MIAMI. – Hot-shooting Miami produced its best half in franchise history and romped over the visiting Cleveland Cavaliers 124-105 on a Saturday night when the Heat retired the jersey of iconic guard Dwyane Wade.
Playing without top scorer Jimmy Butler (personal reasons), the Heat made 14 of their first 17 shots and raced out to their best half ever by leading 82-52 at the break. Kendrick Nunn tallied 24 points and eight assists to lead seven Miami players who scored in double figures.
The Cavaliers were paced by Cedi Osman’s 19 points, seven rebounds and seven assists, while Collin Sexton added 17 points and Tristan Thompson scored 16.
At halftime, the Heat honored Wade — their 13-time All-Star — whose No. 3 jersey was retired and raised to the rafters at AmericanAirlines Arena. Wade, 38, helped Miami to three NBA championships and is the organization’s all-time leader in games, points, assists and steals.
In other games, it was Houston 120, Utah 110; Atlanta 111, Dallas 107; Milwaukee 119, Philadelphia 98; Brooklyn 115, Charlotte 86; Sacramento 112, LA Clippers 103; and Phoenix 112, Chicago 104.
Rockets 120, Jazz 110
James Harden scored 38 points, Russell Westbrook added 34, and Houston beat Utah on the road for the second time in four weeks.
Harden added five rebounds and seven assists, and it was his sixth 3-pointer with 2:13 remaining that silenced the Jazz once and for all. Eric Gordon and Ben McLemore scored 12 points apiece off the bench for the Rockets, who finished 20 of 48 from behind the arc.
Donovan Mitchell paced the Jazz with 31 points while Jordan Clarkson added 22 off the bench. Utah posted a whopping 64 paint points, but that wasn’t enough to offset the Rockets’ shooting. — Reuters