HERE COME THE SUNS
with an 0-for-4 first half on 3-pointers, Booker was up to 21 points at the intermission, shooting 8 of 10 over the opening two periods inside the arc.
Booker entered averaging 28 points in the Suns’ 4-0 start inside the Disney bubble.
The No. 13 pick in the 2015 draft out of Kentucky has now scored 30 or more 89 times with the Suns, one game shy of Walter Davis’ franchise record.
Booker closed 0 for 7 on 3-pointers.
“That’s definitely something I can take from his game,” Herro said, “if my shot’s not falling, being able to impact the game in other ways.”
2. Herro ball: Herro also was aggressive with his play on a night his 3-point stroke was not a factor, just 1 of 4 from beyond the arc.
With the Heat short on ballhandlers, Herro was more definitive this time with his playmaking, after committing five turnovers in Thursday’s loss to the Milwaukee Bucks.
“Basically he was playing point guard for us, and I thought he did a solid job,” coach Erik Spoelstra said. “He’ll continue to get better.”
3. Filling it up: Needed to fill out the box score amid the Heat’s absences, Adebayo did just that.
Adebayo earlier in the day was named one of three finalists for 2020 NBA Most Improved Player.
“Of all the things on my list, getting Bam to play winning basketball is not high, because he does that every night,” Spoelstra said. “He’s going to find a way to make an impact.”
4. New opening: With Butler, Nunn and Dragic out, the Heat not only rolled out their 13th lineup of the season, but it was a quintet that had not played a minute together this season until the opening tip.
It was Herro’s seventh start of the season and Derrick Jones’ 16th. Those two were joined in the first five by Adebayo, Crowder and Robinson.
Herro started in place of Nunn, with Jones taking the starting spot that Kelly Olynyk had held in Butler’s previous two absences.
The realignment allowed Spoelstra to open with Jones defensively again Booker. Jones started his NBA career with the Suns, with the Heat signing him off Phoenix’s G League roster on New Year’s Eve 2017.
5. Not so casual: Spoelstra said he did not pack a tie, with coaching casual the wardrobe at Disney, but Butler came up with one. Butler watched from the bench in a black polo with a blue tie.