Unlikely stars fuel Nets comeback vs. Heat

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Nov 1, 2023; Miami, Florida, USA; Brooklyn Nets guard Lonnie Walker IV (8) puts up a shot between Miami Heat guard Kyle Lowry (7) and forward Duncan Robinson (55) during the first half at Kaseya Center.
Nov 1, 2023; Miami, Florida, USA; Brooklyn Nets guard Lonnie Walker IV (8) puts up a shot between Miami Heat guard Kyle Lowry (7) and forward Duncan Robinson (55) during the first half at Kaseya Center.
Image: Jasen Vinlove-USA TODAY Sports

Armoni Brooks, who was recalled from the G League earlier in the day, scored 17 points off the bench in his Nets debut as Brooklyn rallied from a 16-point deficit to defeat the host Miami Heat, 109-105, on Wednesday night.

Brooklyn's bench outscored Miami, 50-26, and Brooks was a big part of that as he made 6-of-7 shots, including 5-of-6 on 3-pointers.

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The Nets also got a team-high 21 points from Mikal Bridges, and 17 points from reserve Lonnie Walker IV, who is a former Miami Hurricanes star. Ben Simmons grabbed a team-high 11 rebounds.

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Brooklyn's Cam Thomas, who entered the night ranked third in the NBA with a 33.0 scoring average, was held to 13 points. He made just 4-of-19 shots and had four turnovers and just one assist.

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Miami, which has lost four straight games, was led by Tyler Herro's 30 points. Bam Adebayo, who had missed Miami's previous game with a bruised hip, had 21 points and a game-high 14 rebounds.

Jimmy Butler added 20 points, but no other Heat player scored in double figures.

The Nets, who outscored Miami 34-22 in the fourth quarter, won their second straight game.

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Due to injuries, Miami was without two players: Caleb Martin (left knee) and Kevin Love (left hip). Brooklyn was without four players: Nic Claxton (left ankle); Cameron Johnson (left calf); Spencer Dinwiddie (left ankle); and Dennis Smith (left hip).

Both teams shot 50 percent from the floor in the first period as Miami grabbed a slim 32-29 lead. Brooklyn trailed by as many as nine points in the quarter but managed to rally despite two uneasy developments: three fouls on Simmons and just one point for Thomas.

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Miami stretched its second-quarter lead to 16 points before settling for a 56-46 halftime advantage. Thomas shot just 1-for-10 in the first half, posting four points. Conversely, Herro had a first-half-high 16 points.

Thomas finally got untracked in the third quarter with nine points on 3-for-7 shooting. But Miami still held an 83-75 advantage.

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But then, with 9:23 left in the fourth, Walker hit a 3-pointer to tie the score, 86-86. Less than a minute later, the Nets took their first lead since the first quarter as Trendon Watford made another 3-pointer, and the Nets rolled from there.

—Field Level Media