Heat Beat Zion Williamson, Pelicans as Duncan Robinson Sets Christmas Record

Joel Auerbach/Associated Press

The reigning Eastern Conference champions are in the win column for the 2020-21 season.

The Miami Heat defeated the New Orleans Pelicans 111-98 on Friday at AmericanAirlines Arena and improved to 1-1 on the campaign. Duncan Robinson, Bam Adebayo and Goran Dragic led the way for the victors, who bounced back from a season-opening loss to the Orlando Magic. 

New Orleans fell to 1-1 despite a solid showing from Brandon Ingram and Zion Williamson and was unable to build on its opening win over the Toronto Raptors.

Notable Player Stats

Duncan Robinson Spearheads Balanced Miami Attack

Sometimes an NBA team only goes as far as its superstar will take it.

The Heat are not one of those teams.

Jimmy Butler scored just four points in the first half, but Miami still built a commanding advantage behind red-hot shooting from the supporting cast. The home team drilled 13 three-pointers in the first half alone, while Robinson connected on six by himself. Both were Christmas Day records for a half.

Throw in Meyers Leonard’s perimeter shooting, Andre Iguodala and Dragic providing an immediate spark off the bench, and Adebayo serving as a matchup problem for the Pelicans’ frontcourt with his versatility, and it was no wonder the Heat expanded their lead to as many as 23 points in the first half.

Their first real setback came when Butler was ruled out for the second half with ankle stiffness. 

Suddenly, New Orleans could focus more attention on the supporting cast that saw nothing but open shots in the early going and played its way right back into the game as Miami cooled off some and dealt with turnover issues.

However, there was simply too much firepower all over the floor for Miami, as Dragic, Tyler Herro and even Avery Bradley scored key baskets down the stretch. Six players in all finished in double figures, underscoring just how deep the defending Eastern Conference champions can be on a nightly basis.

Strong Showings from Zion, Ingram Not Enough for Pelicans

While Williamson generates most of the headlines for the Pelicans, Ingram is the one coming off an All-Star season and an opener that saw him fall a rebound shy of a triple-double.

This is his fifth season, and he will be among the league’s best talents if he continues on his current path of progression, especially with a player like Williamson drawing defensive attention down low and creating openings on the perimeter and in the lane.

The Pelicans offense quickly turned into a two-man show.

Ingram’s ability to hit from the outside all while gliding through the defense to get to the free-throw line helped keep the offense afloat. Williamson also overpowered Miami’s bigs on multiple occasions, who couldn’t do much more than foul the Duke product as they attempted to prevent him from taking over.

That combination alone was enough for the visitors to gradually chip away at Miami’s massive advantage, and Ingram’s runner in the lane, and-1 finish and contested three-pointer in the final minutes of the third quarter cut the lead to single digits heading into the fourth.

Still, the pair did not have enough help to fully climb out of the hole they fell into, as Josh Hart was the only other Pelican to score more than eight points.

What’s Next?

Both teams are home for their next game when the Pelicans host the San Antonio Spurs on Sunday and the Heat face the Milwaukee Bucks on Tuesday.