The Miami Heat (11-10) unleashed a dominant second half to take down the Phoenix Suns (12-10) with a 121-111 victory on December 8.
The Heat earned their third-straight home win behind a balanced offensive effort. Bam Adebayo displayed his well-rounded game, dropping 25 points, 12 rebounds, and 8 assists. Jimmy Butler tallied 24 points and 7 rebounds, while Tyler Herro registered 17 points, 9 rebounds, and 7 assists. Duncan Robinson added 19.
The Suns remained in a slump, dropping their fifth straight road game. Royce O’Neale led the charge with 23 points and 7 rebounds while Grayson Allen added 16. Bradley Beal (15) and Devin Booker (21) both struggled offensively, combining for 11-for-34 from the field and 1-for-12 from three. The Suns were heavily outscored 32-62 in the paint, with Miami reaching over 120 points. Phoenix is winless at 0-8 when allowing that mark.
Butler and Adebayo Were Too Strong for the Suns
The first quarter was a neck-and-neck contest, but the Suns caught fire, hitting three consecutive triples late in the period to take a slim lead. Miami showed their grit in the second, tying the game on two separate occasions but Phoenix consistently found an answer. O’Neale ensured his team stayed in front, finishing the half with back-to-back three-pointers.
The Heat flipped the script in the third with a punishing 14-2 outburst, surging to a 7-point lead. Butler and Adebayo kept their momentum rolling, extending the advantage to (84-71). The Suns, however, showed signs of life with O’Neale, scoring 10 points in the final three minutes to keep his team within striking distance. Adebayo stayed in attack mode in the fourth, helping his team build a (98-87) lead. Beal made a stand, leading a 10-3 run to close the gap to three. But Butler took over, scoring nine quick points to restore a double-digit cushion and seal the win.
The Suns clash with the Magic tomorrow while the Heat host the Cavaliers.
