Source: Jared C. Tilton / Getty
The Charlotte Hornets couldn’t make their late run stand against the Miami Heat Monday night at Spectrum Center, falling to the visitors, 116-114.
Charlotte fought back from 14 points down with a 9-0 run to start the quarter, which extended to a 22-9 run to come within one point. Miami held off the Hornets, however, as the home side couldn’t grab the lead back.
The Heat never allowed the Hornets an opportunity to take a three with the Hornets down by that margin, and a missed Terry Rozier free throw-turned lane violation kept Charlotte from tying the score in the final minute
Miami imposed its will by heading to the free-throw line 12 more times than the Hornets, making 27-of-34 free throws compared to 17-of-22 for Charlotte.
Duncan Robinson led the Heat with 24 points & Jimmy Butler had 23 on a night when Miami played without Bam Adebayo and Tyler Herro. Former Hornet Caleb Martin scored a head-to-head high against his old team with 20 points.
Rozier led the Hornets with 34 points, his fifth consecutive game with 20 or more, along with a career-high tying 13 assists. The former Louisville Cardinal became the sixth all-time leading scorer in franchise history, with 5,561 points passing Hornets legend Muggsy Bogues on the all-time list.
The Hornets fell to 7-14 on the season, 2-4 since the injury to LaMelo Ball. The previous two games against Miami have been decided by a total of six points, and familiarity could breed contempt with the two teams meeting again on Wednesday night in Florida. Hear coverage of the second half of the home-and-home with Miami on Sports Radio 92.7 WFNZ at 6:30 PM with tip time at 7:30 PM Wednesday.
