Bam Adebayo’s dominant performance of 23 points and 14 rebounds propelled the Miami Heat to a 109-104 victory over the Philadelphia 76ers in their last game before the NBA All-Star break. Adebayo’s thunderous dunk capped off a crucial 10-2 run in the fourth quarter, securing Miami’s lead for good. Alongside Adebayo, Tyler Herro contributed 23 points, while Duncan Robinson added 20, leading the Heat to their fourth win in five games. On the opposing side, Tyrese Maxey impressed with 30 points for the 76ers, supported by Buddy Hield’s 22 points and 10 assists, and Paul Reed’s 18 points and 12 rebounds in place of the injured Joel Embiid.
Miami’s momentum surged in the fourth quarter with Haywood Highsmith’s clutch 3-pointer, Herro’s acrobatic layup, another timely 3-pointer from Robinson, and Adebayo’s emphatic dunk, all on consecutive possessions. Despite Maxey briefly leaving the court due to an ankle injury caused by Reed’s inadvertent step, Philadelphia struggled in the final quarter, missing multiple shots and committing turnovers.
Kyle Lowry, recently signed by Philadelphia but previously with Miami, was unavailable for the game. Additionally, Philadelphia was without key players including Nico Batum, Robert Covington, Tobias Harris, and De’Anthony Melton due to various injuries. Miami also faced absences, notably Jimmy Butler, Josh Richardson, Terry Rozier, and Dru Smith.
Looking ahead, the Miami Heat will face the New Orleans Pelicans on Friday, February 23rd, while the Philadelphia 76ers will host the New York Knicks on Thursday, February 22nd.
