The Miami Heat needed a win in the worst way coming into their Thursday night contest against the Charlotte Hornets. Entering with a record of 4-7, while facing off against the 3-9 Hornets, that would be a perfect opportunity to go about securing said win.
And that’s just what they set out to do, not allowing the Hornets to secure their first real lead of the game until the fourth period. The Hornets did get out to a 3-0 lead at the very beginning of the game, but that was by nature of having one of the earlier possessions before things could get going.
Either way it goes, the Charlotte Hornets would make things interesting in the first place on the back of a massive fourth-quarter run. To open the fourth period of play, the Miami Heat would go four straight minutes without being able to secure a basket.
The Miami Heat needed a win badly as they welcomed the 3-9 Hornets into the FTX Arena. Could they get that win to send them away at 3-10 on Thursday?
And it was in this time that the Hornets made their move.
This is a 22-6 run for the Hornets to start the fourth
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But as he had for the entirety of the game, mostly in a dominant third period, Jimmy Butler would be the driving force to carry them home. As the Hornets would take the lead of the game near the end of regulation, it would be Jimmy Butler who would secure the big baskets or make the big plays for the Miami Heat to keep them in it.
After being largely responsible for helping secure the huge lead that his teammates would help blow and helping to force overtime, he would also be a colossal part of helping them close it in the final extra period of play.
Basically, were it not for Jimmy Butler and all of his heroics, the Miami Heat leave this game with their eighth loss of the season as opposed to being just that much closer to actually securing a .500 record.
Finishing with 35 points, 10 rebounds, and eight assists on the night, they would need all he could muster to get the win. And though some will poo-poo the victory due to the competition, when you get a tough win like that with your best player showing up the way he did, it’s always a good win.
Especially when the Heat need victories as badly as they do.