Miami Heat’s Victor Oladipo #4 hits a high hand Max Strus #31 after hitting a three-pointer on the first quarter’s whistle in front of the Phoenix Sunsat Footprint Center on January 6, 2023 in Phoenix, Arizona. Christian Petersen/Getty Images/AFP
Victor Oladipo scored a season-high 26 points from the bench to help the Miami Heat win 104-96 over hosts Phoenix Suns on Friday night.
Bam Adebayo scored 21 points and 11 rebounds and Jimmy Butler added 20 points and 6 assists for the Heat. Max Strus scored 19 points as Miami completed its two-game streak of the season.
Deandre Ayton had 23 points and 14 rebounds and Torrey Craig scored 17 points and 9 goals for the Suns, who are mired in their second five-game losing streak of the season and have lost 13 of their past 17.
Mikal Bridges has 15 points and 7 assists, Duane Washington Jr. added 13 points and 7 assists and Landry Shamet scored 11 points for Phoenix.
Suns star Devin Booker (groin) has missed the sixth straight game, and Phoenix has dropped 2-9 without him this season.
🔥 26 PTS (peak season)
🔥 4 Ba
🔥 Heat WGood night, Victor Oladipo. pic.twitter.com/rMHcfs5vqh
– NBA (@NBA) January 7, 2023
The Suns point guard, Chris Paul, left the field in the second half with pain in his right hip and did not return. He had five points and one assist in 12 minutes.
Tyler Herro (back spasm) is sidelined because of the Heat.
Kyle Lowry added 10 points for Miami, with a shot rate of 42.3% and 12 of 38 (31.6%) from three points.
The Suns connect with each other on 41.5% of their captures, including 6 out of 23 (26.1%) from behind the arc.
Phoenix shortened the 14-point deficit to 89-82 on Shamet’s 3-pointer when the game was down to 6:17.
However, Strus converted a four-pointer 23 seconds later and added a trey with 4:52 left to push the lead back to 14.
Phoenix then went ahead in round six, but on-road turnover with 50.1 seconds remaining ruined the comeback attempt and Miami ended it to end the road trip 3-2.
Butler scored 14 points in the first half and Miami led 51-46 after halftime.
Damion Lee started the third half for the Suns in place of Paul, and point guard Heat Lowry took advantage by scoring the first six points of the second half.
Oladipo drilled 3 points to give the Heat a 68-54 advantage with 5:16 remaining in the inning before the Suns scored 19 of the next 25 to move in the first round with 39.9 seconds left.
Oladipo scored the final four points of the period as Miami led 78-73, and Adebayo made dunks to start the fourth half.
Oladipo’s quick steal and pitch made it to 89-75 by the Heat with 7:45 left.
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