The Miami Heat secured a dominant 131-109 victory over the Atlanta Hawks, marking one of their most impressive performances since the Jimmy Butler trade. A key factor in the win was the standout play of Duncan Robinson, who received high praise from Tyler Herro after the game.
Herro on Robinson’s Impact “Obviously, we’ve spoken about him being ignitable, but he’s really the guy that can create overreactions for the defense,” Herro said. “Me being one of the guys that can do that as well, it helps when there are two of us on the floor, making defenses second-guess their coverages. When Duncan’s aggressive and playing his game, I feel like our offense reaches another level.”
Miami’s lone All-Star, Herro, led the team with 24 points and 10 assists while rallying behind his longtime teammate, Robinson, who caught fire. Robinson finished with 24 points on 9-of-16 shooting, including 6-of-13 from beyond the arc, while also contributing six assists and five rebounds.
With Butler gone, Miami has been searching for a reliable third scoring option to complement the Bam Adebayo-Herro duo. Robinson’s recent performances suggest he could be the answer.
Duncan Robinson #55 of the Miami Heat drives against Terance Mann #14 of the Atlanta Hawks
Duncan Robinson on Heat’s resurgence
Before the win over Atlanta, Miami had lost six of its last seven games and was just 3-7 in its previous 10. The team had struggled to hold onto NBA leads and put together consistent offensive performances, particularly on the road.
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When the Heat lost to the Hawks last Monday, they managed just 86 points—tied for their second-lowest output of the season. However, back at home, Miami exploded for 131 points, their second-highest total this year.
“It’s great to win and win at home,” Robinson said. “Just kind of get back into that belief of what we’re capable of. This league is really, really challenging. It’s hard to win games, and you can forget pretty quickly as a group what you’re capable of. So it’s always good to have a little reminder. I think it will be a good reference point for us moving forward.”
Spoelstra, Adebayo confident in Heat’s progress
With a rematch against the Hawks looming, head coach Erik Spoelstra and team captain Bam Adebayo expressed optimism about the Heat’s trajectory. However, Spoelstra emphasized the need to translate that confidence into results. “I mean, of course, I feel we’re close, but we have to prove it,” Spoelstra told ClutchPoints. “That’s where we are right now.”
Adebayo echoed that sentiment, stressing that Miami is on the verge of turning things around. “We’re closer than we think we are,” Adebayo said via the team’s YouTube channel. “When we play a full 48-minute game and watch the replays, it’s like, ‘We can fix this, we can fix that.’ But for the most part, you see the guys who just got here getting more comfortable, more activated, and more involved.”
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As Miami continues to adjust post-Butler, Robinson’s emergence could be crucial in solidifying their offensive identity and keeping them in the playoff hunt.
