Miami Heat Make Statement in 123-100 Blowout Against Phoenix Suns

The shorthanded Heat take down the NBA-leading Suns

The Miami Heat have never made excuses. 

Despite the injuries, the health protocols, they have never felt sorry for themselves. They realize absences are part of the game. 

Regardless of the players they have available, they just show up to play basketball. That is exactly what happened in Saturday's convincing 123-100 victory against the NBA-leading Phoenix Suns. 

The Heat refused to focus on being shorthanded yet again. In the words of injured leader Jimmy Butler, they just "hooped." 

“I really just continue to commend our group,” Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said. “We knew we couldn’t play with an average game.”

Guard Tyler Herro led the Heat with 33 points on 12 of 20 shooting. Forward Duncan Robinson added 27 points while Max Strus and Kyle Lowry each had 14. The Heat hit 22 3-pointers. 

“We’ve got a lot of guys who can really shoot, which obviously helps,” Robinson said. “Sometimes shooting is contagious as well. Certainly ball movement is contagious. Ball's finding energy. Ball's finding the open guy."

The Heat won despite their second straight game without Butler, the team's leading scorer. He is still dealing with an injury. 

“I think they came out way too comfortable,” Suns guard Devin Booker said. “That is not a team you want to give some confidence in and let them see a couple of easy ones go in. It was too loose. They got to do whatever they wanted.”

The Heat conclude their seven-game road trip Wednesday against the Atlanta Hawks. 

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