Kendrick Nunn scored 33 points to lead the host Miami Heat to a 106-100 victory over the San Antonio Spurs on Wednesday night.
The 24-year-old rookie hit 13 of 18 shots from the field, including 5 of 7 from 3-point range, for the Heat, who snapped their first two-game losing streak of the season and improved to a league-best 18-1 at home.
Goran Dragic finished with 17 points for Miami, and Bam Adebayo contributed 14 points, 13 rebounds and seven assists.
Heat star Jimmy Butler struggled on offense, shooting 4 of 11 from the field en route to 12 points. Duncan Robinson was Miami's fifth double-figure scorer with 11 points.
DeMar DeRozan scored 30 points to lead the Spurs. DeRozan, who shot 12 of 14 from the field, has scored 20 or more points in 12 consecutive games. San Antonio's Patty Mills finished with 21 points and converted 5 of 12 3-point attempts.
The Spurs also got double-figure scoring from LaMarcus Aldridge (12) and Bryn Forbes and Derrick White (11 apiece).
Down by two after three quarters, the Heat opened the fourth period on a 13-2 run. Butler's 3-pointer with 5:24 remaining capped the surge and increased Miami's lead to 88-79.
San Antonio three times got within five points, the last time on Aldridge's 3-pointer with 15 seconds remaining. Adebayo converted 1 of 2 free throws with 14.8 seconds remaining to give the Heat their final margin.
The Spurs, who missed 10 of their first 11 shots in the fourth, ran off six unanswered points and got to within 94-88 on Mills' 3-pointer ahead of DeRozan's three-point play with 3:04 remaining.
DeRozan's layup with five seconds remaining capped his 10-point second quarter and made the score 51-51 at halftime.
Miami rookie guard Tyler Herro missed the game because of a bruised left knee. Herro is averaging 13.4 points per game.
The Heat and Spurs will play again Sunday at San Antonio.
--Field Level Media
San Antonio | Miami | |
DeMar DeRozan 30 | Scoring | Kendrick Nunn 33 |
DeMar DeRozan 7 | Assists | Bam Adebayo 7 |
Trey Lyles 7 | Rebounds | Bam Adebayo 13 |
DeMar DeRozan 6 | Free Throws Made | Jimmy Butler 3 |
DeMar DeRozan 2 | Steals | Kendrick Nunn 2 |
Jakob Poeltl 2 | Blocks | Bam Adebayo 2 |
Team | Points | FG% | 3PM-3PA | FTM-FTA | Assists | Rebounds | Blocks | Steals | Turnovers |
San Antonio | 100 | 43.8 | 10-33 | 12-15 | 22 | 41 | 4 | 8 | 8 |
Miami | 106 | 46.6 | 17-40 | 7-13 | 26 | 49 | 5 | 4 | 10 |