Bam Adebayo scored 22 points and Jaime Jaquez Jr. added 20 as the Miami Heat defeated the short-handed Phoenix Suns 111-102 on Sunday night.
Miami showed little fatigue despite a quick turnaround, coming off a dominant 147-116 win over the Utah Jazz less than 24 hours earlier. The Heat capitalized on a depleted Suns lineup that was missing two key contributors due to injuries suffered in Friday night’s loss to the Atlanta Hawks.
Phoenix was without four-time All-Star Devin Booker, who rolled his right ankle in the third quarter against Atlanta and is expected to be re-evaluated in a week. Jalen Green was also sidelined after experiencing pain in just his second game back following a 33-game absence due to a hamstring strain.
Without Booker’s team-leading 25.4 points per game, the Suns struggled offensively, shooting just 37% from the field and an abysmal 7-of-35 from three-point range.
Dillon Brooks led Phoenix with 26 points, while Grayson Allen added 18 despite an inefficient night, shooting 4-of-18 overall and 1-of-11 from beyond the arc.
Miami, the NBA’s fourth-highest scoring team, maintained control throughout the second half. The Heat led by five after three quarters and stretched the advantage to 101-83 midway through the fourth quarter, effectively sealing the game. Norman Powell contributed 16 points and 10 rebounds as Miami closed out a five-game road trip with a solid 3-2 record.
The Heat set the tone early, exploiting multiple defensive breakdowns by Phoenix in the opening quarter. A 16-2 Miami run allowed them to build a 12-point first-quarter lead.
Phoenix briefly surged ahead during a low-scoring second quarter as both teams struggled to find rhythm. However, Miami responded with a late push to carry a 58-48 lead into halftime.
Shooting woes plagued both sides early, with Miami hitting just 3-of-17 from deep in the first half. Phoenix fared even worse, connecting on only 2-of-19 three-point attempts.
The third quarter mirrored the second: the Suns battled back, only for the Heat to counter with a late scoring run. Isaiah Livers hit a long three-pointer just inside midcourt at the buzzer to pull Phoenix within 82-77 entering the final period.
Miami’s composure and depth ultimately proved decisive, as the Heat controlled the fourth quarter and pulled away from a Suns team still searching for answers without its star players.
