The Miami Heat finally returned to the win column, snapping a 10-game losing streak with a 122-105 victory over the Charlotte Hornets on Sunday night. Andrew Wiggins delivered a stellar performance, scoring 42 points—his second-highest career total—while Tyler Herro added 29 points to help Miami secure the much-needed victory.
Wiggins’ 42-point outing was the highest by a Heat player this season outside of Herro, who has recorded three 40-point games. The former Golden State Warrior finished just five points shy of his career high of 47, which he set on Nov. 13, 2016, as a member of the Minnesota Timberwolves against the Los Angeles Lakers.
The performance comes at a crucial time for Wiggins, who was traded to Miami last month. He will face his former team, the Warriors, on Tuesday in what will surely be a highly anticipated matchup.
Charlotte got off to a strong start, building a 12-point lead early in the game. However, Miami took control before halftime with a game-changing 24-4 run, fueled by hot shooting and defensive stops. The Heat connected on 10 of 14 shots in the final 7:05 of the second quarter, while the Hornets went ice cold, making just one of 12 attempts.
From that point on, Miami never looked back, maintaining a comfortable lead throughout the second half to secure the win.
Nick Smith Jr. led the Hornets with 19 points, while LaMelo Ball contributed 18 points and 11 assists. Despite the strong start, Charlotte’s struggles resurfaced, and with this loss, they were officially eliminated from postseason contention. The Hornets haven’t made the playoffs since 2016, when they lost in the first round to Miami in seven games.
This marks the second time this season that Charlotte has lost after leading by double digits. On Dec. 5, they led by 13 against the New York Knicks before ultimately falling by 24 points.
The Heat are still without forward Nikola Jovic, who has missed the last 15 games due to a broken bone in his right hand. However, head coach Erik Spoelstra provided an update, saying Jovic is making progress. “He’s doing all the conditioning and weight room work that he can do,” Spoelstra said, though a full clearance has yet to be given.
Historic Losing Streak: The 10-game skid was tied for the sixth-longest in franchise history, trailing streaks of 17, 15, 13, 12, and 11 games.
The Hornets will return home to host the Orlando Magic on Tuesday, while the Heat will remain in Miami for a showdown with Jimmy Butler and the Golden State Warriors. With Wiggins set to face his former team, all eyes will be on whether he can follow up his dominant performance with another big night.
