Jimmy Butler's three-point play with 12.9 seconds left capped an NBA-record performance by the Miami Heat and gave them a 112-111 victory over the Oklahoma City Thunder on Tuesday night.
Butler's free throw made the Heat 40 for 40 from the foul line, breaking the 39-for-39 mark by Utah against Portland on Dec. 7, 1982.
Butler was 23 for 23 from the line, tying the second-most makes without a miss in NBA history. James Harden made 24 without a miss for Houston on Dec. 3, 2019, and Dirk Nowitzki made 24 without a miss for Dallas in a playoff game against the Thunder on May 17, 2011. Dominique Wilkins also went 23 for 23 in a game in 1992.
And Miami needed every bit of Butler's perfection — along with everyone else's.
Butler had 35 points for Miami, which had used only eight players and was down to seven when Dewayne Dedmon was ejected in the second quarter.
Max Strus scored 22 points and Victor Oladipo had 19 for Miami. The Heat were without four regular starters — Tyler Herro, Bam Adebayo, Kyle Lowry and Caleb Martin — on Tuesday, along with reserves Duncan Robinson, Omer Yurtseven and Nikola Jovic, all because of injuries.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 26 points for the Thunder. Josh Giddey had a triple-double — 18 points, 15 rebounds and 10 assists.
76ERS 147, PISTONS 116
PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Joel Embiid rocked braids and had 36 points and 11 rebounds, James Harden added a second straight triple-double and Philadelphia routed Detroit.
Harden finished with 16 points, 15 assists and 12 rebounds
Embiid returned from a three-game absence with a sore left foot with a new look. But it was the same dominant performance out of last season's NBA scoring champion.
Two days after Harden also had a triple-double in the 76ers' victory at Detroit, the Sixers raced to a 24-point lead in the first half.
Saddiq Bey, Jaden Ivey and Rodney McGruder each scored 17 points for Detroit.
RAPTORS 132, HORNETS 120
TORONTO (AP) — Pascal Siakam scored 28 points, Gary Trent Jr. had 24 and Toronto beat Charlotte for its second straight victory
O.G. Anunoby had 22 points, matching his career high with six 3-pointers. The Raptors made a season-high 20 3-points in 44 attempts.
Terry Rozier scored 33 points and LaMelo Ball had 24 points and a season-high 14 assists for Charlotte. The Hornets lost for the fifth time in six games.
