Miami Heat: Three takeaways from big win over Hornets

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MIAMI, FL – MARCH 13: Justise Winslow #20 of the Miami Heat and Wayne Ellington #20 of the Detroit Pistons smile during a game on March 13, 2019 at American Airlines Arena in Miami, Florida. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2019 NBAE (Photo by Issac Baldizon/NBAE via Getty Images) /

Overcoming injury

The Miami Heat suffered a setback when Justise Winslow was ruled out for Sunday’s game with a thigh bruise. The starting lineup has been effective and dynamic since he was inserted as the nominal point guard, and his loss was a major blow.

In his place, the Heat started Derrick Jones Jr.. While Jones clearly has a significantly different skill set than Winslow, he was able to contribute on the defensive end in particular with five rebounds, three blocks and a steal in 24 minutes to go along with six points.

The bulk of the offensive load was carried in Winslow’s place by Goran Dragic who scored 19 points off the bench on 7-of-11 shooting from the field and 4-of-6 from behind the arc.

In a game where every point was hard to come by, Dragic’s burst of offense in the fourth quarter where he scored 10 points was a vital key to maintaining and extending their late lead.

As for Winslow, the Heat aren’t sure just yet when he’ll return. Before the game, Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra told reporters that due to the nature of his injury, it will be “tough to tell” when he’ll be back.

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