MIAMI (AP) — Butler scored five straight points late to give Miami the lead, Max Strus led everyone with 24 and the Heat overcame a triple-double from Stephen Curry to beat the Golden State Warriors 116-109 on Tuesday night.
Butler scored 23 points, including a go-ahead three-point play with 1:48 left. Bam Adebayo scored 19, Duncan Robinson had 17 and Kyle Lowry 13 for Miami.
Curry had 23 points, 13 rebounds and 13 assists for the Warriors (3-5), who dropped their third straight and are 0-4 on the road. Andrew Wiggins added 21 points and Klay Thompson scored 19.
Curry had his 10th regular season triple-double. But a call that went Miami’s way denied him a chance to tie the game with 1:39 left.
Curry was hit on the hand by Butler as he tried a 3-pointer, with the Warriors down three. A foul was called, and Butler argued. That convinced Spoelstra to challenge the call.
It worked. The referees determined Butler hit Curry on the hand after the ball was gone; Butler said he also hit the ball first.
The Warriors didn’t score again, and lost a game they led by 10 in the second half. Golden State’s 20 turnovers were turned into 28 Heat points — three of those turnovers being discontinued dribble calls against Jordan Poole.
Warriors coach Steve Kerr said the NBA sent out an email Tuesday about that infraction. He didn’t read it.