MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — The Miami Heat faced another defeat as they fell to the Oklahoma City Thunder with a score of 107-100 on Friday night at Paycom Center. The Heat, struggling with offensive rebounds and opposing 3-pointers, have now lost three of their last five games.
Despite Jimmy Butler’s impressive performance with 20 points, 10 rebounds, and eight assists, the Heat couldn’t secure a victory. Rookie Jaime Jaquez Jr. contributed 25 points, and newcomer Patty Mills added 13 points, while Bam Adebayo only managed to score five points. Unfortunately, the Heat were outscored 23-5 on second-chance points.
On the other hand, the Thunder’s Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led the game with an outstanding 37 points, supported by a strong performance from the rest of the team.
The game saw the Heat leading 29-27 at the end of the opening period and 57-47 at halftime. However, a 17-0 Thunder run in the third period shifted the momentum in favor of Oklahoma City, putting them ahead 77-73. Despite the Heat’s efforts to close the gap, the Thunder maintained their lead, ultimately securing the win.
Butler, who had been limited to 14 points in the previous game against Dallas, showcased a strong comeback by scoring the Heat’s first six points and finishing with 20 points in the game. However, his efforts weren’t enough to turn the tide in the Heat’s favor.
The Heat will need to regroup and address their challenges as they look to bounce back from this defeat and regain their winning form in the upcoming games.
