(Field Level Media) Josh Richardson and Kelly Olynyk scored 18 points each to lead the Miami Heat to a 100-97 win over the host Memphis Grizzlies last night.
Richardson added a team-high seven assists as Miami snapped a two-game losing streak. Memphis, which has lost two of its past three games, was led by point guard Mike Conley, who scored a game-high 22 points and dished out eight assists. Jaren Jackson Jr. and Garrett Temple added 15 points each for Memphis.
Heat center Hassan Whiteside, who missed the past four games due to the birth of his son, produced six points, seven rebounds and two blocks in 22 minutes.
Bam Adebayo, who averaged 12.8 points, 8.3 rebounds and 1.5 blocks the past four games while replacing Whiteside, added four points, a game-high nine rebounds and two blocks.
Heat point guard Goran Dragic missed his 14th game this season and his second straight — all due to a nagging knee injury. He was replaced by Richardson, who moved over from shooting guard. In addition, backup point guard Tyler Johnson added 17 points.
Friday’s game was close throughout.
Miami didn’t grab its first lead until there was 1:39 left in the first quarter as a Johnson free throw gave the Heat a 27-26 advantage. The Heat’s lead was 29-28 after one quarter and 51-49 at halftime. Memphis led by as many as eight points in the first quarter, and the Heat were up by 11 in the second before the Grizzlies closed on a 7-0 run.
Jackson led Memphis with 12 first-half points. Johnson led Miami with nine points.
There were 10 lead changes in the third quarter. The last lead change of the period came with 0.1 seconds left as Miami’s Derrick Jones fouled Conley in the act of shooting a three-pointer. Conley made all three free throws to give Memphis a 73-71 lead.
In the fourth, a three-pointer by Johnson gave Miami a 77-76 lead with 9.39 left.
The Heat never trailed again.
