The Miami Heat defeated the Charlotte Hornets 98-94 on Wednesday night behind a stellar defensive performance.
The first quarter in the Spectrum Center was a close battle. Duncan Robinson scored eight quick points in the first 6 minutes before Charlotte responded and tied the game at the end of the first quarter.
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The second half is where Miami extended their lead, outscoring the Hornets 24-13 in the second frame.
In the third quarter, Charlotte’s struggling defense gave way to a 20-point Miami lead. Despite the huge deficit, the Hornets stormed back into the game behind LaMelo Ball and Brandon Miller’s offensive prowess, even taking a one-point lead at one point during the last five minutes.
Ultimately, Miami converted on clutch free throws in the final seconds to seal the four-point win.
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LaMelo Ball was Charlotte’s biggest contributor, but struggled to be efficient. He finished with 32 points, 10 rebounds and seven assists on 31% shooting.
For Miami, Tyler Herro had 27 points, eight rebounds and five assists.
With a multitude of key pieces out for Charlotte with injury, so how they perform in the absence of so many players is going to vary. Time will only tell what kind of noise the team will make at full strength.
James Parker is an NBA writer for Ball Exclusives, follow him on X @TheJames_Parker
