The Miami HEAT defeated the Brooklyn Nets 120-107 Wednesday night at Barclays Center. Tyler Johnson led the way for the HEAT with a season-high 24 points.
1. TJ Seals It
While Johnson got off to a quick start thanks to some timely cuts and assertive drives, he really made his presence felt in the fourth quarter.
How so?
Well, he led Miami with 10 points on 4-of-5 shooting in the period, including this trey that pretty much sealed the deal:
Clutch.
In addition to his season and game-high 24 points on 9-of-12 shooting, TJ also grabbed five boards and dished out an assist.
2. Dragić Stays On The Attack
Throughout the night, Goran Dragić methodically picked apart the Nets’ defense and did pretty much whatever he wanted.
And although he did a decent amount of work in the halfcourt thanks to finishes at the rim and short jumpers, he looked his best in transition.
For a perfect example of the latter, look no further than this fantastic euro-step and finish against D’Angelo Russell late in the second quarter:
Boy, did Dragić have him fooled.
When it was all said and done, the Slovenian tallied 21 points on 8-of-15 shooting, four assists and three rebounds.
3. McGruder Keeps It Up Off The Dribble
Watching Rodney McGruder continue to develop sure has been fun, hasn’t it?
Like he’s done time and time again this season, McGruder put a lot of pressure on Brooklyn when attacking off the dribble.
Thanks to his ability to hit the runner with ease, he’s able to collapse the defense and throw up great lobs much like this one to Bam Adebayo late in the third:
Goodness.
Then again, we also can’t forget about McGruder’s sick up-and-under move past Allen Crabbe and finish with contact against Rondae Hollis-Jefferson late in the second quarter.
McGruder ended up with 10 points on 4-of-9 shooting, four rebounds and three assists.
Game Notes:
-Derrick Jones Jr. (illness) sat out.
-Dwyane Wade (Personal Reasons), James Johnson (Sports Hernia Surgery), Dion Waiters (Left Ankle Surgery) and Yante Maten (Sioux Falls Assignment) were inactive.
Looking Ahead:
-The HEAT will now head to Indiana to face the Pacers on Friday at 7PM. After that, Miami will return home for a marquee matchup against LeBron James and the Lakers on Sunday at 6PM. Tickets for that game can be found here.