Miami raises defensive pressure in road victory over Indiana
Duncan Robinson and Jimmy Butler provided the scoring punch for Miami on Wednesday night.
It was their defense that changed the game.
Together, the undrafted guard and the AllStar forward combined for the first six points in a decisive fourth quarter run and then helped visiting Miami hold Indiana to five points over the final seven minutes for a 9287 win.
“It’s not like an overnight improvement. You’re literally talking about hundreds of days of development,” Miami head coach Erik Spoelstra said, referring to Robinson’s defense.
Spoelstra had no quibbles with Robinson’s offensive effort, either. He finished with 20 points, eight rebounds and four assists, making six 3pointers.
Butler had 18 points as Miami avoided a threegame sweep in the season series with the Pacers.
The Pacers have lost seven of their past eight at home. This one came like so many others recently — a bad fourth quarter.
“I’d say it has more to do with the defense than the offense,” Doug McDermott said. “I wouldn’t say we relax but when you’re playing a great team like the Miami Heat, you know they’re not going to stop. And they got hot.”
Bucks 112, Lakers 97: Jrue Holiday scored a game-high 28 points Milwaukee’s win in Los Angeles. LeBron James and Anthony Davis sat out with injuries.
Spurs 120, Kings 106: DeMar DeRozan scored 26 points to help host San Antonio snap Sacramento’s fivegame winning streak. De’Aaron Fox scored 20 points and Tyrese Haliburton added 16 to lead the Kings, who had not lost since March 20.
Nets 120, Rockets 108: Kyrie Irving had 31 points and a season-high 12 assists, and host Brooklyn overcame the loss of James Harden to beat Houston and move into first place in the Eastern Conference. Harden sat out the fourth quarter against his former team with right hamstring tightness, finishing with 17 points, eight rebounds and six assists.
Mavericks 113, Celtics 108: Luka Doncic had 36 points and eight rebounds and Dallas held off host Boston. Jalen Brunson added 21 points.
Timberwolves 102, Knicks 101: Anthony Edwards scored 11 of his 24 points over the final eight minutes, leading a rally by Minnesota for a home win over former head coach Tom Thibodeau and New York. KarlAnthony Towns had 18 points and 17 rebounds.
Trail Blazers 124, Pistons 101: Damian Lillard had 33 points and nine assists and Portland cruised to a win in Detroit. CJ McCollum added 24 points in the Blazers’ fourth straight victory.
Thunder 113, Raptors 103: Svi Mykhailiuk scored 10 of his season-high 22
points in the fourth quarter as host Oklahoma City rallied to dispatch Toronto.
Jazz 111, Grizzlies 107: Mike Conley scored 13 of his 26 points in the fourth quarter to spur visiting Utah past Memphis for its seventh straight victory. Bojan Bogdanovic added 23 points for the Jazz, who defeated Memphis for the third time in a week.
Suns 121, Bulls 116: Devin Booker scored a season-high 45 points, Chris Paul added 19 points and 14 assists, and Phoenix beat Chicago in the desert. The Suns sit in second place in the Western Conference, four games
behind Utah.
Oladipo update: Spoelstra said that Victor Oladipo is expected to make his debut with the team Thursday night against the Warriors at AmericanAirlines Arena. Even with the Heat on the road since acquiring Oladipo from the Rockets at last Thursday’s trade deadline for Kelly Olynyk and Avery Bradley, Spoelstra said there has been constant contact. Oladipo has been listed as out because of a head cold, but Spoelstra said the 28-year-old guard has been working at AmericanAirlines Arena with assistant coach Caron Butler.