Miami Heat guard Dion Waiters had his season debut against the Los Angeles Clippers Friday night, coming off the bench in the first quarter. He was greeted with a standing ovation in the American Airlines Arena, eventually becoming part of Miami’s 24-9 run on the fourth quarter. Waiters’ contribution included spectacular plays on both ends of the floor, including two blocks and a clutch three-pointer with less than a minute left on the clock.

Dion Waiters played for the first time this season after Miami went down with only 10 available players, with the likes of Kendrick Nunn and Goran Dragic missing the game. The 6’3” shooting guard’s season started off tumultuous, having been suspended thrice for off-court issues. Thankfully, these problems were not translated on the court, as he ended up with 14 points, 4 rebounds, and an assist in 18 minutes of play.

Fellow Heat player Jimmy Butler also contributed to his team with 20 points, but left midway through the fourth quarter after seemingly turning his right ankle.

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Although the Miami Heat overcame a huge 18-point deficit and kept close at 118-115 with 34 seconds remaining, courtesy of Waiter’s clutch shot, they eventually lost the game after Los Angeles Clippers superstar Kawhi Leonard sealed it with a perfect 4-for-4 from the free throw line. The Clippers small forward also put up impressive numbers for the night, notably recording his first career triple double with 33 points, 10 rebounds, and 10 assists in 39 minutes of play.

The Heat currently stand second on the Eastern Conference with a record of 31-14, surprising many of the team’s doubters. With Friday night’s game, they fell to a 20-2 home record, losing the other game to another Los Angeles team, the Lakers. They have a chance to improve this still impressive record, however, when they host the seventh-seeded Orlando Magic on Monday.