The Portland Trail Blazers faced the Miami Heat on Wednesday night needing to avenge a loss on their home floor two weeks ago, a game which featured sloppy play and a fine-provoking tussle between Blazers center Jusuf Nurkic and Heat guard Tyler Herro. Herro was not on the floor tonight, but Bam Adebayo and Jimmy Butler were. Even with Butler exiting the game early with technical fouls, Miami was still a formidable opponent.
Portland countered Miami’s ferocity with sweet offense from starting guards Anfernee Simons and CJ McCollum. When the game was played openly, Portland’s offensive impresarios looked brilliant.