Jimmy Butler returns as Tyler Herro’s 32 lift Heat over Pelicans 119-108

MIAMI – There was no middle ground for the Miami Heat in this one: either make it four victories in their last five games, or become the rarest of victims in the NBA – a loser to the New Orleans Pelicans.

As a matter of perspective, the Pelicans entered on a 10-game losing streak, with losses in 19 of their previous 20 and without a road victory since their road opener on Oct. 25.

Against that backdrop, the Heat went up 17 early, saw all but one point of that lead melt away before emerging with a 119-108 victory Wednesday night at Kaseya Center, never trailing.

With Jimmy Butler back in the mix for the first time in 13 days, the Heat moved to 17-14 against an opponent that dropped to 5-29.

It largely was a formulaic victory for the Heat, with Tyler Herro pacing the offense with 32 points, Bam Adebayo filling the box score with 23 points, 10 assists and nine rebounds, and enough of 3-point shooting to keep things afloat, with Duncan Robinson closing with 17 points, including 3 of 7 on 3-pointers.

“Just trying to be better every game,” Herro said. “We’re stacking good nights.”

Butler closed with nine points, four rebounds and two assists in 25 minutes.

Among those out of action for the Pelicans were Zion Williamson, Brandon Ingram and Jose Alvarado. Left to do the heavy lifting was forward Trey Murphy III, who closed with 34 points.

The Heat are back at it Thursday on their home court, against the Indiana Pacers.

Five Degrees of Heat from Wednesday night’s game:

1. Game flow: The Heat led 36-24 at the end of the opening period and 56-51 at halftime.

The Heat pushed their lead back to double digits at the start of the second half, leading to a Pelicans timeout 57 seconds into the third period.

From there, the Heat moved to a 90-76 entering the fourth quarter, sparked by the entrance of first-round pick Kel’el Ware, the 7-footer out of Indiana, late in the third.

The Pelicans closed within seven midway through the fourth and then again late, before Herro and Adebayo reestablished order for the Heat.

2. Butler’s return: Butler was back after missing the previous five games due to a stomach illness and reconditioning.

His first shift largely was muted, closing his opening nine-minute stint with two points on a pair of free throws, missing his only attempt from the field, a 3-pointer.

His first basket and only one of the first half came on a 3-point attempt with 50.8 seconds left in the second period.

Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said before the game he would measure Butler’s minutes based on how Butler looked.

There also was the factor of Butler’s return coming on the first night of a back-to-back set, with Butler held out of Wednesday night’s fourth quarter.

Butler closed 3 of 5 from the field.

3. Still going: It took an accidental 3-pointer to get Herro going, with an errant alley-oop pass attempt to Adebayo dropping in late in the second period.

From there, Herro got back on track from distance, again providing the needed spark to the Heat offense.

With that errant alley-oop attempt,  Herro extended his career best streak of games with at least one 3-pointer to 65, four games off Duncan Robinson’s franchise record.

Herro closed 11 of 22 from the field, including 5 of 12 on 3-pointers, also with four assists.

4. Running it back: With Butler back, and with Robinson returning from Sunday’s absence in Houston due to a foot sprain, the Heat got back to their preferred starting lineup of Butler, Robinson, Herro, Adebayo and Haywood Highsmith.

That quintet improved to 9-4,  moving to a 20-5 lead at Wednesday night’s outset.

With Terry Rozier serving his one-game NBA suspension for Sunday’s altercation in Houston, Alec Burks played as the Heat’s first reserve, serving as a de facto backup point guard.

5. Emotional day: It was a particularly emotional day for the Pelicans, in the wake of the deadly vehicle attack on Bourbon Street earlier in the day.

Pelicans coach Willie Green emotionally offered his thoughts before the game.

“I got a text from my dad this morning and he was wishing me a happy new year, but saying he was praying for all the people in New Orleans. I didn’t know what he was talking about at the time,” Green said. “And then I read the news and saw what was going on.

“First and foremost, we acknowledge that this is an incredibly challenging time for everyone involved, especially since this tragedy is so close to home for us. Sometimes, it’s a struggle to focus on executing a basketball game plan when such larger issues are at play.”

There was a pregame moment of silence at Kaseya Center.

Then at the start of the Pelicans television broadcast, former NBA player Antonio Daniels picked up on that heartache.

“It’s heartbreaking,” Daniels said. “It really is heartbreaking to think of those families, this morning, that are dealing with that tragedy. If you think about what Bourbon Street represents, it’s a place of joy. It’s a place of laughter. It’s a place of marriages, of bachelorette parties, bachelor parties, a place where people come together.

“And like Coach Green said, a senseless act of violence comes to try and tear this city apart? My heart hurts. My heart hurts for this city.”