With a blistering performance from Norman Powell, the Heat (19-15) defeated the Pistons (25-9) 118-112 on Thursday night at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit, securing their fourth consecutive victory.
Powell scored 36 points, including seven three-pointers, and has scored more than 20 points in 11 of his last 14 games. The Pistons are the leaders of the Eastern Conference and the second-best team in the NBA, which makes Miami’s performance all the more impressive, as they went toe-to-toe with one of the league’s elite teams.
The first half ended with the Heat leading 63-54, thanks in large part to Powell, who silenced the Detroit arena with five three-pointers during that period. What was remarkable about Erik Spoelstra’s team was their ability to withstand the Pistons’ surge.
In the third quarter, the Heat built a lead of up to 22 points, but in the fourth period, Detroit closed the gap dangerously. The home team even got within a basket, 114-112, thanks to a tremendous play.
Jaime Jaquez Jr., with great power and determination, sank a layup to give his team some breathing room with just 28.9 seconds left on the clock. That play put the Heat ahead 116-112, and immediately afterward, two free throws by Powell sealed the victory.
In this game, Bam Adebayo tied Alonzo Mourning for third place on the all-time list for most games played with Miami, with 583, behind Dwyane Wade and Udonis Haslem.
In addition to Powell, Jaquez Jr. stood out for the Miami Heat with 19 points, Andrew Wiggins with 17, Adebayo with 15 points and 14 rebounds, and Dru Smith with nine. For the Pistons, Cade Cunningham led the way with 31 points and 11 assists, Marcus Sasser added 18, Jalen Duren and Ausar Thompson each contributed 12, and Javonte Green chipped in with 11.
The Heat built a lead of up to nine points in the first quarter, after a close game in the opening minutes. Three-pointers from Smith and Jovic, along with a layup from Jaquez Jr. with just over a minute remaining in the period, fueled a 14-point run that the visiting team couldn’t answer, giving them a 29-20 lead, their largest of the game up to that point.
The quarter ended 33-26. The Pistons, however, returned to the court with renewed energy and gradually chipped away at the lead. With a three-pointer from Cunningham, the man who was running the show for his team, Detroit managed to close the gap to 43-40 and then take the lead with a basket from Thompson, putting the home team ahead 44-43.
Immediately, Miami regained the lead and held it until halftime after a three-pointer from Powell made it 63-54 in favor of the visitors. Powell became a nightmare for the Pistons because he scored from all angles and, above all, created plays. He moved with great speed and skill, making him difficult to stop.
