By the Associated Press
CLEVELAND — The Miami Heat didn’t let a night of dominant play slip away in the fourth quarter.
Rookie Kendrick Nunn scored 23 points, Bam Adebayo had 16 points and 15 rebounds and Miami, which led the entire game, held off a late Cleveland run and defeated the Cavaliers 108-97 on Thursday night.
Cleveland Cavaliers’ Collin Sexton (2) drives past Miami Heat’s Kendrick Nunn (25) during the first half of an NBA basketball game in Cleveland, Thursday, Nov. 14, 2019. (AP Photo/Phil Long)
Miami, which has the second-best record in the Eastern Conference at 8-3, was up by 27 points in the third quarter before Cleveland cut the lead to 98-88 with seven minutes to play. The Heat regained control and maintained a double-digit lead down the stretch.
“We found a way to win,” said Heat forward Jimmy Butler, who had a blocked shot, a basket and a steal in the final three minutes. “It doesn’t matter how you do it, win by one, win by 20. It goes in the same column.”
Miami lead 96-74 early in the fourth before Cleveland rallied. Kevin Love hit 3-pointers on consecutive possessions to spark the Cavaliers’ run. Butler’s basket in the lane, a 3-pointer by Duncan Robinson and four points by Adebayo kept Miami in control.
“It was turnovers, run-outs and not getting stops,” Miami coach Erik Spoelstra said. “Then we gathered ourselves. Usually games do not go all according to plan and they didn’t tonight, particularly in the fourth quarter.”
Rookie Tyler Herro, who missed Tuesday’s game with an ankle injury, had 16 points, while Butler finished with 14.
Love had 21 points and 10 rebounds for Cleveland, while Collin Sexton added 15 points.
Cleveland was coming off a 2-1 road trip and nearly beat Philadelphia on Tuesday before losing 98-97.
Cavaliers coach John Beilein thinks the Heat are a good example for his rebuilding team to follow.
“They’re doing everything,” he said. “They’re playing defense as good as it is the league. Their offense is good. They’re a high-functioning team. That’s how we want to be day in, day out.”
The Cavaliers’ chances of staying with another of the league’s top teams were hit with an early run. Miami made consecutive 3-pointers to take a 9-0 lead, forcing Beilein to use a timeout less than two minutes into the game.
The Heat continued to roll and had a 32-15 advantage late in the period. Miami was 15 of 25 from the field and didn’t go to the foul line in the quarter.
Cavaliers forward Larry Nance Jr. injured his left hand on a breakaway dunk in the fourth quarter. He went to the locker room and didn’t return, watching the final minutes from the bench. Nance has played with his left thumb wrapped for several games.
“I’ll be all right,” he said. “I’m going to get some treatment so we’ll know more later. I’m not necessarily certain (what happened). I just felt the pain.”
The Heat shot 43 of 79 from the field and made 12 of 30 from 3-point range.
Tags: Bam Adebayo , Cavaliers , Cavs , Cleveland Cavaliers , Collin Sexton , Heat , Jimmy Butler , Kendrick Nunn , Kevin Love , Miami Heat , Tyler Herro
