Miami Heat vs. Charlotte Hornets Takeaways: Duncan Robinson’s Shooting Highlights Dominant Victory
The Miami Heat took down the Charlotte Hornets 112-90 on Wednesday after a narrow victory on Monday evening.
Here’s a look at five major takeaways:
1. Duncan Robinson’s shooting highlights the dominant victory.
Ending the night with a 23-point performance was impressive enough for the Heat’s sharpshooter. However, Robinson did so with phenomenal efficiency, shooting 58.3 percent and 6 of 9 from beyond the arc. This is Robinson’s second straight 20-point performance, recording 24 in Monday’s matchup. While Miami is dealing with a multitude of injuries, his contributions are crucial to their success.
2. The Heat’s defense is in serious danger without Bam Adebayo and Haywood Highsmith.
Outside of guard Terry Rozier, Charlotte’s offense is mediocre compared to the rest of the league. Especially with star LaMelo Ball out. Adebayo and Highsmith are the Heat’s top defenders, which is glaringly obvious in their absence. Although the Hornets finished with a disappointing 104 points, a stronger offense will capitalize on their lackluster defensive group.
3. Miami struggled to slow down Rozier which resulted in giving up a balanced scoring attack.
After a 34-point, 13-assist game from the Charlotte guard on Monday, Miami prioritized slowing him down. Rozier wrapped up the night with 28 points and seven assists on 71.4 percent shooting. He impacted the game on the defensive end, finishing with four steals. The focus on stopping him resulted in Gordon Hayward, Miles Bridges, and Brandon Miller concluding the game with double-digit scoring.
4. Jimmy Butler and Jaime Jaquez Jr. impacted the game in multiple ways.
The Heat’s rookie and veteran forwards contributed to their win in a variety of ways. Butler filled the box score, recording 15 points, 10 assists, and six rebounds in 29 minutes. Meanwhile, Jaquez continues his impressive rookie campaign with 17 points, eight assists, and six rebounds.
5. Miami displayed a mix of consistency.
The Heat recorded their most opening-quarter turnovers this year with nine. Many of these mistakes came from unnecessary or rushed passes. They finished with 21 total turnovers, much above their average. However, an efficient night across the board led to the blowout win. As a team, they shot 47.1 percent and 50 percent from three-point range. Not to mention, Miami knocked down 18 of 19 free throws.
Anthony Pasciolla works as a contributing writer to Inside the Heat.
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