The Miami Heat posted their highest scoring game of the season and handed the New Orleans Pelicans their most lopsided regular-season loss in franchise history with a 153-104 victory on Friday night.
Bam Adebayo led the Heat with 23 points and 12 rebounds in just under 22 minutes, helping Miami (37-44) dominate from start to finish in New Orleans.
Tyler Herro added 22 points on 7-of-10 shooting while playing just 22 minutes, and Duncan Robinson finished with 21 points in 19 minutes off the bench.
Miami led by as many as 52 and never trailed, shooting 55.8 percent from the field and outscoring New Orleans 70-46 in the paint.
The Pelicans (21-60) were playing with only eight available players for the second straight night and dropped their sixth consecutive game.
Jamal Cain led New Orleans with 25 points, while Antonio Reeves added 19.
Elfrid Payton recorded a double-double with 13 assists and 10 rebounds but was held to just four points.
Miami had 10 players score in double figures, tying an NBA record that had only occurred eight times before and not since 1994.
Kyle Anderson dished out six assists, while Haywood Highsmith and Davion Mitchell contributed 10 and 11 points respectively off the bench.
Herro opened the second half with a three-pointer that ignited a 10-0 Heat run, extending the lead to 81-54 and effectively ending any hope of a Pelicans comeback.
Kel’el Ware posted 10 points and 11 rebounds, and Alec Burks hit four threes as the Heat’s starters combined for 77 points.
Jose Alvarado scored 14 points for the Pelicans, but New Orleans struggled to match Miami’s pace and efficiency throughout.
The Heat also held a 60-42 rebounding advantage and turned the ball over only nine times.
Despite the blowout win, Miami’s chances of moving up to the ninth seed were erased due to Chicago’s win, locking the Heat into the 10th spot.
Miami will now face the Bulls on the road Wednesday in the Eastern Conference play-in tournament, needing two wins to advance to the first round of the playoffs.
Pelle Larsson and Isaiah Stevens did not play for the Heat due to injury, while New Orleans was without 11 players, including Zion Williamson, CJ McCollum, and Kelly Olynyk.
With the loss, the Pelicans are assured of a bottom-three finish in the West after a season marred by injuries and roster instability.
The Heat have won seven of their last 10 games as they enter the postseason.
