Norman Powell raining threes as Heat take down the Pelicans

It was a quick turnaround for the Miami Heat, coming off a Saturday night loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves before matching up with the New Orleans Pelicans just 24 hours later.

Jaime Jaquez Jr was out for Miami after tweaking his ankle a night ago, while Nikola Jovic, Bam Adebayo and Pelle Larsson were available.

Tyler Herro was also made available, but wasn't going to play as they ramp him up heading into the road trip.

The Heat's offense got back on track against this poor Pelicans defense, as Miami pulled away in the second half, winning five of their last six games.

So let's discuss some takeaways from tonight's game specifically:

1. Norman Powell letting it fly aggressively.

Jan 3, 2026; Miami, Florida, USA; Miami Heat guard Norman Powell (24) reacts after scoring against the Minnesota Timberwolves during the third quarter at Kaseya Center. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images | Sam Navarro-Imagn Images

Before you could even get to your seats at the Kaseya Center on Sunday night, Norman Powell already recorded three triples in flashy fashion. Off the catch launches, logo transition pull-ups, and even the usual contact draw before finishing the jumper plus the foul. He had 20 points by halftime along with 5 triples. There's usually a feel when Powell is going to have the opportunity to be overly aggressive, and this Pelicans defense is one of them. The game was so up-tempo, that it was easy to lose him on that perimeter. When he finds that type of flow early in a game, there's no slowing him down with that ultra-green light.

2. Nikola Jovic's scoring pop without Jaime Jaquez Jr.

Dec 29, 2025; Miami, Florida, USA; Miami Heat forward Nikola Jovic (5) reacts after scoring against the Denver Nuggets during the third quarter at Kaseya Center. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images | Sam Navarro-Imagn Images

Without the Heat's sixth man of the year candidate, who was going to step up off the bench in the scoring column? It was Nikola Jovic immediately upon entering. Transition coast to coast drives, catch and go's in the half-court, and confident spot-ups from deep. He had 15 points by the halfway mark, and led the team in shot attempts at halftime by a decent margin. He has his confidence and rhythm back it appears, so Miami has to lean into it. These games are a perfect opportunity to stack positive days, and that's exactly what he did. An interesting on-court trend to watch for is his left side finishing. Maybe it's defenses pushing him that way or the right arm injury forcing it, but he keeps finding a way to get to the rim in that left slot.

3. From bench trash talker to rotation minutes for one Heat player.

Nov 26, 2025; Miami, Florida, USA; Miami Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra reacts against the Milwaukee Bucks during the first half of an NBA Cup game at Kaseya Center. Mandatory Credit: Rhona Wise-Imagn Images | Rhona Wise-Imagn Images

Myron Gardner has been making an impact for some time now for the Heat, even without checking in. Often chirping at opposing players on the floor, even leading to technical fouls at times. He had a good run late in the Timberwolves game a night ago, as he ran off some points and even forced Jaden McDaniels into a tech. One night later, he's the 10th man checking in with real rotation minutes. He's a scrappy defensive player who is physical on drives and works the boards on both ends. He even got opposing big man Derik Queen riled up heading into a timeout. In Gardner's true rotation debut, he made an impact with his effort.