AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee
The Miami Heat edged the Oklahoma City Thunder with a one-point victory on Tuesday night, and it was all because of a historic performance from the free-throw line.
The Heat set a recent NBA record by making all 40 of their free throws, the last of which got here with 12.9 seconds left on a three-point play by star forward Jimmy Butler to seal the 112-111 win.
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The Heat won by 1 point. pic.twitter.com/goPO9jKkEs
Miami surpassed the previous mark of 39 free throws and not using a miss set by the Utah Jazz in 1982.
“It’s just a standard Tuesday night for the Miami Heat,” head coach Erik Spoelstra said. “I feel that is after we feel most alive, when every little thing just happens and when all of our competitive juices get on the market. That is the team all of us can relate to. That is the team I like.”
Butler spearheaded the record-breaking effort, making all 23 of his free throws on his approach to a game-high 35 points within the victory. The charity stripe saved what would have been an off-night for the six-time All-Star, as he shot just 6-of-17 from the sphere.
