By Ben McLeod
(Source CNW):
Bam Adebayo showcased his prowess with 26 points and 17 rebounds, while rookie Jaime Jaquez Jr. contributed a career-high 20 points as the Miami Heat, playing without key players, secured a 117-109 victory against the Atlanta Hawks on Saturday night.
This win marked the Heat’s fourth consecutive triumph.
Miami took the court without their leading scorer, Tyler Herro, who suffered a right ankle sprain in their previous game against Memphis and is expected to be sidelined for at least two weeks. Additionally, Jimmy Butler was absent for personal reasons.
Coach Erik Spoelstra, in a pregame meeting, received a strong indication from the players that they were ready to step up and fill the void left by Herro and Butler. Spoelstra commented, “Everyone was leaning forward with the body language saying… ‘we were going to have to have some guys step up.’”
Depth proved to be a significant asset
The Heat’s depth proved to be a significant asset as they found scoring contributions from various sources. Kyle Lowry added 17 points, and Josh Richardson scored 16, marking a season high for him. Duncan Robinson contributed 11 points in his first start of the season, and Kevin Love chipped in with seven points. Jaquez, making his third start, nearly doubled his previous high of 11 points, emphasizing his role in making plays.
The emergence of multiple scorers did not come as a surprise to Spoelstra, who stated before the game that he had several players ready to seize more minutes.
On the opposing side, Trae Young led the Atlanta Hawks with 27 points and 11 assists, with 14 of those points coming in the fourth quarter. Dejounte Murray added 23 points. Both guards attempted nine 3-pointers, but Atlanta struggled with its long-range shooting, making just 18 of 46 attempts.
Regarding the Hawks’ shooting woes, Coach Quin Snyder expressed dissatisfaction, saying, “We had some good looks that we didn’t take.” Young echoed this sentiment, emphasizing the need for confidence in shooting.
Young also praised Miami’s defense, stating that it forces opponents to reconsider their driving lanes and opt for outside shots. He added, “If you’re not ready to shoot 3s against this team, you’re going to have a tough night.”
Tough defensive challenge
Miami held a 21-point lead late in the first half, and Atlanta’s last lead was a mere 5-4.
The Hawks, who had been averaging 121.8 points per game, the third-best in the league, faced a tough defensive challenge. This season marked their best offensive start since the 1960-61 season when the franchise was known as the St. Louis Hawks.
In an interesting note, Hawks guard Wesley Matthews returned to action, sinking two 3-pointers in the third quarter and contributing seven points in his season debut. Matthews’ father, Wesley Matthews Sr., had previously played a combined 152 games for the Atlanta Hawks in the 1980s and 1990.
The game also featured the debut of the Hawks’ fly city edition uniform, which incorporated the blue accent reminiscent of their 1968 Atlanta uniform.
