The Heat faced the Jazz on Thursday at the Delta Center in search of this season’s rematch where Jimmy Butler was again absent when he served the fourth of the seven suspension games and without a trace of him being changed.
The Miami team did not miss him at all and squeezed his belt forward a complicated match, played from beginning to end, by imposing 97-92 against the Utah quintet after getting the best out of himself in the final minutes to take revenge on the defeat at Kaseya Center last week.
With this triumph, the Heat (19-17) now has a 2-1 mark on this 6-game tour and recovered the 6th East Square, before visiting the Trail Blazers in Portland this Saturday.
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It was not a showy game, but the delivery of the quintet of the Capital of the Sun, in addition to its energy and the constant aids, both in attack and in defense, on the court to carry out a beautiful triumph was key.
The Heat didn’t have its best night on the offensive by displaying a discreet 39.6 percent effectiveness in the field shots (28 percent in triples) but fired more and their defense was sublime.
Tyler Herro didn’t shake his pulse at the time of truth with two consecutive triples (4 in total) and was Miami’s best with 23 points, 7 rebounds, and five assists.
Jaime Jaquez had another big game and with his characteristic aggressiveness ended with 20 units, 7 rebounds, and 7 assists.
Bam Adebayo also scored two decisive baskets and with 15 points and 7 assists was key in a big battle against the Utah giants.
While Nikola Jovic led the second unit with 11 points, 8 rebounds, and five assists, for Utah, Collin Sexton and Lauri Markkanen each had 23 points, while Walker Kessler had 15 rebounds.
Nine points from Sexton and another nine of Markkanen, coupled with Miami’s initial offensive collapse, threw for 27.3 percent in field shots, led the Jazz to a 27-20 first-quarter win that they dominated from start to finish, reaching a 10-unit difference.
The Heat started the second with a 5-0 rally and got just two, as a prelude to what was coming.
The Utah quintet stretched the lead again to nine, but the Miami team squeezed in defense and went up to tie the game with 4:06 to play, and then went ahead for the first time on the night with 2:09 on the clock.
Finally, Miami won the 26-14 partial to go back the score and go to the break with a 46-41 lead, with 13 points from Herro, 9 from Jovic, and great collective work. Sexton with 15 and Markkanen with 12 tossed the Jazz.
The Heat stretched the difference to 11 points entering the third, but Utah gradually not only went under. it was not only discounted but Markkanen’s triples (6) (21 points) took the fourth 29-22 and with it turned the score 70-68.
The last partial became decisive and as expected was superdisputed with a fierce exchange of baskets with several changes in the tip, but without either team taking a significant advantage to reach 86, with 3:31 to play.
Two baskets from Adebayo, a triple from Jaquez Jr., and two free throws from Herro gave a good advantage, and although in the end, the Jazz approached three, two free throws of Jaquez Jr. sealed the triumph, after a partial of 29-22 favorable to the Heat.
