Goran Dragic leads Heat past Trail Blazers, 122-111
MIAMI (AP) — Goran Dragic had 29 points and 13 assists, Bam Adebayo added 20 points on 9-for-10 shooting and the Miami Heat never trailed in a 122-111 victory over the Portland Trail Blazers on Sunday night.
Dragic tied a career best with seven 3-pointers. Derrick Jones Jr. scored 19 points for the Heat, who got 14 from Kendrick Nunn and 12 points in 22 minutes from little-used James Johnson — who was called upon largely because Miami was without Jimmy Butler.
Tyler Herro scored 11 points for Miami, as did Meyers Leonard in his first game against his former team.
Damian Lillard led Portland with 34 points and 12 assists. Former Heat center Hassan Whiteside, booed almost every time he touched the ball, finished with 21 points and 18 rebounds for Portland. Anfernee Simons scored 19 points off the bench.
Miami improved the NBA’s best home record to 17-1 — two wins shy of its home total for 41 games last season — and is 10-0 after losses.
Both teams were missing starters unexpectedly. Miami was without Butler, who was ruled out because of back soreness. Portland’s CJ McCollum was out with an upper-respiratory infection.
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Montrezl Harrell scored 34 points, Paul George and Lou Williams added 32 apiece and Los Angeles bounced back from an ugly loss to beat New York.
A day after a 26-point loss to Memphis in another matinee, the Clippers had a least three players score at least 30 points for the first time in franchise history.
Marcus Morris led New York with 38 points. RJ Barrett added 24.
