Jimmy Butler heated up in the second half, scoring 17 of his 26 points, and the Miami Heat won for the first time this season, topping the host Charlotte Hornets 114-106 on Saturday night.
The Heat had to fend off several late-game threats to spoil the home debut for first-year Hornets coach Charles Lee.
Tyler Herro racked up 22 points, Terry Rozier – who received a video tribute after he was traded last winter from the Hornets — poured in 19 points, Bam Adebayo posted 12 points and 11 rebounds and Nikola Jovic added 10 points. The Heat hadn’t played since losing their season opener to Orlando on Wednesday night at home.
LaMelo Ball led the Hornets with 27 points and seven assists. Miles Bridges notched 16 points, Seth Curry supplied 15 points, Tre Mann had 14 points and Nick Richards turned in 12 points and 12 rebounds.
There were several mini-bursts for both teams and then Butler and Mann drained 3s within a 15-second span as the pace increased, with the Heat up 102-99.
Herro’s 3 and Butler’s two free throws made it 109-101 going to the final minute and, after Bridges connected from long range, Rozier’s 3-pointer at the 34-second mark helped seal the outcome.
The Heat had a double-digit lead early in the third quarter, but the margin dipped in a hurry. A 9-2 stretch in the fourth quarter propelled Miami to a 92-78 lead only to have Charlotte respond with a 10-2 spurt with more than six minutes to play.
Herro’s 3-pointer and Adebayo’s dunk made it an 11-point spread again.
Butler missed six of his 17 free-throw attempts, but he contributed eight rebounds and eight assists.
The Heat opened a 56-48 halftime lead, scoring 33 points in the second quarter. Miami shot 51.2 percent from the field in the first half compared to Charlotte’s 40.2.
Neither Butler nor Adebayo made one basket from the field in the opening quarter and went a combined 5-for-14 from the floor in the half.
Ball had 10 turnovers on Friday at Atlanta, but only one giveaway in the opening half Saturday before finishing with five.
–Field Level Media