Nets snap three-game skid, beat Heat 112-97 with Miami resting Butler and Adebayo

NEW YORK (AP) Mikal Bridges scored 24 points, Cam Johnson added 19 points and 10 rebounds, and the Brooklyn Nets routed the short-handed Miami Heat 112-97 on Saturday night to snap a three-game losing streak.

Brooklyn got double-figure scoring from its entire starting five, with Dorian Finney-Smith scoring 16 points, Nic Claxton chipping in 13 and Spencer Dinwiddie finishing with 14 points and 11 assists.

Caleb Martin scored 22 points off the bench and rookie Jaime Jaquez Jr. had 18 and for the Heat, who rested Jimmy Butler and Bam Abedayo, a night after blowing a 21-point lead and losing to New York at Madison Square Garden.

Miami was also without Duncan Robinson, who missed his second consecutive game due to a sprained right thumb. The Heat then lost Haywood Highsmith early in the fourth quarter when he attempted to block Dinwiddie’s layup and fell on his backside and had to be helped off the court.

The Nets shot 50% from the field and were 14 for 36 (39%) from the 3-point line.

Brooklyn made 10 3-pointers in the first half en route to a 63-53 lead. Jaquez cut the lead to eight in the opening seconds of the second half, but Claxton scored the next six points to increase the Nets' lead to 69-55 with 9:34 left in the third quarter.

The Nets led by 16 to start the fourth quarter and increased it to 21 with under three minutes left in regulation after Johnson's free throw made it 111-90.

UP NEXT

Heat: Host the Milwaukee Bucks on Tuesday night in their final In-Season Tournament group game.

Nets: Host the Chicago Bulls on Sunday night.

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AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/nba