Dragic hits winner for Heat at home
MIAMI 113, INDIANA 112
Erik Spoelstra warned his team that matchups between Indiana and Miami tend to get decided by a loose ball somewhere. Sure enough, he was right. Goran Dragic scored in the lane with 6.8 seconds left to cap a wild finish, and the Heat improved the NBA’s best home record to 14-1 by beating the Pacers 113-112 on Friday.
Dragic’s shot was the third by Miami on the go-ahead possession, after Jimmy Butler and Kendrick Nunn missed but the Heat were able to grab offensive rebounds to keep hope alive. Those were Miami’s final two boards on a night when the Heat outrebounded the Pacers 56-34.
“Those last two rebounds, those plays speak for themselves,” Dragic said. “We’re never going to give up.”
Butler had 20 points and Duncan Robinson 18, all on three-pointers to reach 101 for the season in 31 games, four games faster than anyone else in Heat history.
Aaron Holiday had a chance to win it for Indiana, but his 10-footer — well defended by Derrick Jones Jr. — with about a second left bounced away. The lead changed hands five times in the final 2:21.
“We’ll take that shot any day,“teammate Doug McDermott said. “Aaron, we have a lot of faith in him, he’s a great scorer, and that’s why we want the ball in his hands.”
at Orlando 98, Philadelphia 97: Evan Fournier scored 20 points, and the Magic survived a collapse from the free-throw line at the end.
Oklahoma City 104, Charlotte 102 (OT): Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 27 points, and Chris Paul had 10 of his 16 in the fourth quarter and overtime as the Thunder won their fifth in six games.
at Boston 129, Cleveland 117: Jaylen Brown matched his career high with 34 points, and the Celtics cruised to their fifth straight win.
at Golden State 105, Phoenix 96: D’Angelo Russell had 31 points and the Warriors rallied from 10 down in the fourth quarter for their fourth straight victory. Devin Booker scored 34 points for the Suns, who have lost eight straight.
Milwaukee 112, at Atlanta 86: Khris Middleton scored 23 points, and the Bucks overcame Giannis Antetokunmpo’s absence with a sore back to hand the Hawks their ninth loss in a row. Atlanta’s Trae Young left with a right ankle sprain.