CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Jimmy Butler scored 27 points, Bam Adebayo added 20 points and 12 rebounds and the Miami Heat handed the slumping Charlotte Hornets their fourth straight loss, 104-86 on Saturday night.
Tyler Herro had 19 points behind five 3-pointers for Miami (34-20), which scored 27 points off 20 turnovers by Charlotte while holding the Hornets to 38.4 per cent shooting from the floor.
Terry Rozier had 16 points and Miles Bridges 15 for Charlotte (28-26), which fell to 1-9 on the second night of back-to-backs.
The Hornets built a 51-46 lead at halftime, led by 14 points from Rozier and 13 points and four blocks from Bridges.
But Miami, which shot just 2 of 16 from beyond the arc in the first half, outscored Charlotte 35-8 in the third quarter to take control behind Adebayo, who had 10 points in the quarter and dominated inside the paint.
It was the fewest points the Hornets have scored in a quarter since March 21, 2016.
Frustration set in for the Hornets early in the fourth quarter when coach James Borrego said something to rookie James Bouknight, who was seated on the bench.
Bouknight, who played just one minute, appeared to take offence and stood up to confront Borrego before an assistant coach quickly escorted the team's first-round draft pick to the locker room. Bouknight did not return to the bench for the remainder of the game.
Bouknight hadn't played in Charlotte's previous two games.
LaMelo Ball played only 21 minutes for the Hornets and had 12 points and six rebounds.
TIP INS
Heat: Caleb Martin returned to action against his former team — and his brother Cody — after missing a game with an Achilles injury. He received a hug from Borrego at the scorer's table before checking into the game.
Hornets: Bridges has made just two of his last 22 3-point field goal attempts.
UP NEXT
Heat: At Washington on Monday night.
Hornets: Host Toronto on Monday night.
