NBA: Heat's dominating effort sends Nets to ninth straight loss

Miami Heat center Bam Adebayo had 23 points, nine rebounds, and a career-high-tying six steals as the Heat routed the visiting Brooklyn Nets 124-98 on Tuesday, handing Brooklyn its season-worst ninth straight loss.

Tyler Herro added 22 points, while Jaime Jaquez Jr. contributed 20. Andrew Wiggins finished with 13 points and seven rebounds, and Simone Fontecchio scored 12. Heat center Kel'el Ware recorded his 20th double-double of the season, posting 11 points, 13 rebounds, and a career-high five steals.

Brooklyn struggled offensively, shooting 38.4% from the field and just 18.8% (6 of 32) from three-point range, marking their 12th loss in 14 games. Noah Clowney led the Nets with 17 points, followed by Ziaire Williams with 16, Nolan Traore with 14, Danny Wolf with 11, and Day'Ron Sharpe with 10 points and eight rebounds.

Miami shot 49.5% from the field and made 13 of 36 three-point attempts (36.1%). The Heat led 34-28 after the first quarter and extended their advantage to 10 points late in the second quarter after Jaquez and Ware hit back-to-back threes during an 8-0 run.

Adebayo and Herro each scored 15 points in the first half, helping Miami take a 69-54 lead at halftime. The Nets managed only one field goal in the final 5:50 of the half.

Miami extended its lead to 76-58 on Adebayo’s layup with 9:34 remaining in the third quarter and maintained a double-digit lead throughout the second half. Fontecchio hit a three-pointer to give the Heat a 91-75 advantage at the end of the third quarter. Miami remained in control in the fourth, leading 113-88 on Adebayo’s jumper with just over five minutes left.

Brooklyn forward Michael Porter Jr., who entered averaging a team-high 24.5 points, was limited to nine points on 3-of-17 shooting, including 0-for-9 from beyond the arc.

With eight defensive rebounds, Adebayo passed Udonis Haslem to become Miami’s all-time leading defensive rebounder with 4,180.

-Field Level Media/Reuters