The Miami Heat found redemption last night against the Charlotte Hornets, while also starting the quest for the In-Season Tournament Cup on a great note.
Miami, FL - The Miami Heat bounced back last night against the Charlotte Hornets, in their first home game after a four-game Western Conference road trip. They went 1-3 in that span, so it felt great for the team to get back in the win column, with a final score of 126-108.
Both sides were short of star power as Bam Adebayo (left great toe sprain), Tyler Herro (left ankle surgery), LaMelo Ball (right ankle impingement), and Brandon Miller (Left shoulder subluxation) were all sidelined.
However, it was an opportunity for others to shine.
The starting lineups:
Hornets: Tre Mann-Sion James-Kon Knueppel-Miles Bridges-Ryan Kalkbrenner
Heat: Davion Mitchell-Pelle Larsson-Norman Powell-Andrew Wiggins-Kel'el Ware
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As it was time for tip-off, the Heat kicked things off with a three-pointer from Norman Powell. From there, the unexpected happened. The team went on to make 10 three-pointers out of 15 attempts in the first quarter alone. They ended up scoring 53 points, which sets a new franchise record and is the second-best in NBA history.
The Hornets weren't able to keep up and found themselves down 20 points after the first 12 minutes of basketball action. However, they didn't back down, scorching a massive 27-2 run in the second quarter. Rookie forward Kon Knueppel led the way with 11 points during the comeback.
The Heat were also without Norman Powell for the majority of the second quarter after suffering a right ankle sprain. They led by as many as 26, but at halftime, the deficit was only three points.
It was a competitive third quarter, with tons of back and forth. Neither team could get an edge over the other.
However, in the fourth, the Heat were able to pull away once again, with Jaime Jaquez Jr. leading the way, including a "welcome to the league" moment over Hornets' rookie Sion James, pulling a crossover slam dunk.
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The Heat secured another dominant victory and improved their record to 5-4. However, it wasn't just a meaningless regular-season game; it was the first matchup of the In-Season Tournament.
Both teams are part of Group East C, which also consists of the Chicago Bulls, Milwaukee Bucks, and New York Knicks. The Heat and the Bucks are the only ones to go 1-0.
However, the Heat are first because they have a higher point differential against the Hornets, 18, compared to the Bucks against the Bulls, 16. That will play a major factor in tiebreakers.
There's some controversy around that rule because it could lead to the risk of injuries to players who wouldn't usually play in the situation of a big margin.
Matter of fact, after last night's game, Jaquez Jr. was diagnosed with a left ankle sprain, which came in the fourth quarter. His status will be more well-known at a later time.
The third-year forward finished with 18 points, eight rebounds, nine assists, and two blocks in 33 minutes.
The Heat will face the Portland Trail Blazers tonight at 8:00 p.m. Eastern Time back at home.
Notable performances: Powell finished with 25 points, four rebounds, and three assists in 27 minutes. Andrew Wiggins found his rhythm, recording 22 points, along with four three-pointers made, four rebounds, four assists, a steal, and a block in 36 minutes. Pelle Larsson set a new career-high with 19 points, four rebounds, two assists, and a steal.
The whole Heat team felt it was their mission to get the win after the events of Erik Spoelstra's home burning.
"There are a lot of emotions," he said postgame. "I'm human, like anybody. I've been so busy managing everything with my kids and also preparing for the game. In a perfect world, I'd rather go home."
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