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Miami, FL
Phoenix Suns can protect ball, get bench scoring and other things we learned in road win over Miami Heat
MIAMI — The Big 3 and even bigger bench play got the Phoenix Suns back on track in Monday’s 118-105 win at Miami to snap a two-game skid in the second of a road back-to-back.
Devin Booker, Kevin Durant and Bradley Beal combined for 61 points and the Suns bench accounted for a season-high 48 points with Eric Gordon scoring a team-high 23, hitting 5-of-12 from 3.
Frank Vogel said pregame the Suns (27-20) were upset with their two losses at Indiana and Orlando in which they folded in the fourth quarter.
Used a more colorful word than upset, but Vogel shared the same sentiment.
The Suns responded with one of their better defensive efforts in limiting the slumping Heat (24-23) to 39.3% shooting. Miami has dropped its last seven games and hasn’t won since acquiring Terry Rozier (0-4) in a trade with Charlotte that involved Kyle Lowry.
Jimmy Butler paced Miami with a game-high 26 points.
Here’s what we learned as Suns led by as many as 28 points, but once again had a shaky fourth quarter in which Miami sliced Phoenix’s lead to 10 before Gordon hit a dagger 3 with 1:06 remaining that led to most of the sellout crowd of 19,600 at Kaseya Center heading for the exits.
Sharing is caring, but so is taking care of the ball
The Suns responded to having more turnovers (23) than assists (19) in Sunday’s loss at Orlando to cranking out 30 assists and committing only eight turnovers Monday.
The Suns would’ve had even more assists by making the open 3s they got. Booker, Durant and Beal each had seven assists a combined for a total of two turnovers.
Durant took his seven turnovers against the Magic personally and only had one in 41 minutes Monday. Beal had the other one of the Big 3 after coughing it up three times in the fourth quarter Sunday wearing a mask that left him visually disturbed and frustrated.
Better vision. Better ball protection. Better play from Beal, who is quietly taking on more a of point guard role, especially with the way Booker has been cooking of late.
By the way, Booker didn’t turn the ball over Monday in 40 minutes.
The Magic scored 23 points off those 21 turnovers Sunday. Twenty-four hours later, Miami only managed 11 points off those eight turnovers.
Those are the numbers.
Here’s the deep dive.
The Suns had more and better ball movement against Miami’s man and zone principles, but they got some easy ones in transition in the first half. They scored 11 of their 16 transitions points in the first half.
This team could use more fastbreak points. They are 24th in pace and 20th in fastbreak points.
The Suns have three scorers who are shot makers as Booker finished with 22 points, Durant went for 20 and Beal added 19. All three are capable of 40, 50 or more, but when the Suns play with pace, it leads to transition 3s and it allows guys like Josh Okogie to use his athleticism to make plays.
Ball movement is what can separate the Suns when they make the extra pass with three guys who can score off the dribble or catch-and-shoot, but spacing is everything. The better the spacing, the less Booker, Durant and Beal are playing in a crowd, which tends to lead to turnovers.
And when those three share the ball like they did Monday, that makes it more challenging to not only guard Booker, Durant and Beal, but the team as a whole. The Suns still seem to be finding that fine line between the Big 3 being aggressive to score and aggressive to make a play for someone else.
Sometimes actually running a play instead of giving the ball to one to force the defense to help and adjust can work, too.
Bench rose to occasion
Drew Eubanks brought energy — and 11 points off the bench — in the first quarter.
Okogie was making those outside-the-points plays with steals and rebounds. So those two 3s he hit were like that thick, wavy icing on the wedding cake in scoring 11 points as well.
So what one was a double clutch off the glass that had Gordon laughing when asked about it after the game. Okogie has watched Grayson Allen become the fifth starter, but seems to have worried less about hitting 3s and more about defending and making energy plays.
And then there’s Gordon, who could start, but with Allen missing the second half with an ankle injury, he got into his offensive bag with the drives and 3s.
The Suns are 28th in bench scoring. Granted their Big 3 is averaging essentially 75 points a game, but they could use more out of their reserves.
Can’t see Phoenix’s bench going for 48 every night, but the Suns got what they needed from them and then some on a second of a back-to-back. They showed on the road where the stars tend to carry teams that the second unit guys can deliver, too.
Heat culture not enough right now
How Miami goes about their business with toughness, character and discipline defines them just as much as winning three NBA titles and playing in seven finals.
Right now, this team is very much a work in progress.
Trying to work in Rozier, who is best at going one-on-one. He makes oh-ah plays like one that had Durant reeling and then scored, and he can catch fire from 3 (4-of-6), but he’s not an assist guy (only three dimes).
Rozier was a minus-21 Monday, the worst of any player on the court. The more they can get him on how the Heat play, he could be really special here.
This isn’t the Heat team that could lock it down defensively. They are 13th in defensive rating, but the Heat need to do better when considering they’re 22nd in offensive rating.
Miami has gone from reaching the finals last season to being seventh in the West and 14 games behind the Celtics, the team it beat in the Eastern Conference finals.
The Heat are a long way from that, but don’t dare count them out.
That wouldn’t be wise.
Injury update: Allen suffers right ankle injury
Allen didn’t play in the second half after spraining his right ankle in Monday’s first half.
He checked out of the game with 3:19 left in the half with three points all on free throws. He only attempted two shots, missing both in 13 minutes.
Vogel said X-rays were negative, and that Allen is day-to-day. Allen has started every game he’s played this season in averaging 13.5 points and leading the NBA in 3-point shooting at 49.8%.
Jusuf Nurkic returned for Monday’s game after sitting out Sunday’s loss at the Magic. He suffered a left thumb sprain on his non-shooting hand in last week’s loss at Pacers.
Bol Bol remains out with right foot sprain has he has missed nine straight games with the injury. Damion Lee (knee) didn’t make the trip as he hasn’t played all season.
Up next: Durant’s return to Brooklyn
This will be Durant’s first game in Brooklyn since the blockbuster trade right before last season’s trade deadline that sent Mikal Bridges and Cam Johnson to the Nets.
Brooklyn won in Phoenix this season in the return of Bridges and Johnson to Phoenix.
The Nets (19-27) are 10th in the East as they got Ben Simmons back from back issues for Monday’s game against Utah. His had last played Nov. 6 against Milwaukee.
He’s only played in seven games this season.
More: Kevin Durant explains why doesn’t deserve a tribute video from Brooklyn Nets
Have opinions about the current state of the Suns? Reach Suns Insider Duane Rankin at dmrankin@gannett.com or contact him at 480-787-1240. Follow him on X, formerly Twitter, at @DuaneRankin.
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Miami, FL
Pair arrested in connection with armed home invasion robbery in Miami, cops say
MIAMI — Two men have been arrested in connection with an armed home invasion robbery in Miami last month in which investigators say masked suspects entered a home, pointed a gun at a victim and repeatedly demanded money before searching the residence.
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Miami police identified the suspects as 25-year-old Earl Gerry Baldwin and 21-year-old Zakis Kawone James, both of Miami-Dade.
According to arrest reports, officers responded to the home on April 4 after the victim reported that two masked men had entered the residence and robbed him at gunpoint.
The report states that he victim told investigators he was in the kitchen when two men wearing ski masks entered through an unlocked front door.
Police said shortly after, one of the intruders allegedly pointed a handgun at the victim and demanded cash, repeatedly asking, “Where’s the money?” as the two men searched the home.
Investigators said the gunman took the victim’s iPhone 16 Pro Max while both suspects searched bedrooms for money. The victim told police the suspects also asked about his younger brother before continuing their search.
According to the reports, the gunman kept the victim at gunpoint while the other suspect ransacked rooms throughout the home. After failing to find any money, the men left the victim inside his mother’s bedroom, closed the door and fled, investigators said.
Authorities said the victim then ran to a neighbor’s home and called police.
Detectives said surveillance footage obtained from nearby locations showed a silver Chevrolet Trailblazer parked near the home before the robbery.
According to the reports, video showed two suspects exiting the SUV and walking toward the residence before entering the home. Minutes later, the pair were seen running from the property and getting back into the vehicle, which drove away.
Investigators said license plate reader data identified the SUV and showed it traveling through Miami shortly after the robbery. Historical reader data and GPS records linked the vehicle to a residence in the 700 block of Northwest 65th Street, according to the reports.
Detectives said additional surveillance footage later captured Baldwin inside the SUV while wearing clothing matching what was seen during the robbery.
Investigators said they also identified him during a separate contact on May 15 and later obtained cellphone records and location data that allegedly placed his phone in the area of the robbery and traveling with the SUV before and after the crime.
According to James’ arrest report, detectives identified him through surveillance footage, a resident database search and facial recognition software.
Investigators also obtained surveillance footage showing James making a purchase at a Walmart in Miami Gardens after the robbery using a debit card in his name, the report states.
Police said cellphone data associated with James’ phone also placed him at the robbery scene and traveling with the SUV throughout the day.
On Thursday, detectives executed a search warrant at the Northwest 65th Street residence and took both men into custody, according to the reports.
Baldwin was transported to the Miami Police Department’s robbery office, where he was advised of his Miranda rights and invoked them, according to his arrest report.
James waived his Miranda rights and provided a statement to detectives, according to his arrest report. Details of the statement were redacted from the publicly released report.
Jail records show both men are each facing one count of armed robbery with home invasion.
As of Friday, both were being held at the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center, where their bonds were listed as “to be set.”
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Miami, FL
Ex-Miami Heat player Terry Rozier facing additional bribery charges in sports gambling sting
Federal prosecutors have indicted ex-Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier on additional charges in connection with a sports gambling sting, alleging he took a hefty bribe to exit a game early in March 2023.
Rozier, 32, was charged Thursday in a superseding indictment in Brooklyn federal court with bribery in sporting contests and honest services wire fraud conspiracy. Superseding indictments are used when prosecutors want to change or add new charges to an existing criminal case.
Rozier has denied participating in the gambling scheme, and has been fighting to have the case dismissed after pleading not guilty to wire fraud conspiracy and money laundering conspiracy charges in December. His attorneys argue in part that the government’s theory of the case — that he prevented sportsbooks from making informed decisions about accepting certain bets — runs afoul of a recent U.S. Supreme Court ruling that narrowed the federal wire fraud statute.
The new indictment “just confirms that our motion to dismiss was righteous — new charges, new theories, but all just an effort to make something stick,” Rozier’s attorney, Jim Trusty, wrote in an email to The Associated Press.
Rozier was arrested in October along with former NBA player Damon Jones, who pleaded guilty last month for his role in schemes to defraud major sportsbooks including DraftKings and FanDuel. Others charged in the case include sports bettor and influencer Marves Fairley, who pleaded guilty Thursday to conspiracy, bribery and other federal charges in connection with gambling schemes targeting basketball games in the U.S. and China.
Rozier remains free on $3 million bond. The case has kept him off the court this season.
The new indictment alleges that Rozier not only defrauded sportsbooks, but also the NBA and the team he was playing for at the time, the Charlotte Hornets.
Rozier is accused of conspiring with gamblers to leave a game early, citing a lingering lower leg injury, so they could cash in on more than $250,000 in bets that his points, assists and other totals would be lower than what the sportsbooks had set as betting lines.
Not all of the bets were successful because Rozier collected four rebounds, which was more than the betting line, the superseding indictment said. As a result, after the game, Rozier and his co-conspirators negotiated a discount on his bribe, cutting it from $100,000 to about $70,000, the superseding indictment said.
The new indictment against Rozier was filed within hours of the guilty pleas by Fairley, who goes by the name “Vezino Locks” on Instagram. As part of his plea, Fairley admitted to prosecutors’ allegations that he used insider information to get an edge when betting on NBA, NCAA and Chinese Professional Basketball League games — including paying Rozier’s longtime friend $100,000 in exchange for a tip that Rozier was going to leave a game early.”
Fairley’s attorney Eric Siegle said his client “deeply regrets and is ashamed of his conduct.”
“By publicly acknowledging his guilt and conduct today, Marves is taking the first step toward atoning for his wrongful conduct and to starting his ‘second half’ on the right foot,” Siegle said. ____ Associated Press reporter Michael R. Sisak contributed from New York. Boone reported from Boise, Idaho.
Miami, FL
Miami’s Jai Lucas Tackles Year Two With A New Roster and New Goal
One good season can set the standard of what the Miami Hurricanes can be for the future under Jai Lucas.
Lucas nearly broke many single-season records as a first-year head coach, but that didn’t stop him from learning from mistakes that could have helped him improve the following season. However, he has three returning players, so it is a brand new team for the upstart head coach.
Yeah, for me it’s like coaching a whole new team,” Lucas said on an appearance on the “Hoops HQ” basketball podcast. “I think something that goes into the past is you have something that fits, and you just try to rinse and repeat. That’s kind of how a lot of programs are built. But now with this portal era, you don’t know what you’re going to get every year. My team looks completely different than before, so I had to build it differently.”
Lucas dove into some of his transfer targets and why they fit well with the Canes, starting with his new star point guard, Acaden Lewis.
“It started with being able to get a really good point guard,” Lucas said. “We had one last year in Tre Donaldson, and that’s where Acaden came into play. Having somebody you feel can run the team, but also has the ability to take over games. Watching his stuff in the portal and doing the analytics, he’s one of the best point guards in the country pound for pound with what he’s able to do and how he’s able to create.
“Like I talked about earlier, we had a prior relationship that went back to when I was at Duke and we recruited him there. So it was kind of an easy recruitment once the portal opened and I was able to talk to him.”
Lewis is complemented with the Canes new star defensive anchor Somto Cyril.
“Then I wanted a big, and that’s where Somto came in,” Lucas continued. “He played for a coach who is on staff now, Eric Pastrana, at Georgia, so that was kind of the relationship built there.
However, the biggest missing link from last season was shooting and depth. Lucas got that and loves how his team feels and looks heading into the summer.
“Once we got those two pieces along with Shelton and Dante, who we had coming back, the one thing I knew we missed last year and needed this year was shooting. That’s where Nick Dorn, Brent Bland, DeShawn Goode, and some of these other guys who will be high level complementary pieces came into play with our foundational pieces like Acaden, Shelton, Dante, Somto, those guys.
“Then we wanted to get more depth than we had last year where we played about six or seven. I wanted to be able to play eight plus, maybe nine this year. So we focused on that, focused on the shooting, but also wanted to have size. Nick’s size at 6 foot 7 and his ability to shoot, and what he did at Elon and then having it transfer over to what he was able to do in a Power Five conference, I felt was a fit for what we want to do here.”
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