Dragic drains game-winner to lift Heat past Pacers

LOS ANGELES, USA – Miami’s Goran Dragic drained the game-winning basket with 6.8 seconds remaining as the Heat edged the Indiana Pacers, 113-112, in a wild NBA finish on Friday, December 27 (Saturday, December 28, Philippine time).

The Heat took their league-best home record to 14-1, but the injury-hit Pacers made them work every step of the way.

Dragic’s jump shot in the lane was Miami’s third attempt on a scrambling possession that had seen both Jimmy Butler and Kendrick Nunn miss and the Heat secure the rebounds.

“That’s who we are, man,” said Butler, who led the Heat with 20 points. “Never give up on any play.”

Indiana’s Aaron Holiday had a last chance for a game-winner but his effort failed to fall.

THE GAME WINNER! pic.twitter.com/msdvz1Ck8X

— Miami HEAT (@MiamiHEAT) December 28, 2019

Bam Adebayo had 18 points and 15 rebounds, including the offensive rebound of Nunn’s miss that made Dragic’s game-winner possible in a contest that saw 20 lead changes.

“The ball didn’t want to go in, but we came up with two huge offensive rebounds, first Jimmy, then Bam,” Dragic said. “The ball came to me. I was just open and I made the shot.”

The Heat maintained their 3rd spot (23-8) in the Eastern Conference led by the Milwaukee Bucks (28-5).

Bucks bounce back

The absence of reigning NBA Most Valuable Player Giannis Antetokounmpo proved no problem for the Bucks in a 112-86 win over the Atlanta Hawks.

Khris Middleton scored 23 points as the Bucks bounced back from their Christmas Day loss to the Philadelphia 76ers.

Antetokounmpo, nursing a sore back, looked on from the bench as the Bucks improved their league-best record.

The Hawks, meanwhile, lost their ninth straight and saw guard Trae Young hobble out with a sprained right ankle in the first half. – Rappler.com