JIMMY Butler scored a game-high 35 points, and the Miami Heat set an NBA record by making all 40 of their free throws in a 112-111 win over the visiting Oklahoma City Thunder on Tuesday night (Wednesday in Manila).
Miami, which completed the second half with just eight available players, also got 22 points from Max Strus and 19 from Victor Oladipo. Butler, the only customary starter in the Miami lineup, made all 23 of his free throws, tying Dominique Wilkins for the second-most made foul shots without a miss in NBA history.
Oklahoma City led 111-109 with 22.3 seconds left when Kenrich Williams missed two free throws. Aaron Wiggins grabbed an offensive rebound, but Oladipo stole the ball and Butler made a three-point play on a layup with 12.2 seconds left. That gave Miami a 112-111 lead, and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander missed a 3-pointer on Oklahoma City’s final possession of the game.
Gilgeous-Alexander scored a team-high 26 points to lead the Thunder, and Josh Giddey produced a triple-double with 18 points, 15 rebounds and 10 assists. The Heat were without Bam Adebayo (wrist), Tyler Herro (Achilles), Kyle Lowry (knee), Caleb Martin (quad), Duncan Robinson (finger), Omer Yurtseven (ankle) and Nikola Jovic (back).
In other games, it was the Clippers 113, Mavs 101; Magic 109, Blazers 106;
Suns 125, Warriors 113; Jazz 116, Cavs 114; Raptors 132, Hornets 120; and Sixers 147, Pistons 116.
Clippers 113, Mavs 101
Kawhi Leonard scored 33 points with nine rebounds and Norman Powell added 27 points as Los Angeles ended a season-long, six-game losing streak with a win over visiting Dallas.
Marcus Morris Sr. and Terance Mann each scored 12 points as the Clippers won for the first time in the new year and picked up their first home win since Dec. 21. It was the longest losing streak in Tyronn Lue’s three-season tenure as Los Angeles head coach.
Luka Doncic scored 43 points with 11 rebounds and seven assists for the Mavericks in his return from left ankle soreness, which kept him out of Sunday’s loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder. It was his ninth game of at least 40 points this season. — Field Level Media
