In a high-scoring game where the Miami Heat ended up blowing another double-digit, fourth-quarter lead, the Heat ended up reversing the pattern of losing in those scenarios and picked up a crucial 125-120 win over the Indiana Pacers Friday night at Kaseya Center.
Miami now holds the seventh seed in the Eastern Conference with losses from the Orlando Magic and Atlanta Hawks helping them climb the standings.
A lot of players deserve a ton of credit for this win, but a key player that came up huge for the Heat was none other than their sniper Duncan Robinson who now has back-to-back games scoring 20 points or more and has been a key component in the Heat's recent offensive success.
Duncan Robinson played a vital role in sealing a big win.
A lot of action was run through Robinson when he was on the court, and the attention he picked up from the Pacers defense allowed Miami to have quality looks and keep them in the game when the Pacers could barely miss.
Developed slower than they'd like, I imagine, but quick example of the gravity Duncan Robinson possesses.
— Nekias (Nuh-KY-us) Duncan (@NekiasNBA) March 1, 2025
Gold star to Ke'lel Ware for taking Obi Toppin with him. pic.twitter.com/dpZ2Ovw6VT
When it came to scoring, Robinson did most of his damage in the fourth quarter where he scored eight points and gave the Heat the lead on each of his makes.
After the pacers stormed back and took a 110-108 lead, Robinson came right back on the Heat's next possession and hit a 3-pointer to give the Heat a one point lead. While there was still a good amount of time left in a game, this shot was huge given the Heat's tendency this season to crumble once they lose a double-digit lead late.
Before getting to his next make, Robinson's perfect lob to Bam Adebayo must be acknowledged as he threw a great pass after putting the defense in a tough spot once he had a step on Ben Sheppard.
With the game heading to dos minutos, the Heat continued to put the ball in Robinson's hands, who hit another big 3-pointer with a great set up from Davion Mitchell who set a brick wall on Aaron Nesmith.
Robinson's last make showed the growth he made in his game. Instead of settling for a 3-pointer over Myles Turner, Robinson decided to drive to the basket and shoot a floater which ended up banking in to give the Heat a two-point lead.
I'm not expecting Robinson to be a 20 point per game scorer from here on out, but an efficient Robinson does wonders for this team. Not only does the last two nights prove that, but history shows that Miami has major success when Robinson has great offensive outings. If the Heat want to keep this momentum going, Robinson has to be a vital part of their offense.