In the NBA regular season on December 14, Beijing time, the Hornets lost 104-115 to the Heat on the road, suffering three consecutive defeats in the season. It was the second meeting between the two teams in three days, with the Heat going on a 13-0 run before the end of the second quarter to gain the upper court and gradually stretch the gap to a maximum of 21 points in the third quarter. Although the Hornets fought back in the final quarter, they were unable to reverse the defeat.
For the Hornets, four players scored in double figures, including Rozier contributing 28 points, 7 assists and 4 steals, Hayward chipped in 20 points, 5 rebounds and 7 assists, Bridges had 19 points, 5 rebounds, 4 assists and 3 steals, and Brandon Miller scored 18 points. For the Heat, six players scored in double figures, Duncan Robinson scored 23 points, Lowry contributed 17 points, Butler had 15 points, 6 rebounds and 10 assists, Harkes had 17 points, 6 rebounds and 8 assists, Kane had 14 points, and Thomas Bryant also had 11 points and 9 rebounds.
The Heat showed excellent teamwork and defensive ability in this game, successfully limiting the Hornets' offense. The Hornets, on the other hand, were inconsistent on the offensive end and lacked adequate firepower. In the end, the Heat managed to defeat the Hornets with multiple points of flowering, killing their opponents three times in the season.
The loss of this game is undoubtedly a blow to the Hornets. However, the team still needs to learn from the lessons and improve their own quality to achieve better results in the next games. The Heat, on the other hand, need to continue to play consistently and strive for a better record this season.