Nikola Jovic's Career-High Leads Heat Past Trail Blazers 136-131
Nikola Jovic scored a career-high 29 points off the bench, along with nine rebounds and seven assists, helping the Miami Heat narrowly defeat the Portland Trail Blazers 136-131 on Saturday night.
Norman Powell contributed 22 points, while Pelle Larsson added 16 and Andrew Wiggins scored 15 for the Heat. Jaime Jaquez Jr. recorded a double-double with 14 points, 12 rebounds, and seven assists. Kel’el Ware pulled down 12 rebounds to support the team's effort. Jovic improved on his previous best of 24 points.
For Portland, Deni Avdija led the scoring with 33 points in the first game of their five-game trip. Shaedon Sharpe scored 21, and both Jrue Holiday and Jerami Grant added 18 points each.
Close and Intense Fourth Quarter
The game featured a tightly contested fourth quarter, with neither team gaining more than a four-point lead until the final moments. Holiday's 3-pointer with 3:26 left tied the game at 123-all, setting up a thrilling finish.
Wiggins' 3-pointer with 1:32 remaining gave Miami a 132-127 lead, which the Heat maintained to secure the victory.
Team Performance and Records
- The Heat improved their home record to 4-0 this season.
- Miami holds a 6-2 record when scoring at least 115 points and is 0-2 when scoring below that threshold.
- After setting a franchise record with 53 first-quarter points on Friday, the Heat had a slow start on Saturday, missing 14 of their first 15 shots and falling behind 15-3 early but quickly recovered.
Summary: Nikola Jovic’s career night off the bench fueled Miami’s hard-fought win against Portland, highlighting the Heat’s resilience and strong home performance this season.
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