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Butler scores 26, Heat bench adds 58 in 130-128 win vs Hawks

Mon, Mar 6, 2023
NBA News (AP)

MIAMI (AP) - Jimmy Butler had 26 points, Victor Oladipo and Caleb Martin each scored 21 off the Miami bench and the Heat held off the Atlanta Hawks 130-128 on Monday night.

Butler also had nine rebounds and nine assists for Miami, which swept a two-game set from the Hawks. Bam Adebayo scored 16 points, Tyler Herro and Duncan Robinson each had 14, and the Heat set a season high with 58 bench points.

Trae Young scored 25 for Atlanta, which got 23 from Dejounte Murray and 17 apiece from Saddiq Bey and John Collins.

Miami (35-31) moved 2 1/2 games ahead of Atlanta in the race for the No. 7 spot in the Eastern Conference, and took the season series 3-1 - so the Heat would hold the tiebreaker over the Hawks as well. The Heat rallied to win from 15 or more points down for the fourth time this season, and improved to 14-8 in games decided by three points or less.

The Heat led for 1:07 in the very early going, but Atlanta had control by the end of the opening quarter. The Hawks shot 76% (19 for 25) in the first 12 minutes, led by as many as 15 and took a 43-30 edge into the second. It was the most points allowed by Miami in any quarter this season.

Atlanta kept the lead until the fourth, with the Heat chipping away. Martin had 16 points in the second quarter off the bench to help Miami get within 68-63 at halftime, and the Hawks' lead was 96-92 entering the fourth.

A pair of free throws by Adebayo gave Miami the lead for the first time since those opening moments with 9:38 left, the start of five lead changes in a four-minute span.

De'Andre Hunter scored 14, while Clint Capela and Bogdan Bogdanovic each had 12 for Atlanta.

TIP-INS

Hawks: The 43-point first quarter was the most Atlanta had ever scored in 601 quarters all-time against Miami. It was also the Hawks' second-highest scoring quarter of the season; they had 49 in the second quarter against Cleveland on Feb. 24. ... Monday marked the sixth time this season the Hawks had seven players in double figures, and they were all there by the midpoint of the third quarter. They're now 3-3 in those games.

Heat: PG Kyle Lowry missed his 13th consecutive game with left knee soreness and is still hopeful of a return later this week. ... PF Kevin Love (bruised right rib) missed the game, his first absence since signing with the Heat. He did an on-court workout pregame and is day-to-day. ... F Nikola Jovic was sent to Sioux Falls to get some games in, and C Omer Yurtseven was back from Sioux Falls and available to play for the first time this season.

ANOTHER SERIES

The Hawks and Heat played a two-game set in Miami, and now another two-game, one-place set awaits both clubs. Atlanta goes to Washington for its next two games, while Miami plays host to Cleveland for two. "Staying in market has some benefits. It's like a mini-playoff situation when you play a team back-to-back ... just a little different as far as your preparations," Hawks coach Quin Snyder said.

CELEB WATCH

Among those in the crowd: Kate Upton and Justin Verlander, seated with Heat managing general partner Micky Arison, and Floyd Mayweather.

UP NEXT

Hawks: Visit Washington on Wednesday.

Heat: Host Cleveland on Wednesday.

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AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports