The Heat remain winless to start the season, having suffered their third consecutive loss, this time 115-110 to the Hornets. Brandon Miller was the standout performer with 34 points, leading his team’s comeback after a crushing 128-81 loss to Atlanta the day before.
The Hornets took control in the third quarter, when five three-pointers during a 24-7 run gave them a 92-70 lead. Miami, however, did not give up and managed to come back, tying the score three times—at 100-100, 102-102, and 104-104.
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The decisive moment came after the last tie. Grayson Allen hit a difficult three-pointer under pressure and drew a foul from Tim Hardaway Jr. in the process, completing the four-point play to make it 108-104. From that point on, the Heat couldn’t get any closer than three points.
Giannis Antetokounmpo was a far cry from his performances in his first two games with Miami. In 24:44 of playing time, he scored 14 points on 4-for-11 shooting, 0-for-1 from three-point range, and 6-for-8 from the free-throw line, along with 6 rebounds (4 offensive), 3 assists, and 1 steal. He committed 3 turnovers and was ultimately fouled out with 1:57 remaining.
His performance was noticeably lower than the 35.5 points he had averaged in his first two games since being traded from the Milwaukee Bucks. Miami, however, found solutions from other players, with Davion Mitchell scoring 22 points and dishing out 10 assists, while Bam Adebayo had 20 points, 8 rebounds, and 4 assists.
Pele Larson added 15 points and 7 rebounds, Clay Thompson had 14 points on 4-for-9 shooting from three-point range, and Bobby Portis Jr. had 13 points and 8 rebounds. For Charlotte, behind Miller’s 34 points, Dennis Schröder added 25, Naz Reid 23, and Grayson Allen 20.
The Heat now return to Miami, where they will host the Dallas Mavericks, seeking their first win of the new season.
In other games, the Sixers and the Rockets went 3-0, defeating the Bucks (127-116) and the Hawks (114-121), respectively. The Spurs won the Texas derby against the Mavericks (106-122), while the Nuggets came back from a 23-point deficit to defeat the Pelicans 141-135 in overtime.
*photo source: AP
