SHOP
Thanks to getting back to their identity on both ends, the HEAT raced out to a 28-point lead in the first half and led by as many as 37 in a 122-95 thrashing of the Wizards Friday night at AmericanAirlines Arena.
In addition to holding Washington to just 37.1 percent shooting, Miami had five guys score in double-figures.
Let’s get right into some notable performances.
1. Bam Sets The Tone
Simply put, Bam Adebayo was in attack mode from the opening tip.
Time and time again, he pushed the pace, took advantage of Washington’s porous defense and absorbed a ton of contact on his way to the rim.
Like, a ton of contact.
Seriously, he came through with the highest scoring quarter of his career with a game-high 15 points in the opening period thanks to a perfect 11-of-11 shooting from the free throw line. Yes, you read that right.
In doing so, he became the first player to accomplish that feat in an opening quarter since at least 1996 and the first HEAT player to hit that many free throws in any quarter since Dwyane Wade sank 14 in the fourth against the Cavs on Feb. 1, 2007, per the AP.
Whoa.
And on the flip side of the ball, Adebayo defended Robin Lopez in man and fared well on switches, help situations and traps on Bradley Beal.
I mean, just take a look at this switch, recovery and block on Beal early in the contest:
As the game progressed, Adebayo continued to show his defensive versatility and aggressive nature on the offensive end with jumpers and finishes inside.
Of course, a nasty one-handed alley-oop jam was also part of the equation.
That’s how you put the finishing touches on a blowout victory.
When it was all said and done, Adebayo amassed 21 points on 5-of-10 shooting from the field (he stayed at 11-of-11 from the line), four boards, three assists, a team-high two blocks (tied with Tyler Herro and Andre Iguodala), one steal and a plus-29 rating.
2. Nunn Does His Thing
With Avery Bradley out, Kendrick Nunn took advantage of his opportunity and provided a major spark off the bench.
Not only did he help Miami extend its lead in the second quarter with 13 points in the period, but he also continued to score from all three levels in the second half.
One of his prettiest buckets came on a scoop in transition late in the third.
(Also note that fantastic pass by Iguodala.)
In all, Nunn tallied 25 points on 11-of-17 shooting, eight rebounds, two steals, one assist and a plus-17 rating.
3. Jimmy Does It All
Soo…Jimmy Butler had a typical Jimmy Butler game.
He routinely got a step on his man on drives to the rim and either drew contact, finished the play or set up his teammates with great feeds.
This behind-the-back pocket pass to Precious Achiuwa late in the second quarter was something else:
And on the defensive end, Butler helped limit Beal to just seven points on 1-of-14 shooting and was everywhere on switches and help situations.
Butler ended up with 14 points on 4-of-7 shooting from the field and 6-of-8 shooting from the charity stripe, a game-high nine assists, eight rebounds, a game-high three steals (tied with Beal), a block and a game-high plus-34 rating.
Other Takeaways:
-After a quiet first half, Kelly Olynyk caught fire in the third quarter and scored 14 points in the period to keep the pressure on the Wizards.
KO concluded with 17 points on 6-of-8 shooting, including 5-of-7 from distance, seven rebounds, one assist and a plus-18 rating.
-Herro came off the bench and got to his spots both off the catch and off the bounce to the tune of 17 points, including this pull-up jumper that put him past the 1,000-point mark:
In addition to those 17 points, Herro also accumulated four boards, four assists, a team-high two blocks (tied with Adebayo and Iguodala) and a steal.
-Goran Dragić finished a bunch of plays at the rim in his first start since Jan. 25, but he suffered a left ankle sprain in the third quarter and did not return. X-rays came back negative.
The Dragon finished with nine points on 4-of-7 shooting, four assists, three boards and a plus-22 rating.
Game Notes:
-Bradley (right calf strain) and Moe Harkless (left thigh contusion) were active scratches.
-Meyers Leonard (left shoulder surgery) and Chris Silva (left hip flexor strain) were inactive.
Looking Ahead:
-The HEAT will head to New York to take on the Knicks on Sunday at 1 PM. You can catch all the action on FOX Sports Sun and 790 The Ticket.