Miller's Fourth-Quarter Miracle Sinks Miami, Charlotte Wins 115-110
Brandon Miller's free throw with 5:32 left in the fourth quarter swung the win probability from 98% in Miami's favor all the way down to 56%, turning what looked like a certain Charlotte loss into a 115-110 stunner. Miller finished with 34 points, 7 rebounds, and 4 assists — the engine of a comeback that Charlotte's roster willed into existence.
The first quarter alone was worth the price of admission. Charlotte bolted to a 9-2 lead behind Miller's running layup and a 26-foot pullup, but Miami answered with back-to-back threes from Klay Thompson — both fed by Davion Mitchell — to claw within one. Then Giannis Antetokounmpo went to the line four times in two possessions, pushing Miami ahead 12-9. Charlotte kept punching back: Naz Reid hit a 26-footer off a Dennis Schroder feed to flip the lead to 16-14, Miami surged back ahead with a Pelle Larsson layup and Bobby Portis free throws to make it 22-16, and the quarter's final two minutes were pure chaos — a Tidjane Salaun three tied it at 24, Portis converted an and-one to make it 27-24, Grayson Allen answered with a 24-footer to tie it again at 27, and then Giannis scored a layup and a free throw in the final 25 seconds to put Miami up 31-29. Miller hit a 16-foot pullup at the 1.7-second mark to send it to the second quarter knotted at 31. That first period set the tone for everything that followed.
Schroder and Reid were indispensable all night. Schroder finished with 25 points, 6 rebounds, and 4 assists, while Reid — who looks like the most underrated piece on this Charlotte roster — posted 23 points, 9 rebounds, and 2 blocks. Grayson Allen chipped in 20 points, 3 rebounds, and 5 assists. For Miami, Davion Mitchell ran the offense with precision — 22 points and 10 assists — and Bam Adebayo added 20 points, 8 rebounds, and 4 assists. On paper, Miami had the firepower. On the scoreboard, they came up five short.
The story of the night was Charlotte's refusal to fold. When Miller stepped to the line in the fourth quarter with Charlotte's season — or at least this game — seemingly gone at 98% Miami win probability, he converted both free throws and the entire complexion shifted. From that moment, Charlotte appears to have seized control and never let go, closing out a 115-110 win. Seven Charlotte players were listed as DNP by coach's decision, meaning the rotation was tight and the guys who played had to deliver. They did. Miller's 34-point performance was the centerpiece, but this was a collective effort — and one that Miami, with Giannis, Thompson, Mitchell, and Adebayo all contributing, will want back.