First Half:

The Blazers started things off with two straight threes, putting the Heat at a disadvantage as it tried to find a sense of rhythm. Despite being whole, the Heat couldn’t buy a bucket in the first few minutes with the Blazers playing desperation defense trying to avoid their ninth straight loss. Miami’s stagnant play wouldn’t last forever with Bam and Jimmy going to work and picking up things on defense. Still Portland stayed consistent in the first maintaining its nine point lead. Miami really struggled guarding Ayton in the key. Guarding bigs has been a big issue for the small Heat lately. With the Heat unable to stop bunnies, or grab rebounds the deficit ballooned to 15. With Miami 3-12 from the field to start, things were expected to at least reach the mean. That didn’t happen in the first quarter, which was an utter disaster.

Kevin Love was the high-point for the Heat to start the second quarter sinking a three, but still the Heat struggled to cut into the thirteen point deficit. The offense just seemed jumbled, with nobody confident in their role. Thankfully, Jimmy realized that he needed to spark things and started getting to the rim in his typical Jimmy ways. He was phenomenal scoring nine points in the first couple minutes of the quarter, and with Jimmy surging other Heat players (Caleb) were able to get involved and cut the lead to single digits.

It didn’t last overly long though with Portland continuing to throw haymakers, but Miami would show some grit towards the end of the half. With Bam finding his touch it looked like the Heat could claw back, but with some awful ill-timed turnovers the Heat really only managed to get within seven and that was even with Rozier coming alive to close the half. The Heat went into the second half down 10, but with the game very much up for grabs.

Second Half:

With Duncan and Jimmy stealing back momentum from Portland, the Heat were able to put together an 8-0 run to get within two.

There was still sloppy play, but at least Miami was in a position to take things back. Still Jerami Grant remained on offensive menace for Miami keeping things continuously out of reach. It was Jovic who would help turn things around for Miami hitting some huge threes – Jovic really has that range. It was arguably Jovic who was the catalyst to Miami taking back the lead finally, well that and Jimmy’s spectacular defense.

Miami was in the driver’s seat, but Portland was still comfortably in striking distance. So even with the Heat playing an exceptional third quarter, sloppy play kept the end result of this one ambiguous. But dunks like this certainly helped:

The Blazers tied things up to start the fourth thanks to some strong defense. But the Heat weren’t going to go quietly with Caleb, Delon, Kevin and Jimmy all stepping up for big plays. The Heat were once again able to get the lead out to six (thanks Terry) and draw a few frustration fouls. Terry Rozier really stepped up in this quarter making some huge looks – this is the Terry Miami traded for.

Miami would sit firmly in the driver’s seat for the rest of the game, and cement things with a stepback Caleb Martin dagger. A well-earned win for the Heat after a disastrous first half.