Butler’s 23-Point Performance Highlighted by Acrobatic Layup Guides Heat to Victory Against 76ers

Jimmy Butler registered 23 points to lead five Miami players with double digit scoring as the Heat triumphed over the Philadelphia 76ers 101-99 on Monday. His acrobatic reverse layup in the late stages of the game proved to be the difference maker. All in all, it was a balanced display from the Heat's offense with five players hitting the double digit mark.

Jimmy Butler fell one assist short of a triple-double, contributing 11 rebounds and nine assists to go with his 24 points during the Miami Heat's 101-94 victory over the Philadelphia 76ers. His dribbling prowess and finishing layup in between Joel Embiid and P.J. Tucker gave the Heat a 100-99 lead with 1:28 left in the fourth quarter after the Sixers had come back from being down by 11 points. He added an extra free throw with 8.1 seconds remaining.

"Everything I do on the court is something I practice every day," Butler shared on his remarkable basket. "I absolutely adore playing this sport and competing, but it's even more enjoyable when we win."

"The Philadelphia 76ers had a chance to win the game, but James Harden's 3-point attempt at the buzzer failed to fall. Miami Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra commented, 'You have to anticipate issues on the road, and be prepared to face a variety of obstacles. But sometimes fortune just doesn't go your way; Harden was open, but our team contested a lot of shots tonight, so he didn't quite have his usual rhythm.'

Gabe Vincent and Bam Adebayo combined for 27 points as the Miami Heat snapped their four-game losing streak, holding off the Philadelphia 76ers 103-94.

Vincent paced the Heat with 14 points, while Adebayo put up 13 points and 7 rebounds. Joel Embiid led all scorers with 27 points and 12 boards, but it was James Harden's 20 points and 12 assists that nearly pulled off a late comeback for the 76ers.

The Heat held a comfortable 11-point lead with 7:10 to go in the fourth quarter, but poor play on both sides allowed Philadelphia to get back into the game and eventually take the lead on Harden's two free throws. A late run from Miami sealed the victory.

The 76ers' comeback attempt was spearheaded by Tyrese Maxey, who tallied 19 of his 23 points after the break before fouling out with 3:21 on the clock.

Though Miami put up a good defensive effort, forcing 18 Philly turnovers, the Sixers failed to capitalize with too many missed layups, particularly in the second half.

"We were quite careless tonight," Philadelphia's Doc Rivers observed. "It happens – but you still gotta find a way to be victorious. Sadly, we couldn't do it tonight."

The Miami Heat got some clutch contributions from Kendrick Nunn and Goran Dragic to get past the Philadelphia 76ers 108-104 on Monday.

Nunn scored 22 points, including some key shots in the fourth quarter, to lead all scorers for the Heat. Dragic, who had 15 points and nine assists, also had a strong fourth quarter to help Miami secure the win.

The 76ers had five players in double figures, led by Tyrese Maxey's 19 points. Ben Simmons had a double-double with 16 points, 12 rebounds and nine assists, while Tobias Harris added 16 points, 10 rebounds and five assists.

Miami also got some assistance from the bench, with Gabe Struss and Victor Oladipo both chipping in 13 and 11 points respectively.

Philadelphia is now on a two-game losing streak and will look to prevent a three-game skid when they rematch with Miami on Wednesday.

G Kyle Lowry was upgraded to questionable on the injury report Sunday, leading to speculation he would return to the lineup Monday. Instead, he was downgraded again on Monday and missed his ninth consecutive game due to knee soreness. Heat coach Erik Spoelstra commented that while Lowry is making progress, there is no clear timeline for his return. G Tyler Herro, who was listed as questionable due to a rib contusion, was in the starting lineup as planned.

The Philadelphia 76ers will face an extremely packed March schedule as they embark on a five-game road trip. During the month, the team will take part in 17 games in 31 days, with 12 of the first 15 away from home. The Sixers will also be playing four sets of games in two days, with all eight tilts occurring in different cities.

Damar Hamlin, safety for the Buffalo Bills, was in attendance at the 76ers game, joining forces with 76ers owner Joshua Harris and Fanatics owner Michael Rubin. Wearing a No. 3 Sixers jersey, Hamlin was welcomed with a warm and loud ovation from the packed crowd during a second quarter timeout.

The teams play again at Miami on Wednesday night.