Takeaways From The Miami Heat's Victory Against The New Orleans Pelicans

Heat complete a series sweep of the Pelicans

Here are some major takeaways from the Miami Heat's victory against the New Orleans Pelicans:

-The Heat started off slow because the defensive pressure the Pelicans put on. The Pelicans did a solid job keeping them away from the 3-point line. They also knew Jimmy Butler had some of his best performances in the first quarter so they double-teamed him at times.

-After three straight games with single-digit points, Kyle Lowry broke the streak by finishing with 17.  In the second half, he scored 12 points on 62 percent shooting. He also had two 3-pointers, one down the stretch to give the Heat a comfortable lead. Though he struggled, he did have four steals, the most since Dec. 6.

-It’s safe to say Butler is one of the smartest scorers because he knows how to get his points. Besides shooting 71 percent from the field and attempting just one 3-pointer, he constantly found ways to get to the free throw line. He hit eight of his 10 free throws, finishing with 18 points.

-Caleb Martin has not been the starting power forward fans have hoped for. He finished with four points on 11 percent shooting. He’s averaging a career-high 10 points but he constantly finds himself in cold streaks. He finished five of his last seven games with single-digit points.

-Two days after finishing with a season-low four 3-pointers, the Heat’s 3-point struggles continued. They made eight of their 34 3-point attempts, two in the first half. It’s the fourth straight game where they shot under 50 percent.

-Victor Oladipo is showing he is healthy for good. He led the bench with 11 points but this was his 22nd game this season, the most he played since 2020-21 before he underwent surgery.

Cory Nelson is a contributor to Inside The Heat. He attended Northern Virginia Community College. He can be reached at corymckenzienelson@hotmail.com or follow him on Twitter @CKenzyNelson. You can also check out his personal blog https://allball30.wordpress.com