Miami holds on after blowing big lead
Jimmy Butler scored 32 points and Bam Adebayo had 26 points and 19 rebounds on the night his Olympic goldmedalist banner was unveiled as the Miami Heat held on late Friday night to beat the Charlotte Hornets, 114-99.
Tyler Herro scored 26 points off the bench for Miami, which wasted most of a 26-point first-half lead. Duncan Robinson added 10 for Miami. The Heat (4-1) outrebounded Charlotte (4-2), 6037.
Gordon Hayward scored 23 points and Miles Bridges had 22 for Charlotte. Kelly Oubre Jr. scored 17 points and Cody Martin had 15 for the Hornets, while LaMelo Ball struggled through a 2-for-14 outing from the floor.
Miami came into the game — in terms of points per game — with the NBA’s top defense, Charlotte with the league’s top offense. Defense prevailed, with Charlotte shooting just 39%.
The Heat was19 for 19 from the free-throw line for the second time this season.
Miami had gone 19 for 19 or better only twice in its first 33 seasons. It has now done it two more times in a span of five days.
Miami was 190-1 over the past 25 seasons in games where it led by at least 26 points.
Other games
Raptors 110, Magic 109:
Fred VanVleet scored 16 of his 19 points in the fourth quarter and Scottie Barnes had 21 points as Toronto (33) won back-to-back games for the first time this season, holding on to beat visiting Orlando (1-5).
Nets 105, Pacers 98:
LaMarcus Aldridge scored 17 of his 21 points in the second half, reaching 20,000 for his career, to lead host Brooklyn (3-3) to a victory against Indiana ( 1- 5). James Harden broke out of an early season slump with 29 points and Kevin Durant added 22.
Kings 113, Pelicans 109:
De’Aaron Fox scored 23 points and Richaun Holmes added 21 as visiting Sacramento (3-2) beat New Orleans (1-5).