Heat win 112-97 in Butler’s debut
Butler returns, Herro sizzles as Heat rout Hawks, who lose Young
MIAMI — The first two ovations of the night belonged to Jimmy Butler, as the final player introduced, then after scoring the Miami Heat’s first basket.
From there, his teammates earned their own applause, Tyler Herro, Goran Dragic, Kendrick Nunn and Bam Adebayo all with their moments in a 112-97 victory Tuesday night over the Atlanta Hawks at AmericanAirlines Arena.
For the Heat, it was a night of net gain, with Butler back after missing the season’s first three games on paternity leave. For the Hawks, a night of net loss, with emerging guard Trae Young sidelined for the night in the second quarter with a sprained right ankle, leaving his status in doubt for Thursday’s nationally televised rematch in Atlanta.
Now 3-1, the Heat picked up where they left off, as Butler rejoined the mix, closing with 21 points and five rebounds, supported by 29 points from Herro, 21 from Dragic, 17 from Nunn and 17 points and 10 rebounds from Adebayo, who closed 9 of 10 from the line.
Herro, who shot 7 of 9 from the field and 12 of 16 from the line, broke the Heat record for points off the bench by a rookie, which previously was 28 by Michael Beasley against the Suns on March 4, 2009.
Forward John Collins led the Hawks with 30 points, shooting 5 of 6 on 3-pointers.
Catching the Hawks on the second night of a back-to-back after a Monday loss in Atlanta to the Philadelphia 76ers, the Heat pushed to a double-digit lead in the second period and never looked back, the challenge eased once the need for double-teams against Young was alleviated.
Five degrees of Heat from Tuesday’s game:
1. Butler back: With Butler back, Herro played in reserve for the first time during the regular season. Adebayo, Justise Winslow, Nunn and Meyers Leonard remained in the starting lineup.
“It felt great,” Butler said of his debut.
Butler closed with 12 points in his initial nineminute stint, his only points of the first half.
“He makes the game easier for everybody,” Leonard said.
2. Sixth Sense: Apparently there will be an internal Heat primary before the team declares its candidate for the NBA’s Sixth Man Award.
Dragic again entered first off the Heat bench, converting three first-period 3-pointers.
Dragic’s boost was so essential that coach Erik Spoelstra allowed him to play through a pair of firstperiod fouls.
But Herro then followed off the bench with 19 second-quarter points, helping the Heat to their first double-digit lead of the game.
The 19 tied for the most by a Heat rookie in quarter since Caron Butler did it in 2003.
Herro, drafted at No. 13 in June, attempted 10 firsthalf free throws, more than he had attempted in any game during his lone season at Kentucky.
3. Nunn vs. Young: The first official NBA battle between Nunn and Young fizzled when Young hobbled to the locker room with 9:37 left in the second period.
Young finished with five points, including a 30-foot 3-pointer, drawing Heat double-teams on each of his touches.
In 2017-18, Young and Nunn two finished 1-2 in NCAA Division I scoring, Young at 30.7 at Oklahoma,
Nunn at 27.4 University.
“Yeah, I was definitely aware of it,” Nunn said. “Yeah, it’s in the back of your head a little bit. But when you go out there on the floor, it kind of goes away and kind of just want to play to win.”
Nunn said the two players have been aware of each other but never communicated during that scoring race.
Nunn opened 0 for 4 and then made six of his next seven shots. at
Oakland 4. More Silva: Two-way player Chris Silva again was featured as a rotation player, this time after two early fouls on Adebayo and with Derrick Jones Jr. sidelined by a groin strain.
Tuesday started Silva’s 45-day clock on allowable days in the NBA this season on his two-way contract.
“We just need to wait, see how this stabilizes,” Spoelstra said of retaining Silva. “I’ll be fully aware of the days. But we want to make sure that we’re protected right now. And I want to get a feel for it with Jimmy in the mix.”
5. Local angle: Cardinal Newman product Collins was electric early for the Hawks, including four first-quarter 3-pointers, which matched his previous career game high.
The 2017 first-round pick out of Wake Forest, entered having converted just two free 3-pointers in the Hawks’ first three games.
It was Collins’ seven 30-point game. career