Tag: Miami Heat

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NBA (Basketball)

Pacers brace for challenging zone defense in Miami

Indiana Pacers and Dallas Mavericks (NBA)

Indiana Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle expects to face a lot of zone defense when his team visits Miami to play the Heat on Thursday night.

Carlisle said the Pacers were “abysmal” in the final quarter-and-a-half against Milwaukee’s zone defense in their 120-112 loss on Tuesday. The Pacers had a 19-point lead in the third quarter before falling apart, which gave the Heat a good idea of how to beat Indiana.

“Games aren’t 30 minutes long,” Carlisle said. “The last 18 (minutes) were abysmal. We all own it. We lost our aggression, we lost everything that got us a pretty significant lead, and gave them a great opportunity, not only to get back in the game, but to win the game. We’re going to have to learn some hard lessons from this and get ready to bounce back.

“Miami plays more zone than anybody in the league, so I’m sure that will get their attention as well.”

Bennedict Mathurin led Indiana with 25 points, while Pascal Siakam added 20.

The Pacers struggled to get stops as the game went on, which allowed the Bucks to set up their defense. After making 11 of 27 three-pointers in the first three quarters, Indiana shot just 2 of 10 in the fourth.

“We settled for outside shots,” Carlisle said. “We didn’t attack it (Milwaukee’s zone) well, obviously. We weren’t defending well, either. Poor defense allows teams to score and get into zones, so it was the double-whammy.”

Indiana and Miami split their two games in Indianapolis earlier this season, both in November.

Miami Heat and Orlando Magic

Miami’s defense was solid, and their offense ran smoothly in a 119-108 victory over the New Orleans Pelicans on Wednesday, starting a three-game homestand for the Heat.

Jimmy Butler, who had been part of trade rumors recently, returned after missing five games due to a stomach illness. He played 24 minutes in his usual starting role and scored nine points.

Tyler Herro led the Heat with 32 points.

“He is continuing to gain confidence offensively,” said Heat coach Erik Spoelstra. “He has (the) responsibility to make a lot of plays for us offensively. He does it in a lot of different ways. Sometimes he’s facilitating and playing off the ball, letting other guys create. Then the ball will find him. But one way or another, we want him to put his imprint on things offensively.”

Bam Adebayo nearly had his second triple-double of the season, finishing with 23 points, 10 assists, and 9 rebounds.

The Heat had excellent ball movement, recording 34 assists on 44 made shots, with Adebayo leading the way.

“You certainly want to build some kind of offensive continuity where everybody feels like they’re involved, everybody feels like they’re who they want to be and they feel like they can impact the game offensively,” Spoelstra said.

“You have to share the ball and do little things — screen assists, sometimes it’s the pass that actually doesn’t count as an assist. Then of course the ball has to go in.

“That makes a lot of things look better.”

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NBA (Basketball)

Heat ride balanced scoring to hand Pelicans 11th straight loss

Miami Heat and New Orleans Pelicans

Tyler Herro scored 32 points to lead five Miami players in double figures, and the Heat defeated the New Orleans Pelicans 119-108 on Wednesday night.

Bam Adebayo added 23 points and 10 assists, Duncan Robinson contributed 17 points, Jaime Jaquez Jr. scored 12, and Kel’el Ware had 10 points for Miami. Jimmy Butler, returning after missing five games due to a flu-like illness, finished with nine points in 25 minutes.

Terry Rozier was suspended for one game due to his involvement in a skirmish during a 104-100 win against Houston on Sunday.

Trey Murphy III led the Pelicans with 34 points, just one shy of his season high. CJ McCollum added 22 points, Brandon Boston scored 14, and Dejounte Murray chipped in 12 points for New Orleans, who lost their 11th straight game and their 20th in the last 21 games.

New Orleans Pelicans guard Dejounte Murray dribbles against the Houston Rockets during the second half of an NBA preseason basketball game

Miami scored the first five points of the second half to take a 61-51 lead. McCollum then hit three straight field goals for the Pelicans to close the gap to three points.

Robinson responded with seven straight points to push the Heat’s lead to 80-70. The Pelicans managed four more points, but Miami finished the third quarter with a 10-2 run, leading 90-76.

The Pelicans pulled within 111-104 after a 3-pointer by McCollum with 2:47 left, but that was as close as they got.

Miami started strong, scoring the first seven points of the game and jumping to a 20-5 lead. Adebayo scored five points, and Herro added four. New Orleans cut the lead to six, but Ware helped Miami extend the lead to 30-19 with five straight points.

Nikola Jovic hit a 3-pointer at the buzzer, giving the Heat a 36-24 lead at the end of the first quarter.

Miami stretched the lead to 17 points before Murphy scored 13 points to help the Pelicans get within one point, 50-49. Butler and Herro each hit a 3-pointer, and the Heat took a 56-51 lead at halftime.

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NBA (Basketball)

Heat face challenges off the court before matchup with struggling Pelicans

Toronto Raptors and Miami Heat

The Miami Heat are hoping to have All-Star Jimmy Butler back on the court when they play the struggling New Orleans Pelicans on Wednesday night.

However, it’s unclear how long Butler will be available.

Butler has missed the last five games due to a flu-like illness. During this time, there have been reports that Butler wants a trade as part of ongoing contract talks. He was not very clear about his feelings when he spoke after returning to practice on Tuesday.

“Right now, I’m here and I’m going to make the most of it,” Butler said. “I am going to compete and I’m going to win. It’s a lot of talk, a lot of noise, which I’m cool with. It doesn’t bother me at all. I love that. I thrive with it. It keeps you all wondering, the world wondering. It’s good to be talked about. Even better to be wanted.”

Butler’s situation is not the only possible distraction. The Heat’s last game, a 104-100 win against Houston on Sunday, ended with a late-game altercation.

“It’s a shame that that’ll be the discussion of this game because really it was more about the competitive character and that toughness that our guys brought,” coach Erik Spoelstra said.

Tyler Herro made a clutch jumper to give Miami a one-point lead with 1:56 left, and Nikola Jovic extended the lead with a 3-pointer 47.4 seconds later.

Jimmy Butler and Scottie Barnes in the 2nd half

In the closing moments, Herro had words with Rockets forward Amen Thompson, who grabbed Herro’s jersey and threw him down. Players and coaches from both teams rushed in, causing a brief scuffle.

Herro and teammate Terry Rozier were ejected, along with four Rockets players. On Tuesday, the NBA announced Rozier would serve a one-game suspension against New Orleans, and Herro was fined $25,000.

The Pelicans had a chance to win their most recent game but lost their 10th straight, 116-113, against the Los Angeles Clippers on Monday.

New Orleans had a 14-point lead at one point and kept battling in the fourth quarter. But James Harden hit two free throws with 17.9 seconds left to break a tie, and rookie Yves Missi missed a free throw with 4.3 seconds left, preventing a chance to tie the game.

“We have to be more consistent,” guard Dejounte Murray said. “It is tough, but we are trying to figure it out. I can say nobody in that locker room is showing up with the mindset of ‘We are going to lose, do not want to be here or do not want to play.’”

CJ McCollum led New Orleans with 33 points, including a season-high eight 3-pointers, and the Pelicans made a season-high 18 three-pointers. McCollum said it takes time for him and Murray, who was acquired in an offseason trade with Atlanta, to build chemistry, as they’ve only played 15 games together because of injuries.

“I am finally at a spot where I feel like myself,” McCollum said. “Obviously when losing games, you want to help any way you can, but you feel like you are coming up short. … We are heading in a good direction. It’s just unfortunate that we dug such a horrible hole.”

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NBA (Basketball)

Jimmy Butler intends to play Wednesday for the Heat, though his future is still uncertain

Jimmy Butler (NHL)

Jimmy Butler plans to play for the Miami Heat on Wednesday. After that, his future is uncertain.

The good news for the Heat is that Butler said he is healthy again after battling a serious illness for over a week. He will return to the lineup when Miami plays New Orleans on New Year’s Night.

However, there may be some uncertainty. When asked on Tuesday if he wants to stay in Miami, Butler was unsure, especially with ongoing trade rumors.

“It’s a good question. Who knows? I don’t,” Butler said. “But right now, I’m here. So, I’m going to make the most of it. I am going to compete, and I am going to win. And that’s all that I’ve got. It’s a lot of talk. And it is a lot of noise, which I’m cool with. It doesn’t bother me at all.

I love that. I thrive in that. But it keeps all y’all wondering. It does. It keeps the world wondering, to where you’ve got to keep coming back and asking me about something. I like it. It’s good to be talked about. Even better to be wanted, though. Remember that.”

Miami Heat and Phoenix Suns (NBA)

His return to practice is part of a larger story that has been ongoing for months. Butler could have signed an extension with Miami this past summer for up to $113 million over two years but chose not to. The situation gained more attention three weeks ago when ESPN reported that the Heat are open to trade offers for Butler.

Then, on Christmas, ESPN reported that Butler prefers to be traded before the February 6 deadline and has a list of preferred teams, including Golden State, Houston, Phoenix, and Dallas. Butler did not confirm the list on Tuesday.

“Does it matter? Does it? I don’t think so,” Butler said. “All of that is out of my control, anyway. Like I said, I’m here. I’m hooping.”

Butler has helped the Heat reach the NBA Finals twice during his six seasons with the team. This season, he is averaging 18.5 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 4.9 assists in 20 games. The Heat are 11-9 when he plays and 5-5 when he does not.

Heat President Pat Riley responded to the trade rumors last week, breaking from the team’s usual policy of not commenting on speculation. He made it clear that the team has no plans to trade Butler, even though Butler could leave as a free agent next summer. Butler has a $52 million player option for next season.

“We usually don’t comment on rumors, but all this speculation has become a distraction to the team and is not fair to the players and coaches,” Riley said in a statement. “Therefore, we will make it clear — we are not trading Jimmy Butler.”

Riley had said at the end of last season that he wanted the team’s best players, including Butler, to play more often.

Miami Heat and Dallas Mavericks (NBA)

Butler said on Tuesday that he has tried to play in as many games as possible, explaining that he attempted to play against Oklahoma City on December 20, despite injuring his ankle. He had to leave the game because of the illness that affected him for several days afterward.

“I was pretty messed up,” Butler said. “But I wanted to compete because I actually do want to play as many games as possible. I’m not even messing around. I came out and I felt sluggish, and I tweaked the ankle but that’s not what it was. I was damn near starving, getting ready to throw up and all that stuff.”

Butler has not requested a trade, and even he seems unsure about what will happen in the coming weeks or months.

“That’s up to Pat and them. They’re going to do what’s best for the organization, as they should,” Butler said. “As long as I’m happy, and right now I’m happy, I’m in a good space. I will tell you that. I’ve got my kids here, I’m healthy, I’m smiling. I promise you, I’m happy.”

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NBA (Basketball)

Amen Thompson suspended for 2 games, Terry Rozier for 1 game following Rockets-Heat altercation

The teams brawl in the game

The NBA has suspended Houston’s Amen Thompson for two games and Miami’s Terry Rozier for one game due to their involvement in a fight during the final moments of the Rockets-Heat game on Sunday night.

The league also issued $145,000 in fines from that game. Houston coach Ime Udoka was fined $50,000 for verbally abusing a referee and not leaving the court quickly enough. Rockets player Jalen Green was fined $35,000, while Miami’s Tyler Herro received a $25,000 fine for their roles in the altercation.

In addition, Houston’s Fred VanVleet was fined $35,000 for making contact with referee Marc Davis just before the fight started.

As a result of their suspensions, Rozier will lose approximately $143,242 in salary, and Thompson will lose about $127,586.

The game ended with a chaotic final minute, leading to seven ejections: VanVleet, Thompson, Rozier, Udoka, Houston assistant coach Ben Sullivan, Green, and Herro. VanVleet was ejected first for making contact with referee Davis after a 5-second violation was called on the Rockets.

Amen Thompson and Tyler Herro in the game

Soon after, things escalated. Thompson threw Herro to the ground after exchanging words with him. Rozier then joined in, and a lot of pushing, shoving, and shouting occurred between players from both teams.

Herro led all scorers with 27 points, adding nine assists and six rebounds. He later said he thought Thompson was frustrated by his performance.

“Guess that’s what happens when someone’s scoring, throwing dimes, doing the whole thing,” Herro said. “I’d get mad, too.”

Miami won the game 104-100 after finishing with a 19-5 run, coming back from a seven-point deficit with 7 minutes left. Houston had led by as many as 12 points in the third quarter.

“I think they lost control of their feelings when the game started to turn a little bit in our direction,” Herro said Tuesday. “And then obviously the ejection of VanVleet, you heard some words from their sideline towards the refs. They were definitely frustrated.”

Herro mentioned he got a bruise near his hip from the fall but expects to play in the game against the Pelicans on Wednesday.

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Heat look to showcase resilience in clash with Hawks

Miami Heat and Toronto Raptors

The Miami Heat and Hawks are both coming off wins as they meet for the first of four games this season on Saturday in Atlanta.

The Heat defeated the Orlando Magic 89-88 on Thursday, while the Hawks made a dramatic comeback to beat the Chicago Bulls 141-133 after scoring 50 points in the final quarter.

Both teams won on Thursday after facing big deficits. Miami was down 14-0 at the start of its game, and Atlanta trailed by 21 points late in the third quarter.

“That’s why you have to develop grit,” Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said. “You have to develop mental toughness, and it has to be collective toughness. Hopefully that’s a lesson, not only for the young guys but for the team in general that the ultimate deal is just find a way to win — and sometimes that gets lost.”

Atlanta’s Trae Young said, “That just shows the resilience we have on our team and how we’re not going to quit and continue to fight. This shows how good our team is when we play the right way.”

Last season, the Heat won three out of four meetings with the Hawks, sweeping both games in Atlanta.

Miami’s Tyler Herro has been a consistent problem for Atlanta. Herro is averaging a career-high 23.8 points, 5.7 rebounds, and 4.9 assists this season. He averages 18.0 points in 16 career games against the Hawks, and in three games last season, he scored 30, 25, and 33 points.

Herro hit the game-winning jumper with 0.5 seconds left to beat the Magic on Thursday.

Trae Young and Gary Trent Jr. in the 1st half

“That just shows how mentally tough he is,” Spoelstra said. “(Orlando) really game-planned to wear on him and get him out of his comfort stuff and you have to give them credit for that. But the shot making was important.”

Miami’s Bam Adebayo has also been a tough matchup for Atlanta. Adebayo averages 17.3 points and 8.7 rebounds in 23 career games against the Hawks. He will face an Atlanta team that has been missing key players, including Onyeka Okongwu, who has missed the last four games due to left knee soreness and will not play on Saturday.

Young, who passed 11,000 career points on Thursday, leads the Hawks in scoring (22.0 points) and is No. 1 in the NBA with 12.1 assists. In 19 career games against the Heat, Young averages 22.2 points and 8.7 assists. He missed two of the four games against Miami last season due to injury but scored 27 and 30 in the games he played.

De’Andre Hunter averages 20.3 points, and Jalen Johnson contributes 19.8 points and 10.3 rebounds for Atlanta.

Besides Okongwu, the Hawks have been without key reserve Bogdan Bogdanovic, who is dealing with a left lower leg contusion. Miami is missing Pelle Larsson (right ankle sprain), and Jimmy Butler’s status is uncertain after missing the last two games due to a stomach illness.

This will be the last game of Atlanta’s four-game homestand before they begin a six-game road trip through the Western Conference.

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NBA (Basketball)

Tyler Herro’s clutch basket seals Heat’s comeback win over the Magic

Miami Heat and Orlando Magic

Tyler Herro made a 15-foot shot with 0.5 seconds left to give the Miami Heat an 89-88 win over the Orlando Magic on Thursday night.

The Magic had a 17-point lead but lost it and never trailed until the fourth quarter.

Herro led the Heat with 20 points, helping them get revenge on the Magic after they blew a 25-point lead in a 121-114 loss on Saturday.

Orlando had a chance for a final shot, with Jalen Suggs receiving the ball and taking a long 3-pointer, but it bounced off the rim and was ruled to have been taken after the buzzer. Suggs finished with a game-high 29 points but struggled with his 3-point shooting, making only 2 of 11 attempts.

Tristan da Silva scored 18 points for Orlando. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope added 11 points, and Goga Bitadze contributed 10 points and 14 rebounds.

For the Heat, Alec Burks scored 17 points, and Jaime Jaquez Jr. added 15. Bam Adebayo had nine rebounds, seven assists, and four points.

The Heat played without star Jimmy Butler, who missed his third consecutive game. With trade rumors surrounding him, Heat president Pat Riley denied that Butler would be traded.

Jimmy Butler and Scottie Barnes in the 2nd half

Miami trailed by 10 points going into the fourth quarter but got a big boost from Burks, who scored 11 points in the final period. He gave the Heat their first lead of the game with a jumper from the elbow with 7:42 left, then hit a 3-pointer to make it 80-76.

Herro added a basket to make it 87-82 with 2:05 remaining, but the Magic responded with six straight points to take the lead, capped by Bitadze tipping in a pass.

After a timeout, Herro delivered the game-winning shot for the Heat.

Miami made 15 of 30 shots from 3-point range, while the Magic were just 5 of 29. The teams combined for 35 fouls and 41 turnovers.

Orlando started strong with a 14-0 run, fueled by Caldwell-Pope’s six early points. Miami’s first basket came more than five minutes into the game.

The Magic led 52-41 at halftime, despite committing 14 turnovers. Suggs had 18 points at the break.

Orlando’s record streak of 43 consecutive made free throws ended in the third quarter when Bitadze missed.

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NBA (Basketball)

Pat Riley confirms that the Miami Heat have no intention of trading Jimmy Butler

Miami Heat forward Jimmy Butler drives to the basket as Milwaukee Bucks center Brook Lopez defends during the second half of an Emirates NBA Cup basketball game

If Jimmy Butler wants to be traded, the Miami Heat have no intention of making that happen.

Heat President Pat Riley spoke up on Thursday to address trade rumors, making it clear that the team has no plans to trade Butler. This indicates that if necessary, the team would prefer to let Butler leave as a free agent rather than trade him for assets.

“We usually don’t comment on rumors, but all this speculation has become a distraction to the team and is not fair to the players and coaches,” Riley said in a statement released by the team. “Therefore, we will make it clear — we are not trading Jimmy Butler.”

The Heat played in Orlando on Thursday, but Butler did not travel with the team the previous night. His plans for future games are uncertain.

Butler has not requested a trade, but ESPN reported on Wednesday, citing unnamed sources, that the six-time All-Star wants a trade before the February 6 deadline and is open to joining teams like Phoenix, Golden State, Houston, and Dallas.

“You have to compartmentalize in this business,” Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said Thursday during the team’s morning shootaround in Orlando. “We want Jimmy here. There’s no ifs, ands, or buts about it. And it’s just unfortunate that you have to control or deal with a lot of the noise on the outside.”

Butler has contributed to the noise himself.

The teams he reportedly prefers have colors like orange, yellow, red, and blue, which match the shades of his hair in recent weeks.

Jimmy Butler and Scottie Barnes in the 2nd half

“I actually like it,” Butler said earlier this month when asked about being linked to trade talks and speculation. “It’s good to be talked about. I don’t think there’s such a thing as bad publicity — to a point.”

If Miami does not trade Butler, it risks losing him for nothing as a free agent next summer. He’s earning $49 million this season and has a player option for $52 million next season.

Riley’s comments are the latest in a long-running situation about Butler’s future with the Heat, which gained more attention in May when Riley was unsure about offering Butler an extension over the summer.

Butler is eligible for an extension that would guarantee him $113 million for the 2025-26 and 2026-27 seasons. However, he is 35 years old and typically misses about one out of every four games with the Heat.

“That’s a big decision on our part to commit those kinds of resources unless you have somebody who’s going to be there and available every single night,” Riley said in May. “That’s the truth.”

Butler sprained his ankle in Miami’s loss to Oklahoma City on Friday but missed the rest of that game and the following two Heat games — at Orlando on Saturday and against Brooklyn on Monday — due to illness, not the ankle injury.

Butler has been key in helping Miami reach the NBA Finals twice during his time with the Heat. This season, he is averaging 18.5 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 4.9 assists.

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NBA (Basketball)

Once again, the Magic and Heat faced off, and once again, Miami made a late comeback to secure the win

Alec Burks and Tyler Herro in the 2nd half

Another Heat-Magic game, another late comeback. This time, Miami came out on top.

On Saturday, Orlando made a late push to defeat Miami. On Thursday, at the same arena, the Heat managed to find a way to beat the Magic in the final moments.

Tyler Herro’s jumper with just half a second left gave Miami an 89-88 win on Thursday night. This game came less than a week after the Heat lost to the Magic, having blown a 22-point lead in the fourth quarter.

“Just got to my spot,” Herro said.

Miami was down 71-61 going into the fourth quarter on Thursday. It was the first time in 74 games that the Heat came back from a double-digit deficit entering the final quarter of a regular-season game and won, the last time being on Oct. 26, 2019, against Milwaukee.

“I don’t know if it was our best win this year,” Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said. “But it was definitely our toughest win this season.”

The previous game between Orlando and Miami ended with a big run by the Magic. On Thursday, the Magic started the rematch with another strong push.

Jamahl Mosley reacts in the 2nd half

The Magic scored the first 14 points of the game against the Heat, following their 37-8 run in the fourth quarter on Saturday — a huge rally that helped them recover from a 25-point deficit.

If you combine the Magic’s 4th-quarter run on Saturday and their strong start on Thursday, it totals a 51-8 run over about 17 minutes of game time, separated by a few days. The 14-0 run was Orlando’s biggest to start a game since they took a 15-0 lead against the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden on Jan. 4, 2001.

Miami cut the deficit to 31-22 by the end of the first quarter. The Heat trailed for most of the game but found a way to win, mostly thanks to 23 turnovers by Orlando that led to 25 points for Miami.

“That’s the game right there,” Magic coach Jamahl Mosley said.

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NBA (Basketball)

Heat aiming to bounce back from recent loss to Magic

Miami Heat and Toronto Raptors

After blowing a 25-point lead to the Orlando Magic on Saturday, the Miami Heat have a chance to get revenge when they play again on Thursday.

“We owe them one,” said Miami guard Tyler Herro after the Heat’s 110-95 win over the Brooklyn Nets on Monday.

In Saturday’s game, Orlando lost Mo Wagner to a torn ACL after he drove to the basket in the first quarter. The Magic were already without their star Paolo Banchero and Mo’s brother Franz, both dealing with oblique injuries.

There’s some good news for Orlando, though, as Banchero started some light conditioning work last week, but there is still no clear return date for him.

The three injured players score over 66 points per game for Orlando, but the Magic have still managed to win their last two games and are in fourth place in the Eastern Conference.

Wagner’s injury added to what became one of the most exciting games of the season. Orlando made a franchise-record comeback, outscoring the Heat 37-8 in the fourth quarter to win 121-114. Orlando then followed up with a 108-104 victory over the Celtics after trailing by 15 points at halftime.

“It’s a fighting group, it’s a gritty group, it’s a confident group that believes in themselves,” said Orlando coach Jamahl Mosley. “They’ve given themselves a chance to be successful. It’s by committee, we say that a lot. That’s who this group is. They’re going to do it by committee every night.”

Orlando Magic (NBA)

Orlando’s defense has been a key factor, as they allow the second-fewest points in the NBA at 103.9 per game and are tied with the San Antonio Spurs for the most blocked shots in the league, with 7 per game.

“That is this group,” Mosley said. “I don’t think there is any other way to put it. I think that’s what they have shown. They continue to prove it. They believe in one another.”

Orlando’s depth has also played a role in their success. First-round pick Tristan Da Silva scored 18 points, including a crucial 3-pointer in the win over Boston. Trevelin Queen came up from the G-League and tied his career high with 17 points.

“He’s not afraid of big moments, not afraid to take on challenges,” Mosley said of Queen. “That’s who he is. It’s why we talk about him going back and forth to Osceola, because that’s the environment that we have created.”

The Heat have been hovering around .500 this season. Star guard Jimmy Butler, averaging 18.5 points per game, has been out with an illness and missed the past two games. ESPN reported on Wednesday that Butler would like to be traded before the Feb. 6 deadline.

Terry Rozier also missed the Heat’s win over the Nets with a knee injury.

Miami’s defense has been solid, allowing 109.4 points per game, which ranks sixth in the NBA. Herro has been the team’s top scorer, averaging a career-high 23.9 points per game.

“I think we haven’t played bad basketball,” said Herro. “We continue to show pieces of good offense and good defense in different sections of the game, but we have to stay focused and consistent in our game and our identity for a full 48 minutes.”

Orlando has won both games against the Heat this season. Thursday’s game is the fifth of a seven-game homestand for Orlando.

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NBA (Basketball)

The Miami Heat have listed Jimmy Butler as doubtful for Thursday’s game, amid growing speculation

Jimmy Butler and Scottie Barnes in the 2nd half

The Miami Heat have listed Jimmy Butler as doubtful for Thursday’s game against Orlando, stating that he needs time to get back into shape before playing again.

Butler did not travel with the team to Orlando on Wednesday night, and it is unclear what his plans are for future games.

Although Butler hasn’t requested a trade, ESPN, citing anonymous sources, reported that the six-time All-Star wants to be traded before the February 6 deadline. He is open to joining teams such as Phoenix, Golden State, Houston, and Dallas.

These teams’ uniforms feature colors like orange, yellow, red, and blue, which happen to be shades that Butler’s hair has been dyed recently.

“I actually like it,” Butler said earlier this month when asked about the trade rumors. “It’s good to be talked about. I don’t think there’s such a thing as bad publicity — to a point.”

If the Heat decide not to trade Butler, they could risk losing him for nothing as a free agent next summer.

This is the latest chapter in a long-running situation regarding Butler’s future with the Heat. The situation began to pick up pace in May when Heat president Pat Riley hesitated to commit to an extension for Butler over the summer.

Butler is eligible for an extension that would guarantee him $113 million for the 2025-26 and 2026-27 seasons. However, at 35 years old, he tends to miss around one in every four games during his time with the Heat.

Jimmy Butler and Paul Reed in the 1st half

“That’s a big decision on our part to commit those kinds of resources unless you have somebody who’s going to be there and available every single night,” Riley said in May. “That’s the truth.”

Riley also criticized Butler last season after he said that if he hadn’t gotten injured during the play-in tournament, teams like Boston and New York would have lost to Miami.

“I thought, ‘Is that Jimmy trolling or is that Jimmy serious?’ If you’re not on the court playing against Boston or on the court playing against the New York Knicks, you should keep your mouth shut on the criticism of those teams,” Riley said last spring.

Butler twisted his ankle in Miami’s loss to Oklahoma City on Friday, but he missed the rest of that game and the next two Heat games — against Orlando on Saturday and Brooklyn on Monday — due to illness, not the ankle injury.

Butler has helped lead Miami to the NBA Finals twice during his time with the Heat. He is currently averaging 18.5 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 4.9 assists this season.

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NBA (Basketball)

Heat defeat Raptors to secure their fourth consecutive win

Miami Heat and Toronto Raptors

Bam Adebayo scored 21 points and grabbed a game-high 16 rebounds, leading the Miami Heat to a 114-104 win over the Toronto Raptors on Thursday night.

Raptors star RJ Barrett made only 5 of 18 shots but still managed a triple-double, with 13 points, 11 rebounds, and 10 assists.

Miami, which won its fourth straight game, also got a game-high 23 points from Tyler Herro. The Heat also received valuable contributions from their bench, including 14 points from Nikola Jovic and 11 points from Dru Smith.

Gradey Dick led the Raptors with 22 points, including 12 in the first quarter. Jakob Poeltl added 16 points.

Toronto lost its fourth straight game and has the worst road record in the Eastern Conference at 1-12. The Raptors also have the second-worst overall record in the East at 7-19.

The Raptors were without two injured starters: Scottie Barnes (right ankle) and Immanuel Quickley (left elbow).

Toronto took an early lead, going up by as many as nine points before ending the first quarter with a 27-23 lead. The Raptors had a 10-3 edge in fast-break points in the period.

Dallas Mavericks and Toronto Raptors

The Raptors extended their lead to 16 points in the second quarter, but Miami finished the half with a 29-8 run, taking a 58-51 lead into halftime.

Jovic led all scorers in the second quarter with 11 points. His 3-pointer tied the game at 49 with 1:32 remaining. Miami hit four straight 3-pointers during their run, two by Jovic, one by Herro, and one by Smith.

At the end of the third quarter, Miami led 89-76, shooting 50.8 percent from the field and 5-for-10 from three-point range.

Miami cruised in the fourth quarter, finishing the game with 48.2 percent shooting, including 40.6 percent from three-point range (13-for-32).

Toronto shot 44.6 percent from the field, including 11-for-32 on 3-pointers (34.4 percent).

Despite having a 56-52 advantage in paint points and a 19-5 edge in fast-break points, Toronto lost. Miami made 21 free throws, compared to just 11 for Toronto.