Heat Outpace Trail Blazers for 136-131 Victory as Adebayo Sits
The NBA’s two fastest teams, ranked by pace, clashed Saturday night at Kaseya Center in a thrilling game that went down to the wire, with the Miami Heat emerging victorious over the Portland Trail Blazers.
It was a matchup marked by bursts of speed and momentum shifts rather than a constant pace. Miami, leading the league in pace, faced off against Portland, which also ranks among the fastest teams.
Despite missing key players Bam Adebayo and Tyler Herro due to injuries, the Heat managed to secure the win. Late-game contributions from Jaime Jaquez Jr., Norman Powell, and Andrew Wiggins proved decisive in sealing the 136-131 victory, improving Miami's record to 6-4.
“Obviously our guys are getting pretty comfortable with it,” said Heat coach Erik Spoelstra about playing at a high tempo. “I’m not putting the brakes on anybody who is trying to attack.”
Key Performers
- Nikola Jovic led the Heat with a career-high 29 points.
- Norman Powell added 22 points.
- Pelle Larsson scored 16 points.
- Andrew Wiggins contributed 15 points.
- Jaime Jaquez Jr. finished with 14 points, 12 rebounds, and seven assists.
“It’s an offense where it can be anybody’s night,” said Jaquez. “Tonight, it was Niko.”
Jovic praised the fast-paced style, noting its positive impact on the whole team:
“You can see the way it makes everybody look better.”
Summary
The Miami Heat capitalized on their speed and teamwork to overcome injuries and clinch a close victory against the Trail Blazers, showcasing their growing comfort with a high-tempo style of play.