Goran Dragic

Adebayo stepped up to inspire the Heat at the AmericanAirlines Arena to a thrilling win in the absence of Jimmy Butler, who was ruled out with a sprained ankle.

The 23-year-old centre settled a pulsating contest when he took a pass from Goran Dragic with time almost up and was on target with a baseline jumper from around 12 yards out.

Adebayo finished with 21 points, 15 rebounds, five assists and two steals in a brilliant all-round performance against a 38-19 Nets side occupying second place in the Eastern Conference.

Dragic said of Adebayo: "He has great potential. I still feel he's not done yet. He's going to hit another level."

The Heat are seventh in the Eastern Conference and Adebayo believes they can put a run together following such a dramatic win.

He said: "A season can turn around after a game. Crazier things have happened in this league."

Heat coach Erik Spoelstra says Adebayo's all-round contribution should be recognised.

He said: "It's just not about scoring. That's the hard thing in this league, that the main thing people look at is how many points people score.

"Bam has so many things that he does for us that are important for us to be successful."

The Nets also lost Kevin Durant in the opening quarter due to a left thigh contusion.

Jayson Tatum (31 points and 10 rebounds) lifted the Celtics at the Walt Disney World Resort on Friday as they reduced Miami's series lead to 3-2.

The win came after Miami made a better start, at one stage leading by as many as 12 points.

Tatum scored 17 third-quarter points as the Celtics rallied on their way to a victory that kept them alive in the playoffs.

Jaylen Brown (28 points) also starred, while Kemba Walker (15 points) and Daniel Theis (15 points and 13 rebounds) were also key contributors.

Duncan Robinson (20 points) had put Miami in position in the first half before the Celtics' fightback.

Jimmy Butler finished with 17 points, while Goran Dragic had 23 before fouling out.

Coming off his Game 4 heroics, rookie Tyler Herro managed just 14 points.

Game 6 of the series is on Sunday.

Nuggets face Lakers

Leading the Western Conference finals 3-1, the Los Angeles Lakers are a win away from a first NBA Finals appearance since 2010 ahead of facing the Denver Nuggets again on Saturday.

A free agent following Miami's memorable run to the Finals at Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando, Dragic opted to re-commit to the Heat on Friday.

Dragic's deal is reportedly for two years, with a team option in the second year.

In a Twitter post, Dragic wrote: "I'm glad that I can announce that I'm staying with my #HeatNationFamily.

"Let's finish the job we started!!! #LetsGoHeatnation #HeatNation #HeatFamily."

Dragic has called Miami home since being acquired from the Phoenix Suns in 2015.

The 34-year-old Slovenian – pick 45 in the 2008 NBA Draft – averaged 16.2 points, 5.1 assists and 3.2 rebounds per game last season as the fifth-seeded Heat eventually fell to the Los Angeles Lakers in the Finals.

Heat team-mate Meyers Leonard also reportedly decided to return to the Eastern Conference champions.

Leonard – who joined from the Portland Trail Blazers in 2019 – averaged 6.1 points, 5.1 rebounds and 1.1 assists per game last season.

Sitting only 1.5 games clear of the Boston Celtics (52-23) in the race for the top seed in the East, and the best record in the league, the Bucks (53-21) will also welcome back veteran point guard Goran Dragic on a minutes restriction after six weeks on the sidelines because of a left-knee problem.

As well as the top seed, Milwaukee also have a chance to match or beat their best record in the Antetokounmpo era, but they will need to go undefeated in their last eight games to eclipse the 60-22 mark from the 2018-19 campaign. They can tie it by going 7-1.

Antetokounmpo is viewed as an outside chance to swoop in and claim the MVP award ahead of reigning back-to-back winner Nikola Jokic of the Denver Nuggets and Philadelphia 76ers superstar Joel Embiid, and he is not the only Bucks player trending towards some silverware.

Holiday will almost assuredly be selected to his fifth NBA All-Defensive team, where he will be joined by team-mate and Defensive Player of the Year favourite Brook Lopez, who is averaging a career-high 2.5 blocks per game in his 15th season.

The Heat announced on Friday they have acquired Lowry from the Toronto Raptors for Goran Dragic and Precious Achiuwa. 

Miami did not disclose the contract terms in Lowry's sign-and-trade deal, but The Athletic reported he has signed a three-year, $85million contract. 

"Kyle Lowry is a great leader and an exceptional defender," Heat president Pat Riley said in a release. "As a point guard, he will bring important skills to run the offense, score the ball and defend with the very best."

A 15-year NBA veteran, Lowry became a star after joining the Raptors in 2012 after serving as more of a role player previously with the Memphis Grizzlies and Houston Rockets. 

He had started fewer than half of his NBA appearances before moving to Toronto but will leave there as arguably the best player in franchise history after averaging 17.5 points, 7.1 assists and 4.9 rebounds per game over the last nine seasons, which saw him make the All-Star Game six times.

After leading the Raptors to their first NBA title in 2019, Lowry joins a Miami team that lost to the Los Angeles Lakers in the 2020 Finals and went out in the first round to the eventual champion Milwaukee Bucks this year. 

He will team up with Jimmy Butler, Bam Adebayo, Tyler Herro and Duncan Robinson on a squad that should be a threat in the Eastern Conference. 

The Raptors get back the veteran point guard Dragic, who averaged 13.4 points and 4.4 assists last season, and the 21-year-old Achiuwa, who averaged 5.0 points and 3.4 rebounds in 12.1 minutes per game. 

But Lowry will be missed, and the feeling is mutual. In a lengthy Instagram post on Thursday, Lowry thanked the franchise and its fans for his time there, saying his bond with the city is "unbreakable." 

"Toronto will forever be my 2nd home and I will always be tied to the franchise, the city and the country of Canada which makes me so happy to say," he wrote. 

The Lakers had dropped back-to-back games prior to Sunday's All-Star Game in Atlanta, but they snapped their skid at home to the Pacers on Friday.

James – who sat out the loss to the Sacramento Kings before the break – posted 18 points and 10 assists for his 16th double-double of the season.

But it was Kyle Kuzma who top-scored for the Lakers off the bench, putting up 24 points – including 15 in the final quarter – 13 rebounds and two steals.

Eastern Conference leaders the Philadelphia 76ers extended their winning streak to four games after topping the lowly Washington Wizards 127-101.

However, Philadelphia's triumph was overshadowed by a knee injury to MVP candidate and All-Star Joel Embiid.

Embiid will have an MRI after appearing to hyperextend his knee in a scary fall in the third quarter – the 76ers big man hobbled to the locker room in pain.

He had 23 points, seven rebounds, three assists and two blocks prior to the injury in Washington.

Westbrook reaches milestone

While Russell Westbrook saw his league-leading streak of 13 double-doubles come to an end, the Wizards star surpassed 21,000 career points. With 25 points, eight assists and five rebounds, Westbrook joined James and Oscar Robertson as the only players with at least 21,000 points, 6,000 rebounds and 7,000 assists in their careers.

The 76ers snapped a 10-game losing streak away to the Wizards. Philadelphia also swept the Wizards for the first time since 2008-09.

Goran Dragic scored 20 of his 25 points in the final period as the Miami Heat defeated the Chicago Bulls 101-90. Jimmy Butler led the Heat with 28 points against his former team.

The Denver Nuggets edged the Memphis Grizzlies 103-102 behind Nikola Jokic's double-double of 28 points, 15 rebounds and seven assists.

Cavs crumble, Rockets lose again

It was a forgettable outing for the Cleveland Cavaliers, who were humbled 116-82 by the New Orleans Pelicans. Cleveland scored just nine points in the third quarter. The Cavaliers shot 34.1 per cent from the field. Kevin Love – in his first game back since December – was one-of-four shooting, while he made only one of three attempts from beyond the arc for four points in 10 minutes. Isaac Okoro was one of eight from the field, while he missed both three-pointers for two points in 29 minutes.

The Orlando Magic were also swept aside 104-77 at the hands of the San Antonio Spurs. Michael Carter-Williams finished with five points on two-of-nine shooting, making just one of his three shots from beyond the arc.

The Houston Rockets were no match for the NBA-leading Utah Jazz – 114-99 – in the absence of Victor Oladipo, Christian Wood and Danuel House Jr. Ben McLemore was three-of-14 from the field for eight points. The Rockets guard was also two-of-six from three-point range. It was Houston's 15th straight loss.

Rudy says no!

After featuring in the All-Star Game, Utah's Rudy Gobert was back to business with a double-double (14 points and 13 rebounds). He put up six blocks, including an emphatic effort in the third period.

Friday's results

Philadelphia 76ers 127-101 Washington Wizards
Denver Nuggets 103-102 Memphis Grizzlies
New Orleans Pelicans 116-82 Cleveland Cavaliers
Miami Heat 101-90 Chicago Bulls
San Antonio Spurs 104-77 Orlando Magic
Los Angeles Lakers 105-100 Indiana Pacers
Utah Jazz 114-99 Houston Rockets

Pistons at Nets

The lowly Detroit Pistons (10-27) – bottom of the Eastern Conference – will visit the in-form Brooklyn Nets (25-13) on Saturday. Brooklyn have won three straight, while Detroit have dropped back-to-back games.

Veteran guard Goran Dragic sustained a reported plantar tear in his left foot and is a doubt for the remainder of the series, while Bam Adebayo left the game with just over six minutes remaining in the third quarter clutching his shoulder.

All-Star Butler also turned his left ankle towards the end of the first half of the humbling 116-98 loss in Orlando but insisted he will be good to go for Game 2 on Friday.

"[I'm] a little bit sore. I'll be okay with some treatment. I'll get ready to go again," he said.

"I think I got to be ready to go. So, we'll see how it feels tomorrow, but I'm going to be fine."

Dragic's injury occurred in the second quarter when attempting to drive Rajon Rondo and initially tried to carry on before heading for treatment and not returning.

Head coach Erik Spoelstra did not have an update after the game and Butler said the Heat will rally around their team-mate but must be prepared to move forward in the series without him.

"[We'll] just let him know that I and we are here for him. We know how much he wants to win, how much he wants to go to war and battle with us," Butler added.

"Obviously we love him for that and we want him out there with us. But whatever the doctor tells him to do, that's what he's got to do.

"I understand that he wants to go out there and compete and obviously we want him out there with us. But he's got to take care of himself first.

"[We have to] be ready to go with or without Goran. We're still expecting to win. We still know that we can. We want that guy out there with us. He's a big part of what we're trying to do, but until we can have him back, we got to go out there and we got to fight even harder.

"We got to try to cover up what he gives us and make up for it. We're capable of it. We have to be capable of it. Moving forward with or without Goran we better hurry up and tie it up 1-1."

Spoelstra also said he was unsure if Adebayo's injury was the same one he sustained during Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Finals against the Boston Celtics or a fresh concern.

Butler acknowledges more of the burden to score may fall on his shoulders but said regardless the team has to be tougher in defense.

"I just take what the game gives me for the most part. I still have a lot of belief in all of my team-mates, I will continually play that way. But maybe so, maybe try to score a little bit more," Butler said.

"We just got to be tougher. We got to put up more of a fight. I don't think we did that. And then it doesn't help whenever we don't make shots.

"It's been that way all year long, whenever we start to miss a couple shots, we don't do what we're supposed to do on the other end.

"So, I think we should always think about letting our defense, for sure our rebounding, start it off for us and then hopefully we start to make shots."

Adebayo (neck) and Dragic (foot) were forced to miss Friday's Game 2 loss as the Heat fell 2-0 behind the Lakers in the best-of-seven Finals at Walt Disney World Resort. 

The short-handed Heat will take to the court without Adebayo and Dragic after they were unable to prove their fitness for Sunday's showdown in Orlando, Florida. 

The duo suffered the injuries in Game 1 and have not played since. 

"I can see the anguish literally in the eyes, both of them," Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said. "And everybody in the locker room feels it. 

"When you're in the elite percentile of being a competitor in this league, get to this stage and have unfortunate injuries … I know in their soul, they both will do anything to get out there." 

"They've put their heart and soul into this," Spoelstra continued. "We're all feeling it. It's just the most responsible thing to do right now." 

LeBron James and the top-seeded Lakers are two wins away from the franchise's first championship in 10 years. 

Game 4 between the Lakers and Heat is on Tuesday. 

With the coronavirus pandemic confining the league to a bubble in Orlando, Florida, there has been no home advantage and no shortage of shocks since the playoffs began last month.

The Lakers - the top seed in the West - have managed to survive with their star power as Anthony Davis helped LeBron James to reach the Finals for a 10th time.

In the East, meanwhile, the fifth-seeded Heat have also gone all the way, dumping out the league-leading Milwaukee Bucks and MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo in the second round.

LA and Miami each dropped just three games en route to this series, which starts with Game 1 on Wednesday, but they have taken contrasting approaches to get here.

Using Stats Perform Data, we take a look.
 

Superstar Lakers

The Lakers were not alone in headlining their roster with two massive names at the start of the season.

As they traded for Davis from the New Orleans Pelicans, rivals the Los Angeles Clippers put together a mammoth deal to pair Kawhi Leonard with Paul George. Russell Westbrook joined James Harden at the Houston Rockets.

It would appear clear now the Lakers did the best business as they prepare for the Finals, having eliminated the Rockets in the conference semi-finals.

Almost everything they have done has gone through James or Davis. Four-time MVP James has a 31.5 per cent usage rate in 35 minutes on the floor in this year's playoffs and is averaging almost a triple-double (26.7 points, 10.3 rebounds and 8.9 assists), while his team-mate has a 29.4 per cent usage rate in 35.9 minutes and 28.8 points per game.

The Rockets rely even more heavily on their stars - Harden has 32.5 per cent of the ball in 37 minutes and Westbrook 31.3 per cent in 33 - but they do not have the same consistency. Against the Lakers, Westbrook shot four-of-15 from the field in Game 2 and four-of-13 in the decisive Game 5.

The Clippers did not even advance to a highly anticipated meeting with the Lakers as George similarly struggled to set the standard, averaging 20.2 points.

George's 10 points contributed to a Game 7 defeat to the Denver Nuggets, yet even their in-form pairing of Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray could not match James and Davis, the league's outstanding duo.
 

Deep Heat

Miami will not look to put their own top performers up against James and Davis in the same way. It is the depth of this Heat team that saw them through the East.

They remarkably have six regulars - Goran Dragic, Jimmy Butler, Bam Adebayo, Tyler Herro, Jae Crowder and Duncan Robinson - averaging 11.0 points or more. Miami are the only team to reach the Finals with such a wealth of scoring options in the past 25 years.

It should come as little surprise to see this production, though, as the Heat - in direct contrast to the Lakers - share the ball around. Of their nine players to make 10 or more playoff appearances this year, seven have a usage rate above 16 per cent. Six have played 27 minutes per game or more.

That provides plenty of opportunity for the fourth or fifth man to steal the show, with Robinson top-scoring in a win against the Indiana Pacers while Herro poured in 37 points in a victory over the Boston Celtics.

Herro's efforts saw him break Dwyane Wade's rookie franchise playoff record - set in a first-round 2004 game - by a whole 10 points. Wade was the team's leading scorer in that postseason; Herro is merely fourth this time.
 

How they match up

So, which approach will come out on top? Well, there are also drawbacks on both sides.

Having bet the house on James and Davis - comfortably their top two earners - the Lakers lack an obvious third option to throw at Miami.

Only Kyle Kuzma (10.5) is averaging more than 10.0 points in the playoffs elsewhere on the roster, while each of the eight players besides James and Davis to play at least 10 games this postseason have a usage rate between 12 and 20 per cent.

Meanwhile, the Heat have the third largest total salary in the league this season, operating above the luxury tax level, but do not possess a superstar comparable to LA's pair to take the entire series by the scruff of the neck.

Even Butler has a marginally lower points per game (20.9 to 20.7) and usage rate (27.3 per cent to 24.7) than team-mate Dragic. Neither man might at this stage be ranked alongside those big names in the West.

They will need help from Adebayo, Herro and the rest, while Frank Vogel has to hope James and Davis alone have enough to secure silverware.

Regardless of their flaws, the outcome of this matchup will validate more than a year's worth of work for one of these teams.

Game 1 followed hot on the heels of the similarly dramatic play-in tournament, in which Stephen Curry and the Golden State Warriors agonisingly lost twice to miss out on qualifying for the postseason.

Curry is a proven performer in both the regular season and the playoffs, but the same does not apply to every elite player.

Some stars seem to go missing when the season is on the line, while others thrive under pressure, as we discover in our latest NBA Heat Check – now comparing the performances of the past week to the entirety of the 2020-21 regular season.

RUNNING HOT...

Luka Doncic

For the second straight season, the Dallas Mavericks are playing the Los Angeles Clippers in round one. And for the second straight season, the series is providing Doncic with a platform to show off his extraordinary talents.

Dallas are too often a one-man show, but the Clippers struggled to contain Doncic last year as he averaged 31.0 points across a debut series that his Game 4 overtime buzzer-beating three-pointer memorably levelled.

The Mavs were beaten in Game 5 and Game 6 in 2020 to depart the tournament, yet this time they have a lead after Doncic's 31-point, triple-double effort on Saturday. Only Michael Jordan has played seven or more playoff games and averaged greater than his 31.0 points per game (33.4).

And it was again the Slovenian's accuracy from beyond the arc that hurt the Clippers, as he made five threes for the first time in the playoffs – up on his season average of 2.9.

Goran Dragic

The Miami Heat made the NBA Finals last season but were hamstrung by an injury to Dragic in Game 1 of the loss to the Los Angeles Lakers.

That proved a telling blow, but Dragic is back at the fore in this year's playoffs despite a middling regular season in which he averaged 13.4 points per game.

An opening effort of 25 points helped keep Miami in contention against the Milwaukee Bucks in Game 1. Duncan Robinson chipped in with 24, too, shooting 53.8 per cent from three.

Dragic ranked fourth in the league last week in terms of scoring improvement (up 11.6 points on the regular season), with Robinson fifth (up 10.9). Robinson topped the list when it came to an upturn in three-point shooting, while Dragic was just behind. The pair could not be blamed for the Bucks' win.

GOING COLD...

Bam Adebayo

Adebayo certainly could be held responsible for Miami's early deficit, contributing a measly nine points on four-for-15 shooting.

The fourth-year center contributed 17.8 points per game in last year's playoffs, including 17.2 in the Milwaukee series, but he never got going on Saturday.

The decrease from Adebayo's regular season 18.7 average was the sixth-worst in the NBA and, to make matters worse for the Heat, superstar team-mate Jimmy Butler also turned in a concerning performance.

Butler finished with 17 points, yet he made only four of 22 field goal attempts while using 30.0 per cent of Miami's plays.

Chris Paul

Paul's poor game this weekend was the most understandable but also the most concerning. The veteran point guard took a blow to his shoulder in the Phoenix Suns' win over the Lakers and clearly moved uneasily thereafter.

"I heard like a crack or whatever," said Paul, whose ball handling was uncharacteristically clumsy as he was limited to seven points, down from a season average of 16.4 per outing.

It did not cost the Suns, but they will surely need Paul back fit and firing to beat the defending champions over a seven-game series.

Julius Randle

The New York Knicks would not be back in the playoffs if not for Randle's outstanding season in which he played the most minutes in the entire league (2,667) and recorded 24.1 points and 10.2 rebounds per game.

But his belated playoff debut at Madison Square Garden saw a significant step back as Randle's six-for-23 shooting from the field – or 26.1 per cent – allowed the Atlanta Hawks to steal a road game.

The Knicks are built on hard graft rather than superstar talent, but they cannot afford for their All-Star to misfire so drastically.

Simmons has refused to play for the Sixers this season after coach Doc Rivers and center Joel Embiid were critical of his performances in the Eastern Conference semifinals loss to the Atlanta Hawks last season. 

Philadelphia had been trying to trade the fifth-year guard/forward ever since, but the former Rookie of the Year's value plummeted after he came up short against the Hawks. 

However, according to multiple reports a deal was finally struck to send Simmons to Brooklyn in exchange for the 2018 NBA MVP Harden. Seth Curry, Andre Drummond, an unprotected 2022 first-round pick and a protected 2027 first-round pick were also sent to the Nets, with Paul Millsap going in the opposite direction. 

Harden can become a free agent in the offseason, while Simmons is under contract until 2025 after signing a five-year, $177.2million deal in 2019.

While the 76ers seemingly boosted their chances of contending by adding Harden, the Los Angeles Lakers and Golden State Warriors remained idle. However, there were still plenty of other deals reported on Thursday.

Mavericks move on from Porzingis

The Luka Doncic-Kristaps Porzingis era is over in Dallas.

The Mavs sent Porzingis and a second-round pick to the Washington Wizards in exchange for Spencer Dinwiddie and Davis Bertans.

Injuries have continued to trouble the 7ft 3in center, who averaged 20 points and 8.8 rebounds per game in two and a half seasons in Dallas.

Kings trade Bagley, Bucks get Ibaka 

The Sacramento Kings made Marvin Bagley III the second overall pick in the 2018 draft but brought an end to his time in California as part of a seven-player, four-team trade. 

Bagley was sent to the Detroit Pistons, with Josh Jackson and Trey Lyles going to Sacramento. The Kings also received Donte DiVincenzo from the Milwaukee Bucks, who swapped Serge Ibaka for Semi Ojeleye and Rodney Hood. The reigning NBA champions also received two future second-round picks and cash considerations. 

Bagley has started just 17 games for Sacramento this season, averaging 9.3 points and 7.2 rebounds in 21.9 minutes per game.

Celtics bring Theis back, send Schroder to Houston

Daniel Theis is back for a second spell with the Boston Celtics.

Less than a year after he was traded to the Chicago Bulls by the Celtics, Theis was brought back from the Houston Rockets in exchange for Dennis Schroder, Enes Freedom and Bruno Fernando. Freedom is expected to be waived by the Rockets, though.

Boston also sent Bol Bol and PJ Dozier, who are both out for the season, to the Orlando Magic and offloaded Josh Richardson and Romeo Langford to the San Antonio Spurs. The Celtics' brought in Derrick White.

Elsewhere...

Goran Dragic's time with the Toronto Raptors is up after he was traded to the Spurs for Thaddeus Young, Drew Eubanks – whom they were set to waive – and a 2022 lottery-protected first-round pick. Dragic is expected to be bought out, with the Chicago Bulls, Mavs, Bucks, Warriors, Nets and Clippers all credited with an interest.

The Charlotte Hornets added Montrezl Harrel from the Wizards. Ish Smith and Vernon Carey Jr went the other way. 

Torrey Craig is back with the Phoenix Suns following a deal that saw Jalen Smith land with the Indiana Pacers. Aaron Holiday was also acquired from the Wizards.

The 35-year-old Slovenian, who has an outstanding postseason record, had interest from several sides including the Los Angeles Lakers, Golden State Warriors, Los Angeles Clippers, Milwaukee Bucks and Chicago Bulls.

Dragic's agent Billy Duffy told ESPN that the Nets have won the race for his signature, joining for the rest of the season.

The 2018 All-Star offers the Nets capable backcourt size and backup to Kyrie Irving, who is currently only permitted to play road games due to New York City's vaccination mandate.

Dragic played five games for the Toronto Raptors this season before being traded to the San Antonio Spurs upon the deadline, before they went on to buy out the former Miami Heat star's contract.

Brooklyn will waive guard Jevon Carter to open up a spot for Dragic their roster.

After leading the Phoenix Suns to the NBA Finals, Paul will not exercise his $44million option for the 2021-22 season, The Athletic reported. ESPN added that the Suns are optimistic they will be able to re-sign the 36-year-old. 

Yahoo Sports first reported Leonard would decline his $36m option with the Los Angeles Clippers and become an unrestricted free agent, but ESPN reports he is expected to remain with the Clippers on a new deal after suffering a season-ending knee injury during the playoffs. 

Even if they end up staying where they are, those two will be the two biggest names on the open market beginning on Monday, but others figure to be available in trades. 

Kyle Lowry of the Toronto Raptors may top that list as he is expected to move on from Toronto. ESPN reported that the Miami Heat's move to pick up Goran Dragic's $19.4m team option might have been designed to facilitate a sign-and-trade deal for Lowry. 

Ben Simmons also could be on the move from the Philadelphia 76ers, but Bradley Beal now seems set to stay with the Washington Wizards after they sent Russell Westbrook to the Los Angeles Lakers in a draft-night trade.