Heat vs. Hornets: Game 3 Score and Twitter Reaction from 2016 NBA Playoffs

The Charlotte Hornets are winners in the playoffs for the first time in 14 years after their 96-80 Game 3 triumph over the Miami Heat in Charlotte on Saturday to cut Miami's series lead to 2-1.

You'd have to go back to May 9, 2002, to find the last time the Hornets won a playoff game. Baron Davis and David Wesley combined for 48 points on that day to help Charlotte secure a 115-97 win over the New Jersey Nets.

This year's Hornets got more than a two-person contribution, led by Jeremy Lin's team-high 18 points. He was one of six players to score in double figures for Charlotte. Kemba Walker also chipped in with 17 points.

The Hornets sent out a celebratory tweet after the win:

After scoring 115-plus points in each of the first two games in Miami, the Heat shot only 34.2 percent from the field Saturday. Luol Deng had a game-high 19 points after a 12-point first quarter, and Dwyane Wade had 17 points on 20 shots.

The Hornets were without starting small forward Nicolas Batum, who suffered a left foot strain. Marvin Williams got the start for Charlotte, but that wasn’t the only change head coach Steve Clifford made to his lineup.

Rookie Frank Kaminsky, who started only three games in the regular season, got the start at center, and big man Al Jefferson also entered the starting lineup for only the second time since Nov. 29.

The backcourt remained the same, with Walker and Courtney Lee. This lineup, however, hardly saw any time together during the regular season, per Manny Navarro of the Miami Herald:

Clifford’s lineup change allowed the Hornets to stretch the floor, with Kaminsky stepping away from the rim on offense. Charlotte improved on the boards in Game 2, but Game 1’s 42-28 rebounding deficit was still a concern for the Hornets.

It worked in the first quarter, with Charlotte gaining an 11-10 rebounding advantage. The difference, despite Charlotte shooting 45 percent from the floor and taking a 29-28 lead after the first 12 minutes, was the Hornets having zero turnovers. Miami, meanwhile, turned it over three times.

While adding Kaminsky to the starting lineup was meant to make a difference offensively, it was another story with the former Wisconsin Badgers star having to guard Deng at the other end. After averaging 23.5 points in the first two games, Deng got off to another hot start by making all four of his three-point attempts in the first quarter.

It was looking like a repeat of Game 1 all over again, when Deng scored 31 points, and ESPN.com’s Zach Lowe switched to the game just in time:

This was a matchup the Heat were willing to take advantage of all game, and Rick Bonnell of the Charlotte Observer noted the Hornets needed to make a change soon:

Clifford did just that in the second quarter, going with Lee and Williams as the primary defenders on Deng. After playing nearly seven minutes in the second stanza, Deng did not get a shot off or score a single point.

Meanwhile, Lin and Williams worked together to create some additional offense for Charlotte, such as this give-and-go with His Airness’ approval, per NBA on TNT:

Without Deng’s offensive contributions, the Heat scored only 16 points on 5-of-22 shooting in the second quarter, while the Hornets grabbed a 49-44 lead heading into the locker room.

Another advantage Charlotte had with Jefferson back in the starting lineup was his matchup with the taller and athletic Hassan Whiteside. Not only could Jefferson bring the league's leading shot-blocker away from the rim, but he could also use his post skills to slow down Whiteside. It helped that Whiteside was in foul trouble, per Steve Reed of the Associated Press:

Miami got back into the game early in the third quarter by going on a 7-0 run to tie the score at 51-51 with 8:24 remaining. In the final 8:24, the Heat scored only seven more points. Charlotte closed the third on a 22-5 run thanks in large part to the play of Kaminsky, who scored 13 points in the frame.

During that run, TNT broadcaster Ian Eagle had the call of the playoffs, per Matt Moore of CBS Sports:

It was a euphoric scene inside Time Warner Cable Arena, and Gerald Bourguet of Hoops Habit may have found the perfect way to describe what Charlotte fans were thinking as the quarter went on:

The tide turned permanently once Lin hit a deep three from the right wing, via NBA on TNT:

Williams finished with a double-double of 12 points and 14 rebounds in 36 minutes, while Kaminsky finished with 15 points and six rebounds in 35 minutes. Cody Zeller also had 12 points and eight rebounds in 26 minutes off the bench.

This was the type of performance the Hornets expected. They win games with defense and by sharing the basketball, and that's what they did Saturday night. For the first time all series, Miami looked vulnerable and rattled by Charlotte's defense.

With one more game at Time Warner Cable Arena before the series shifts back to American Airlines Arena, the Hornets have all of the momentum heading into Game 4 on Monday.

Postgame Reaction

Clifford acknowledged size has been an issue for the Hornets in this series, hence why he decided to make the change in the lineup.

"Watching the film," he said, per Ira Winderman of the Florida Sun Sentinel, "the size has been a real problem for us. I think by playing bigger more, hopefully we can have a better chance out there."

Clifford also got some sound advice when it came to Kaminsky, per Justin Verrier of ESPN.com:

The Hornets' sixth man took to Twitter to thank the Charlotte fans after leading his team in scoring on Saturday:

Jason Lieser of the Palm Beach Post noted the Heat locker room was not concerned after this loss, and even Wade expected this to take place:

Heat coach Erik Spoelstra also added Charlotte's two reserves were the reasons why it won this game.

"Kaminsky and Lin gave them a big boost tonight," Spoelstra said, per Lieser.