The Portland Trail Blazers took full advantage of a depleted Miami Heat squad on Wednesday night, cruising to a 127-110 win at Moda Center behind a balanced offensive attack and a second-half surge that left little doubt about the outcome.
Despite losing Deni Avdija early in the third quarter, Portland didn’t miss a beat. In fact, they turned up the pressure.
The Blazers outscored Miami 63-47 in the second half, including a 39-point third quarter that blew the game wide open. It was one of two quarters in which Portland dropped at least 38 points - a clear sign that Miami’s defense, already missing key personnel, just couldn’t keep up.
The Blazers got production from all over the floor. Shaedon Sharpe was the headliner, catching fire after halftime and finishing with 27 points, including five triples on nine attempts.
He also added seven rebounds and four steals in 34 minutes, showing off the kind of two-way impact that has the Blazers excited about his ceiling. Caleb Love, the undrafted rookie, continued to make the most of his opportunity, pouring in 20 points off the bench with a confidence that belies his experience level.
Avdija, before his early exit, had already joined them in the 20-point club.
For the Heat, this one was a step back. Now 1-2 on their five-game West Coast swing, Miami struggled mightily in two key areas: rebounding and perimeter shooting.
Portland dominated the glass, finishing with a plus-12 margin, and torched the Heat from deep, more than doubling their output from three (20-9). That kind of disparity from beyond the arc is tough to overcome, even with a strong interior presence.
Bam Adebayo did everything he could to keep Miami in it. He dropped a team-high 32 points on 13-of-24 shooting and pulled down 10 rebounds, continuing his All-Star caliber campaign.
Simone Fontecchio gave the Heat a lift off the bench with 17 points, while Norman Powell chipped in 18. But it wasn’t enough to overcome the defensive lapses and cold shooting from distance.
Even in their recent win over Sacramento, Miami’s defense showed cracks - and against a team like Portland that can get hot in a hurry, those cracks turned into full-blown gaps. The Heat were undermanned, sure, but that doesn’t explain the lack of consistency from three or the breakdowns on the defensive end. If they want to come out of this road trip with a winning record, they’ll need to get back to their identity - tough, connected defense and smart, efficient offense.
For Portland, this was the kind of performance that builds momentum. Even with Avdija sidelined, the Blazers looked confident, cohesive, and explosive. If Sharpe keeps playing like this and the bench continues to deliver, they’ll be a tough out - especially at home.