Heat Outpace Trail Blazers for 136-131 Victory, as Adebayo Again Sits
The NBA’s two fastest teams in terms of pace showcased their speed Saturday night at Kaseya Center in a thrilling contest that went down to the wire. The Miami Heat, ranked No. 1 in pace, narrowly defeated the Portland Trail Blazers, who also rank among the league's quickest teams.
Rather than maintaining a steady speed throughout, the game unfolded as a series of rapid surges from both sides. Despite missing key players Bam Adebayo and Tyler Herro due to injuries, the Heat pushed hard in the final moments to secure the win.
Key late-game contributions from Jaime Jaquez Jr., Norman Powell, and Andrew Wiggins helped Miami close out the contest, boosting their record to 6-4.
“Obviously our guys are getting pretty comfortable with it. I’m not putting the brakes on anybody who is trying to attack,” said Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra about the team’s up-tempo style.
Standout Performers
- Nikola Jovic led Miami with a career-high 29 points.
- Norman Powell added 22 points.
- Pelle Larsson scored 16 points.
- Andrew Wiggins contributed 15 points.
- Jaime Jaquez Jr. finished strong with 14 points, 12 rebounds, and seven assists.
“It’s an offense where it can be anybody’s night,” said Jaquez. “Tonight, it was Niko.”
Jovic echoed the sentiment, highlighting how the fast-paced style benefits the entire team.
“You can see the way it makes everybody look better,” he said.
Summary
The Miami Heat continue to thrive with their top-ranked fast pace, overcoming injuries and relying on a balanced offensive effort to edge out the Trail Blazers in an exhilarating finish.