Mikal Bridges #1 of the Brooklyn Nets reacts after scoring during the second half against the Miami Heat at Barclays Center on February 15, 2023 in the Brooklyn borough of New York City. The Nets won 116-105. Sarah Stier/Getty Images/AFP
Mikal Bridges scored 17 of his career-high 45 points in the fourth quarter as the Brooklyn Nets pulled away down the stretch for a 116-105 victory over the visiting Miami Heat Wednesday night in New York.
Bridges surpassed his previous career best of 34 points with a spectacular stretch during a span of 3:05 in the fourth that turned Brooklyn’s 90-89 lead into a 105-96 advantage on his 15-footer with 4:16 left.
Bridges made 17 of 24 shots and was 7 of 10 in the fourth quarter when the Nets made 13 of 19 shots and outscored Miami 33-25.
Bridges set a career high for field goals after being held to seven points Monday against the Knicks. He also added eight rebounds and five assists as the Nets bounced back from a pair of rough finishes in losses to Philadelphia and the Knicks.
Mikal Bridges went OFF in the Nets W.
45 points
8 rebounds
5 assists
4 threes pic.twitter.com/UFT19T2NK1— NBA (@NBA) February 16, 2023
Reserve Cam Thomas added 19 and Cameron Johnson chipped in 18 as the Nets shot 53.2, hit 17 3-pointers and improved to 7-11 in their past 18 games. Spencer Dinwiddie was held to nine and his 3-pointer gave the Nets the lead for good at 86-84 with 10:38 left.
Bam Adebayo reached double figures for the 70th straight game by totaling 24 points and 13 rebounds for his 28th double-double but the Heat dropped 2 1/2 games behind the fifth-place Nets.
Gabe Vincent added 21 and Max Strus contributed 18 for the Heat, who shot 45.8 percent but missed 20 of 28 3-pointers. They also missed eight of 29 free-throw tries after entering the game third in the NBA in free-throw percentage.
The Nets held a 26-25 lead after the opening quarter when Dinwiddie sank a 3-pointer on his first shot attempt with 5.1 seconds left. Miami trailed by four midway through the second and took a 56-52 lead by halftime.
Brooklyn outscored Miami 22-13 over the final 6:41 of the third and took an 83-80 lead when Bridges sank a jumper from the line just before the horn. After consecutive dunks by Adebayo in the opening minute prompted a Brooklyn timeout, Bridges put on his impressive display.