Field Level Media
Feb 1, 2020
Jimmy Butler scored 24 points and Tyler Herro added 23 to lead the Miami Heat to a 102-89 win over the host Orlando Magic on Saturday night.
Aaron Gordon led Orlando with 24 points. Nikola Vucevic added 21, but the Magic lost their season-worst fifth straight game.
Evan Fournier, who entered the game as Orlando's leading scorer at 18.8 points, was held to 12 points, including five in the first three quarters. Playing with a sore back, he shot just 3-for-13 from the floor.
Butler and teammate Bam Adebayo played their first game since being named All-Stars on Thursday. It is the fifth All-Star berth for Butler and the first for Adebayo, who had a poor shooting night. Adebayo shot 1-for-8 and had four points but grabbed 14 rebounds, had five assists and blocked a season-high four shots.
The Heat also got 18 points and 14 rebounds from veteran power forward Meyers Leonard. He finished two short of his career high for rebounds.
Miami improved to 12-12 on the road and 14-1 overall when coming off a loss.
It was also a noteworthy night for Miami's top two point guards. Rookie starter Kendrick Nunn returned to the lineup after missing three games due to a foot injury and had six points in 17 minutes. Veteran backup Goran Dragic had 11 points and passed 11,000 for his career.
There were four lead changes in the first quarter, after which the Heat led 28-25.
There were two lead changes and two tie scores in the second period before Miami closed it out on a 10-2 run, taking a 57-49 lead into halftime.
Gordon led all first-half scorers with 16 points. Butler and Herro had 12 points each for Miami.
There was little suspense in the second half, as the Heat led 76-67 after three quarters and stretched their lead to as much as 13 in the fourth. Orlando never got closer than seven points in the closing minutes.
--Field Level Media