Heat Hold Off Hornets in 2OT

The Miami Heat are now tied for first place in the Eastern Conference as they secure a win against the Charlotte Hornets going into the All-Star break.

Heating Up

The Heat, while trialing at the half, were able to send the game into double overtime with key stops to keep the game from getting away from them. While guard Kyle Lowry lead the team in scoring with 25 points, 12 of his 25 points came after regulation. The Heat came into this game without star shooter Tyler Herro. However, with key shots by both Jimmy Butler and Duncan Robinson, the Heat escaped Charlotte with the win.

https://twitter.com/MiamiHEAT/status/1494515975701639168

The Heat came into this game winning the last five of six games with the loss coming from their latest game against the Mavericks. However, with this win, it places the Heat tied for first in the East heading into the All-Star break.

Heading into the break 38-21 sitting atop the East! pic.twitter.com/I98C13a9Sy

— Miami HEAT (@MiamiHEAT) February 18, 2022

Head coach Erik Spoelstra talked about what this win meant for them and the emotions of it.

Much Needed Break

The Hornets came into this matchup losing their last eight of nine games. In the game against Miami, they had a lead coming out of the half and into the fourth but couldn’t get the job done. Montrezl Harrell and Miles Bridges led the Hornets in scoring with 24 and 29 points, respectively.

While the Hornets were able to keep both Lowry and Butler at bay during regulation, they could not maintain the 14-point lead they had managed to get in the fourth allowing the Heat to claw back into the game and send it to 2OT.

Charlotte had a chance to put the game away right before 2OT. While trialing by a point with 1.7 seconds left in the first overtime, Harrell was fouled leading to two free throws. While Harrell made the first, he could not clutch the second shot to secure the win sending the game into a second overtime.

Miles: 29 PTS, 11 REB
Trez: 24 PTS, 8 REB
PJ: 15 PTS, 14 REB
Kelly: 15 PTS, 4 REB
Melo: 14 PTS, 14 AST, 10 REB#AllFly | @drpepper pic.twitter.com/S9efLv4QEm

— Charlotte Hornets (@hornets) February 18, 2022

Both teams are back in action after the All-Star break. The Hornets host Toronto next Friday. As for the Heat, they’ll head to New York to battle the Knicks.