Dominant rebounding and stellar performances from Bam Adebayo and Jaime Jaquez Jr. powered the Miami Heat's crucial win before the All-Star break.
The Miami Heat secured a much-needed 123-111 victory over the New Orleans Pelicans on Wednesday night, marking the final game heading into the All-Star break. It was important for the team to end the first half of the regular season on a positive note, especially after suffering a 115-111 loss to the Utah Jazz on Monday night, despite three starters not playing a second in the fourth quarter.
Key takeaways from the game:
Heat; Dominating the glass: The Heat won the total rebound battle 56-47 by attacking the offensive glass. They grabbed 18 rebounds on that side, which resulted in 24 second-chance points.
Kevon Looney and rookie center Derik Queen combined for 14 rebounds.
Pelicans; Running up and down the court: The Pelicans managed to carve out runs throughout the game by scoring in transition. They finished with 25 fastbreak points to the Heat's 13. The Pelicans are primarily younger, with a few veterans.
Heat; Bam Adebayo's overall performance: The Heat had a few standout performances to close out the first half of the regular season. Bam Adebayo led with 27 points, 14 rebounds, four assists, and a new season-high with four blocks in 37 minutes. The three-time All-Star was inefficient throughout the second half but left an impact in other ways, such as on defense and on the boards.
Heat; Sixth Man of the Year candidate: Jaime Jaquez Jr. finished the game with 23 points, eight rebounds, four assists, three steals, and two blocks in 35 minutes off the bench. The third-year forward has been a consistent, reliable reserve for the Heat.
Tyler Herro is the only player to win the Sixth Man of the Year award in franchise history, but Jaquez Jr. is carving out a strong case.
Heat; Another undrafted gem: Myron Gardner continues to make the most of his opportunities. Following the Jazz game, when he only played six total minutes, the two-way rookie finished with eight points, 10 rebounds, three assists, a steal, and a block in 23 minutes against the Pelicans.
The Heat, who didn't make a move at the trade deadline, have a standard roster spot open. They're $1.6 million under the tax and could look at converting Gardner to a standard contract, which would make him eligible to participate in the playoffs. He plays with intensity on both sides of the court and has earned the trust of coach Erik Spoelstra.
The Heat improved their record to 29-27, eighth in the Eastern Conference standings. On the same night, the Magic suffered a 116-108 loss against the Milwaukee Bucks, causing a 0.5 difference between both Florida franchises in the standings.
There should be a sense of urgency from the Heat coming out of the All-Star break as the playoff picture grows closer.
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