Bam Adebayo delivered when it mattered most, and the Miami Heat survived a frantic finish after nearly letting a big lead slip away, beating the Phoenix Suns 127-121 on Tuesday night.
Adebayo scored 29 points, including three clutch long jumpers in the final minutes, and Norman Powell added 27 as Miami squandered a 20-point advantage before regrouping late. Powell buried a go-ahead 3-pointer with 48 seconds remaining to put the Heat back in front for good, and Andrew Wiggins sealed it at the free-throw line after Phoenix’s Dillon Brooks was assessed a flagrant foul with 11.5 seconds left.
Adebayo also etched his name deeper into franchise history. His performance pushed his career total to 9,461 points, moving him past Alonzo Mourning for second place on Miami’s all-time scoring list. Only Dwyane Wade, with 21,556 points, remains ahead of him.
Tyler Herro finished with 23 points for Miami, which snapped a three-game losing streak.
Phoenix made it anything but easy. Brooks and Grayson Allen each scored 25 points for the Suns, who had won three straight, while Devin Booker nearly posted a triple-double with 24 points, nine rebounds and nine assists. Mark Williams chipped in 18 points and 14 rebounds.
The Heat appeared in complete control early in the second half. They led by 20 after Herro opened the third quarter with a 3-pointer, and the cushion was still 17 when Booker was called for an offensive foul with 9:17 left in the period. Phoenix challenged — and won — the call, flipping the momentum instantly. Booker’s awarded free throws sparked a 13-0 Suns run.
Phoenix completed the comeback late in the third quarter when Oso Ighodaro converted a three-point play with 0.1 seconds remaining to tie the game at 92. Collin Gillespie then knocked down a 3-pointer early in the fourth to give the Suns their first lead of the night, and Phoenix pushed ahead by as many as six in the closing minutes.
But Adebayo and Powell answered. Adebayo hit tough jumpers over the defense, Powell delivered from deep, and Miami steadied itself just in time.
The loss continued a frustrating trend for Phoenix, which was trying to overcome a 20-point deficit for the second time this season. The Suns are now 0-11 in games in which they’ve trailed by at least 20 points since their opening-night comeback attempt against Sacramento.
Up next, the Suns visit Detroit on Thursday, while the Heat return home to host Boston the same night.
