Miami Dec. 29 (BUS): Tyler Hero scored 32 points from the Miami bench, Jimmy Butler finished 25 points and made top 15 assists, stopping the Exhausted Heat over the Washington Wizards 119-112 on Tuesday night.
Duncan Robinson added 26 points for Miami, making eight three-pointers on a night the Heat went through an eight-man course that could face a new challenge after Butler twisted his right ankle with 1:03 left, The Associated Press reports.
Kyle Lowry is on health and safety protocols, Pam Adebayo is out with a thumb injury and now the Heat will begin a two-week road trip on Wednesday in San Antonio where Butler is likely missing or ill.
Spencer Dinwiddie scored 24 points and Kyle Kuzma scored for Washington 22 points. Davis Bertans scored 19 goals, Daniel Gafford finished 16 and Corey Kisbert added 14 goals for the Wizards.
The win was 629 for Heat coach Eric Spoelstra, breaking the tie with Doug Mo for a 25th possession on the NBA roster. Spoelstra is now nine wins away from No. 24 Chuck Daly.
Washington trailed by 28 in the third quarter, cut the deficit to 18 by the end of that period and reached 109-101 when Kispert hit 3 points with 2:12 remaining.
But Butler landed his spot at the right corner, faked Kuzma with the ball in the air and connected 15 feet into Miami’s next possession, helping to ensure the Heat finished 4-0 in victory.
Both teams were without eight players, mostly for virus reasons as numbers remained high around the NBA.
The Witches were without Bradley Beal, Thomas Bryant, Quintavius Caldwell Bob, Roy Hatchimura, Montrezel Harrell, Anthony Gill, Aaron Holiday and Raul Neto – all because of the league’s health and safety protocols.
Miami was without Laurie, Odonis Haslam and Max Strauss due to protocols, as well as Adebayo, PJ Tucker, Dwayne Deadmon, Markive Morris and Victor Oladipo due to injuries.
“When things happen or things change, you just have to adapt and get over it,” Strauss said Tuesday, a few hours before the match was due to take place. “I mean, that’s what we’re really working with in the world right now.”
He intended to play. About an hour before the match, he got into the protocols, and the temperature dropped to eight players.
“The whole league is coping with it,” said Spoilstra. “I commend everyone for working together through all of this.”
Hint
Wizards: Washington 24-36 went away from home in 2021. … The Wizards (17-17) are back at 0.500 for this season. They still have to be below 0.500 at any point in the 2021-22 campaign, after not spending a single day more than 0.500 in each of the previous three seasons. … Washington’s biggest shortfall was 28 points, making this his fourth game of the season, followed by the Wizards at least by that number.
The Heat: Miami went 31-20 at home in 2021. … The Heat didn’t commit to their first run until 5:12 remained in the half. … Miami had 65 first-half points for the 100th time in franchise history, improving to 79-21 when that happens. The Heat have done it four times this month alone, ranking second in the team’s history for any month, joining in May 2021 and January 2020. Miami had six of those first half in November 2019.
on call
Gina Schroeder – who was part of the first two-women squad in the NBA in January – and Lauren Holtkamp Sterling were among the referees sent to Miami for the match, joining veteran Ed Malloy. Ruth Riley Hunter also made calls, albeit in a different way. The former Notre Dame star, WNBA star and Olympic gold medalist was the Heat TV analyst for the game, with regular analyst John Crotty on the protocols.
waiting for roy
The Wizards had been hoping Hashimura, who hasn’t played a “real” match since the Tokyo Olympics, could make an appearance in his first season on Tuesday. He never got a chance; Hashimura’s entry into the protocols delayed this for at least a few more days. “I feel he’s in a good place. It’s just kind of a little speed bump right now where he can’t be with us and would probably be available,” said Wizards coach Wes Onseld Jr.
next one
Wizards: Host Cleveland on Thursday, kicking off a four-game home game.
Heat: Visit San Antonio on Wednesday, opening a seven-game road trip for two weeks.