NBA: Wizards notch second straight win, stun Heat
Published March 11, 2024 9:38am Kyle Kuzma scored a game-high 32 points and added nine rebounds, four assists and two blocks as the Washington Wizards upset the host Miami Heat 110-108 on Sunday night. It was Washington’s second straight win following a franchise-tying 16-game losing streak. Miami has lost three consecutive games, the Heat’s worst […]
Tomas Kauer - News Moderator 
Kyle Kuzma scored a game-high 32 points and added nine rebounds, four assists and two blocks as the Washington Wizards upset the host Miami Heat 110-108 on Sunday night.
It was Washington’s second straight win following a franchise-tying 16-game losing streak.
Miami has lost three consecutive games, the Heat’s worst skid since dropping seven straight in January.
The Heat missed two 3-point tries — by Duncan Robinson and then Jimmy Butler — that would’ve given them the lead in the game’s final possession.
Washington also got good performances from Corey Kispert (22 points, six assists); Deni Avdija (16 points, 10 rebounds); and Tyus Jones (12 points, game-high 16 assists).
Miami was led by Butler’s 23 points. Bam Adebayo had 16 points and a game-high 16 rebounds.
Landry Shamet, who missed Washington’s previous game due to a calf injury, returned, and he went scoreless in seven minutes. The Wizards were without Richaun Holmes (toe injury) and Marvin Bagley III (back spasms).
For Miami, Tyler Herro missed his eighth straight game due to a foot injury. Kevin Love missed his sixth straight game, also due to a foot injury.
There were two lead changes and three tie scores in a tight first quarter that ended with Miami on top, 27-25. The Heat had advantages in paint points (20-12) and second-chance points (8-2).
The Heat, which shot 57.1 percent from the floor in the second quarter, extended their lead to 54-48 at halftime. Adebayo nearly had a double-double at the break with 10 points and nine rebounds.
Washington cut its deficit to 82-81 after three quarters. Kuzma led the Wizards’ rally with 11 points in the third, making 3 of 5 shots from the floor and 5 of 7 free throws.
Kuzma made a pull-up 3-pointer with 8:16 left in the fourth quarter, giving Washington its first lead of the second half, 91-90.
The Wizards stretched their lead to 110-100 on a Kuzma 3-pointer with 2:45 left. But the Heat rallied with eight straight points to cut their deficit to 110-108 with 31.5 seconds left.
Kuzma was then called for an offensive foul with 12.2 seconds left, but Miami couldn’t capitalize as Robinson missed a 3-pointer, and Butler did the same on the game’s final shot after grabbing a long rebound.
The Wizards won the game by shooting 16 of 39 on 3-pointers (41.0 percent). — Field Level Media/Reuters
