Heat make 21 3s and route Grizzlies
MEMPHIS, Tenn. – Jimmy Butler scored 27 points, Tyler Herro added 22 and the Miami Heat used a strong shooting performance to rout the Memphis Grizzlies 129-103 on Saturday night.
Duncan Robinson and Kyle Lowry scored 15 points each, Lowry added eight assists as the Heat made 21 3-pointers, one short of the franchise record set last May at Milwaukee.
Ja Morant and De’Anthony Melton led the Grizzlies with 20 points each, Desmond Bane finished with 17 points and Kyle Anderson scored 13.
Through three quarters, the Heat kept shooting and kept making. The 56% shooting at that point, included 18 of 28 from 3-point range and a lead that had swelled to 26 points. That was enough for Miami’s fifth win of the first six games.
Miami missed only one of its first eight shots in the game and converted 71% for the first quarter, building an early double-digit lead. Lowry and Markieff Morris connected on a pair of 3-pointers each in the frame.
The Miami lead would stretch to 19 in the second quarter as the Heat continued their accurate shooting. By the time the teams reached halftime, the Heat were still shooting just less than 60% and had connected on 11 of 15 from outside the arc.
The Heat led 67-54 at halftime behind 23 points from Butler, who missed only one of his seven shots and made all 10 of his free throws.
TIP-INS
Heat: C Bam Adebayo missed the game with a left knee bruise. He was listed as questionable until an hour before the game. In his pregame availability, Heat coach Erik Spoelstra expected Adebayo to play . ... Dewayne Dedmon started in Adebayo’s place . ... Miami connected on its first five 3-pointers of the game.
Grizzlies: G/F Dillon Brooks, who has not played this season recovering from a fractured left hand is “trending real well,” according to coach Taylor Jenkins. “He’s going to have a follow up in the next week, but hopefully when we get that follow up, he’s going to be ramping up even more.” ... Memphis coach Taylor Jenkins successfully challenged a play in the second quarter and a foul against C Steven Adams was overturned . ... It was Memphis’ first wire-towire loss since April 11, 2021 against Indiana.
UP NEXT:
Heat: Travel to Dallas on Tuesday to face the Mavericks.
Grizzlies: Play the first of two consecutive home games against the Denver Nuggets on Monday.