Jimmy Butler has 35, Miami gets needed win over Dallas, 129-122

MIAMI (AP) —Miami was desperate. So was Dallas.

Jimmy Butlerand the Heat had just enough to help their playoff position — whiledealing the Mavericks a big blow.

Butler had 35points and 12 assists, Cody Zeller added 20 points and the Heatheld off the Mavericks 129-122 on Saturday night to snap athree-game losing streak.

Max Strus andKevin Love each scored 18 and Tyler Herro added 15 for the Heat.Miami won despite allowing Dallas to shoot a season-best 61%.

“I wouldn’tnecessarily have drawn it up this way,” Heat coach Erik Spoelstrasaid.

Luka Doncicwas brilliant again for Dallas, finishing with 42 points, 10rebounds and eight assists. Tim Hardaway Jr. had 31 points andKyrie Irving added 23 points and eight assists for theMavericks.

“A win is awin,” Butler said. “I don’t like the fact that they shot 61%. But Ido like the fact that we finally won a game.”

The Mavs hadbeen 7-0 this season when shooting at least 54%, and fell to 30-2all-time, including playoffs, in games where they shot at least60%.

“Our defensewas nonexistent,” Dallas coach Jason Kidd said. “Couldn’t getstops.”

Both clubswent to the conference finals last season; the Heat are trying toget out of the play-in round, and the Mavericks are trying to justhave a shot at the playoffs.

The win movesMiami (41-37) closer to securing no worse than the No. 7 seed andmost advantageous spot in the Eastern Conference play-intournament. The Heat are now 2 1/2 games ahead of both No. 8Atlanta (38-39) and No. 9 Toronto (also 38-39).

Miami movedwithin 1 1/2 games of No. 6 Brooklyn (42-35). Even if the Heat winout and finish with 45 wins, the Nets — who hold the head-to-headtiebreaker — would only need to go 3-2 in their final five games toensure they would finish ahead of Miami.

Meanwhile,it’s a big blow to Dallas (37-41).

The Mavs fella full game back of No. 10 Oklahoma City (38-40) in the race forthe last Western Conference play-in spot, and worse, the Thunderown the head-to-head tiebreaker. Dallas is now two games back ofNo. 9 Minnesota (39-39) and just a half-game ahead of No. 12 Utah(36-41).

“Just got toplay hard, play with desperation and anything can happen,” Hardawaysaid. “Anything can happen.”

Miami changedits starting lineup, partly out of necessity. Center Bam Adebayodidn’t play because of a right hip contusion, so Zeller — startinga game for the first time since May 15, 2021, for Charlotte — tookhis spot and Strus took the forward starting spot that had beenheld by Love since he joined the Heat in February.

The movespaid immediate dividends. Strus was 3 for 3, all 3-pointers, in hisfirst shift. Love was 3 for 3 from the field and 6 for 6 from theline for 13 points in his first 8 minutes off the bench, and Zellerhad 12 points by halftime.

“K-Love isalways, always has been about winning,” Butler said. “As long as wewin, he’s not going to complain.”

It all helpedadd up to the third highest-scoring first half in Heat history:Miami led 76-64 at the break, stretched the lead to 18 in thesecond half — then had to hang on in the final moments anyway.

TIP-INS

Mavericks:Dallas’ string of three consecutive winning regular seasons willend. The best the Mavs can finish is 41-41. ... The Mavs fell to5-16 in games where they allow more than 100 points. ... Dallas hadone offensive rebound.

Heat:Butler’s 16 first-quarter points were his second-most in anyquarter this season. He had 17 in the third quarter againstMilwaukee on Feb. 4. … Miami will finish with a record of at least.500 for the fourth consecutive year and the 24th time in its 35seasons.

WHAT’S LEFT

Dallas playsits final road game of the regular season at Atlanta on Sunday,then finishes with home games against Sacramento, Chicago and SanAntonio.

Miami startsa trip to Detroit, Philadelphia and Washington on Tuesday, beforefinishing at home April 9 against Orlando.

UPNEXT

Mavericks:Visit Atlanta on Sunday.

Heat: VisitDetroit on Tuesday.