The Heat are headed to Boston after ousting the Bulls 112-91 in East play-in finale
Tyler Herro scored 24 points and was an assist shy of a triple-double, rookie Jaime Jaquez Jr. added 21 points and the Miami Heat grabbed the last spot in the Eastern Conference playoffs, running away from the Chicago Bulls 112-91 in a play-in tournament elimination game.
Joel Embiid scores 23 points, has the big assist as 76ers beat Heat in play-in to earn No. 7 seed
Joel Embiid had 23 points, 15 rebounds and one huge assist to Kelly Oubre Jr. on a late go-ahead three-point play that led the 76ers to a 105-104 win over the Miami Heat in the Eastern Conference play-in tournament on Wednesday night.
Bucks make 25 3s, beat Heat 138-122 without Antetokounmpo
Brook Lopez scored 25 points, Jrue Holiday added 24 and the hot-shooting Milwaukee Bucks withstood Giannis Antetokounmpoโs absence while trouncing the Miami Heat 138-122, tying their Eastern Conference first-round playoff series at a game apiece.
Mikal Bridges scores career-high 45, Nets beat Heat 116-105
Mikal Bridges scored a career-high 45 points, including 15 in a row for Brooklyn to break open a game that had been close for 3 1/2 quarters, and the Nets beat the Miami Heat 116-105 on in the final game for both teams before the All-Star break.
Butler, Dragic carry Heat past NBA-best Jazz, 124-116
Miami Heat forward Kelly Olynyk (9) goes to the basket as Utah Jazz forward Royce O'Neale defends during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Friday, Feb. 26, 2021, in Miami. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)MIAMI โ The Miami Heat don't believe in statement wins. โA high-level game," Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said, โand we had some big plays down the stretch." Duncan Robinson scored 15 and Kendrick Nunn added 12 for the Heat, who held Utah to 29% shooting in the fourth quarter. It was the sixth game in Heat history in which both teams had at least 94 points through three quarters.
Spurs game at Detroit called off over virus-related concerns
(AP Photo/Darren Abate)Tuesdayโs game between San Antonio Spurs and Detroit Pistons has been postponed, marking the second time this month that the NBA has called off a game because of coronavirus-related issues. The NBA does not announce the names of players who test positive; some have revealed positive tests on their own. Being ruled out because of the protocols can suggest any number of things, including a positive test, a suspected positive test or contact-tracing data showing that a player may have been exposed to a person with COVID-19. AdThe only other game called off this month for a virus-related issue was on Feb. 1, also involving the Pistons โ Detroit's night game at Denver was postponed because of contact tracing issues involving the Pistons. Miamiโs Tyler Herro missed a game last week because of a suspected positive test; subsequent tests showed he was fine and he was permitted to return to the Heat lineup after the one-game absence.
Heat say Herro may miss time for virus-related issue
(AP Photo/Marta Lavandier)MIAMI โ The Miami Heat may have another player missing games for virus-related reasons, after second-year guard Tyler Herro revealed that someone who lives with him tested positive for COVID-19. The reason the Heat cited for having Herro on the report is the NBAโs health and safety protocols, which only means it is a virus-related reason and does not suggest that he tested positive. If Herro cannot play Monday, heโd become the ninth Heat player on that list. Herro is tested daily and obviously had not tested positive Saturday, since the NBA and Heat permitted him to be on the floor; he played a team-high 40 minutes and scored 15 points. โSomeone who lives with me tested positive before the game and I found out at halftime.
'We have to figure this out': Heat say turnaround will come
Miami Heat players Udonis Haslem, left, talks to Jimmy Butler during the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Denver Nuggets, Wednesday, Jan. 27, 2021, in Miami. The Miami Heat arenโt believing that quite yet โ even after a disastrous start to the 2020-21 campaign. โHeat Nation, we are going to figure this out,โ All-Star center Bam Adebayo said. AdThe year after losing the finals has not been kind to the most recent teams who have dropped the title series. Tyler Herro missed seven games with neck spasms.
Harden, Durant help Nets break away late, beat Heat 98-85
Harden and Durant each scored 20 points despite three relatively quiet quarters, and the Nets broke away with a big run in the fourth to beat the Miami Heat 98-85 on Monday night. Kyrie Irving added 16 points for the Nets, who completed a sweep of the Heat in two games that couldn't have been more different. โI think our defense held tight the whole game,โ Durant said. Miami took a 45-41 edge into halftime, going just 4 for 19 on 3s but doubling the Nets' makes after they went 2 for 17. Nets: Durant missed his first six 3-point attempts before sinking one in the third quarter.
Durant, Irving help Nets hold off Adebayo, Heat 128-124
Miami Heat's Gabe Vincent (2) defends against Brooklyn Nets' Kevin Durant (7) during the second half of an NBA basketball game Saturday, Jan. 23, 2021, in New York. Kevin Durant scored 31 points, Kyrie Irving took over late and had 28 and the Nets overcame Adebayo's career-high 41 points to beat the Miami Heat 128-124 on Saturday night. Irving helped pull the Nets through with 12 points in the final 5:48 after the Heat had erased nearly all of an 18-point deficit. Adebayo beat the buzzer with a jumper, than Miami opened the fourth with a 13-0 run to get within 96-95. Irving, Harden and Durant quickly combined for eight straight points but Adebayo kept coming, and the Nets needed a couple of clutch baskets from Irving and late free throws to pull it out.
Pritchard's putback pushes Celtics past Heat, 107-105
Boston Celtics guard Marcus Smart (36) drives to the basket as Miami Heat guard Tyler Herro (14) defends during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Wednesday, Jan. 6, 2021, in Miami. (AP Photo/Marta Lavandier)MIAMI โ Payton Pritchard wasn't there last season when the Boston Celtics lost to the Miami Heat in the Eastern Conference finals. Pritchard's putback with two-tenths of a second left capped a wild finish, and the Celtics beat the Heat 107-105 in the first matchup this season of last year's East finalists. Jimmy Butler had 26 points for Miami, which got 16 points from Duncan Robinson, 15 points from Bam Adebayo and 14 from Goran Dragic. The Heat cut the lead to eight by halftime, part of what became a 39-17 run that saw Miami lead by five in the third quarter.
Mavericks star Luka Doncic sidelined by quadriceps contusion
Dallas Mavericks guard Luka Doncic, left, shoots over Miami Heat's Tyler Herro (14) and Bam Adebayo, obscured, as Miami's Jimmy Butler (22) and Dallas' Dwight Powell watch during the first half of an NBA basketball game Friday, Jan. 1, 2021, in Dallas. All rights reservedCHICAGO โ Luka Doncic sat out the Dallas Mavericks' game Sunday night against the Chicago Bulls because of a left quadriceps contusion. Doncic was injured Friday night in the second quarter of a home victory over Miami Heat. โWe don't think this is a long-term thing.โThe 21-year-old Slovenian star is off to a relatively slow start this season. He's averaging 24.4 points, 7.6 rebounds and 6.4 assists, shooting 43.2% overall and 16.1% on 3-pointers in five games.
Heat avenge embarrassment, rally to top Bucks 119-108
Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo, bottom, and Miami Heat forward Precious Achiuwa go for a loose ball during the first half of an NBA basketball game Wednesday, Dec. 30, 2020, in Miami. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)MIAMI โ The Miami Heat engineered a 58-point turnaround against the Milwaukee Bucks in 24 hours. โStarted to feel like Miami Heat basketball again,โ Herro said. Milwaukee is 2-3 this season; the Bucks started 24-3 last season. โYou want to constantly develop some grit and some toughness during the course of a long season," Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said.
2020: A year where the fist-bump became mainstream greeting
For a fist bump โ the official greeting of 2020, and probably beyond. ... That fist bump was, โI see you, I hear you, Iโm connecting with you, but Iโm keeping you safe.โโSafety is the primary reason why the status of the fist bump elevated big-time this year. But let's face it: They lack the coolness of the fist bump. โWell, it was a fist bump because of the situation, but still, how many people can say they got a congratulatory fist bump from Jack Nicklaus?โThis year, probably more than ever. But a fist bump is still good.
Bucks set NBA record for 3's, roll past Heat 144-97
On Tuesday, they set the NBA record for 3's in a game. The Bucks made a record 29 3-pointers in their 144-97 romp past the reigning Eastern Conference champion Miami Heat on Tuesday night. The previous record for 3โs in a game was 27, set by the Houston Rockets against the Phoenix Suns on April 7, 2019. It was the biggest road win in Bucks history, topping the 39-point margin at New York on April 10, 1987. It was the first time since Feb. 13, 2017 that he played, scored less than 10 points and the Bucks won anyway.
Spoelstra stays perfect on Christmas, Heat beat Pels 111-98
New Orleans Pelicans guard Eric Bledsoe (5) dribbles against Miami Heat guard Goran Dragic (7) during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Friday, Dec. 25, 2020, in Miami. (AP Photo/Joel Auerbach)MIAMI โ Erik Spoelstra remained perfect on Christmas, and a record-tying show from Duncan Robinson helped him stay that way. Robinson made seven 3-pointers โ tying the most on Christmas ever โ and scored 23 points, and the Heat beat the New Orleans Pelicans 111-98 to start the NBAโs holiday quintupleheader Friday. Spoelstra moved to 8-0 on Christmas as coach of the Heat. COMING HOMEVeteran ref John Goble was crew chief and got to be home for Christmas; heโs a Miami native.
Irving leads rout of Celtics in return to Boston Garden
Brooklyn Nets guard Kyrie Irving (11) drives against Boston Celtics center Robert Williams III (44) during the first half of an NBA preseason basketball game, Friday, Dec. 18, 2020, in Boston. Irving scored 17 points on 7-of-15 shooting and had seven rebounds, five assists and two steals helping the Nets rout the Celtics 113-89 Friday night in the final preseason game for both teams. There were no fans in the new Boston Garden on Friday night, and his introduction was greeted with a faint, fake cheer. Precious Achiuwa scored 13 points and grabbed 15 rebounds for the Heat, while Bam Adebayo scored 13 points and Tyler Herro scored 10. McCollum led the Blazers with 26 points on 8-of-20 shooting and Gary Trent Jr. added 18 points in the loss.
NBA Finals get intense, and Game 6 of Lakers-Heat looms
The Heat have talked since the NBA Finals started about a need to play almost perfect basketball against the Lakers. โOne thing about this team that we are playing, they make you pay for every mistake,โ James said after Game 5. So, we have to understand that.โJames is about to set the record for NBA playoff game appearances. Nobody has had more 40-point NBA Finals games in a loss than he has โ the record-setting fifth entry on that list coming Friday in Miamiโs 111-108 win. โWeโre motivated to win Game 6 and they are motivated to win Game 6,โ Davis said.
King James scores 40, but his Lakers coronation has to wait
The Lakers took their final timeout after Jimmy Butler's free throws gave the Heat a 107-106 lead with 16 seconds to play. โWe got a hell of a look to win the game, to win the series,โ James said. James had never missed a chance to close out an NBA Finals series after getting to three wins. There's been only one 3-1 lead overcome in the NBA Finals, and James was the catalyst that time with Cleveland in 2016. โWe've just got to be better in Game 6 and close the series,โ James said.
Heat force Game 6, top Lakers to stave off elimination
โThatโs Jimmy Butler," Heat center Bam Adebayo said. Butler got fouled with 46.7 seconds left, then slumped over the baseline video boards, clearly exhausted. He made both foul shots for a one-point lead; Davisโ putback with 21.8 seconds left got the Lakers back on top. Butler drove the lane, drew contact and made both with 16.8 seconds left for a 109-108 lead. Lakers: James and Davis were a combined 24 for 36.
Lakers top Heat 102-96, take 3-1 lead in NBA Finals
James and the Lakers are back in control of these NBA Finals, one win away from the franchise's 17th championship. James finished with 28 points, 12 rebounds and eight assists, Anthony Davis' 3-pointer with 39.5 seconds left finally settled matters and the Lakers beat the Miami Heat 102-96 in Game 4. The Lakers lead 3-1 and can win the title when the series resumes Friday. 3-1 LEADSThis is the 36th time that a team has held a 3-1 lead in the NBA Finals. It was just the third time in the last 26 NBA Finals games that neither team reached 50 points in the first 24 minutes.
Butler's big night helps Heat cut Lakers' Finals lead to 2-1
With a triple-double, he joined NBA Finals lore โ and the short-handed Miami Heat might have made this title matchup a series after all. Miami's starters outscored the Lakers' starting five 89-51, and the Heat held the Lakers to a 14-for-42 night from 3-point land. Itโs going to be a tough game, Game 4," Herro said. ... Nick Aquilino, the son of Heat neuromuscular therapist Vinny Aquilino, performed the anthem -- a recording from a Heat game with fans in Miami. BUTLERโS TRIPLE-DOUBLEButler became the 21st player to have a triple-double in the NBA Finals โ and four of the 21 were part of Sundayโs game.
Short-handed Heat fight hard, but not good enough in Game 2
Their defense just wasn't good enough and their veteran forward let them know it during a timeout in the third quarter. He wanted to play, but the Heat decided he needed to rest injuries to his left shoulder and neck. Jimmy Butler insisted the Heat needed to find a way to win anyway, and he took his best shot. Tyler Herro, a 20-year-old rookie, became the youngest player to start an NBA Finals game and scored 17 points. Guard Kendrick Nunn, at 6-foot-2, blocked a shot by Davis, who stands 8 inches taller, in the fourth quarter.
Halfway home: Lakers top Heat 124-114 for 2-0 Finals lead
The NBA Finals are halfway to a coronation. And the last time the Lakersโ franchise has wasted a 2-0 lead was in the 1969 finals against Boston. The Heat have rallied from a 2-0 series hole only once in eight previous tries, that one being the 2006 NBA Finals. ... James, in his 10th NBA Finals, has a 2-0 lead in the title series for the first time. YOUNGEST STARTERHerro, at 20 years, 256 days, became the youngest player to start an NBA Finals game.
Lakers, LeBron roll in Game 1 of finals, top Heat 116-98
Anthony Davis scored 34 points in his finals debut, James had 25 points, 13 rebounds and nine assists and the Los Angeles Lakers rolled past the Miami Heat 116-98 on Wednesday night. The Heat left beaten and battered. Jamesโ teams had been 1-8 in Game 1 of past finals, with losses in each of the last seven openers. The Heat scored on six consecutive possessions in what became a 13-0 run to take a 23-10 lead midway through the opening period. JAMESโ RECORDSThe NBA Finals record book is basically a James scrapbook of career achievements, and he raised his spot on some of those lists Wednesday.
James, Herro see popularity rise in the NBA playoffs
(AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. โ LeBron Jamesโ popularity, even in his 17th season, cannot be argued. Herro, according to the NBA, saw the biggest increase in followers added โ 41% โ among all players during the conference finals. Herro became the first player born in the 2000s to play in the NBA Finals when he checked in during the first quarter of Game 1. FAMOUS FANSFormer President Barack Obama was among those in the โvirtualโ crowd of fans for Game 1 of the NBA Finals. A slew of players with NBA championships also were on the big screens, including Shaquille OโNeal and Dwyane Wade.
The Finals are set: LeBron, Lakers will meet Butler, Heat
Get ready for the NBA Finals โ a title series like none other, to end a season like none other. The Heat won the Eastern Conference title Sunday night, finishing off Boston a day after the Lakers won the Western Conference crown. So, for the first time โ well, excluding the leagueโs inaugural season โ two franchises that missed the playoffs the previous season will meet in the NBA Finals. โWe know why I came here,โ said Lakers All-Star forward Anthony Davis, whose first finals trip comes in his first L.A. season. The last Lakersโ championship was in 2010, when Bryant got his fifth and last title.
Back to the Finals: Heat oust Celtics, move to title series
The Heat are going to the NBA Finals โ surprising many, perhaps, but not themselves. Extremely well-coached and well-put together and we are just honored to be a part of that type of series in the conference finals, and then we get an opportunity for the next stage. The Heat won the series 4-2 โ and now, waiting on that next stage to decide the NBA title, are LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers. The Celtics scored 10 of the first 12 points of the fourth, going up 96-90. Heat: The Heat are now guaranteed no less than $4,399,686 for their playoff share, and that number would rise to $5,791,041 if they win the title.
Celtics control second half, top Heat to win Game 5 in East
Tatum had 31 points and 10 rebounds, Jaylen Brown added 28 points and the Celtics shook off a slow first half to top the Miami Heat 121-108 in Game 5 of the Eastern Conference finals and stave off elimination. โOur deal was to come out and play, come out and compete, give it our best shot and I thought we played pretty well in the second half," Stevens said. Kemba Walker scored 15 points, Marcus Smart had a 12-point, eight-rebound, eight-assist night and Gordon Hayward scored 10 for the Celtics. โBoston played great in that second half," Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said. The Heat scored the first basket of the third quarter.