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Butler, who had been sidelined by right knee
inflammation, scored 10 points during the final six minutes as
the Heat held off a Pelicans comeback.
Kelly Olynyk added 18 points and 10 rebounds, Kendrick Nunn and
Goran Dragic scored 13 each and Andre Iguodala had 10 for Miami,
which completed a season sweep against New Orleans.
Williamson, who has been selected to make his first All-Star
Game appearance Sunday, did not play because of a toe injury.
Brandon Ingram scored 17 points, Steven Adams added 15, Nickeil
Alexander-Walker netted 13, Josh Hart had 12, Kira Lewis Jr. 11
and Lonzo Ball 10 to lead the Pelicans.
Eric Bledsoe and Ball each made a 3-pointer as the Pelicans cut
the Heat's 10-point halftime lead in half less than three
minutes into the third quarter.
Butler scored four points and had an assist as Miami scored the
next six points to take a 66-55 lead midway through the quarter.
Ingram ended the streak when he converted a three-point play.
Hart beat the buzzer with a 45-foot 3-pointer that cut the
Heat's lead to 77-70 at the end of the quarter.
Alexander-Walker made two 3-pointers and a jumper to pull the
Pelicans within 87-85 midway through the fourth, but Butler
answered with consecutive baskets.
Butler added a three-point play and a 3-pointer to push Miami's
lead to 98-87 with 2:50 left.
Olynyk scored 10 quick points as the Heat took a 15-7 lead 4 1/2
minutes into the game.
He hit a 3-pointer and his steal and assist produced a layup by
Tyler Herro that gave Miami a 31-15 lead at the end of the first
quarter.
Olynyk finished the quarter with 13 points, making all five of
his shots, including three 3-pointers.
The Heat held a 17-point second-quarter lead before New Orleans
started chipping away. Bledsoe and Ball each made a 3-pointer
down the stretch as the Pelicans cut the deficit to 55-45 at
halftime.
--Field Level Media
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