MIAMI — Nikola Jovic came off the bench to score a career-best 29 points, adding nine rebounds and seven assists, as the Miami Heat held off the Portland Trail Blazers 136–131 on Saturday night.
Norman Powell contributed 22 points for Miami, while Pelle Larsson added 16. Andrew Wiggins had 15 points, and Jaime Jaquez Jr. posted 14 points, 12 rebounds, and seven assists. Kel’el Ware also pulled down 12 rebounds. Jovic’s previous career-high was 24 points.
For Portland, Deni Avdija continued his strong season, scoring 33 points. Shaedon Sharpe totaled 21, and both Jrue Holiday and Jerami Grant chipped in 18 points each. The game marked the beginning of a five-game road trip for the Trail Blazers.
The matchup remained close throughout the final quarter, with neither side leading by more than four points until the closing minutes.
Holiday connected from deep with 3:26 remaining to tie it at 123–123, setting up a tense finish.
Soon after, Wiggins drilled a three-pointer with 1:32 to go, giving Miami a 132–127 edge. The Heat maintained control from there, remaining unbeaten at home at 4–0 this season.
Despite a cold start on Saturday, missing 14 of their first 15 shots and trailing 15–3 early, Miami quickly turned things around to secure the win.
Jovic’s breakout performance lifted the Heat to another home victory, highlighting Miami’s depth and resilience after a rough start.