The Phoenix Suns posted their fifth win inside the Orlando bubble, and this time, the victims were the Miami Heat, 119-112.
With this victory, the boys fro Arizona are pretty close to the playoff zone, sitting two games behind the Memphis Grizzlies, and just half a game behind the Portland Trail Blazers who lost to the LA Clippers the previous night.
Heat began the match better, winning the opening period with 32-25, and setting the tone, as they had a 19-8 lead midway through the first. A fierce battle took place in the second 12 minutes, with the Suns coming back on two occasions, eventually tying the result at 60-all before hitting the halftime break.
The same intensity was seen after the pause, with both sides exchanging hits in the third, and displaying an excellent basketball.
Phoenix managed to break the rivals from Miami in the third, once they reached a nine-point lead after Jevon Carter’s three-pointer 4:23 before the end. The Heat tried to come back, but without any success, and Spoelstra’s team recorded its 27th loss.
The Heat was pretty inferior in controlling the glass as they recorded just 37 boards, compared to Suns’ 54, and only three of them were on offense.
Tyler Herro and Duncan Robinson scored 25 points each, and they had a team-high for Miami in this one. Still, the two sharpshooting guards haven’t been at their usual level, hitting four threes combined in 16 attempts.
Bam Adebayo added 18 with 7 boards and superb nine assists for him, while Jae Crowder had 17 with four threes too. Andre Iguodala scored 12 off the bench.
Devin Booker led the Suns as usual, with 35 points, and six boards, shooting 15-for-26 from the field, but not hitting a single downtown basket in seven attempts.
Carter was superb off the bench with six threes, and 20 points in total, while DeAndre Ayton posted a double-double with 18 points and 12 boards. Ricky Rubio was near a triple-double with seven points, 10 rebounds, and 8 dimes.
The Suns are in fantastic shape, as they have five wins in a row and are the only undefeated team in the bubble. So far, Phoenix defeated the Wizards, Mavs, Clippers, Pacers, and now Miami. They will be facing the OKC Thunder next week.
Meanwhile, the Heat play against the Pacers, and both of these games are on Monday night.
What do you think, are the Suns able to reach the playoffs?
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