So that is what it seems to be like when the 3-pointers are falling, the bench is contributing and the battle doesn’t wane.
And so, from 15 down early Monday evening, the Miami Heat adopted the battle of their chief and made it consecutive victories over the Atlanta Hawks at Miami-Dade Arena with a 130-128 choice.
Even with Jimmy Butler closing with 26 factors, 9 rebounds and 9 assists, at 8 of 14 from the sphere and 10 of 12 from the road, this was greater than a one-man present.
It additionally was 21 factors apiece from Victor Oladipo from Caleb Martin, 16 from Bam Adebayo, 14 from Tyler Herro and even 14 from Duncan Robinson.
And it once more was one other clutch second, the Heat’s 46 recreation outlined as “clutch” by the NBA – one inside 5 factors at any time within the remaining 5 minutes. It additionally was the Heat’s thirty sixth recreation determined by 5 or fewer factors, 5 off the league all-time single-season file.
Moving nearer to a division title that but might issue right into a key playoff tiebreaker, the Heat prolonged their result in 2 1/2 video games over the Hawks atop the Southeast, in that race for the No. 7 playoff seed within the Eastern Conference.
“We’re the type of team that can grind it out,” Martin stated. “We just got to keep sticking to what we do.”
Instead of their typical how-low-can-you-go strategy, the Heat turned up the offense by closing16 of 29 on 3-pointers, with Oladipo contributing 4 and Herro and Robinson three apiece.
“It was important to get this two-game set,” Heat coach Erik Spoelstra stated. “We knew the context of it.”
Five Degrees of Heat from Monday’s recreation:
1. Closing time: With the Hawks making 11 of their first 12 photographs, the Hawks pushed to a 43-30 lead on the finish of the primary interval, earlier than the Heat trimmed their deficit to 68-63 at halftime.
The Heat then tied it twice late within the third interval, earlier than going into the fourth down 96-92.
From there, the Heat moved to a four-point lead early within the fourth, earlier than it was tied 113-113 halfway by way of the interval.
But with Heat’s 3-pointers falling, consecutive 3-pointers by Martin and Herro then staked the Heat to a 119-113 lead with 4:29 remaining.
Butler and Hawks guard Trae Young would match baskets from there, earlier than a Herro turnover and a driving Dejounte Murray layup introduced Atlanta inside 125-122 with 47 seconds remaining.
An obvious Adebayo basket then was negated with 32 seconds remaining when Adebayo was referred to as for a journey, however Martin got here up with a steal in opposition to Young on the opposite finish to maintain the Heat lead at three.
From there, Butler transformed a pair of Heat free throws for a 127-122 Heat lead, with 16.6 seconds remaining, successfully ending it.
“I think we’ve developed a lot of grit this year,” Spoelstra stated. “We stayed the course.”
2. Lineup shuffle: With Kevin Love out with a bruised rib, Max Strus was injected into the beginning lineup for the twenty eighth time this season, giving the Heat their twenty second beginning lineup.
The transfer allowed the Heat to retain the latest continuity of Martin enjoying in reserve.
“Max has shown that type of versatility,” Spoelsrta stated. “He can shift between either unit and have an impact.”
The Heat are itemizing Love as day-to-day, with X-rays destructive.
With Love out, Robinson received again into the rotation after being held out of three of the earlier 4 video games, scoring 11 first-half factors.
3. Oladipo’s burst: Between the hovering, aggressive alley-oop dunk off a Robinson feed early within the fourth quarter to a killer crossover moments later in opposition to Murray, Oladipo displayed a degree of aggression and athleticism that some thought-about in his previous tense after a collection of knee procedures.
There additionally was a component of ability, with Oladipo reaching a season excessive in 3-pointers.
Oladipo’s play allowed Spoelstra to purchase additional time on the bench for Butler, who sat from late within the third quarter till he returned with 5:45 remaining.
“He really impacted that win today,” Spoelstra stated, “and we needed that burst from him tonight.”
4. Martin surges: Martin was vitality personified for the Heat within the second quarter, scoring 16 factors within the interval on 6-of-7 taking pictures from the sphere and 5-of-6 taking pictures from the road.
By constantly transferring with out the ball, he added a vitality that so usually has been lacking from the Heat offense this season.
“I just think I’ve been able to bring that spark,” Martin stated after his highest-scoring outing in his final 35 appearances.
Spoelstra was appreciative of the two-way effort.
“I just told him, he’s our version of the matrix,” Spoelstra stated.
5. For starters: The Heat had been a defensive catastrophe within the first interval, with Spoelstra angrily admonishing his gamers after being compelled to burn an early timeout.
The Hawks closed the primary interval 19 of 26 from the sphere, with only one turnover.
The 43 factors had been probably the most the Heat have allowed in any interval in additional than two seasons, with the 19 baskets a Hawks excessive for any quarter this season.
“That had us on our heels,” Spoelstra stated.
()
Source: www.bostonherald.com