NBA: Jimmy Butler, Heat send Pistons to 10th straight loss
Jimmy Butler #22 of the Miami Heat walks off the court after defeating the Dallas Mavericks at Miami-Dade Arena on April 01, 2023 in Miami, Florida. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Megan Briggs/Getty Images/AFP (Photo by Megan Briggs / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / Getty Images via AFP)
Jimmy Butler produced 27 points, eight rebounds, eight assists and four steals as the Miami Heat defeated the host Detroit Pistons 118-105 on Tuesday night.
Gabe Vincent contributed 22 points for the Heat (42-37), who claimed a second straight victory in the first game of a three-game road trip. Tyler Herro and Bam Adebayo tossed in 18 points apiece and Kyle Lowry chipped in 11.
Article continues after this advertisementThe Pistons (16-63) dropped their 10th game in a row and fell for the 24th time in 26 games. Jaden Ivey led Detroit with 30 points and added seven assists, and Jalen Duren had 20 points and 14 rebounds. Isaiah Livers put up 15 points, and James Wiseman had 14.
Ivey made a layup in the final minute of the first quarter, tying the score at 27. Miami then reeled off 15 unanswered points. Herro got it started with a jumper.
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Article continues after this advertisementHerro nailed two 3-pointers early in the second quarter, and Kevin Love followed with another. Eugene Omoruyi ended Detroit’s drought with two free throws.
Vincent, who had 11 first-quarter points, drained two 3-pointers in the middle of the second period for a 52-35 lead.
Caleb Martin’s tip-in with four minutes left made it 56-39. The Pistons then finished the half on a 13-3 run to cut Miami’s lead to seven.
Detroit didn’t cool off when the second half opened, going on an 8-0 run to take the lead, capped by a Duren dunk.
The Heat responded with a 13-0 run for a 72-60 lead. Butler started it with a bucket and then dished out three assists, two to Adebayo. Vincent capped the surge with another 3-pointer.
A trio of treys, two by Ivey, allowed the Pistons to cut the deficit to 73-69. When Duren made a layup in the final minute of the quarter, the Heat’s lead was down to 80-79.
Killian Hayes sank a jumper 30 seconds into the fourth to give Detroit the lead. It remained a one-possession game for a majority of the quarter.
Ivey hit a jumper to give the Pistons a 99-96 lead with 5:36 left. The Heat then went on a 11-0 run, with Butler supplying seven of those points.
