NBA: Bam Adebayo scores 24 to help Heat dominate Nets

Bam Adebayo totaled 24 points and nine rebounds as the visiting Miami Heat dominated inside and recorded a 106-93 win over the Brooklyn Nets on Wednesday night in New York.

Adebayo highlighted an 8-for-17 showing by converting four dunks. He hit consecutive dunks to put Miami up 98-89 with about 3 1/2 minutes left.

Jimmy Butler supported Adebayo's big night with a stellar all-around showing. He added 17 points, 14 rebounds, seven assists and four steals.

The big nights by Butler and Adebayo helped Miami to a commanding 62-42 rebounding margin.

P.J. Tucker added 15 points and seven boards as the Heat survived shooting 39.6 percent. Dewayne Dedmon and Tyler Herro added 14 points apiece as Miami scored 48 in the paint.

Kevin Durant led all scorers with 25 points, but the Nets shot just 38.8 percent and scored two baskets in the final 4:33. The Nets lost for the third time in five games this season, and each loss has been by double digits.

Joe Harris contributed 15 points and James Harden chipped in 14 for Brooklyn, which shot 32.6 percent from behind the arc.

Miami held a 29-22 lead after the first quarter by ending the period with a 14-4 run over the last 4:59. A basket by Butler put Miami up 41-29 with 7:07 left in the second, but the Nets ended the first half with a 22-8 run and held a 51-49 lead by halftime after Blake Griffin converted a 3-point play with 34.4 seconds remaining.

Miami ripped off 14 straight points for a 63-57 lead on a 3-pointer by Duncan Robinson with 7:38 left. The Heat held an 81-74 lead into the fourth after Harris missed a 3-pointer right before the buzzer.

-reuters-

Rockets sink record 26 treys, trounce Wizards

James Harden continued his torrid scoring but received plenty of help as the Houston Rockets set an NBA single-game record by sinking 26 3-pointers in a 136-118 victory over the visiting Washington Wizards on Wednesday.

Harden scored 35 points on 10-of-18 shooting, including 6-of-11 success on 3-point attempts, to lead the Rockets to their fifth consecutive victory.

With nine assists, Harden finished just shy of posting a double-double, a feat accomplished by teammates Clint Capela (20 points, 12 rebounds) and P.J. Tucker (11 points, 11 rebounds). 

All five starters scored in double figures for the Rockets, with Chris Paul adding 21 points and eight assists while Eric Gordon chipped in 16 points.

Houston shot 55.3 percent overall, drilling 26 of 55 3-point tries. 

With the outcome well in hand and Houston reserves on the floor, the partisan crowd begged for 3-pointers in the waning moments until Michael Carter-Williams sank the record-breaker with 31.1 seconds remaining.

Paul (5 of 9), Gordon (4 of 9), and Gerald Green (4 of 7) combined with Harden in the long-distance assault.

The Wizards shot a robust 53.6 percent but were 10 of 30 from deep. Bradley Beal paced Washington with 28 points while John Wall had 18 points and 12 assists. 

Trevor Ariza, in his first game back in Houston after departing via free agency, had 15 points, six rebounds and three steals.

The Rockets reversed course from a sluggish start with haste, starting with consecutive 3-pointers from Harden and Tucker midway through the first quarter. 

What was once a six-point lead for the Wizards vanished when Harden hit the first of his consecutive step-back 3-pointers, taking full advantage of screens set by teammates that moved Ariza off Harden as the primary defender.

Once their rhythm was established, the Rockets kept rolling. 

Their first three made baskets in the second quarter came from behind the arc, and when the Wizards clawed to within 54-45 on a Beal bank shot, the Rockets added three additional 3-pointers in succession.

Harden closed the first half with a three-point play, but the tone was set: Houston hit 13 of 25 3-point tries prior to the intermission. 

Washington shot 58.1 percent in the first half but drowned in the deluge.

source: news.abs-cbn.com