Rookie Tyler Herro scored 11 straight second-half points as the Miami Heat ran their home record to an NBA-best 16-1 by defeating the Toronto Raptors 84-76 on Thursday night.
Jan 2, 2020; Miami, Florida, USA; Miami Heat guard Kendrick Nunn (25) takes a shot against Toronto Raptors guard Fred VanVleet (23) during the second half at American Airlines Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jasen Vinlove-USA TODAY Sports
Toronto shot a season-low 31.5 percent, including 6 of 42 on 3-pointers (14.3 percent). Miami shot just 40.7 percent, including 12 of 37 on 3-pointers (32.4 percent).
Bam Adebayo led Miami with 15 points and 14 rebounds. Herro and Goran Dragic had 13 points each. Jimmy Butler, who is Miami’s biggest star, missed eight of 10 shots from the field, but he contributed 12 rebounds, eight points and seven assists.
Toronto was led by Serge Ibaka (19 points, 10 rebounds) and Kyle Lowry (15 points, eight assists). But the Raptors were missing three starters: center Marc Gasol (left hamstring), forward Pascal Siakam (groin) and shooting guard Norman Powell (left shoulder).
Denver Nuggets 124 – Indiana Pacers 116
Michael Porter Jr. scored a career-high 25 points, Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray had 22 each, and visiting Denver beat Indiana.
Porter hit 11 of 12 attempts from the field, including 2 of 3 from 3-point range, and committed just one turnover in 23 minutes. Will Barton added 16 points, 10 rebounds and five assists.
Jeremy Lamb had a game-high 30 points on 9-of-13 shooting for the Pacers. Myles Turner added 21 points, T.J. Warren scored 20 and Domantas Sabonis had 18 points and nine rebounds.
Dallas Mavericks 123 – Brooklyn Nets 111
Luka Doncic totaled 31 points, 13 rebounds and seven assists and Dallas made all the plays down the stretch in beating visiting Brooklyn.
The Mavericks avoided their first three-game losing streak of the season on a night when Kristaps Porzingis (right knee soreness) and Tim Hardaway Jr (strained left hamstring) missed their second straight games apiece.
Spencer Dinwiddie scored 19 points to lead the Nets, who lost a season-high fourth straight game and dropped under .500 (16-17) for the first time since Nov. 22.
Utah Jazz 102 – Chicago Bulls 98
Utah won its fourth straight game with a hard-fought victory over host Chicago.
Five players — Bojan Bogdanovic, Jordan Clarkson, Rudy Gobert, Donovan Mitchell and Georges Niang — scored in double figures for the Jazz. Zach LaVine had a game-high 26 points on 9-for-26 shooting for the Bulls.
LaVine hit a 3-pointer to tie the game at 96 with less than two minutes to go. Two free throws from Bogdanovic, who scored 10 points in the final frame, and a dunk from Gobert on the next two possessions helped the Jazz climb back on top.
Oklahoma City Thunder 109 – San Antonio Spurs 103
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 25 points, including three huge baskets in the final three minutes, as visiting Oklahoma City roared from behind to beat San Antonio and claim its fourth straight win.
Dennis Schroder added 19 points for Oklahoma City, with Chris Paul hitting for 16, Steven Adams scoring 14 and Danilo Gallinari contributing 13.
The Thunder won a regular-season game in San Antonio for the first time since Dec. 25, 2014, snapping a nine-game losing streak at the Spurs’ home arena.
Los Angeles Clippers 126 – Detroit Pistons 112
Montrezl Harrell had 23 points and Lou Williams scored 22, and Los Angeles defeated visiting Detroit despite playing without Paul George in the second half.
Kawhi Leonard posted 18 points, six rebounds and five assists for the Clippers, while Maurice Harkless and JaMychal Green chipped in 12 points apiece. Ivica Zubac had four blocks to go along with eight points. Harrell also had four blocks, among 11 for the team.
George failed to return after experiencing tightness in his left hamstring. He finished with 12 points on 5-of-10 shooting in 16 minutes. Bruce Brown led the Pistons with 15 points as the Pistons lost for the eighth time in nine games.
Minnesota Timberwolves 99 – Golden State Warriors 84
Robert Covington and Shabazz Napier scored 20 points each as Minnesota continued its improved play with a win over visiting Golden State.
Naz Reid added 13 points off the bench as the Timberwolves improved to 2-2 without guard Andrew Wiggins, who missed his fourth consecutive game with an illness, and are now 3-6 without Karl-Anthony Towns (knee). It is a modest development after an 11-game losing streak to open December.
Glenn Robinson III scored 16 points and Eric Paschall added 13 for the Warriors, who lost their third consecutive game after a four-game winning streak.
Sacramento Kings 128 – Memphis Grizzlies 123
De’Aaron Fox recorded 27 points, nine assists and a season-best five steals as Sacramento snapped a season-worst eight-game losing streak by notching a victory over visiting Memphis.
Buddy Hield contributed 26 points and seven rebounds for the Kings, who recovered from a 20-point, second-quarter deficit. It was Sacramento’s first victory since beating the Golden State Warriors on Dec. 15.
Ja Morant had 23 points and seven assists while Jae Crowder added 19 points and six assists for the Grizzlies, who fell to 6-10 on the road. Jonas Valanciunas registered 18 points and 12 rebounds.
Charlotte Hornets 109 – Cleveland Cavaliers 106
Devonte’ Graham made a deep 3-pointer with 23 seconds left to break a tie, and Charlotte rallied in the final minutes to beat host Cleveland, snapping a six-game losing streak.
Charlotte guard Terry Rozier, who supplied a career-high 35 points in his last visit to Cleveland, finished with a game-best 30 points this time around. He made six 3-pointers.
Collin Sexton poured in 21 points for Cleveland, while Kevin Love had 18 points and Osman finished with 17. Darius Garland added 14 points in a losing effort for the Cavaliers.
—Field Level Media