The Miami Heat aren’t having the kind of season they would have planned after an NBA Finals appearance last go-around. But Bam Adebayo showed some promise to them on Saturday, even if it was ultimately fleeting. The big man posted 41 points to lead all scorers, but unfortunately it was the newest big three that took over toward the end of the game that handed the Brooklyn Nets a 128-124 victory. On paper, Kevin Durant, who had 31, was the man in charge of the rally.
But in reality, Kyrie Irving was the main culprit for Miami, with 12 of his 28 coming in the last five minutes and change and 18 total in the fourth. James Harden, who has seen a reduction in points, was still vital them to by coming up with 12 points and 11 assists to deny Adebayo and co. on what was a career-high night for him in terms of scoring. Irving’s late burst ensured that the Heat were unable to come back from an 18-point deficit, sparing the blushes of what would have been seen as an epic collapse. The Nets went to 10-8 with the win while the Heat fell to 6-9.
