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Basketball News

In two stages, Phoenix wins the duel at the top in Miami

Devin Booker back after a four-game absence linked to the Covid protocol, the Suns travel to Miami for a tantalizing duel between the two best records in the league, leaders of the two conferences.

Although deprived of the ailing Jimmy Butler, the Heat delivered the best start and scored their first four award-winning shots (including three from Duncan Robinson) to lead by 10 points (20-10) after just 4 minutes. After a quick time-out, the Suns react and gradually wake up: by a 13-0 inflicted on the Heat, they even go ahead in the score and lead by two points at the end of the first quarter (29-27), despite a 2/9 behind the arc.

At the start of the second quarter, it’s the battle of the benches. As he is used to at this point in the match, Tyler Herro scores aplenty (14 points at halftime), while the returning Victor Oladipo is invaluable on short sequences. After six minutes, the Heat are in control again (40-35). But the scenario of the first quarter repeats itself and the Suns return to the charge, under the impetus of its leaders Cameron Payne and Aaron Holiday, and Deandre Ayton (15 points at halftime). At the end of a high level first half, it was Phoenix who still held a narrow lead (59-57), despite a rather discreet Devin Booker (8 points).

At the start of the second half, the momentum switches very quickly in favor of the Suns, who start the third quarter with a 12-3 to bring the gap to +11 (69-58). After the Heat’s time-out, the minutes go by… without any noticeable reaction from the locals, who end the quarter with only 19 points scored, 7/24 on shots. Miami completely loses the thread in attack, unlike the Suns, sharper than ever (34 points in the third quarter, at 14/27), like a Devin Booker who rises in temperature (17 points, 5 rebounds, 8 assists).

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The Suns are at +17 (91-74) after 36 minutes, but the ordeal continues for the Heat in the final act: Tyler’s teammates only score… 2 points in 6 minutes, and the gap becomes embarrassing (+24).

The mass is said, the rest of the game falls under “garbage time”. After an excellent first half, Miami completely sank in the second period, proving unable to score: the Heat only scored 25 points (at 13/44!) during the second half and were corrected on their flooring (111-90).

WHAT YOU MUST REMEMBER

– The Suns send a message. Beaten by the same Heat in Arizona earlier in the season, the Suns had come to Miami with the firm intention of taking revenge. Mission accomplished with flying colors for the men of Monty Williams, who leave Florida with a +21 in their pockets, on the floor of the best team in the East, the second best record in the league. The victory is authoritative, and the message is clear: Chris Paul or not, the best team in the NBA is in Phoenix.

TOPS/FLOPS

Devin Booker. Successful return for the back. Discreet in the first half, he raised his voice after the break and finished close to the triple-double: 23 points (7/12), 8 rebounds and 9 assists. Valuable on the “pick-and-roll”, especially in the absence of Chris Paul, he alternated between outside shots, play with his back to the basket at mid-distance, and caviar for his teammates. Opposed to Tyler Herro for much of the game, “Book” easily won this game in the game, between former Kentucky backs.

Mikal Bridges. The Suns “glue guy” has struck again, with a complete and effective match! The winger compiles 21 points (9/13), 9 rebounds and 3 assists, not to mention an impeccable exterior defense, as usual.

Suns pivots. 19 points and 10 rebounds at 9/10 for Deandre Ayton, 11 points and 15 rebounds at 5/13 for his understudy JaVale McGee. The two Phoenix pivots took turns in their Miami racquet wrecking business brilliantly. The Heat favored the “switch” in defense, which took Bam Adebayo away from the racket and opened up access to defensive rebounds. On offense, both players enjoyed pick-and-roll, thanks to excellent serves from Cameron Payne and Devin Booker.

Duncan Robinson. On fire from the first seconds of the match since he scored three of the Heat’s first four shots, all of which were awarded, the winger posed a problem for the Suns with his movements without the ball (22 points, 6/11 from behind the arc). In the second half, the Heat’s attacking breakdown (and excellent Suns defense) cut him off the ball completely, and he didn’t weigh as much.

⛔️ The Heat’s second half. The last 24 minutes of the match were nightmarish for the Heat, which broke down in address and more generally inspiration in attack (25 points scored, 13/44). A huge failure after the break which spoils a successful first half. But the Suns locked access to their circle in the second half, and the Heat suddenly lost their way. A disappointing crack for a team of this caliber.

PHOENIX VALIDATES ITS PLACE IN PLAYOFFS

With this victory, the 53rd of their season, the Suns are guaranteed to play in the playoffs. The finalists thus have enough of a lead over Wolves, 7th in the West (38-29) to avoid the “play-in”.

THE FOLLOWING

Miami (44-23): Friday, reception of the Cavaliers

Phoenix (53-13): Friday also, for the reception of the Raptors

Heat / 90 Shots Bounces
Players Minimum Shots 3 points LF O D T pd party Int bp CT +/- Points Rating
P.J. Tucker 25 4/10 0/2 1/2 4 2 6 1 2 3 0 0 -19 9 12
B.Adebayo 30 7/11 0/0 3/3 0 6 6 5 1 1 4 1 -6 17 22
K.Lowry 32 1/3 1/2 2/2 0 5 5 10 3 0 3 0 -6 5 15
G.Vincent 30 2/10 1/5 0/0 0 1 1 2 2 2 3 0 -15 5 -1
D.Robinson 31 7/15 6/11 2/3 0 3 3 2 1 0 1 0 -18 22 17
H.Highsmith 5 0/0 0/0 0/0 1 1 2 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 2
C. Martin 10 1/5 0/0 0/0 0 3 3 0 0 1 0 2 +1 2 4
D.Dedmon 14 1/5 0/1 0/0 1 3 4 0 0 0 0 2 -20 2 4
O.Yurtseven 4 3/3 0/0 1/2 0 3 3 1 0 0 1 0 +5 7 9
T. Herro 31 7/20 2/9 1/1 0 2 2 1 0 1 1 0 -26 17 7
V. Oladipo 17 2/5 0/2 0/0 0 2 2 3 0 0 0 0 -3 4 6
Mr Strus 12 0/1 0/1 0/0 0 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 +2 0 1
Total 35/88 10/33 10/13 6 32 38 27 9 8 14 5 90
Suns / 111 Shots Bounces
Players Minimum Shots 3 points LF O D T pd party Int bp CT +/- Points Rating
J.Crowder 31 5/16 1/7 0/0 2 3 5 0 4 1 4 1 +1 11 3
Mr Bridges 35 9/13 0/3 3/3 1 8 9 3 2 0 0 1 +24 21 30
D.Ayton 30 9/10 0/0 1/1 2 8 10 1 2 0 0 0 +17 19 29
C. Payne 31 4/13 3/8 0/0 0 4 4 10 5 1 4 1 +13 11 14
D.Booker 33 7/12 4/7 5/5 1 7 8 9 3 2 2 2 +31 23 37
I. Wainright 3 0/1 0/1 0/0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 -4 0 0
T.Craig 16 0/3 0/2 0/0 0 1 1 1 0 1 0 0 -2 0 0
J. McGee 16 5/13 0/0 1/1 7 8 15 0 0 1 2 0 +8 11 17
B.Biyombo 3 1/1 0/0 0/0 0 1 1 0 1 0 0 0 -4 2 3
E. Payton 3 0/1 0/0 0/0 0 0 0 1 0 1 1 0 -4 0 0
A.Holiday 15 2/7 1/3 0/0 0 1 1 1 1 0 0 0 +5 5 2
L.Shamet 26 3/9 2/6 0/0 1 0 1 1 0 0 1 0 +20 8 3
Total 45/99 11/37 10/10 14 41 55 27 18 8 14 5 111

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