The Miami Heat's offense ignited, torching the Sacramento Kings with dazzling shooting and fast breaks. Bam Adebayo and Norman Powell led a dominant performance.
Sacramento, CA - The Miami Heat sought to get back on track after starting the five-game Western Conference road trip with a tough loss to the Golden State Warriors on Monday night, with a final score of 135-112. However, in the league, a new opportunity awaits as the team would face the Sacramento Kings 24 hours later.
They were primarily healthy, except for All-Star guard Tyler Herro, who was recently diagnosed with a costochondral rib injury and expected to miss the entire trip. Also, Kel'el Ware would miss his first game of the regular season due to right hamstring tightness.
The Kings were only without four-year forward Keegan Murray due to a left ankle sprain.
The starting lineups:
Heat: Davion Mitchell-Norman Powell-Pelle Larsson-Andrew Wiggins-Bam Adebayo
Kings: Russell Westbrook-Zach LaVine-DeMar DeRozan-Precious Achiuwa-Domantas Sabonis
It was time for tipoff and Zach LaVine was the first to punch the scoreboard with a long two-pointer inside the corner. However, the Heat quickly responded with a 14-4 run, which consisted of six fastbreak paint points. Running up and down the court for easy possessions has been the identity they've attempted to live up to.
The Heat closed the first quarter with a 32-25 lead.
The momentum carried over as they would make nine three-pointers throughout the next 12 minutes of regulation. Two-way rookie forward Myron Gardner scored all five of his points in five minutes of action during the second quarter, being a pest on the defensive end.
The Kings have the firepower to match, trailing 77-64 at halftime.
After a slow start offensively, Bam Adebayo finished with 12 first-half points, including four three-pointers made.
As the third quarter began, the Heat's hot shooting continued. They sparked a massive 13-4 run, which included Adebayo scoring 10 consecutive points, and didn't look back afterwards.
The Kings' attempt at a miraculous comeback was short-lived as the final score was 130-117.
Adebayo finished with 25 points, four three-pointers made, seven rebounds, five assists, a steal, and a block in 30 minutes. Norman Powell followed with 22 points, four three-pointers made, three rebounds, and two assists in 31 minutes.
Simone Fontecchio provided a massive spark off the bench: 15 points, five three-pointers made, and seven rebounds in 19 minutes. After a hot start to the season, the veteran forward had gone through an extended shooting slump, which resulted in him being knocked out of the rotation for some games.
However, there's been a great resurgence as of late.
"He's [Fontecchio] a professional," Powell said. "He's played in different leagues, at this level for a long time. All he cares about is winning. When he comes in, he's going to go out there and play the right way, impact winning. Tonight, he was able to spread the floor."
The Heat finished with 21 three-pointers made on 50 percent shooting.
A victory in this fashion can help boost a team's confidence, especially on a long Western Conference road trip. The team improved its record to 23-21, remaining at eighth in the Eastern Conference standings. They will face the Portland Trail Blazers on Thursday night.
Join the Community! Don't miss out on our ROUNDTABLE community and the latest news! It's completely free to join. Share your thoughts, engage with our RoundTable writers, and chat with fellow members.
Download the free Roundtable APP, and stay even more connected!
More Miami Heat News: