Nikola Jovic's Career-High Leads Heat Over Trail Blazers 136-131
Nikola Jovic scored a career-high 29 points off the bench, along with nine rebounds and seven assists, as the Miami Heat narrowly defeated the Portland Trail Blazers 136-131 on Saturday night.
Key Contributors for Miami
- Norman Powell scored 22 points.
- Pelle Larsson added 16 points.
- Andrew Wiggins contributed 15 points, including a decisive 3-pointer.
- Jaime Jaquez Jr. recorded 14 points, 12 rebounds, and seven assists.
- Kel’el Ware secured 12 rebounds.
Portland's Standout Performers
Deni Avdija led the Trail Blazers with 33 points, continuing his season average of 25.3 points per game. Shaedon Sharpe scored 21 points, while Jrue Holiday and Jerami Grant each added 18 points.
Game Highlights
The fourth quarter was tightly contested, with neither team leading by more than four points until the final moments. Holiday's three-pointer with 3:26 remaining tied the game at 123-all, setting up the closing minutes.
Wiggins' 3-pointer with 1:32 left gave Miami a 132-127 lead, and the Heat maintained control from there.
Team Stats and Records
- Miami improved to 4-0 at home this season.
- The Heat are now 6-2 when scoring at least 115 points and 0-2 when scoring below that mark.
- Miami started cold, missing 14 of their first 15 shots and trailing 15-3 early on, but recovered well.
Jovic's previous career-best was 24 points.
The Trail Blazers were playing the first game of a five-game road trip.
Summary: Nikola Jovic delivered a career-best performance, powering the Miami Heat to a close win over Portland, highlighted by strong scoring depth and a clutch fourth-quarter finish.
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