This season has been rough for the Heat (8-17) and their fans, but Goran Dragic and Hassan Whiteside did their best to turn things around in Monday's 112-101 win over the Wizards.
Dragic, while flawlessly running the offense, racked up 34 points with five rebounds and five assists. Though he has had an up-and-down season as the team's unquestioned leader, nights like this remind everyone why "The Dragon" was such a high-priced commodity a couple seasons ago.
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Whiteside was truly dominant on both ends of the floor, scoring 17 points with 16 rebounds — 13 of which came on the defensive end of the floor. Whiteside also blocked two shots and held Marcin Gortat to just seven points.
The Wizards (9-14), led by Bradley Beal and John Wall, did their best to thwart Miami's effort. Wall tallied 30 points while dishing out eight assists and hauling in six rebounds. Beal scored 29 points with four steals.
Both teams have gotten off to rotten starts this season, but they have enough talent to make a playoff push if they can get organized and on a run heading into the new year.
Studs of the night
Another night, another impressive performance by DeMar DeRozan. This time, he scored 30 points on just 11 shot attempts in the Raptors' 122-100 win over the Bucks. Terrence Ross also stepped up by pouring in a season-high 25 points in just 21 minutes of playing time.
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Giannis Antetokounmpo tried to lead the Bucks to a come-from-behind win by scoring 30 points with eight rebounds and five assists, but it wasn't enough to overpower Toronto's rabid backcourt.
Dud of the night
Charlotte's perimeter defense. In a 110-94 loss to Indiana, the Hornets allowed the Pacers to drain 17 of 36 from beyond the arc, which is tied for the Pacers' second-most 3-pointers made in a game (19 in 2014-15 vs. the Wizards).
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Paul George and Myles Turner led the Pacers with 22 points apiece.
Highlight
Mavericks forward Dorian Finney-Smith pins one against the backboard:
Finney-Smith pins it against the backboard....literally! #NBAVine #MFFL https://t.co/qcUu3QRRHb
— NBA (@NBA) December 13, 2016
Finney-Smith finished the 112-92 win over the Nuggets with 13 points and nine rebounds.
What's next
Grizzlies (17-8) at Cavaliers (17-5), 7 p.m. ET — Memphis enters the game in the midst of a six-game winning streak, but the team announced Monday it will rest star center Marc Gasol. If Cleveland plays its full slate of stars, this one could get ugly despite the Grizzlies' recent form.