Jimmy Butler on Thursday scored 13 points, and had 13 assists and 10 rebounds for his third consecutive triple-double as the Miami Heat beat the Sacramento Kings 118-110 to end a three-game losing streak.
Bam Adebayo also had a triple-double with 16 points, 10 assists and 12 rebounds to help Miami to their first win in Sacramento in nearly five years.
Tyler Herro scored 27 points, while Kelly Olynyk added a season-high 22 points and seven rebounds.
Photo: EPA-EFE
Butler and Adebayo are the first players in NBA history to have triple-doubles in the same game multiple times, the Elias Sports Bureau said.
They also did it against Atlanta on Dec. 10, 2019.
“They have to shoulder big-time responsibilities for us. That’s not only on court, but from a leadership standpoint,” Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said. “That’s what they signed up for. That’s what they earn their paychecks for. The way our offense is designed, they play-make quite a bit and get other guys involved.”
The NBA had not had a triple-double by two players on the same team in the same game since Ja Morant and Jonas Valanciunas did it together for the Memphis Grizzlies on Aug. 13 last year.
“We were just out there playing,” Adebayo said. “We’re trying to get a win. A win matters more than the numbers did. I’m glad we did the triple-double thing again, but I’m really appreciative of the W.”
Olynyk was in awe of what his teammates did.
“It’s uncanny to have a player that go get a player triple-double any night of the season,” Olynyk said. “To have two on the same night, I’m not sure if every team has that luxury. We need that. We’re welcoming that and riding their coattails.”
In other games on Thursday, it was:
‧ Lakers 98, Nets 109
‧ Bucks 96, Raptors 110
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