NBA: Heat handle Pelicans for fourth straight win
FILE–Jimmy Butler #22 of the Miami Heat. Cliff Hawkins/Getty Images/AFP
Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo each scored 29 points and Kyle Lowry recorded a triple-double as the visiting Miami Heat won their fourth consecutive game by defeating the New Orleans Pelicans 112-97 on Thursday night.
Lowry finished with 14 points, 11 assists and 11 rebounds and Adebayo added 10 rebounds. Dewayne Dedmon added 11 points and Duncan Robinson 10 as the East-leading Heat finished 4-2 on a six-game trip.
Jose Alvarado came off the bench to score 17 points for the Pelicans, who saw their four-game winning streak end. Jonas Valanciunas and Devonte’ Graham scored 16 each and Brandon Ingram and CJ McCollum, making his Pelicans debut, had 15 each.
Not that we needed any more proof, but Jimmy Buckets definitely proved why he's an #NBAAllStar tonight. 🌟 pic.twitter.com/6JljwWTSnq
— Miami HEAT (@MiamiHEAT) February 11, 2022
McCollum, the central figure in a seven-player trade with Portland on Tuesday, made just 6 of 21 shots, including 2 of 10 3-pointers.
Miami scored the first seven points of the third quarter to take a 63-55 lead. New Orleans got within four points four times before the Heat pushed the lead to 76-65 on a 3-pointer by Max Strus.
Alvarado scored the Pelicans’ next six points and fed Jaxson Hayes for a dunk, but Miami still held an 83-73 lead at the end of the third quarter.
New Orleans scored the first three points of the fourth quarter, but the Heat quickly rebuilt the lead to 11.
Captain Bamerica was solid from start to finish AGAIN tonight. 💥 pic.twitter.com/dzyFNCxhhd
— Miami HEAT (@MiamiHEAT) February 11, 2022
Alvarado and Graham each made a 3-pointer to cut the lead to four, but Miami scored the next five points for a 101-92 lead and coasted home.
The Heat shot 55.6 percent (10 of 18) and held a 27-24 lead at the end of the first period as the Pelicans shot 36 percent (9 of 25).
McCollum’s first 3-pointer started the second-quarter scoring and pulled New Orleans even. Miami led by seven points on two occasions before another 3-pointer by McCollum tied the score at 42.
Graham’s 3-pointer gave the Pelicans a five-point lead before Butler’s four points led a Heat surge that gave them a 56-55 halftime lead.
