Jaime Jaquez Jr. scored a season-high 28 points off the bench to lead the Miami Heat to a 144-117 win over the visiting Charlotte Hornets on Tuesday.
Bam Adebayo added 26 points and Andrew Wiggins scored 21 for the Heat, who shot a clinical 54.2% from the field, 44.4% from 3-point range and 90.9% from the free-throw line.
Pelle Larsson scored a career-best 17 points after being promoted to the starting five following Norman Powell’s late withdrawal due to a groin strain suffered at morning practice.
LaMelo Ball scored 15 of his 20 points in the first quarter. He finished with nine assists and eight rebounds, but was wayward, shooting 6-of-18 from the floor.
Kon Knueppel hit 5 of 11 threes and put up 19 points, while Collin Sexton had 18 points and Miles Bridges chipped in 17.
Ball missed his last eight 3-point attempts after getting off to a fast start, knocking down his first four from downtown in the first quarter.
But the Heat took the momentum and a 37-34 lead into the first break thanks to their 18-0 advantage in bench production.
Miami’s reserves were led by Jaquez, who had 10 points on 4-of-4 shooting after substituting in with 6:32 left on the clock.
The score was tied at 57 on a Sion James three before the Heat called timeout and duly closed the second quarter on a 19-3 run, including the last 11 points unanswered, to hold sway 76-60 at halftime.
Jaquez scored 10 for the period, including eight free throws, giving him 20 at the half.
Meanwhile, Ball went cold, missing all five field-goal attempts for the frame, while also picking up his third foul.
Miami’s shooting cooled after the break and the Hornets took advantage, largely through Knueppel, slicing the gap to 84-81 before the Heat fired up again.
Jaquez and Adebayo piloted an 18-3 spree that helped the home side lead 105-88 after three.
Larsson’s finger roll stretched Miami’s buffer to 29 points deep into the fourth as both coaches emptied their benches.
