The Miami Heat secured their spot in the NBA playoffs with a hard-fought 123–114 overtime win over the Atlanta Hawks, in a game where Davion Mitchell played the hero down the stretch. Serbian forward Nikola Jović will now appear in the postseason for the third consecutive year, adding to the growing list of Serbians making an impact in the NBA.
Although Mitchell had a quiet start, he came alive as the game progressed—especially in overtime, where he nailed three clutch three-pointers to seal the win for Miami.
For much of the night, it seemed Miami was in full control. The Heat opened the game with a 10–0 run, keeping Atlanta on the back foot early. The Hawks couldn’t find their rhythm, and the Heat extended the lead to 17 points in the second quarter. A late surge helped Atlanta cut the deficit to nine by halftime.
Atlanta came out strong in the second half, responding with an 11–2 run to come within three points. But Miami struck back with a 12–2 burst of their own, once again creating a double-digit lead.
The Hawks refused to back down. Four three-pointers in quick succession flipped the momentum, and the game turned into a basket-for-basket thriller. The fourth quarter ended with the score tied at 106–106, sending the game to overtime.
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Tyler Herro opened the extra period with a three-pointer, followed by two more from Mitchell. Trae Young and Onyeka Okongwu answered back, trimming the lead to three (114–117), but Herro and Mitchell each hit another three to shut the door on Atlanta’s hopes.
Herro led Miami with 30 points, followed by Andrew Wiggins with 20, Bam Adebayo with 17 points and 11 rebounds, and Mitchell who added 16 crucial points.
For Atlanta, Trae Young posted a double-double with 29 points and 11 assists, Okongwu had 28 points and 12 rebounds, and Georges Niang chipped in with 20 points.
With the win, Miami—and Nikola Jović—advance to face the Cleveland Cavaliers in the first round of the Eastern Conference playoffs. Jović, still only 21, continues to develop as a promising part of Miami’s future and remains a key name in the new wave of Serbian talent making its mark on the NBA.
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Source: Sportal, Foto: USA Today