Jimmy Butler hit an acrobatic reverse layup in the final minutes, and his 23 points led five Miami players to reach double digits as the Heat beat the Philadelphia 76ers 101-99 on Monday night.
Butler assisted in a triple-double, adding 11 rebounds and nine assists. He also had four steals. His spinning move and finishing layup, driving between the Sixers’ Joel Embiid and PJ Tucker, gave the Heat a 100–99 lead with 1:28 to play after Philadelphia overcame an 11-point deficit in the fourth quarter. Went. He added a free throw with 8.1 seconds remaining.
“I work on that kind of stuff every day,” Butler said of his highlight-reel basket. “I love playing this game and I love competing, but it’s always more fun when we win.”
James Harden had a chance to win the game for the 76ers, but his 3-point attempt at the buzzer bounced behind the rim.
Miami coach Erik Spoelstra said, “You should expect things on the road to be a little knotty.” “You’ve got to weather different storms. … Sometimes you need the ball to bounce the right way. Harden had a window and it was open, but we played so many shots tonight that we never Sometimes when you get an open shot, your rhythm is not very good.
Gabe Vincent scored 14 points and Bam Adebayo added 13 as the Heat snapped a four-game losing streak.
Embiid led all scorers with 27 points and 12 rebounds. Harden finished with 20 points and 12 assists.
Max Strauss hit a pair of free throws with 7:10 to play in the fourth quarter, giving the Heat an 11-point lead. But the 76ers mounted a furious rally, erased the deficit and took the lead on a pair of Harden free throws.
The key to the Sixers’ rally was Tyrese Maxi, who scored 19 of his 23 points in the second half before fouling out with 3:21 remaining.
The Heat did a good job on Philadelphia defensively, forcing 18 turnovers. However, the 76ers also missed several layups, especially in the second half.
“I think tonight we were really lethargic, lethargic,” Philadelphia coach Doc Rivers said. “It happens, but you still have to find a way to win games. Tonight, we didn’t.”
Miami also got help off the bench as Strauss scored 13 points and Victor Oladipo added 11.
The 76ers have lost back-to-back games. Philadelphia hasn’t lost three games in a row since the first week of December. They look to avoid a skid in a rematch with the Heat on Wednesday in Miami.
Tip-ins
HEAT: There was a thought that G Kyle Lowry would be back in the lineup on Monday after he was upgraded on Sunday’s injury report. However, the Heat downgraded Lowry just as quickly on Monday, and he missed his ninth straight game with a sore knee. Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said there was no timetable for his return, but he was making progress. … G Tyler Herro was also listed as questionable on Sunday with a rib injury, but he was in the starting lineup.
76ers: Philadelphia plays its final home game before going on a five-game trip. More than that, it faces an incredibly challenging March schedule. The 76ers will play 17 games in 31 days and 12 of the first 15 will be on the road. If that wasn’t enough, the Sixers will play four sets of games on consecutive nights, with all eight contests on the road in eight different cities.
Hamlin celebrated
Buffalo Bills safety Damor Hamlin was in attendance, seated with 76ers owner Joshua Harris and Fanatics owner Michael Rubin. He was wearing the No. 3 Sixers jersey and received a standing ovation from the sellout crowd when he was introduced during a second-quarter timeout.