The Miami Heat outplayed the Detroit Pistons on Wednesday night, coming out on top 111-104.
The Miami Heat started 2018 off right, earning an 111-104 victory over the Detroit Pistons. Their second win in a row, the team is looking to get back on track and climb up the tight knit Eastern Conference.
While Kelly Olynyk led the team in scoring, James Johnson returned after being sidelined with bursitis in his ankle. But let’s take a closer look at what happened last night.
Goran Dragic Went To Work
The point guard has had his fair share of ups and downs this season. Having been named the NBA’s Eastern Conference Player of the Week in late November, Dragic then hit a shooting slump. He shot just 7-for-29 over the next three games, and since has been inconsistent. To make matters worse, he then missed three matchups with an elbow injury, further diminishing his efficiency this season.
However, it seems the co-captain is finding his groove again. Scoring 25 points in the Heat’s last win against the Orlando Magic, Dragic finished with 24 points, five rebounds and a whopping 13 assists versus the Pistons. To say he mastered the art of ball movement, would be an understatement.
Josh Richardson Continued to Impress
The 24-year-old is making the 2017-18 season his for the taking.
Having averaged 17.4 points, 3.7 rebounds, 2.7 assists and 1.1 steals a game in the month of December, Richardson brought his high-level basketball skills into the new year. He finished Wednesday night with 22 points on 7-of-12 shooting, including going 5-of-7 from downtown, and dished five assists.
And defensively? The third-year made sure to hold down both Avery Bradley and Tobias Harris.
Kelly Olynyk Was More Than A 7-Footer
Gone are the days when big men can’t shoot, and the former Boston Celtic is a prime example of that. Leading the team with 25 points and 13 rebounds, Olynyk didn’t get his buckets by only being a bully in the paint or earning them at the charity stripe. In fact, he didn’t shoot a single free throw. Instead, he went 11-for-15 from the field, including shooting 3-of-5 from beyond-the-arc.
He racked up 11 points alone in the first quarter, setting the tone for Miami to succeed from the very start.
James Johnson Made His Comeback
After rushing his return the first time around, the forward made his second comeback against Detroit. And despite looking a little rusty during the first quarter, Johnson actually had a pretty productive game. Finishing with 16 points and four rebounds, he shot 6-of-8 from the field, going 3-of-4 from 3.
It was easy to see that unlike in the team’s loss to the New Orleans Pelicans, his ankle felt good enough to perform on.
Hassan Whiteside Was Well-Rounded
After being applauded by head coach Erik Spoelstra for dishing out four assists in the win over the Magic, the center made sure to expand his game once again. While he was limited to just 17 minutes, he totaled 10 points, four rebounds, two assists, one steal and one block, showing his dedication to becoming a better-rounded player.
Next: Both the Miami Heat and their fans need to practice patience
The Miami Heat will host the New York Knicks on Friday night.