Adebayo’s Buzzer-Beater Lifts Heat to 104-101 Victory Over Pistons

The game was a nail-biter towards the end, especially after Cade Cunningham‘s missed 3-pointer for Detroit with just 9 seconds left. Terry Rozier‘s quick rebound and pass to Adebayo set the stage for the game-winning shot, marking Adebayo’s 12th 3-pointer in his seven-year career.

A week ago, Adebayo was a career 11.8% 3-point shooter. He is 3 for 3 in the last three games, including Sunday’s 30-footer from the top of the arc.

“I saw it was his fourth of the season, but that’s basketball,” said Evan Fournier, who delivered a season-high 18 points for Detroit.

Duncan Robinson‘s performance was another highlight, with a season-high 30 points on 10-for-15 shooting. Robinson also hit his 1,000th career 3-pointer, setting a new NBA record. Adebayo complemented Robinson’s scoring with 20 points and 17 rebounds, helping the Heat to clinch the victory over the Pistons for the second time in three days.

“They’re going to be fine,” Portland Trail Blazers coach and 2004 Finals MVP Chauncey Billups said, encouraging the Pistons and their fans during Detroit’s 2004 NBA championship team’s halftime celebration.

The Heat’s strategy had to adapt due to the absence of key players, leading to a franchise-record 32nd starting lineup for the season.

“When you don’t have Jimmy and you don’t have Tyler (Herro), you have to maximize your next best actions,” Spoelstra explained, highlighting the team’s flexibility and depth.

The game’s intensity didn’t wane as it neared its end. Robinson’s four-point play late in the game was crucial, but Detroit’s Isaiah Stewart and Cunningham kept the pressure on, tying the game before Adebayo’s buzzer-beater sealed the win for Miami.

“Maybe it was a little too much time, but if he hit the shot, no one would say a word,” Pistons coach Monty Williams said about Cunningham’s late-game 3-point attempt, underscoring the narrow margins that often decide the outcomes of such tightly contested matches.

With this victory, the Heat look forward to their next challenge against the Philadelphia 76ers, while the Pistons set their sights on the Boston Celtics, each team eager to build on their performances during Sunday’s NBA action.