NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Bam Adebayo had 27 points, 14 rebounds and four blocks and the short-handed Miami Heat beat the New Orleans Pelicans 123-111 on Wednesday night in the final game for both teams before the All-Star break.
Miami used only nine players, with Tyler Herro, Norman Powell, Pelle Larsson and Andrew Wiggins sidelined. Herro missed his 15th straight game.
Jaime Jaquez Jr. added 23 points, Kel’el Ware had 16 points and 12 rebounds and Simone Fontecchio scored 15 points. Eighth in the Eastern Conference, the Heat improved to 29-27. Miami has won 11 of its last 12 against New Orleans
Zion Williamson had 26 points for New Orleans. He has played a career-high 30 straight games and 40 of 56 this season. In his first six seasons, he played 214 of 472 games and never had more than 25 in a row.
Trey Murphy III added 19 points before leaving late in the third quarter because of soreness in his right shoulder. The Pelicans dropped to 15-41. They had won two in a row.
Ware hit a 3-pointer with 2:46 left in the third quarter to cap a 23-10 run that gave Miami a 92-76 lead. The Heat hit four 3s during that surge, one each by Kasparas Jakucionis, Fontecchio, Myron Gardner and Ware.
During that stretch, Jakucionis also hit three free throws after landing on Murphy’s foot on a missed 3 near sideline. Murphy was called for a flagrant foul.
Miami pushed the lead to 17 at 112-95 with 6:19 left in the fourth. After New Orleans cut it to 115-111 on Williamson’s putback, Fontecchio hit a 3 from the left corner with 54 seconds remaining to make it 118-111.
Miami led 58-55 at halftime. Adebayo had 15 points in the half.
Heat: At Atlanta on Friday, Feb. 20.
Pelicans: Host Milwaukee on Friday, Feb. 20.
AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/nba
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