The Miami Heat shook off a short turnaround and took advantage of a depleted opponent Sunday night, pulling away late for a 111–102 win over the Phoenix Suns.
Bam Adebayo led Miami with 22 points, while Jaime Jaquez Jr. continued his strong stretch with 20 as the Heat closed out a five-game road trip at 3–2. Norman Powell added 16 points and 10 rebounds, helping Miami control the game down the stretch.
Playing less than 24 hours after a 147–116 blowout win over Utah on Saturday, the Heat didn’t look fatigued early. Miami capitalized on several Phoenix defensive breakdowns in the first quarter, ripping off a 16–2 run to build a 12-point lead and set the tone.
Phoenix, however, stayed within striking distance despite being shorthanded. The Suns were without Devin Booker, who rolled his right ankle in Friday night’s 110–103 loss at Atlanta and will be re-evaluated in a week. Jalen Green also exited early Sunday after feeling pain in just his second game back from a 33-game absence due to a hamstring strain.
Without Booker’s team-leading 25.4 points per game, the Suns struggled offensively. Phoenix shot just 37% from the field and went a rough 7 of 35 from three-point range. Dillon Brooks led the Suns with 26 points, while Grayson Allen chipped in 18 despite shooting 4 of 18 overall, including 1 of 11 from beyond the arc.
Both teams had trouble finding the range in the first half. Miami shot just 3 of 17 from three-point range, but Phoenix was even colder, going 2 of 19. The Suns briefly clawed ahead during the second quarter, but the Heat responded with a short run to take a 58–48 lead into halftime.
The third quarter followed a familiar pattern: Phoenix fought back, and Miami answered late. Isaiah Livers hit a long three-pointer just inside midcourt at the buzzer to pull the Suns within 82–77 heading into the fourth, giving the home crowd a spark of hope.
That hope didn’t last long. Miami, the NBA’s fourth-highest scoring team, opened the fourth with another decisive push, stretching the lead to 101–83 midway through the quarter. From there, the Heat managed the game comfortably, closing out the nine-point victory.
The Heat return home to host Orlando on Wednesday night. The Suns will look to regroup as they host Brooklyn on Tuesday, still waiting on clarity regarding Booker’s status.
