe surgery.

O'Neal got his first start of the season in the team's last outing, a 111-99 win over the Bucks on Sunday. O'Neal scored a game-high 24 points and pulled down 11 rebounds.

The Heat have dropped five straight at home and are just 1-6 at AmericanAirlines Arena this season. Miami also posts a 1-2 mark versus the Western Conference.

The Lakers and Heat split two meetings last season, with the road team winning each contest. In fact, the road team has been victorious in the last five games in this series.

The Lakers have won five of the last seven meetings overall and three straight in Miami.