Jimmy Butler scores 24, Warmth maintain off Jazz 119-115

MIAMI (AP) — One other night time, one other shut recreation for Miami.

Jimmy Butler scored 24 factors to guide seven Miami gamers in double figures, Tyler Herro and Gabe Vincent every scored 18 and the Warmth held off the Utah Jazz 119-115 on Monday night time.

It was Miami’s twenty fourth win by 5 factors or much less this season.

“When it will get into these moments of reality, I’ve stated this earlier than, at the least we perceive what our package deal is and what we’re making an attempt to do, how we wish to execute,” Warmth coach Erik Spoelstra stated. “We’ve had so many reps and movie periods and walkthroughs and educating factors … I feel we’ve all gotten higher from that, together with the teaching employees.”

Bam Adebayo scored 16 for Miami, whereas Victor Oladipo and Kevin Love every had 11 and Caleb Martin scored 10.

Lauri Markkanen scored 38 for Utah, which bought 23 from Simone Fontecchio and 14 from Ochai Agbaji. Miami was 31 for 36 from the foul line, in contrast with 13 for 18 for the Jazz.

“We will nonetheless get higher,” Markkanen stated. “Clearly, they made some good photographs too, so credit score to them.”

Talen Horton-Tucker put Utah on prime with a brief jumper with 1:16 left, and Herro gave Miami the lead proper again on a 3-pointer with 55.3 seconds remaining. It stayed a two-point recreation till the ultimate seconds; Agbaji missed a brief shot within the lane that was blocked by Adebayo, who bought the rebound, then was fouled and made two free throws with six seconds left to seal the win.

Clutch video games are outlined by the NBA as these inside 5 factors with 5 minutes remaining in regulation, and no person has performed extra of them this season than Miami and Utah. This was the fiftieth for the Warmth, the forty sixth for the Jazz.

And this was so on model for each groups.

There have been 13 lead adjustments within the fourth quarter alone, after there have been solely 5 of them — and 5 ties — within the first 36 minutes. Miami is now 28-22 in clutch video games, Utah 20-26.

“So long as it’s a detailed recreation and we find yourself profitable ultimately, I’m completely satisfied, I’m content material with that,” Butler stated. “We’ve simply bought to string collectively some wins, now greater than ever, which we’re able to. So let’s make it occur.”

The win additionally gave Miami a little bit of respiratory room over Atlanta within the race for the No. 7 spot within the Jap Convention. The Hawks (34-35) misplaced to Minnesota whereas Miami (37-33) moved 2 1/2 video games forward of Atlanta — and Miami additionally owns the tiebreaker if essential.

TIP-INS

Jazz: Former Miami ahead Kelly Olynyk, a starter for the Jazz, bought the historically heat introduction reserved for previous Warmth gamers — as a substitute of a far-more-subdued announcement that the majority everybody else will get when lineups had been introduced. … Utah now has 4 full days off — a rarity within the NBA outdoors of the All-Star break — then resumes play Saturday towards Boston.

Warmth: Cody Zeller (damaged nostril) didn’t play. He bought harm Saturday at Orlando. … Caleb Martin (left knee soreness) performed after sitting out Saturday. … Vincent remained within the beginning lineup, with Kyle Lowry coming off the bench at level guard.

2 WITH 20

Markkanen (21) and Fontecchio (20) had been the primary Jazz teammates to have at the least 20 factors by halftime since Donovan Mitchell and Jordan Clarkson did it towards the Los Angeles Clippers on June 18, 2021, in a playoff contest.

MORE POINTS

Miami was final within the NBA in scoring (108.3 factors per recreation) on the All-Star break and stays final. However for the reason that break, there was enchancment; the Warmth are twenty second within the league in scoring (110.7 ppg) since All-Star weekend. “We’re slowly beginning to put extra factors on the board, which is an efficient factor,” Spoelstra stated. However Butler famous that Miami now must tighten up on protection — whereas conserving the extra scoring.

UP NEXT

Jazz: Host Boston on Saturday.

Warmth: Host Memphis on Wednesday.

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