Sharpe scores 27 points as Trail Blazers beat Heat 127-110 for 4th straight win

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — Shaedon Sharpe scored 27 points and had seven rebounds and four steals, and the Portland Trail Blazers extended their winning streak to four games with a 127-110 victory over the Miami Heat on Thursday night.

Deni Avdija added 20 points before leaving with a back injury. Caleb Love also had 20 points, Toumani Camara had 16 and Jrue Holiday 15 for the Trail Blazers, who led by as many as 21 and won for the 11th time in 14 games. Their 9-2 mark in January is the best in the NBA.

At 23-22, it's the first time the Trail Blazers are over .500 through 45 games since the 2020-2021 season.

Bam Adebayo scored 32 points and grabbed 10 rebounds for the Heat. Norman Powell added 18 points and Simone Fontecchio had 17.

The Trail Blazers led 64-63 at halftime and pulled away with a 17-2 run in the third quarter that put them up by 17. Sharpe led the way with a team-high 24 second-half points.

The Trail Blazers made 20 3-pointers, with Sharpe shooting 5 of 9 from beyond the arc, compared to the Heat making just nine.

Heat: Play at Utah on Saturday night.

Trail Blazers: Host Toronto on Friday night.

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AP NBA: https://apnews.com/NBA

Portland Trail Blazers forward Toumani Camara (33) drives to the basket as Miami Heat guard Pelle Larsson (9) defends during the first half of an NBA basketball game Thursday, Jan. 22, 2026, in Portland, Ore. (AP Photo/Amanda Loman)

Portland Trail Blazers forward Jerami Grant (9) shoots over Miami Heat forward Nikola Jovic (5) during the second half of an NBA basketball game Thursday, Jan. 22, 2026, in Portland, Ore. (AP Photo/Amanda Loman)

Miami Heat center Bam Adebayo, left, drives to the basket as Portland Trail Blazers center Donovan Clingan (23) defends during the first half of an NBA basketball game Thursday, Jan. 22, 2026, in Portland, Ore. (AP Photo/Amanda Loman)

Miami Heat guard Norman Powell (24) shoots against the Portland Trail Blazers during the first half of an NBA basketball game Thursday, Jan. 22, 2026, in Portland, Ore. (AP Photo/Amanda Loman)

Portland Trail Blazers guard Shaedon Sharpe (17) drives to the basket as Miami Heat center Bam Adebayo (13) defends during the second half of an NBA basketball game Thursday, Jan. 22, 2026, in Portland, Ore. (AP Photo/Amanda Loman)

CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) — The U.S. military conducted a rapid response exercise involving Marines and military aircraft in Venezuela’s capital Saturday, over four months after the ouster of then-President Nicolás Maduro.

Two Marine Corps Osprey aircraft, which have characteristics of both a helicopter and a fixed-wing airplane, flew over the recently reopened U.S. Embassy in Caracas. They landed in the parking lot with the downdraft blowing tree branches. Forces then descended from the aircraft.

“Ensuring the military’s rapid response capability is a key component of mission readiness, both here in Venezuela and around the world,” the embassy said on Instagram.

Venezuela’s government had announced the drill earlier this week. Foreign Minister Yván Gil said the U.S. would conduct the exercise to prepare “in the event of medical emergencies or catastrophic emergencies.”

The drill comes almost two months after the U.S. formally reopened its embassy in Caracas. The reopening followed the restoration of full diplomatic relations with the South American country after Maduro 's ouster in early January.

Some Caracas residents Saturday gathered near the embassy to watch the aircraft, while a few dozen others gathered elsewhere in the city to protest the exercise. Protesters held a Venezuelan flag with the message “No to the Yankee drill” written over it.

U.S. military aircraft last flew over Caracas on Jan. 3, when elite forces rappelled down from helicopters and captured Maduro and his wife. Both were taken to New York to face drug trafficking charges. They have pleaded not guilty.

U.S. Embassy holds emergency and air evacuation drill in Caracas, Venezuela, Saturday, May 23, 2026. (AP Photo/Pedro Mattey)

U.S. Embassy holds emergency and air evacuation drill in Caracas, Venezuela, Saturday, May 23, 2026. (AP Photo/Pedro Mattey)

U.S. Embassy holds emergency and air evacuation drill in Caracas, Venezuela, Saturday, May 23, 2026. (AP Photo/Pedro Mattey)

A soldier looks down from a military aircraft as the U.S. Embassy holds an emergency and air evacuation drill in Caracas, Venezuela, Saturday, May 23, 2026. (AP Photo/Pedro Mattey)

U.S. Embassy holds emergency and air evacuation drill in Caracas, Venezuela, Saturday, May 23, 2026. (AP Photo/Pedro Mattey)