The Miami Heat defeated the Trail Blazers 119-98 on Saturday night despite Portland’s push in the third quarter. Miami’s balanced attack and strong defense ultimately overwhelmed the Blazers, and the Heat closed the game decisively.
This matchup carried extra significance because of the drama involving then-Blazers star Damian Lillard during the 2023 off-season. Lillard requested a trade with clear intentions of playing for Miami and Miami only. Instead of taking a package that included Herro, Jaquez, and Jovic, Blazers GM Joe Cronin chose a different path, sending him to the Milwaukee Bucks for Jrue Holiday and Grayson Allen. In the loss to Miami, Portland and Cronin were reminded of what they could have had in a Dame trade to the Heat.
Tyler Herro, Nikola Jovic and Jaime Jaquez Jr. were among the best players on the court.…