Game ID: 22300678
Sacramento Kings @ Miami Heat
Wednesday, January 31, 2024 at 7:30 PM ET
Kaseya Center, Miami, FL
Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Final
MIA 28 31 31 25 115SAC 22 33 29 22 106
MIA vs SAC ScoutingMIA vs SAC Scouting
Welcome to the scouting desk. The coffee is cold, the film is play-by-play, and somebody has to explain what happened.
Every game has a hinge — a stretch where it was decided, usually while everyone was watching something else. Start where the evidence lives: the Lineups' face-offs say which five actually won their minutes; the Possessions ledger says who ran ahead of the night's own pace; the Shot Chart says where the points really came from, which is rarely where the highlights were. When all three agree, that is the story. When they don't — that is why this desk has a chair.
MIA availability going into 1/24 · 2 days' restOUT Jaquez Jr. missed 4 since 1/15, out tonight
OUT Bryant missed 2 since 1/19, returns tonight: 7 min (59% of 12)
OUT Cain missed 8 since 1/08, out tonight
BACK Butler III back 1/15 after 7, 34 min since (100% of 34)
BACK Lowry back 1/14 after 2, 26 min since (92% of 28)
BACK Love back 1/19 after 3, 13 min since (82% of 16)
MIA availability going into 1/25 · back-to-backOUT Jaquez Jr. missed 5 since 1/15, out tonight
OUT Cain missed 9 since 1/08, out tonight
BACK Butler III back 1/15 after 7, 34 min since (101% of 34)
BACK Love back 1/19 after 3, 10 min since (65% of 16)
BACK Bryant back 1/15 after 4, 5 min since (47% of 12)
MIA availability going into 1/27 · 1 day's restOUT Jaquez Jr. missed 6 since 1/15, returns tonight: 24 min (84% of 28)
OUT Cain missed 10 since 1/08, out tonight
BACK Love back 1/19 after 3, 10 min since (65% of 16)
BACK Bryant back 1/24 after 2, 10 min since (84% of 12)
MIA availability going into 1/29 · 1 day's restOUT Cain missed 11 since 1/08, out tonight
BACK Jaquez Jr. back 1/27 after 6, 24 min since (84% of 28)
BACK Love back 1/19 after 3, 11 min since (71% of 16)
BACK Bryant back 1/24 after 2, 10 min since (84% of 12)
MIA availability going into 1/31 · 1 day's restOUT Bryant missed 2 since 1/27, returns tonight: 3 min (23% of 12)
OUT Cain missed 12 since 1/08, out tonight
BACK Jaquez Jr. back 1/27 after 6, 24 min since (86% of 28)
MIA availability going into 2/02 · 1 day's restOUT Jović missed 2 since 1/29, out tonight
OUT Cain missed 13 since 1/08, out tonight
BACK Jaquez Jr. back 1/27 after 6, 25 min since (87% of 28)
BACK Bryant back 1/24 after 2, 7 min since (64% of 12)
MIA availability going into 2/04 · 1 day's restOUT Robinson missed 2 since 1/31, out tonight
OUT Jović missed 3 since 1/29, out tonight
OUT Cain missed 14 since 1/08, out tonight
BACK Jaquez Jr. back 1/27 after 6, 25 min since (88% of 28)
BACK Bryant back 1/31 after 2, 3 min since (23% of 12)
MIA availability going into 2/06 · 1 day's restOUT Robinson missed 3 since 1/31, returns tonight: 22 min (80% of 27)
OUT Jović missed 4 since 1/29, out tonight
OUT Bryant missed 2 since 2/02, out tonight
OUT Cain missed 15 since 1/08, out tonight
BACK Jaquez Jr. back 1/27 after 6, 25 min since (88% of 28)
MIA availability going into 2/07 · back-to-backOUT Jović missed 5 since 1/29, returns tonight: 2 min (12% of 20)
OUT Bryant missed 3 since 2/02, out tonight
OUT Cain missed 16 since 1/08, out tonight
BACK Robinson back 2/06 after 3, 22 min since (80% of 27)
SAC availability going into 1/22 · 3 days' restOUT Mitchell missed 3 since 1/14, returns tonight: 22 min (144% of 15)
OUT Duarte missed 3 since 1/14, out tonight
BACK Ellis back 1/18 after 2, 2 min since (11% of 17)
BACK Vezenkov back 1/12 after 2, 11 min since (89% of 12)
SAC availability going into 1/25 · 2 days' restOUT Duarte missed 4 since 1/14, returns tonight: 3 min (22% of 12)
BACK Ellis back 1/18 after 2, 2 min since (11% of 17)
BACK Mitchell back 1/22 after 3, 22 min since (144% of 15)
BACK Vezenkov back 1/12 after 2, 10 min since (81% of 12)
NEW Huerter 24 to 32 min over the last 4
SAC availability going into 1/27 · 1 day's restOUT Ellis missed 2 since 1/22, out tonight
BACK Mitchell back 1/22 after 3, 19 min since (122% of 15)
BACK Duarte back 1/25 after 4, 3 min since (22% of 12)
NEW Huerter 24 to 32 min over the last 5
SAC availability going into 1/29 · 1 day's restOUT Ellis missed 3 since 1/22, out tonight
OUT Vezenkov missed 2 since 1/25, out tonight
BACK Mitchell back 1/22 after 3, 16 min since (105% of 15)
BACK Duarte back 1/25 after 4, 3 min since (22% of 12)
NEW Huerter 24 to 31 min over the last 5
SAC availability going into 1/31 · 1 day's restOUT Ellis missed 4 since 1/22, out tonight
OUT Duarte missed 2 since 1/27, out tonight
OUT Vezenkov missed 3 since 1/25, out tonight
BACK Mitchell back 1/22 after 3, 16 min since (105% of 15)
NEW Huerter 24 to 33 min over the last 5
SAC availability going into 2/02 · 1 day's restOUT Ellis missed 5 since 1/22, out tonight
OUT Duarte missed 3 since 1/27, out tonight
OUT Vezenkov missed 4 since 1/25, out tonight
BACK Mitchell back 1/22 after 3, 15 min since (100% of 15)
NEW Barnes 29 to 36 min over the last 5
NEW Huerter 24 to 33 min over the last 5
SAC availability going into 2/03 · back-to-backOUT Ellis missed 6 since 1/22, out tonight
OUT Duarte missed 4 since 1/27, out tonight
OUT Vezenkov missed 5 since 1/25, out tonight
NEW Barnes 29 to 38 min over the last 5
NEW Huerter 24 to 34 min over the last 5
SAC availability going into 2/05 · 1 day's restOUT Ellis missed 7 since 1/22, returns tonight: 3 min (19% of 17)
OUT Duarte missed 5 since 1/27, returns tonight: 3 min (26% of 12)
OUT Vezenkov missed 6 since 1/25, out tonight
NEW Barnes 29 to 37 min over the last 5
NEW Huerter 24 to 31 min over the last 5
SAC availability going into 2/07 · 1 day's restOUT Vezenkov missed 7 since 1/25, returns tonight: 6 min (45% of 12)
BACK Ellis back 2/05 after 7, 3 min since (19% of 17)
BACK Duarte back 2/05 after 5, 3 min since (26% of 12)
NEW Barnes 29 to 35 min over the last 5
NEW Huerter 24 to 32 min over the last 5
I Know — the desk, before tip-off
Written before tip-off, from the five games each side brought in.
Miami comes in 0-5 over its last five, scoring 101 a night and allowing 119, shooting 42 percent and 36 from three, 19 free throws a game; Butler III at 20 and Herro at 17 a game. That is 5 straight losses. It has lost the glass by 7 a night. One day's rest. Sacramento comes in 4-1 over its last five, scoring 120 a night and allowing 115, shooting 51 percent and 37 from three, 24 free throws a game; Fox at 24 and Barnes at 21 a game. That is 4 straight wins. Without Ellis (4 straight). One day's rest.
So: Sacramento wins, on the road, and the game turns on the glass, where Sacramento has been plus-3 a night and Miami minus-7. Call it Sacramento 116, Miami 112, Miami keeping it close.
1/24 vs MEM 96-105 — MIA notes
MIA lost 96-105. MIA shot 40% (33 of 82) to MEM's 45%, 11 of 34 from three, and went to the line 25 times to MEM's 19 — 19 points from the stripe to their 16. Herro led with 18 (8 of 15, 2 of 6 from three); Adebayo added 15, Butler III 15. Q4 was theirs, 28-23, the deficit cut from 14 to 9, but the other 3 periods went 82-68 against them. Rozier's -13 in 29 minutes was the worst on the floor.
1/25 vs BOS 110-143 — MIA notes
MIA lost 110-143. MIA took 14 more shots (94 to 80), fed by 11 offensive rebounds, but shot 45% to BOS's 64%, 16 of 42 from three, and got to the line 13 times to BOS's 20. MIA turned it over 4 times to BOS's 11. The glass went 31-47 against them. Herro led with 19 (7 of 14, 5 of 10 from three); Adebayo added 19, Butler III 17. Q2 was theirs, 35-35, but the other 3 periods went 108-75 against them. Adebayo's -28 in 29 minutes was the worst on the floor.
1/27 @ NYK 109-125 — MIA notes
MIA lost 109-125. MIA shot 47% (41 of 88) to NYK's 52%, 14 of 37 from three, and got to the line 16 times to NYK's 26. Butler III led with 28 (11 of 20, 1 of 3 from three, 5 of 6 at the line); Robinson added 19, Herro 18. Q3 was theirs, 35-28, the deficit cut from 10 to 3, but the other 3 periods went 97-74 against them. They led by as many as 10. Adebayo's -20 in 33 minutes was the worst on the floor.
1/29 vs PHX 105-118 — MIA notes
MIA lost 105-118. MIA shot 39% (33 of 84) to PHX's 49%, 14 of 36 from three, and went to the line 25 times to PHX's 17 — 25 points from the stripe to their 12. Butler III led with 26 (7 of 12, 10 of 10 at the line); Rozier added 21, Herro 17. Q4 was theirs, 31-18, the deficit cut from 26 to 13, but the other 3 periods went 100-74 against them. Rozier's -21 in 27 minutes was the worst on the floor.
1/31 vs SAC 115-106 — MIA notes
MIA won 115-106. MIA shot 50% (42 of 84) to SAC's 44%, 13 of 28 from three. Butler III led with 31 (10 of 14, 2 of 3 from three, 9 of 12 at the line); Richardson added 24, Adebayo 16. The hinge was Q1, 28-22: from level to 6 ahead, and the lead reached 18. Jaquez Jr. was the night's best plus/minus at +15.
2/02 @ WAS — I Know, the desk before tip-off
Written before tip-off, from the five games each side brought in.
Washington comes in 2-3 over its last five, scoring 112 a night and allowing 117, shooting 48 percent and 32 from three, 22 free throws a game; Kuzma at 24 and Avdija at 14 a game. One day's rest. Miami comes in 1-4 over its last five, scoring 107 a night and allowing 119, shooting 44 percent and 38 from three, 20 free throws a game; Butler III at 23 and Herro at 17 a game. It has lost the glass by 4 a night. Without Jović (2 straight). One day's rest.
So: Washington wins, and the game turns on the turnovers, Washington giving it away 14 times a game to Miami's 10 and the arc, Miami at 38 percent from three to Washington's 32. Call it Washington 116, Miami 113, Miami keeping it close.
2/04 vs LAC — I Know, the desk before tip-off
Written before tip-off, from the five games each side brought in.
Miami comes in 2-3 over its last five, scoring 110 a night and allowing 119, shooting 45 percent and 37 from three, 22 free throws a game; Butler III at 25 and Herro at 17 a game. Without Robinson (2 straight), Jović (3 straight). One day's rest. The Clippers come in 4-1 over their last five, scoring 122 a night and allowing 111, shooting 50 percent and 34 from three, 22 free throws a game; Leonard at 27 and George at 17 a game. Without Zubac (9 straight), Tucker (31 straight). One day's rest.
So: The Clippers win, on the road, and the game turns on the defense, the Clippers allowing 111 a night to Miami's 119. Call it the Clippers 117, Miami 112.
2/06 vs ORL — I Know, the desk before tip-off
Written before tip-off, from the five games each side brought in.
Miami comes in 2-3 over its last five, scoring 107 a night and allowing 111, shooting 44 percent and 35 from three, 22 free throws a game; Butler III at 26 and Herro at 16 a game. Without Robinson (3 straight), Jović (4 straight). One day's rest. Orlando comes in 4-1 over its last five, scoring 114 a night and allowing 106, shooting 49 percent and 39 from three, 24 free throws a game; Banchero at 26 and F. Wagner at 22 a game. That is 3 straight wins. Without Bitadze (3 straight). One day's rest.
So: Miami wins, and the game turns on the arc, Orlando at 39 percent from three to Miami's 35. Call it Miami 111, Orlando 110, Orlando keeping it close.
2/07 vs SAS — I Know, the desk before tip-off
Written before tip-off, from the five games each side brought in.
Miami comes in 3-2 over its last five, scoring 109 a night and allowing 105, shooting 46 percent and 34 from three, 23 free throws a game; Butler III at 25 and Herro at 15 a game. It has won the glass by 4 a night. Without Jović (5 straight). Second night of a back-to-back. San Antonio comes in 1-4 over its last five, scoring 108 a night and allowing 114, shooting 46 percent and 33 from three, 19 free throws a game; Vassell at 25 and Wembanyama at 20 a game. That is 4 straight losses. 3 days' rest.
So: Miami wins, and the game turns on the defense, Miami allowing 105 a night to San Antonio's 114 and the turnovers, San Antonio giving it away 15 times a game to Miami's 11. Call it Miami 114, San Antonio 108.
1/22 vs ATL 122-107 — SAC notes
SAC won 122-107. SAC shot 46% (43 of 93) to ATL's 39%, 12 of 38 from three. Barnes led with 32 (10 of 20, 4 of 8 from three, 8 of 8 at the line); Sabonis added 14, Murray 13. The hinge was Q2, 30-16: a lead of 3 became 17, and the lead reached 24. Monk was the night's best plus/minus at +14.
1/25 @ GSW 134-133 — SAC notes
SAC won 134-133. SAC shot 53% (48 of 91) to GSW's 56%, 22 of 48 from three. Barnes led with 39 (14 of 24, 7 of 12 from three); Fox added 29, Sabonis 18. The hinge was Q1, 40-32: from level to 8 ahead.
1/27 @ DAL 120-115 — SAC notes
SAC won 120-115. SAC shot 54% (43 of 80) to DAL's 44%, 11 of 30 from three, and went to the line 30 times to DAL's 18 — 23 points from the stripe to their 13. Fox led with 34 (13 of 24, 1 of 5 from three, 7 of 8 at the line); Barnes added 20, Huerter 18. The hinge was Q2, 34-24: a lead of 4 became 14, and the lead reached 23. Fox was the night's best plus/minus at +18.
1/29 @ MEM 103-94 — SAC notes
SAC won 103-94. SAC shot 51% (43 of 84) to MEM's 38%, 11 of 38 from three, and got to the line 10 times to MEM's 28. SAC turned it over 19 times to MEM's 14, and MEM turned those into 11 steals. The glass went 51-37 for them. Fox led with 23 (8 of 14, 1 of 4 from three, 6 of 10 at the line); Sabonis added 20, Huerter 17. The hinge was Q2, 29-17: the deficit went from 15 to 3. SAC trailed 47-50 at the half and won the second half 56-44. Barnes was the night's best plus/minus at +15.
1/31 @ MIA 106-115 — SAC notes
SAC lost 106-115. SAC took 9 more shots (93 to 84), fed by 12 offensive rebounds, but shot 44% to MIA's 50%, 12 of 40 from three. Murray led with 33 (12 of 18, 7 of 11 from three); Sabonis added 19, Huerter 14. Q2 was theirs, 33-31, the deficit cut from 6 to 4, but the other 3 periods went 84-73 against them. Monk's -16 in 14 minutes was the worst on the floor.
2/02 @ IND — I Know, the desk before tip-off
Written before tip-off, from the five games each side brought in.
Indiana comes in 3-2 over its last five, scoring 122 a night and allowing 120, shooting 50 percent and 36 from three, 16 free throws a game; Siakam at 23 and Nesmith at 19 a game. It has won the glass by 5 a night. Without Mathurin (2 straight), McConnell (3 straight). Second night of a back-to-back. Sacramento comes in 4-1 over its last five, scoring 117 a night and allowing 113, shooting 49 percent and 35 from three, 21 free throws a game; Barnes at 22 and Fox at 22 a game. Without Ellis (5 straight). One day's rest.
So: Indiana wins, and the game turns on the defense, Sacramento allowing 113 a night to Indiana's 120 and the glass, where Indiana has been plus-5 a night and Sacramento plus-1. Call it Indiana 120, Sacramento 119, Sacramento keeping it close.
2/03 @ CHI — I Know, the desk before tip-off
Written before tip-off, from the five games each side brought in.
Chicago comes in 2-3 over its last five, scoring 115 a night and allowing 116, shooting 50 percent and 34 from three, 22 free throws a game; White at 23 and DeRozan at 23 a game. Without Williams (3 straight), Craig (22 straight). 2 days' rest. Sacramento comes in 4-1 over its last five, scoring 119 a night and allowing 116, shooting 52 percent and 36 from three, 21 free throws a game; Fox at 25 and Barnes at 20 a game. Without Ellis (6 straight). Second night of a back-to-back.
So: Chicago wins, in a game with no one edge to lean on. Call it Chicago 117, Sacramento 114, Sacramento keeping it close.
2/05 @ CLE — I Know, the desk before tip-off
Written before tip-off, from the five games each side brought in.
Cleveland comes in 5-0 over its last five, scoring 117 a night and allowing 106, shooting 48 percent and 35 from three, 22 free throws a game; Mitchell at 32 and Allen at 20 a game. That is 5 straight wins. One day's rest. Sacramento comes in 4-1 over its last five, scoring 117 a night and allowing 112, shooting 51 percent and 34 from three, 23 free throws a game; Fox at 27 and Sabonis at 19 a game. Without Ellis (7 straight). One day's rest.
So: Cleveland wins, and the game turns on the turnovers, Sacramento giving it away 15 times a game to Cleveland's 12 and the defense, Cleveland allowing 106 a night to Sacramento's 112. Call it Cleveland 116, Sacramento 112, Sacramento keeping it close.
2/07 vs DET — I Know, the desk before tip-off
Written before tip-off, from the five games each side brought in.
Sacramento comes in 3-2 over its last five, scoring 115 a night and allowing 116, shooting 50 percent and 35 from three, 19 free throws a game; Fox at 24 and Sabonis at 18 a game. One day's rest. Detroit comes in 1-4 over its last five, scoring 114 a night and allowing 119, shooting 49 percent and 38 from three, 22 free throws a game; Bogdanović at 20 and Cunningham at 18 a game. That is 3 straight losses. Without Stewart (3 straight), Hayes (3 straight). 2 days' rest.
So: Sacramento wins, in a game with no one edge to lean on. Call it Sacramento 120, Detroit 114.
Who is who
the initials in the Players column
MIABA B. Adebayo
BU Butler
CM C. Martin
HH H. Highsmith
JB J. Butler III
JJ J. Jaquez Jr.
JR J. Richardson
KL K. Love
TB T. Bryant
TH T. Herro
TR T. Rozier
SACDF D. Fox
DM D. Mitchell
DS D. Sabonis
HB H. Barnes
JM J. McGee
KE K. Edwards
KH K. Huerter
KM K. Murray
MM M. Monk
TL T. Lyles
MIA/SAC the team itself, not a player
-- the feed named nobody
What
What happened
the codes in the Events column
M2 / M3 made 2 / made 3
X2 / X3 missed 2 / missed 3
FT / X1 free throw made / missed
AST assist
OR / DR offensive / defensive rebound
STL steal
BLK block
TO turnover
FL foul
OF offensive foul — ends the possession
VIOL violation
JUMP jump ball
TM timeout
IR instant replay
HE heave at the buzzer, filed to the team
END the clock ran out, ball in hand
Where
Where a shot came from
the middle field of M3.LW.25
RM at the rim inside 4 ft
RC right corner
RW right wing
SO straight on
LW left wing
LC left corner
M3.LW.25 made 3, left wing, 25 ft
X2.RM.01 missed 2, at the rim, 1 ft
When
When it happened
the Offset column
one number per event, in the Events order:
whole seconds from the start of the
possession to that event
Events FL X3.RC.23 OR M2.RM.01
Offset 0 18 22 24
the foul opens the possession at 0s;
the putback ends it at 24s, which is
the possession's own Dur
Butler scores 31 points to help Heat beat Kings 115-106 and snap 7-game skid
MIAMI -- — Jimmy Butler scored 31 points and the Miami Heat snapped a seven-game skid with a 115-106 victory over the Sacramento Kings on Wednesday night.
Butler shot 10 of 14 from the field and had seven rebounds for the Heat, who ended their longest losing streak since dropping 15 straight during the 2007-08 season.
Josh Richardson was 6 of 10 from 3-point range and finished with a season-high 24 points. Bam Adebayo added 16 points and 11 rebounds. Tyler Herro was Miami’s fourth double-figure scorer with 14 points.
“Just remember that we are very fortunate to have a job that we get to hoop, that we get to play before so many great fans,” Butler said of how the Heat approached the skid-ending performance. “We lost control of that for a little bit, the sight that this isn’t as difficult. It could be a lot worse.”
The Heat finished with a season-high 38 assists in their 1,500th regular-season victory.
“The group poured a lot into the last 24 hours,” Miami coach Erik Spoelstra said. “Poured into this process, poured into each other, poured into the solutions. I commend the group because in this day and age and in pro sports, it is tough to do that.”
Terry Rozier shot 1 of 8 from the field, but had 10 assists in his fifth game since Miami acquired him in a trade with Charlotte.
Sacramento’s Domantas Sabonis had 19 points, 17 rebounds and 13 assists for his 13th triple-double of the season. It was also Sabonis’ 29th consecutive game with at least a double-double, putting him two behind Oscar Robertson’s franchise record set in 1961.
Keegan Murray scored 33 points, Kevin Huerter had 14 and De’Aaron added 13 for the Kings, who have not won in Miami since October 2018.
“Bottom line – give the Heat a lot of credit,” Sacramento coach Mike Brown said. “I thought they outworked us tonight. They were just relentless pursuing the 50-50 balls and that tells a lot about what happened throughout the course of the game.”
The game was finished with two officials after referee Brandon Adair didn’t work the second half because of an injury.
Consecutive 3-pointers from Herro and Butler midway through the third period put the Heat ahead for good at 73-70. Richardson’s fifth 3-pointer with 4:28 remaining in the fourth quarter increased the lead to 106-93.
Murray shot 7 of 11 on 3-pointers, but the Kings finished 12 of 40 from long range.
“We’re getting open looks and sometimes they just don’t go down,” Murray said. “It’s human nature sometimes.”
Down 18 midway through the second quarter, Sacramento closed the first half on a 24-10 spurt and got within four at 59-55 at the break. Sabonis scored seven consecutive points and Murray made two 3-pointers during the surge.
Richardson had 11 points, including three 3-pointers, that keyed the Heat’s 49-31 lead to start the second period.
Miami forward Duncan Robinson is in concussion protocol and didn’t play. Robinson fell ill early during Monday’s loss against Phoenix and didn’t return.
Robinson’s absence provided Richardson with extended minutes off the bench.
“In warmups, my shots felt really good but once I got going in the game it felt like let it fly,” Richardson said.