Dragic, Johnson help Heat beat Nets in Mexico City
Miami Heat’s Goran Dragic jumps to score, during their NBA Global Games match against the Brooklyn Nets at the Mexico City Arena, on December 9, 2017, in Mexico City. / AFP PHOTO / PEDRO PARDO
MEXICO CITY — Goran Dragic and Tyler Johnson each scored 20 points and Miami beat the Brooklyn Nets 101-89 on Saturday in the Heat’s first game in Mexico in franchise history.
Playing in front of 19,777 fans at raucous Arena Ciudad de Mexico, Dragic was 9 of 19 from the field and had seven rebounds for Miami. The Heat snapped a two-game losing streak to improve to 12-13.
James Johnson added 17 points, Justice Winslow had 15 and Kelly Olynyk 11 for Miami. The Heat rallied from two seven-point deficits.
Rondae Hollis-Jefferson led the Nets with 18 points. Coming off a 100-95 victory over Oklahoma City on Thursday night in the Mexico City opener, the Nets dropped to 10-15.
In the third quarter, the Nets took a seven-point lead on Tyler Zeller’s layup, but Dragic sealed a 10-2 run to give Miami a 60-59 lead and the Heat took a 75-72 advantage into the final period.
Miami put it away with an 11-4 run to start the fourth quarter. They took an 86-76 lead with 8:18 to play on Wayne Hellington’s dunk.
REGULAR VISITORS
The game between the Heat and the Nets was the fourth in Mexico this year. It marks the first time the NBA has hosted four international regular-season games in the same country in one calendar year (outside Canada). In January, the Phoenix Suns played the Dallas Mavericks and the San Antonio Spurs. Also, the game was the 26th south of the border since 1992, also a record for any nation besides the U.S. and Canada.
INCHING ON RILEY
Erik Spoelstra (452-295) is two wins short from tying Pat Riley (454-395) for the most wins in Heat history. Spoelstra is the only second active coach in the NBA to record at least 450 wins with their current team. The other one is Gregg Popovich.
FEELING THE HEAT
The Nets suffered their sixth straight loss to the Heat. Brooklyn has not beated Miami since 12/28/15.
UP NEXT
Heat: At Memphis on Monday night.
Nets: Host Indiana on Tuesday night.
