Norman Powell
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Norman Powell didn't hold back his thoughts on Dillon Brooks after the Miami Heat defeated the Phoenix Suns 127-121.
The Miami Heat learned firsthand why Dillon Brooks is considered by many to be the NBA’s “villain.”
The Heat defeated the Phoenix Suns 127-121 on Tuesday, January 13. The two teams were chippy throughout the game, leading to Heat guard Norman Powell sending a message to Brooks after the game.
“We know what Dillon Brooks does, we know his antics,” Powell said. “We know what he tries to do. I’ve played against him since college; I know how he is. I didn’t feed into it for the majority of the game, him trying to bump, hold, foul and talk.”
At the 3:38 mark of the third quarter, Brooks appeared to shove Powell after driving to the basket, leading to a technical foul and Heat center Bam Adebayo having to hold Powell back.
“When he pushed me, that was my line in the sand,” Powell said. “Bam held me back, we got the technical free throw and we keep going. He (Brooks) is going to be him, and it doesn’t bother me too much.”
In addition to the technical foul, Brooks also picked up a flagrant foul in the fourth quarter. With 11.5 seconds left and down 121-118, Brooks got a look from three in the corner.
After missing the shot, he grabbed Heat forward Andrew Wiggins by the shoulder and pulled him to the ground. The play was ruled a “hostile act.”
Brooks was the Suns’ leading scorer, finishing the game with 25 points on 11-24 shooting. He’s finished with 20 or more points in three of his last four games.
The Heat will see Brooks and the Suns again on January 25 in Phoenix.
Bam Adebayo Finally Breaks out of his Slump to Lead the Miami Heat to a win
Bam Adebayo
GettyBam Adebayo was crucial in the Miami Heat’s win, having one of his best games of the season.
Among all the positives for the Miami Heat following their win, nothing is arguably as important as Bam Adebayo snapping out of his slump.
Adebayo had finished with under 20 points in 11 consecutive games, including coming off a season-low (not including leaving with an injury) 6 points against the Oklahoma City Thunder.
He had one of his best games of the season against the Phoenix Suns, finishing with 29 points, 9 rebounds and 4 assists.
Adebayo was also clutch for the Heat late in the game. Down 114-108 at the 3:32 mark, he scored on three straight possessions, including two threes, to give the Heat a 116-114 lead.
“Obviously, it feels great to see the ball go in,” Adebayo said. “I’ve been in a slump for two weeks, and you don’t overreact to it. When you’re in this league long enough, you see some of the greats go through slumps.”
When Adebayo scores 20 or more points, the Heat are 6-4. When he scores less than 20 points, the Heat are 9-13.
For the Heat to build momentum, Adebayo needs to build momentum.
The Miami Heat Snap a Three-Game Losing Streak
The Miami Heat entered the game against the Phoenix Suns having lost three straight games by a combined 64 points.
On the other hand, the Suns had won nine of their last 11 games, moving up to sixth place in the Western Conference.
The Heat controlled most of the game, leading by 17 at halftime and as much as 20 in the second half before the Suns made a comeback.
Led by Bam Adebayo, the Heat rallied in the fourth quarter to take home a much-needed six-point win.
“It was good to see us come out on the winning side versus a very competitive team that was making plays,” Heat Head Coach Erik Spoelstra said. “They were playing well.”
The Heat will try to build off this win when they host the Boston Celtics on January 15.