The Miami HEAT defeated the Washington Wizards 114-94 Saturday night at AmericanAirlines Arena. Luol Deng led the way for the HEAT with 27 points.
1. Blazing Pace
For the second night in a row, Miami pushed tempo and got into its offense quicker. That should come as no surprise with Goran Dragic running the show. The Slovenian got out in transition at nearly every opportunity and converted some easy finishes at the rim. He also did damage off the dribble in the half court, which kept Washington on its heels. Whether it was aggressive drives to the basket or smooth step-back jumpers, Dragic was simply locked-in.
He also connected with Hassan Whiteside on a great lob late in the second quarter. Hopefully the duo can continue to build chemistry as the season progresses. For the evening, the point guard tallied a season-high 24 points, eight assists and seven rebounds.
While Dragic was a focal point in the HEAT’s quicker attack, Josh McRoberts was a factor too. McRoberts played some point-forward early on and dazzled with some excellent handles and nifty passes. He finished with three points, three boards, three assists and a plus-19 rating against the Wizards.
2. Welcome Back, Mr. Whiteside
Whiteside made his return to action on Saturday night after serving a one-game suspension and didn’t waste anytime getting back into the flow of things. The big man was an absolute beast on the glass, grabbing 14 boards and scoring 12 points in just the first half alone. Most of his points through the first two quarters actually came off offensive rebounds, but he did have one phenomenal finish at the rim after getting good position in the post.
On that play with 5:30 left in the second quarter, McRoberts threaded the needle with a pass to Whiteside between Marcin Gortat and Otto Porter Jr. From there, the center converted the tough layup despite being pulled to the ground by Jared Dudley. Whiteside also hit the ensuing free throw to complete the three-point play.
In the second half, the 26-year-old continued to clean the glass and gave Miami a multitude of second-chance opportunities. He also started to convert a bit more in the post. In all, Whiteside totaled 25 points and 23 rebounds (eight offensive) to become the first HEAT player to ever tally a 20-point, 20-rebound game off the bench.
3. Deng Does It Again
Deng picked up right where he left off against the Hawks and kept up the energy on Saturday night. He continued to move well off the ball for baseline cuts, gained solid position in the post and ran the floor with Dragic. As a result, Deng led the team with 27 points. On the flip side of the ball, the vet played the passing lanes well once again.
Other Takeaways:
-Both Josh Richardson and Justise Winslow had strong outings against the Wizards. Richardson played masterful defense, especially in transition, and came away with three blocks at the rim. He also nailed a corner three in addition to a tough mid-range jumper over Bradley Beal. Richardson had five points, six boards and three assists on the night.
Check out two of the rook’s blocks below:
Winslow, meanwhile, benefited from the team’s quicker pace and converted a number of tough runners throughout the contest. He finished the game with 14 points and six rebounds on 60 percent shooting.
Game Note: Dwyane Wade (knee), Chris Bosh and Tyler Johnson (shoulder surgery) sat out.