Jimmy Butler scored a game-high 23 points to pace four scorers in double figures as the visiting Miami Heat beat the Cleveland Cavaliers 100-97 on Tuesday night.
Caleb Martin, Bam Adebayo and Tyler Herro each added 18 points for Miami, which is now 1-1 on a four-game road trip. Adebayo grabbed 11 rebounds and Martin hauled in 10 for the Heat, who won for the fourth time in five games.
Donovan Mitchell’s fadeaway 3-pointer fell short as time expired to allow Miami to escape with the win.
Evan Mobley led Cleveland with 19 points while Jarrett Allen had 14 points and 11 rebounds. Mitchell and Darius Garland each scored 16 points for the Cavaliers, who haven’t won back-to-back games since Jan. 2-4, when they defeated the Chicago Bulls and Phoenix Suns.
Cleveland had just two turnovers in the first half before committing six in the third quarter. Miami capitalized on the mistakes and got six points from both Herro and Kyle Lowry in the period, and also went on an 11-2 run for a 77-68 lead.
Adebayo missed a pair of free throws with four seconds left in the third, allowing Mitchell to convert a 3-pointer at the buzzer. The Cavaliers closed the frame on an 11-2 run for a 79-79 tie heading into the fourth quarter.
Miami’s offensive struggles continued into the final stanza, as it scored just two points over the first five-plus minutes.
Cleveland led 85-81 before Herro converted a four-point play to tie the game again. Herro’s four-point play ignited an 11-2 run that was capped by Gabe Vincent’s triple with 4:41 remaining in the fourth.
Mitchell made one of two free throws to give Cleveland its last lead, 93-92, with 2:58 remaining. But Adebayo converted a 7-foot jumper 20 seconds later to give the Heat the lead for good.
Garland hit a 3-pointer off an inbounds pass on the right wing to cut Miami’s lead to 99-97 with 8.7 seconds remaining. Butler made one of two free throws, giving Cleveland the chance to tie.
–Field Level Media
Tyler Herro recorded 24 points, 10 rebounds and nine assists and the host Miami Heat punched their ticket to the playoffs with a convincing 112-91 victory over the Chicago Bulls…
In 1985, the only thing standing between Denver and the NBA Finals were the Los Angeles Lakers. Same thing in 2009 and 2020, and each time Los Angeles ended the…
Former Auburn guard K.D. Johnson announced Friday on his Instagram page that he will transfer to George Mason. Johnson is looking for more opportunity and playing time after his scoring…
Nikola Jokic, Nuggets face Lakers as quest for repeat begins
Ex-Auburn guard K.D. Johnson transfers to George Mason
Knicks set to test mettle vs. Joel Embiid, 76ers in Game 1
Timberwolves not sweating recent woes against Suns