Bam Adebayo had 27 points, 14 rebounds and four blocks and the short-handed Miami Heat beat the New Orleans Pelicans 123-111 on Wednesday night in the final game…<\/p>\n
NEW ORLEANS(AP) \u2014 Bam Adebayo had 27 points, 14 rebounds and four blocks and the short-handed Miami Heat beat the New Orleans Pelicans 123-111 on Wednesday night in the final game for both teams before the All-Star break.<\/p>\n
Miami used only nine players, with Tyler Herro, Norman Powell, Pelle Larsson and Andrew Wiggins sidelined. Herro missed his 15th straight game.<\/p>\n
Jaime Jaquez Jr. added 23 points, Kel\u2019el Ware had 16 points and 12 rebounds and Simone Fontecchio scored 15 points. Eighth in the Eastern Conference, the Heat improved to 29-27. Miami has won 11 of its last 12 against New Orleans<\/p>\n
Zion Williamson had 26 points for New Orleans. He has played a career-high 30 straight games and 40 of 56 this season. In his first six seasons, he played 214 of 472 games and never had more than 25 in a row.<\/p>\n
Trey Murphy III added 19 points before leaving late in the third quarter because of soreness in his right shoulder. The Pelicans dropped to 15-41. They had won two in a row.<\/p>\n
Ware hit a 3-pointer with 2:46 left in the third quarter to cap a 23-10 run that gave Miami a 92-76 lead. The Heat hit four 3s during that surge, one each by Kasparas Jakucionis, Fontecchio, Myron Gardner and Ware.<\/p>\n
During that stretch, Jakucionis also hit three free throws after landing on Murphy\u2019s foot on a missed 3 near sideline. Murphy was called for a flagrant foul.<\/p>\n
Miami pushed the lead to 17 at 112-95 with 6:19 left in the fourth. After New Orleans cut it to 115-111 on Williamson\u2019s putback, Fontecchio hit a 3 from the left corner with 54 seconds remaining to make it 118-111.<\/p>\n
Miami led 58-55 at halftime. Adebayo had 15 points in the half.<\/p>\n
\nUp next <\/p>\n
Heat: At Atlanta on Friday, Feb. 20.<\/p>\n
Pelicans: Host Milwaukee on Friday, Feb. 20.<\/p>\n