The Trailblazers challenge the Heat
Butler is back, Adebayo is back, and the Miami Heat, with a packed lineup, are definitely the toughest team in the East, with not only great three-pointers, but also the league's top defense. This game, the Heat will play at home against the Portland Trail Blazers. Although Lillard and Powell are still out, the Blazers have welcomed back McCollum, and together with Simmons Jr., who has been in great form lately, they have managed to win two consecutive games, and only one of the last five games.
Although this game against the Miami Heat, the Blazers will be very difficult, but they have come to the tenth position in the West, away from the Los Angeles Lakers in the eighth place in the West, but the gap of 3.5 wins, do need to work hard. The Blazers have three-pointers that rival the Heat, and to win this game, they have to seize all three-point opportunities.
Butler was deported
McCollum, who just returned in the last game, the first quarter of this game ushered in an outbreak, 5 of 8 shots, 4 of 3 three-pointers, 13 points, 1 rebound and 1 assist in a single quarter, once again proved his strength, Covington hit 2 three-pointers, Iron Tree blossomed, there were also 6 points and 6 rebounds, the Blazers scored 26 points in a single quarter, and the Heat did not feel good, only 23 points scored. After returning from the second quarter, McCollum scored 7 points and 2 assists on 3-of-3 shooting, but he was not the protagonist in this quarter, and it was no one else who stole the scene, it was Simmons Jr.
Simmons Jr. only shot 2 times in the first quarter, hit 1 three-pointer, but after returning from the second quarter, he shot 5 of 7, 6 of 4 three-pointers, and had 17 points, 1 rebound, 2 assists and 1 steal in a single quarter, leading the Blazers to 30 points. Butler didn't come forward, scoring just one goal in the quarter, scoring and angrily erupting at the referee and being expelled from the game. But Strous and Martin on the Heat bench combined to score 19 points, still helping the team to beat the Blazers 58-56 at the end of the half.
In the second half, McCollum only shot 1 of 5, Simmons Jr. was 5 shots and 2 shots, fortunately Nurkic stood up, 3 of 3 shots to get 9 points and 6 rebounds, helping the Blazers successfully rebound 2 points. However, after returning from the final quarter, the Blazers fell into a scoring drought, Simmons Jr. and McCollum still did not find a feel, and could only rely on Nurkic to score on the inside, but they could not stop Adebayo, and the Heat gradually opened up the point difference to double digits. In the end, the Miami Heat beat the Portland Trail Blazers 104-92 at home.
The Heat has a stunning number
In the case of Butler's ouster, the Heat starter only scored 46 points, not as good as McCollum and Simmons Jr., only Adebayo got 20 points, 11 rebounds, 4 assists, 5 steals and 3 blocks, Vincent 11 points, 2 rebounds and 7 assists, the two scored in double figures, but the Heat bench bombed 58 points, not only more than the starters, but also beat the Blazers bench with 46 points, which is amazing. Martin had 26 points, eight rebounds and two assists, Stroth 15 points, five rebounds and two assists, Dedmund had 12 points and eight rebounds and Gay had five points, two rebounds and one assist.
As for the Blazers bench, only 12 points were scored, which really dragged the team back. Simmons Jr. hit 6 three-pointers and got 27 points, 3 rebounds and 7 assists, and the performance was still very good, McCollum also had 24 points, 3 rebounds, 4 assists and 2 steals, but the performance of the two in the second half was more or less disappointing. Nurkic had 18 points, 14 rebounds and two assists, Covington also had 11 points and 12 rebounds, and Little did not score a single point. The Blazers' 2-game winning streak ended.