The Miami Heat entered Friday night looking to move above.500 after splitting their first eight games of the season. Facing an injury-plagued Charlotte Hornets team without LaMelo Ball, Brandon Miller, Grant Williams and Josh Green, Miami had a golden opportunity to secure another victory. Earlier this season, the Heat dominated Charlotte in a 144–117 win, and on Friday, they wasted no time showing that result was no fluke.
Miami erupted for a franchise-record 53 points in the first quarter, overwhelming the Hornets on both ends of the floor. The 53-point outburst ranks as the fourth-highest scoring quarter in NBA history, behind only the Memphis Grizzlies and Golden State Warriors, who each scored 55, and the Buffalo Braves (now the Los Angeles Clippers), who set the all-time mark with 58 in 1972.
Hot shooting fueled Miami’s explosive start. The Heat knocked down 10 three-pointers in the opening period, consistently generating clean looks against Charlotte’s depleted rotation. While Miami connected on only two more triples for the rest of the night, the early cushion allowed them to control the game from start to finish. The Heat shot 42.9 percent from beyond the arc overall in an 18 point victory.
Norman Powell led all scorers with 25 points on 10-for-20 shooting, continuing his strong start to the season. Andrew Wiggins followed with 22 points, while Jaime Jaquez Jr. Contributed a near triple-double, finishing with 18 points, nine assists, eight rebounds and two blocks in an impressive all-around performance off the bench.
At 5–4, the Heat now shift their focus to the second night of a back-to-back. They will host the Portland Trail Blazers on Saturday, as Portland aims for its second straight win after upsetting the defending champion Oklahoma City Thunder earlier in the week.
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