Heat Outpace Trail Blazers for 136-131 Victory as Adebayo Sits
The NBA's two fastest teams by pace faced off Saturday night at Kaseya Center in a thrilling matchup that came down to the final moments, with the Miami Heat prevailing.
The game resembled a series of intense sprints consisting of momentum shifts rather than a steady pace. Miami, ranked first in pace, battled Portland, another fast-paced team.
Despite missing key players Bam Adebayo and Tyler Herro due to injuries, the Heat pushed hard in the closing minutes. Late contributions from Jaime Jaquez Jr., Norman Powell, and Andrew Wiggins secured a 136-131 win, improving Miami’s record to 6-4.
“Obviously our guys are getting pretty comfortable with it,” said coach Erik Spoelstra of playing at such a swift pace. “I’m not putting the brakes on anybody who is trying to attack.”
Standout Performances
- Nikola Jovic led Miami with a career-high 29 points.
- Norman Powell added 22 points.
- Pelle Larsson contributed 16 points.
- Andrew Wiggins finished with 15 points.
- Jaquez posted a strong all-around game with 14 points, 12 rebounds, and seven assists.
“It’s an offense where it can be anybody’s night,” said Jaquez. “Tonight, it was Niko.”
Jovic credited the team’s pace for his success: You can see the way it makes everybody look better.
The Heat continue to embrace their fast-paced style, leveraging depth and energy to overcome injuries and outlast opponents.
Author's summary: The Miami Heat overcame injuries to key players and used their league-leading pace to edge out the Trail Blazers 136-131, highlighted by Nikola Jovic’s career night.