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A chippy fourth quarter that resulted in four players ejected stole the spotlight from the Miami Heat’s 106-95 victory over the New Orleans Pelicans on Friday night.
Jimmy Butler, who was among those ejected, made it clear he believes the Heat will get the best of the Pelicans when they play again on March 22.
“We’ll beat them the next time too,” Butler told reporters after the game. “We’re just a better team. Our team is so ready for anything that anybody’s thrown at us. We’re so together, playing some incredible basketball. I don’t think it matters who we go up against right now. It’s that time of the year.”
A scuffle broke out early in the fourth quarter when Zion Williamson stole the ball from Butler and was going for a layup, but Kevin Love held him to prevent the easy basket. Pelicans forward Naji Marshall ran up and appeared to shove Love in the back.
Butler, standing next to Love, defended his teammate by stepping up to Marshall. Marshall put his hand around Butler’s neck before Jose Alvarado and Thomas Bryant also got involved
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HEAT-PELICANS SCUFFLE. 4 players EJECTED. 😳😳 pic.twitter.com/Z1VU5AIsM9
Butler, Marshall, Alvarado and Bryant were all ejected from the game after an official review. Butler suggested after the game that Williamson flopped on the play, while also saying he didn’t think he should have been thrown out.
Williamson didn’t sound too bothered by Love’s actions, saying he “actually protected me on my fall.”
The next meeting between the Heat and Pelicans will be played at Kaseya Center in Miami.
As Butler noted, the Heat appear to be turning a corner now that it’s “that time of the year.” They have won three straight and five of their last six games. The reigning Eastern Conference champs are six games over .500 (31-25) for the first time since Jan. 19.
Butler finished with 23 points on 7-of-12 shooting, nine rebounds and six assists in 27 minutes. He has scored at least 20 points in seven of his last eight games.
Friday’s loss snapped a four-game winning streak for the Pelicans. They remain in fifth place in the Western Conference standings with a 34-23 record, but are tied in the loss column with the Dallas Mavericks (33-23) and Sacramento Kings (32-23).
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