Even if the Heat won 117-112 tonight against the Hornets, he will go home with more doubt than satisfaction. Blame it on a more than average performance, and above all a big black hole at the start of the 4th quarter. For three quarters, Miami dominated the B team of the Hornets, still deprived of LaMelo Ball, but also of Gordon Hayward, to the point of attacking the last quarter with a 12-point lead (85-73).
And then nothing … With Dennis Smith Jr in charge, and PJ Washington and Jaden McDaniels finishing, the Hornets sign a 12-0 to equalize. In four minutes, Charlotte was back behind, and Erik Spoelstra had no choice but to call Jimmy Butler back. But the momentum is clearly on the Hornets side who are up to five points ahead thanks to Kelly Oubre Jr. (98-93). With four minutes left to play, Butler decides to put on Dwyane Wade’s costume. He takes the game on his own, and he scores eight points in a row!
A march that leaves a stain
Under his leadership, Miami is back in front (104-102) and the public is standing. But Dennis Smith Jr. equalized, then Butler lost a ball on a rather severe offensive foul on his bodyguard Terry Rozier. The match point is precisely for Rozier. He has Caleb Martin on his back, but he manages to find himself a decent 3-point shot. He taps the bottom of the circle. Extension.
Again, the Hornets will take control, and again, Jimmy Butler will take care of everything to equalize (109-109). The following ? Three suffocating minutes, and a match that is played on a whistle: a walk by Kelly Oubre Jr. on a throw-in. The walk is there, even if in the NBA, we never whistle it. Behind Terry Rozier swings a very ugly 3-pointer that was not needed. In the end, it was Gabe Vincent, on throws, who allowed the Heat to win 117-112. But it was ugly…
WHAT YOU MUST REMEMBER
— The Heat play eight. No Tyler Herry, nor always Victor Oladipo, and Erik Spoelstra limits his rotation to eight players. He is obliged to make the most of his incumbents, and it is obviously not normal for Kyle Lowry to play 39 minutes or Jimmy Butler 42. Especially against the modest Hornets, last in the Eastern Conference.
— With Miami, you don’t get bored. Out of twelve matches, the Heat have finished 10 with a difference of less than or equal to 10 points. All the meetings are tight, and that makes Bam Adebayo smile: “ We don’t do it on purpose, but it makes the matches interesting“. Last night, the Heat played their first overtime, and Jimmy Butler’s experience was invaluable.
TOPS/FLOPS
✅ Jimmy Butler. A very great game from the All-Star guard, both complete and “clutch”. We will obviously remember this end of the 4th quarter to shake up his teammates and snatch the extension. We really felt like seeing Dwyane Wade again with this game in isolation and this ability to push his defender to take the shot he wants.
✅ ⛔ Bam Adebayo. A nice double-double, and a very good passage in the 2nd quarter when he played “à la Draymond Green” to lead the attack. But also a lot of waste, especially in the 4th quarter with ready-made baskets that he must never miss.
✅ ⛔ Kelly Oubre Jr. Everything was almost perfect until walking 13 seconds from the end. From the 3-point address, the defense and the leadership qualities that are affirmed over the matches. And then he ruins everything with this walk…
⛔ terry rozier. Physically eaten by Jimmy Butler at the end of the 4th quarter, he swung way too much: 8 out of 25 on shots including 3 out of 10 from 3-point. His last 3-point shot, awful, on the edge, was not necessary. The Hornets had time to try to equalize and this prayer in the corner was the worst call to make.
THE FOLLOWING
Miami (5-7) and Charlotte (3-10) : the teams meet again on Saturday. Same room.
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