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The Miami Heat snapped a three-game losing streak on the road against the Portland Trail Blazers last night at the Moda Center. It was a much-needed win for Miami if they wanted to keep their playoff hopes alive. Here are five takeaways from the game.
Hassan Whiteside dominant in the paint
Hassan Whiteside's play has been touch-and-go for the Heat, but last night was different. Whiteside put on a 28-point, 11-rebound performance against the Blazers, getting much of his points inside the paint against Jusuf Nurkic. Whiteside has been known to make double-doubles for the Heat, but if he builds on this performance while on the road with the Heat, it could be a sign of things to come for the big man out of Marshall.
Dwyane Wade continuing his farewell tour
Dwyane Wade continues to impress during his final season with the Heat. He was one rebound short of a double-double coming off the bench for Miami, scoring 22 points and 9 rebounds. Wade, along with Dallas Mavericks star Dirk Nowitzki, were given special all-star nods from NBA Commissioner Adam Silver in honor of their careers. There is no doubt that Wade's final season is nothing short of special and all NBA fans can agree on that.
Jake Layman impresses
If you don't know who Jake Layman is, then last night's game was an introduction to the 6-foot-9 forward from Oregon. Layman put up a season high 25 points for the Trail Blazers. A possible reason for the performance is that Portland had recently acquired Rodney Hood from the Cleveland Cavaliers and he's looking for a spot on the roster. Layman's performance was something to behold, but only time will tell where all this will lead to with with Hood in Portland. For now, Layman's 25-point performance was very impressive.
Hero ball with McCollum and Lillard
Portland's one-two punch combination of CJ McCollum and Damian Lillard looked to get the Blazers back in the game during the fourth quarter. Despite doing so in the middle of the fourth quarter, the many opportunities to take the lead and possibly win the game slipped away as the Heat were fortunate enough to make the most of strengthening their lead over Portland. McCollum led the way for Portland with 33 points, while Lillard had a double-double of 13 points and 10 rebounds.
Miami's defense
For the past three games, Miami's defense, a long-standing staple for the team, was stagnant during the Heat's home games. On the road last night, Miami regrouped their defense, creating seven blocks and 11 steals total. James Johnson had three blocks and Hassan Whiteside had four steals. The Heat's defense certainly came through for them, but now it's time to capitalize on that performance.
The Heat are still on the road as they face the Sacramento Kings on Friday, while Portland hosts the San Antonio Spurs tomorrow.
Guess the Lakers players!
