Portland Trail Blazers at Miami Heat

Dragic leads Heat by Blazers in Whiteside's return, 122-111

As often is the case for Miami, bench guys came up big.

"It doesn't matter for us who's playing or not," Dragic said. "We don't use excuses."

It was Johnson's first minutes since Nov. 27.

"I've been in every situation that this league can offer, honestly," Johnson said. "I know for sure it can be worse."

Tyler Herro scored 11 points for Miami, as did Meyers Leonard in his first game against his former team.

Damian Lillard led Portland with 34 points and 12 assists. Former Heat center Hassan Whiteside, booed almost every time he touched the ball, finished with 21 points and 18 rebounds for Portland.

"It felt weird at first," Whiteside said of playing against his former club. "But a lot of them guys I haven't played with. There were a few guys out there that I actually knew."

Both teams were missing starters unexpectedly. Miami was without Butler, ruled out because of back soreness. Portland played without the services of CJ McCollum for the first time this season; he was out with an upper-respiratory infection.

"Any time one of your best players is not on the floor you're going to be less of a team," Lillard said. "We're professionals and that's when you turn to the next guy. ... It's tough not having him but they didn't have their best player.

Anfernee Simons scored 19 points off the bench for Portland, which cut a 24-point deficit to nine in the third quarter but no closer.

"Whatever word you want to use, we didn't compete hard enough in the first half," Portland coach Terry Stotts said. "They had us on our heels from the outset."

Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said he still roots for Whiteside, who spent five years with Miami and got traded this summer as part of the series of moves that allowed the Heat to land Butler.

TIP-INS

Heat: Justise Winslow (bone bruise in back) missed his 15th consecutive game, though is apparently on the cusp of returning. ... Johnson played for the first time since Nov. 27 and for just the second time at home all season. ... Dion Waiters was available but still hasn't played this season. ... It was "Kids Day" and Spoelstra held his oldest son Santiago on-court for the national anthem.

TENANT VS. LANDLORD

YEAGER HONORED

UP NEXT

Trail Blazers: Visit Toronto on Tuesday, the fourth game on their five-game road swing.

Heat: Visit Indiana on Wednesday to start a three-game trip, also to Brooklyn and New York.

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Regular Season Series

MIA leads series 1-0