Tag: Miami Heat

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NBA (Basketball)

The Toronto Raptors are looking to break their struggles on the road when they face the Miami Heat

Jimmy Butler (NHL)

The Toronto Raptors are set to play the Miami Heat for the third time in less than two weeks. So far, each team has won on its home court, which might give Miami an advantage as they host the game on Thursday.

The Raptors are on a three-game losing streak and have struggled on the road with a 1-11 record. Their only win away from home was against New Orleans on November 27.

RJ Barrett leads Toronto in scoring with 23.6 points per game, and he also ranks second in assists (5.8) and third in rebounds (6.6). He scored 30 points in a game against the New York Knicks on Monday, which was his seventh game of the season with at least 30 points.

However, the Raptors are facing some injury issues. Scottie Barnes sprained his right ankle in the game against the Knicks and is expected to miss at least a week. Barnes is currently the team’s leader in assists (7.4) and ranks second in points (20.6) and rebounds (8.4).

Immanuel Quickley, another key player, is also sidelined with an elbow injury and has been out since November 10. Quickley averaged a career-high 17 points last season and is considered an important part of the Raptors’ young core, which includes Barrett, Barnes, Gradey Dick, Ochai Agbaji, Davion Mitchell, and Ja’Kobe Walter.

All of these players were first-round NBA draft picks.

Jimmy Butler dunks the ball in the 2nd half

Despite the challenges, Barrett expressed confidence in the team’s abilities. “We believe in what we can do,” Barrett said after their tough 113-108 loss to the Knicks on Monday. “We’ve seen in little segments what we can build upon.”

While the Raptors are in a rebuilding phase, the Miami Heat are focused on winning now. The Heat are on a three-game winning streak, having defeated the Los Angeles Lakers, Phoenix Suns, and Cleveland Cavaliers, all of which have winning records. The Cavaliers even have the best record in the NBA.

Miami’s top three scorers are Tyler Herro (24.2), Jimmy Butler (19.0), and Bam Adebayo (16.0). The trio has been together for six straight seasons after Herro was drafted in 2019, Butler was traded to Miami in 2019, and Adebayo, who had been with the team since 2017, completed the group.

In addition to the star players, the Heat have also found success with hidden gems like Dru Smith. Smith, a 6-2 guard who played college basketball at Evansville and Missouri, went undrafted in 2021. His professional career has been affected by knee injuries, which ended his season in both February 2022 and November 2023.

In July 2024, Smith signed a two-way contract with the Heat, and he is now starting to make an impact. In Miami’s past two games, Smith played the entire 12 minutes of the fourth quarter in both games.

He had a career-high 29 minutes played against the Suns and 26 minutes against the Cavaliers. During those games, Smith scored 18 points, grabbed eight rebounds, recorded three assists, two steals, and one block.

Adebayo praised Smith’s contributions, saying, “Dru comes in and he changes the game (with his defense).”

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NBA (Basketball)

Jimmy Butler says he’s not concerned about his future with the Miami Heat despite ongoing trade rumors

Jimmy Butler in the 2nd half

Jimmy Butler understands that there are many questions about his future with the Miami Heat. He could get traded, leave as a free agent next summer, choose to exercise a $52.4 million option to stay with the Heat, or even sign a new contract.

“Who knows?” Butler said, showing that even he doesn’t have the answers.

The Heat forward, who has led the team to two NBA Finals appearances, addressed trade rumors on Wednesday. After practice, he told reporters that he doesn’t mind being the subject of speculation.

Earlier in the week, ESPN reported that the Heat are open to receiving trade offers. This wouldn’t be surprising due to Butler’s contract situation and the possibility that he could leave the team next summer without the Heat getting anything in return.

“I actually like it,” Butler said. “It’s good to be talked about. I don’t think there’s such a thing as bad publicity — to a point.”

The conversation about Butler’s future in Miami has been going on for a while now. The Heat could have offered him an extension last summer, but they didn’t, likely due to several reasons, including Butler’s age (he’s 35) and the fact that he missed 26% of Miami’s games over his first five seasons with the team.

Despite this, Butler still has a big impact on the game. Miami is 8-2 this season when he scores at least 18 points. The Heat are also no strangers to trade rumors; Tyler Herro has been involved in trade talk every summer for the past three years.

Herro is still with the team, playing at an All-Star level, and was named Eastern Conference Player of the Week. “Any other narrative, I don’t care. Nobody should because most of this stuff has just been all a bunch of gibberish,” Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said this week.

Jimmy Butler dunks the ball in the 2nd half

Butler said on Wednesday that money isn’t his top concern at this point. He didn’t directly say that he wants to stay in Miami but added, “I’m pretty sure y’all are going to get a report that’s going to say otherwise anyways, so there’s no sense in me answering that question.” He’s not focused on extensions or trades.

“My kids matter, my happiness matters, my well-being matters and my family matters,” Butler said. “Right now, it’s all about competing, staying healthy, playing some great basketball. I think I’ve done that so far, so we’ll see what we got.”

There has been social media chatter recently, with some people joking that Butler’s changing hair colors — sometimes yellow, blue, or red — match the teams he’s being linked to in trade rumors, like Golden State, Dallas, and Houston.

However, he has consistently stated since joining the Heat that his goal is to bring another championship to the team, and that goal has not changed.

“We’re going to continue to win and I’m proud of the guys,” Butler said. “You see everybody out here working and we know what we’re capable of.”

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NBA (Basketball)

Tyler Herro scores 34 points to lead Heat past Cavs

Miami Heat and Cleveland Cavaliers

Tyler Herro scored 19 of his game-high 34 points in the third quarter, leading the Miami Heat to a 122-113 win over the Cleveland Cavaliers on Sunday night, ending the Cavaliers’ four-game winning streak.

Cleveland (21-4) still has the best record in the NBA, but the loss was a rare one for them.

Cavaliers star Evan Mobley, who scored 41 points against Charlotte on Saturday, did not return after reportedly injuring his left ankle in the second quarter. He finished with just four points.

The Heat won their third consecutive game, their best streak of the season, and moved two games above .500 for the first time (12-10).

Miami’s Jimmy Butler made an impressive shot at the end of the first half, but it didn’t count. He threw up a 55-foot shot that went in after hitting the top of the backboard and the shot clock. Officials ruled the ball out of bounds before it went through the hoop.

Butler finished with 18 points. Duncan Robinson added 23 points, and Bam Adebayo had 16 points with 13 rebounds, supporting Herro, who also recorded a game-high seven assists.

Jimmy Butler reacts after scoring

Darius Garland led Cleveland with 23 points. Donovan Mitchell, who was averaging 24.2 points per game, struggled, scoring just 12 points on 5-for-16 shooting.

Cleveland used a 10-0 run to take a 25-21 lead after the first quarter. The Cavaliers hit 3-of-6 three-pointers in the opening frame, while Miami made only 1 of 7.

Herro scored 11 points in the second quarter, helping the Heat take a 59-51 lead into halftime. Miami made all 17 of its free throws in the first half, with Herro contributing six of them.

Robinson hit two three-pointers, and Herro added one more to give Miami a 68-53 lead just two minutes into the second half. Herro made all four of his 3-point attempts in the third quarter, helping Miami maintain a 90-80 lead going into the final period.

Garland’s 3-pointer cut Cleveland’s deficit to 100-95 with 8:28 left, but Dru Smith answered with a three of his own, pushing Miami’s lead back to eight. The Cavaliers never got closer than six points for the rest of the game.

Cleveland, which entered the game leading the NBA in scoring with an average of 121.8 points per game, scored its fewest points since a 117-101 loss to Atlanta on Nov. 29.

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NBA (Basketball)

Heat set for matchup against top-ranked Cavaliers in the NBA

Miami Heat

The Cleveland Cavaliers, with the best record in the NBA at 21-3, are set to face the Miami Heat on Sunday evening.

Heat center Bam Adebayo, speaking after Miami’s 121-111 home win over the Phoenix Suns on Saturday, shared his thoughts on the upcoming game against Cleveland.

“It’s another test,” Adebayo said about the Cavaliers, who have won their last four games. “I’ve got to hurry to get to the back to get off my feet.”

This makes sense, as the Heat will need to rest as much as possible before taking on the Cavaliers, who had a historic start to the season with 15 consecutive wins. Cleveland is just the fourth team in NBA history to begin a season 15-0, and only the third franchise to achieve that feat since 1950.

The Cavaliers lead the NBA in scoring, averaging 121.8 points per game, and have scored at least 101 points in every game this season.

Meanwhile, the Heat, currently 11-10, haven’t been able to get more than one game above .500. Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said the team needs to find a sense of urgency to improve their position in the standings, as they are currently sixth in the Eastern Conference.

Spoelstra also praised Adebayo for his recent performances. In the win over the Suns, Adebayo recorded a team-high 25 points, 12 rebounds, and eight assists. Although Adebayo’s scoring has been lower this season, Spoelstra emphasized that his overall performance has been solid.

“If you have the record we have, we leave ourselves open to whatever narrative,” Spoelstra said. “But Bam has been playing winning basketball the past five or six games. He has been having close to a triple-double every game.”

Cleveland Cavaliers (NBA)

Spoelstra added, “It’s a shame people will only notice if he is scoring. But we don’t want him to think like that. It will all come together as long as we are winning. Bam can impact games in so many different ways. I want him taking over the defense. He is our voice.”

Tyler Herro has been the Heat’s leading scorer this season, averaging 23.8 points per game. However, it was Jimmy Butler who stepped up in the fourth quarter of Saturday’s game, scoring nine straight points for the Heat in the final five minutes.

“Jimmy allows us to have those possessions where we know we will get a smart decision,” Spoelstra said.

The Cavaliers, on the other hand, won their game against the Charlotte Hornets 116-102 on Saturday. Evan Mobley, Cleveland’s power forward, had a career-high 41 points, along with 10 rebounds, three blocks, two assists, and one steal in 34 minutes. He made 16 of 23 shots, including 6 of 8 from three-point range, and hit 3 of 4 free throws.

For the season, Donovan Mitchell leads the Cavaliers in scoring with 24.2 points per game, and Darius Garland leads the team in assists with 6.5. Jarrett Allen leads in rebounds with 10.5, and Mobley tops the team in blocks with 1.6.

Cleveland is known for being a balanced team, but at the moment, they are especially excited about Mobley’s growth.

“He has the talent,” Garland said. “He has the length. He has all the abilities to be one of the best, and I think he has a good chance to do that.”

Cavaliers coach Kenny Atkinson has a lot of confidence in Mobley’s future.

“He’s an elite player in this league,” Atkinson said. “To me, he’s top 20, and he can be top 10, easy.”

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NBA (Basketball)

Bam Adebayo scores 25 points to lead the Heat to a win over the Suns

Miami Heat and Phoenix Suns

Bam Adebayo had the most points, rebounds, and assists in the game, finishing with 25 points, 12 rebounds, and eight assists, as the Miami Heat beat the Phoenix Suns 121-111 on Saturday night.

Adebayo scored 12 of his points in the third quarter, helping Miami take the lead, which they kept for the rest of the game.

Jimmy Butler contributed 24 points, including nine consecutive points for Miami in the last five minutes of the game.

Miami also got 19 points from Duncan Robinson and 17 points from Tyler Herro.

The Suns were missing two key players: Kevin Durant, who was out with a sprained left ankle, and center Jusuf Nurkic, who had a right thigh contusion.

Royce O’Neale led the Suns with a season-high 23 points. Devin Booker scored 21 points on 6-for-16 shooting, and Bradley Beal finished with 15 points on 5-for-18 shooting.

The Suns led 29-26 at the end of the first quarter and extended their lead to 58-53 at halftime, mainly due to a 13-0 edge in second-chance points. Phoenix also had a 24-12 advantage in bench points.

Jimmy Butler reacts after scoring

Miami kept the game close by winning the battle for paint points, 28-12. Robinson led all scorers in the first half with 14 points, and O’Neale led Phoenix with 13 points.

The biggest surprise was that Phoenix was ahead, even though Booker and Beal only combined for seven points in the first half on 4-for-16 shooting.

In the third quarter, Miami started with a 19-4 run and finished the quarter with a 87-82 lead.

With 4:35 left in the fourth quarter, the Suns cut Miami’s lead to 103-100 after Grayson Allen hit a three-pointer. However, that was as close as Phoenix got for the rest of the game.

Miami shot 52.3 percent from the field and 40.6 percent from three-point range, making 13 out of 32 attempts. The Heat also had a 62-32 advantage in paint points and a 20-11 lead in fast-break points.

Next, the Heat will host the Cleveland Cavaliers on Sunday night. The Cavaliers, who have won four straight games, currently have the best record in the NBA at 21-3.

The Suns, who have lost five straight road games, will play against Orlando on Sunday.

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NBA (Basketball)

Devin Booker and the shorthanded Suns aim to defeat the Heat

Phoenix Suns (NBA)

The Phoenix Suns have won 8 of their 10 games this season when Devin Booker, Kevin Durant, and Bradley Beal all played, but they’ve only won 1 out of 8 games when Durant is absent.

On Saturday, the Suns will face the Miami Heat without Durant, who is out with an injured left ankle.

This puts more pressure on Booker, who has been averaging 25.1 points and 6.3 assists. The Suns have a 6-1 record when Booker gets eight or more assists in a game, and he prefers to play the entire first quarter to get into a rhythm.

“That allows me to score,” Booker said, “and also to facilitate.”

The Suns are also without starting center Jusuf Nurkic (right thigh contusion), who averages 8.9 points and leads the team with 9.9 rebounds. Royce O’Neale has stepped in for Durant, and Mason Plumlee has filled in for Nurkic.

Durant, who is expected to miss about a week, leads the Suns in scoring with 25.8 points per game, and also contributes 6.7 rebounds and 3.1 assists.

Despite his absence, the Suns still have other key players like Beal, who averages 18.0 points, and Tyus Jones, who contributes 11.8 points and leads the team with 7 assists. Role players like Grayson Allen (10.6 points) are also crucial to the team’s success.

Earlier this season, the Suns won 115-112 at home against the Heat while fully healthy. Miami’s Tyler Herro, who scored 28 points and had six assists in that game, will be a key player for the Suns to defend.

Herro leads the Heat in scoring with 24.1 points per game and also averages 5.2 rebounds and 4.9 assists while shooting a career-high 42 percent on 3-pointers.

Detroit Pistons and Miami Heat

Bam Adebayo, Miami’s versatile center, has seen his scoring drop to 15.6 points per game but still leads the team in rebounds with 9.9 and assists with 5.

Jimmy Butler, who has missed five games due to injury, is averaging 18.7 points, 5.4 rebounds, and 4.8 assists. While Butler doesn’t take many 3-pointers, he is still very effective at drawing fouls and leads the Heat in free-throw attempts with 7.6 per game.

Miami, like the Suns, relies on role players, including Terry Rozier (12.7 points per game) and shooter Duncan Robinson (10.2 points, 36% from 3-point range).

Kevin Love, Nikola Jovic, Jaime Jaquez Jr., and Haywood Highsmith provide solid depth for the Heat, with all nine players mentioned having started at least one game this season. Jovic, who had eight starts, has been out of the rotation and hasn’t played in the past six games.

“I know I’m a good player — I don’t think it’s that,” Jovic said. “It’s the style of play and the things (coach Erik Spoelstra) wants from certain lineups.”

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NBA (Basketball)

Tyler Herro and the Heat dominate the Lakers with a powerful third-quarter performance

Miami Heat and Los Angeles Lakers

Tyler Herro scored 21 of his game-high 31 points in the third quarter, leading the Miami Heat to a 134-93 victory over the Los Angeles Lakers on Wednesday night.

The Heat set a new franchise record with 42 assists and matched their team record for most made 3-pointers with 24.

LeBron James led the Lakers with 29 points and eight assists against his former team, hitting 12 of 18 shots. However, Lakers center Anthony Davis, who had been averaging 27.8 points per game, was limited to just eight points on 3-for-14 shooting.

Herro tied a Heat record for the most 3-pointers in a quarter by making seven in the third. During a nearly three-minute stretch in the third quarter, Herro scored 15 consecutive points, making all five of his attempts from beyond the arc. He finished the game 9-for-16 on 3-pointers.

Jimmy Butler, who missed Miami’s last game due to a knee injury, added 17 points, nine rebounds, and five assists. Bam Adebayo contributed 14 points, 10 rebounds, and seven assists.

In the first quarter, Miami fell behind early but went on a 14-0 run to take a 17-6 lead with 7:10 left. The Heat finished the quarter with a 34-26 lead.

Jimmy Butler reacts after scoring

Miami expanded its lead to 21 points in the second quarter, going into halftime with a 69-52 advantage. The Heat shot 70 percent from the field and 4-for-8 on 3-pointers in the second quarter, while the Lakers shot 45.5 percent and just 1-for-7 from beyond the arc.

James led all scorers in the first half with 18 points on 8-for-11 shooting, while Adebayo led the Heat with 14 points.

Thanks to Herro’s scoring in the third, the Heat’s lead grew to 105-72, and Miami rested its starters for most of the fourth quarter.

Miami finished the game with 24-for-47 shooting on 3-pointers (51.1 percent) and had a 52-36 rebounding edge.

The Lakers struggled from deep, going just 5-for-22 on 3-pointers (22.7 percent).

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NBA (Basketball)

Celtics look to maintain their strong defensive performance against the Pistons

Boston Celtics and Miami Heat

Although the Boston Celtics were missing four players, including two starters, they delivered what might have been their best defensive performance of the season, defeating the Miami Heat 108-89 on Monday.

Boston’s coach, Joe Mazzulla, would like to see the same level of effort when the Celtics face the Detroit Pistons on Wednesday night.

The Celtics were without Kristaps Porzingis (injury management), Jrue Holiday (left knee), Al Horford (toe sprain), and Sam Hauser (personal reasons), but they limited Miami to just 35.6 percent shooting from the field (31 of 87).

This marked the first time this season that the Celtics held an opponent to fewer than 90 points and the first time an opponent shot below 40 percent from the floor.

Porzingis and Horford are expected to return on Wednesday, while Holiday and Jayson Tatum (right knee) are listed as questionable.

Luke Kornet started at center and led the Celtics’ defensive effort, tying his career high with six blocked shots.

“When he plays with that level of physicality on both ends of the floor, it makes our team different,” Mazzulla said. “I think his two biggest strengths are his physicality and rim protection when he’s at his best, and then his screening versus different coverages.

I thought we saw both of those throughout the game, and he’s just got to continue to do that. But when he plays at a high level, we’re a different team, and we can go to different things.”

Kristaps Porzingis in his 1st game

Boston’s Payton Pritchard boosted his case for NBA Sixth Man of the Year by making 5 of 12 3-point attempts and scoring 25 points against the Heat. Pritchard has scored at least 20 points in each of the Celtics’ past four games as a bench player.

Even though the Celtics had a 3-1 record in NBA Cup group play, they were eliminated from the event after Tuesday’s results.

The Pistons were also knocked out of the NBA Cup after losing 128-107 to the Milwaukee Bucks on Tuesday. Cade Cunningham scored a team-high 23 points for Detroit, which finished 3-1 in group play.

“This was the first meaningful game of my (NBA) career, for a lot of our careers,” Cunningham said. “Now we’re on to trying to get into the playoffs and feel that again.”

Tobias Harris (16 points), Tim Hardaway (15), and Jalen Duren (11) also scored in double figures for the Pistons, who gave up 78 points in the first half and were down by 19 at halftime.

“It was a great opportunity and experience for our guys,” Detroit coach J.B. Bickerstaff said. “The message to our guys is, for a lot of us in the NBA this is the biggest game that we’ve had, right? And playing against a team that has champions on it. Guys who have been through the fire before, understand what it takes to reach that next level. The NBA doesn’t let you skip steps.

“All the guys in that (Milwaukee) locker room who won championships or had playoff success, at some point in time as a team they didn’t reach their goals either, and they learned from it, got better from it. And that’s what we have to do. We have to learn from it, see what it felt like. You don’t know what it feels like until you go through it.”

The Pistons have lost their last two games and six of their past eight. The Celtics have won eight of their last nine overall and five in a row at home.

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NBA (Basketball)

RJ Barrett scores 37 points as the Raptors hold off the Heat

Toronto Raptors and Miami Heat

RJ Barrett scored 37 points, and the Toronto Raptors held on to beat the Miami Heat 119-116 on Sunday night.

The Raptors were up by as many as 14 points in the fourth quarter but had to fight off a late comeback from Miami.

Scottie Barnes added 23 points, 10 rebounds, and nine assists for the Raptors, who split their back-to-back games with the Heat after losing in Miami on Friday. Jakob Poeltl contributed 17 points and 11 rebounds, while Ja’Kobe Walter scored 12 points.

Tyler Herro led the Heat with 31 points. Bam Adebayo finished with 13 points and a season-high 20 rebounds. Jimmy Butler and Terry Rozier each added 17 points.

With 8:19 left in the game, Davion Mitchell hit a 3-pointer to give the Raptors a 12-point lead. Barrett’s layup extended the lead to 105-91 with 7:48 remaining. Herro then scored six straight points to close the gap.

Toronto was ahead by 12 after Barrett’s layup with 4:03 to play. The Heat responded with an 11-2 run, with Rozier scoring the first five points. Butler’s layup and free throw cut the lead to 113-110 with 1:27 remaining.

Jimmy Butler reacts after scoring

Barnes and Herro each made a 3-pointer on the next possessions. After the Raptors committed a shot-clock violation, Herro missed a 3-pointer with 29 seconds left. The Raptors sealed the win by hitting free throws in the final moments.

Toronto led by as much as 12 points after a 13-1 run and had a 34-24 lead after the first quarter.

Rozier scored six straight points to tie the game at 40 with 8:53 remaining in the second quarter. Rozier then hit a 3-pointer to give Miami a one-point lead with 8:09 left. After the Heat extended their lead to six points, the Raptors answered with a 14-2 run and led 65-60 at halftime.

Miami regained the lead with a 12-4 run to start the third quarter. Toronto quickly responded with a 13-2 run to go up by nine with 3:36 left in the third. Chris Boucher’s layup pushed the lead to 10 with 2:12 remaining, and Toronto led 98-87 after three quarters.

Toronto was missing Bruce Brown (knee), Gradey Dick (calf), Kelly Olynyk (back), and Immanuel Quickley (elbow).

Miami was without Kel’el Ware (foot), Nikola Jovic (ankle), and Josh Richardson (head).

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NBA (Basketball)

Jimmy Butler leads Heat to victory, handing Raptors another road loss

Miami Heat and Toronto Raptors

Jimmy Butler scored a team-high 26 points as the Miami Heat defeated the Toronto Raptors 121-111 in an NBA Cup game on Friday night.

With the loss, the Raptors (0-3) and Heat (2-2) are both out of the running for the NBA Cup.

In the regular season standings, Miami (9-8) improved to one game over .500, tying their season-high record. Meanwhile, Toronto dropped to a league-worst 1-11 on the road.

Butler, who missed the fourth quarter of Miami’s last game because of a back injury, made 8-of-14 shots, including 2-of-4 from three-point range.

Bam Adebayo also had a strong performance for Miami, finishing with a triple-double of 14 points, 10 rebounds, and 10 assists. Tyler Herro added 23 points.

For Toronto, Scottie Barnes posted a triple-double as well, with 24 points, 10 rebounds, and 10 assists. RJ Barrett scored 25 points, had seven assists, and grabbed six rebounds, while Jakob Poeltl added 24 points and 10 rebounds.

Jimmy Butler reacts after scoring

The first quarter was tough for both teams. Toronto led 21-20, even though they turned the ball over eight times. Miami had only one turnover, but they struggled with their shooting, making only 2-of-17 three-point attempts.

Both teams found their rhythm in the second quarter. Toronto shot 75 percent from the field and committed just three turnovers, while Miami shot 58.3 percent, including 5-of-10 from three-point range.

At halftime, Toronto led 61-58, with the first half featuring six lead changes and six ties. Barnes led the Raptors with 15 points, while Butler had 13 for Miami.

In the third quarter, Miami pulled ahead 77-67, but Toronto answered with a 12-0 run to take a 79-77 lead. Miami then scored 11 straight points to regain the lead at 88-79.

Miami entered the fourth quarter with a 96-84 lead and managed to hold on for the win.

For the game, the Heat made 21-of-54 three-point attempts (38.9 percent) and outscored Toronto 63-33 from beyond the arc.

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NBA (Basketball)

After a tough defeat, the Heat aim to bounce back against the Hornets

Miami Heat and Dallas Mavericks

The Miami Heat will try to bounce back from a tough loss when they face the Charlotte Hornets in North Carolina on Wednesday night.

On Tuesday, the Heat lost 106-103 at home to the Milwaukee Bucks. The defeat stopped Miami from winning three games in a row for the first time this season and almost ended their chances of advancing in the NBA Cup.

“It’s disappointing,” said Miami coach Erik Spoelstra. “We’ve had two ridiculously close games. We wanted to be there in Vegas (for the NBA Cup semifinals), but that’s behind us now, and we’ll focus on getting ready for Charlotte.”

Miami players Tyler Herro and Terry Rozier both had chances to win or tie the game against Milwaukee in the final moments.

“I saw open looks. I saw in and out,” Spoelstra said. “Terry’s was like a 27-foot shot so that’s different, but it’s open. That’s all you can (ask for).”

Miami’s total points in Tuesday’s game were the third lowest of the season.

Jimmy Butler led the Heat with 23 points, with 11 of those coming from free throws. The Heat lost despite the fact that Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo was out with a knee injury.

Meanwhile, the Hornets are frustrated after losing four of their last five games. LaMelo Ball scored 50 and 44 points in their last two games, but Charlotte lost both of them.

Orlando Magic and Charlotte Hornets

Ball scored more than half of the Hornets’ points in a 95-84 home loss to the Orlando Magic on Monday.

“Defensively, the guys did a really good job of executing the game plan,” said Charlotte coach Charles Lee. “To give up 95 points and we were fouling toward the end of the game, I think just shows the effort and the competitiveness and togetherness.”

However, the Hornets hurt themselves by committing 27 turnovers.

“We got ourselves in trouble with some of our turnovers,” Lee said. “I thought most of it is self-inflicted again. Things that we can control. I would love to just see us fix some of our transition turnovers that we have right now.”

The Hornets have struggled with offense lately, making adjustments because of injuries to their post players. As a result, they have relied more on Ball and Brandon Miller to score, which could help them in the future.

“I see two guys who are very talented, work extremely hard, care very much about the game, their teammates and the process they have to go through every day to continue to get better,” Lee said.

Terry Rozier, who used to play for the Hornets, will return to Charlotte with the Heat. He scored 17 points off the bench against Milwaukee on Tuesday.

“He’s a competitor and X-factor player,” Spoelstra said. “He’s in this role for us now.”

This will be Miami’s second trip to Charlotte this season. The Heat won 114-106 on October 26, with Butler scoring 26 points and adding eight assists. Ball scored 27 points for the Hornets, but Miller did not play due to a hip injury. Charlotte committed 20 turnovers in that game.

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Damian Lillard scores 37 as Bucks defeat Heat without Giannis

Milwaukee Bucks and Miami Heat

Damian Lillard scored 37 points and had 12 assists to help the Milwaukee Bucks beat the Miami Heat 106-103 in an NBA Cup game on Tuesday night.

This win marked the Bucks’ fifth straight victory and their seventh win in the last eight games.

Lillard made 10 of 17 shots, including 8 of 13 from beyond the 3-point line.

Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo, who leads the NBA in scoring with an average of 32.4 points per game, missed the game because of swelling in his left knee.

Also, three-time All-Star Khris Middleton has not played yet this season after undergoing surgery on both of his ankles.

The Bucks, who are 3-0 in East Group B of the NBA Cup, led the game from start to finish.

Miami, with a 1-2 record in East Group B, was led by Jimmy Butler, who scored 23 points. Tyler Herro added 18 points.

Heat guard Terry Rozier returned after missing two games because of a right foot injury. He scored 17 points on 7-of-9 shooting, including 3-of-4 from 3-point range.

Milwaukee led 31-20 after the first quarter, thanks to 17 points from Lillard. He made his first four 3-pointers, and the Bucks shot 55 percent from the field in the quarter.

Giannis Antetokounmpo tries to get past Houston Rockets’ Jabari Smith Jr. during the first half of an NBA basketball game

In the second quarter, Lillard added eight points to help the Bucks increase their lead to 65-51 by halftime. Miami shot 56.2 percent in the second quarter, but Milwaukee was even better, making 59.1 percent of their shots.

In the third quarter, the Bucks extended their lead to 22 points. However, Miami made a comeback and cut the deficit to 85-80 by the end of the quarter. Lillard scored 10 points in the third, but the Bucks’ shooting cooled off to 46.2 percent.

Miami tied the game at 96-96 when Butler made a layup with 4:02 left in the game.

In the final minute, the Bucks led 104-103 and appeared to have a 3-pointer from AJ Green. However, the shot came just after the 24-second shot clock expired, leading to a turnover with five seconds remaining.

Miami had a chance to take its first lead of the game, but Herro missed an open 3-pointer from the top of the key. Taurean Prince of the Bucks grabbed the rebound and hit two free throws to give Milwaukee a 106-103 lead with 1.2 seconds left.

Miami had one last shot to tie the game and send it to overtime, but Rozier missed a 3-pointer at the buzzer, and the game ended.