Shorthanded Heat have no problem in blowout
It is among the questions the Miami Heat had hoped not to have to answer: What would happen with Jimmy Butler, Bam Adebayo and Tyler Herro sidelined?
Monday night provided the answer at AmericanAirlines Arena: Survive and move on.
In jeopardy early of losing to the team with the league’s second-worst record four nights after falling to the league-worst Minnesota Timberwolves on Friday, the Heat restored order in the third quarter and rolled to a 113-91 victory over the Houston Rockets.
“Guys out, got to step up and get the job done,” said guard Kendrick Nunn, who led the Heat with a season-high 30 points. “We’ve still got guys available, so we’re good enough to win.”
With greater challenges ahead, including Wednesday in San Antonio and Friday in Atlanta, the Heat took a cautious approach by holding out Butler, Adebayo and Herro with injuries that coach Erik Spoelstra says has each day-to-day.
So with Butler resting his sprained right ankle, Adebayo a sore right knee and Herro a sore right foot, the Heat turned to the best of their rest and made it consecutive victories after a three-game losing streak.
This time it hardly was as dramatic as Adebayo’s buzzer-beating game-winning jumper Sunday against the visiting Brooklyn Nets.
Instead, a 22-5 third-quarter run got the Heat out of a deficit and helped push them to an 89-74 lead entering the fourth quarter.
“That just shows you just how quickly things can change, or at least the tenor,” Spoelstra said.
Nunn rounded out his effort with eight assists and seven rebounds, with Duncan Robinson adding a 19-point effort built on five 3-pointers. There also were 19 points from Goran Dragic and 16 from Andre Iguodala.
Five Degrees of Heat from Monday’s game:
1. Robinson’s roll: With his third 3-pointer, early in the third period, Robinson reached 200 for the second consecutive season, becoming the first player in the franchise’s 33 seasons to reach the total twice. He had a franchise-record 270 last season.
Making the record even more impressed is each of these past seasons has been shortened by the pandemic.
The only other Heat players with 200 3-pointers in a season were Wayne Ellington (227), Damon Jones (225) and Tim Hardaway (203).
“It’s super humbling to be in any record book,” Robinson said.
Robinson’s fourth 3-pointer, late in the third period, tied Dwyane Wade for sixth on the Heat’s all-time list, with his fifth pushing him past Wade.
“I’ve known I’m capable,” Robinson said, “it’s just a matter of opportunity.”
The Heat closed 19 of 48 on 3-pointers, tying their high for conversions in a game. 2. Nunn sense: Nunn appreciated it was a night he would be needed to step up and his team was appreciative he did.
“My job tonight was just to get us going, offensively and defensively, just get the momentum going, bring some energy, and know guys will follow,” Nunn said.
It was the rare night when he stood as a clear focus.
“I believe everybody has to come ready and with sharp focus,” he said. “I always want to contribute as much as I can, no matter who’s playing.”
Nunn closed 12 of 20 from the field and 6 of 12 on 3-pointers, trying his career high for threes.
“He was in a great rhythm and flow,” Spoelstra said.
Or, as Robinson said, “Kendrick was awesome tonight, so aggressive.”
3. Power play: Precious Achiuwa and Dewayne Dedmon provided what was required in the power rotation against the Rockets, consistent aggression on the boards and defensively.
While it remains unlikely that both play when Adebayo is available, it at least provides the Heat with the option of interior bulk (Dedmon) or athleticism (Achiuwa).
Achiuwa closed with eight points and 11 rebounds.
“He got us off to a quick start,” Iguodala said of Achiuwa’s early energy. “He’s got to keep sticking with it, keep watching Dewayne Dedmon.”
Dedmon added 12 points and six rebounds. “Gave us some really good minutes again,” Spoelstra said of Dedmon.
4. For the ages: Both listed as questionable earlier in the day with nagging ailments, with the Heat likely to have preferred not to push them through the back-to-back, Iguodala and Dragic provided needed veteran stability.
Iguodala, 37, took care of matters with the starting unit, with Dragic, 34, then handling things with the reserves.
“The calm is very important,” Iguodala said of what he and Dragic were able to provide. “You can feel it when the game gets erratic.”
Spoelstra said the balance provide by the veterans was essential.
“We have a lot of veteran experience still out there,” he said. “Goran really looked alive.”
5. Warm/cold embrace: Kelly Olynyk spent time at midcourt sharing embraces with several former Heat teammates pregame and then was loudly introduced as the final Rockets starter on his 30th birthday.
But after scoring at least 23 in each of his previous three games, he was limited to 10 this time on 3-of-8 shooting. He added eight rebounds.
Former Heat guard Avery Bradley, who also was sent to Houston in the March trade for the sidelined Victor Oladipo, finished scoreless in his 22 minutes, with five assists.
“He was a great mentor to me in my time in Miami,” Robinson said of Olynyk. “His friendship means a lot to me, Avery as well.”