MIAMI — In a thrilling matchup on Sunday night, Jimmy Butler delivered a standout performance by scoring a season-high 33 points, helping lead the Miami Heat to a narrow 123-118 overtime victory against the Dallas Mavericks.
Alongside Butler, Bam Adebayo contributed significantly with 19 points and 10 rebounds, while Tyler Herro also made an impact with 18 points and 11 rebounds. Alec Burks added 15 points and Pelle Larsson chipped in with 14 points for the Heat.
On the Mavericks’ side, Kyrie Irving shone brightly, scoring 27 points, with 14 of those coming in the pivotal fourth quarter. Unfortunately for Dallas, their winning streak of four games came to an end. P.J. Washington led the Mavericks with 21 points, and Naji Marshall scored 20. Klay Thompson and Dereck Lively II also pitched in, scoring 15 and 14 points with 13 rebounds, respectively.
The game saw the Mavericks competing without their star Luka Doncic, who remains out due to a sprained right wrist. The Heat were also missing Terry Rozier, who was initially slated to play but was ruled out due to a recurrence of discomfort in his right foot.
Observations from the game highlight that Dallas has played 17 games this season, with 11 of those decided by eight points or fewer. They hold a record of 4-7 in these nail-biting situations, contrasting with a stronger 5-1 record in games with larger margins.
For the Heat, Butler has been in exceptional form, scoring at least 30 points in back-to-back games. Notably, this marks the ninth instance, including playoff games, where he has achieved such a multi-game scoring streak since joining Miami.
A crucial moment in the match occurred when Butler executed a dunk to tie the game with just 4.4 seconds remaining in regulation. Although the Heat contested that he was fouled by Lively during that play, time ran out on Spencer Dinwiddie’s desperate 3-point attempt for Dallas, sending the game into overtime. Dinwiddie struggled from beyond the arc throughout the game, finishing with an 0 for 9 record from three-point territory.
A key statistic from the contest noted two lead changes in the first 57 seconds, with only one lead change occurring in the following 43 minutes. However, the tension escalated, resulting in six more lead changes as the game unfolded.
Looking ahead, the Mavericks will travel to Atlanta on Monday night to complete a three-game road trip, while the Heat will host the Milwaukee Bucks in an NBA Cup game on Tuesday evening.