ORLANDO, Fla. – Jimmy Butler scored 24 points and rookie Tyler Herro came off the bench with 23 on Saturday night to lead the Miami Heat to a 102-89 victory over the Orlando Magic.
Meyers Leonard had 18 points and 14 rebounds for the Heat before going to the bench with five fouls with 5:49 left in the game. Herro and Leonard combined for 10-of-19 shooting from 3-point range.
Aaron Gordon scored 24 for the Magic, who lost their fifth straight. Nikola Vucevic added 21 points and nine rebounds.
Miami led 57-49 at halftime despite a big first half by Gordon, who was 4 of 6 on 3s and scored 16 points.
Herro, bumped out of the starting lineup by the return of fellow rookie Kendrick Nunn, hit three 3-pointers and scored 12 points in the first half.
Back-to-back 3-pointers by Leonard stretched Miami’s lead to double digits early in the second half, and the Heat led 73-60 when Butler converted a three-point play late in the third quarter.
After the Magic closed the gap to six early in the fourth, Herro hit two more 3-pointers for an 86-74 lead, and the Magic never threatened again.
TIP-INS
Heat: Nunn was back in the starting lineup after missing three games with an Achilles tendon injury. ... F Bam Adebayo, who had 20 points in Monday’s victory over the Magic, scored four points Saturday but had 14 rebounds. ... F Justise Winslow missed an 11th straight game with a lower back bruise. ... The Heat lead the all-time intrastate series 67-55.
Magic: The Magic were coming off a four-day break. ... G D.J. Augustin missed a ninth game with a left knee bone irritation.
UP NEXT
Heat: Play at home against Philadelphia on Monday night.
Magic: Play at Charlotte on Monday night.