WASHINGTON (AP) — Playing most of the second half without Jimmy Butler after he headed to the locker room, the Miami Heat took full advantage of Bam Adebayo’s 27 points and 14 rebounds to stop a four-game road losing streak and edge the Washington Wizards 100-89 on Sunday night.
Duncan Robinson made a pair of 3-pointers late in a 25-3 run by Miami that turned an 83-75 deficit into a 100-86 lead.
Robinson shot 7 for 11 on 3s and finished with 23 points. He’s made at least one 3 in 49 consecutive games to equal a franchise record.
As “Let’s go, Heat!” chants rang out in the arena, Miami’s victory helped its playoff positioning; it is fourth in the Eastern Conference. Washington began the day ninth in the East but 4½ games out of the eighth and last playoff spot.
Butler left the game with 4½ minutes remaining in the third quarter and did not return.
How big a deal is that? Well, long-term, it’ll depend on what was wrong, of course. But consider: Butler leads the Heat in scoring and assists — he went into Sunday averaging 20.5 points and 6.2 assists — and is second on the team in rebounding at 6.8.
In 24 minutes of action against Washington, though, he took only four shots, making two, and finished with nine points, along with — get this — zero rebounds and zero assists.
Bradley Beal scored 23 points for the Wizards, ending his streak of 21 games in a row with at least 25. He shot 0 of 9 in the fourth quarter.
Shabazz Napier topped Washington with 27, and Davis Bertans scored 25, thanks mainly to a career-high eight 3s.
The game was tied at 72 entering the fourth, but the Heat steadily pulled away, as Washington managed only six points over the last 9 1/2 minutes.
Adebayo led the way with 14 for the Heat in the first half, which ended with the visitors ahead 57-54. Beal (20), Bertans (16) and Napier (13) scored all but five of the Wizards points through two quarters.
TIP-INS
Heat: F Jae Crowder sat out after being elbowed in the jaw by Zion Williamson during Miami’s loss at New Orleans on Friday night. Crowder is in the concussion protocol. … Miami didn’t hold a shootaround earlier in the day. Asked why, coach Erik Spoelstra began listing what he called “a lot of different factors,” including a team meeting Saturday and the overnight time change, before interrupting himself to say: “I just decided to do it this way.”
Wizards: C Thomas Bryant fouled out after two points and three rebounds in 16 minutes; Moe Wagner scored four as a reserve. … Ish Smith (left hamstring) and Jerome Robinson (left Achilles) both sat out. … Rookie Garrison Mathews scored 28 points in Washington’s 123-105 win over visiting Miami on Dec. 30; he played for the first time since an appearance that lasted fewer than 5½ minutes on Feb. 7, and had zero points in 17 minutes Sunday.
RUI’S ROUGH STRETCH
One game after shooting 0 for 6 in Washington’s victory over Atlanta, Wizards rookie Rui Hachimura was 0 for 3 and scoreless at halftime Sunday; he finished 0 for 8 with zero points.
UP NEXT:
Heat: Host Charlotte on Wednesday night to open a three-game homestand.
Wizards: Host the New York Knicks on Tuesday night.
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