| |
RECAP
|
BOX SCORE
|
 GAME FLOW
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) -- Dan Majerle has made a 12-year career out of
his 3-point shooting, but he'd never had a game like this.
Majerle hit 9-of-10 3-pointers and scored a season-high 33
points to lead the Miami Heat over the Minnesota Timberwolves
116-106 Tuesday night.
His nine 3-pointers were a career-high, and he made six in a row
in the second half, capped by a 29-footer with 9:38 left in the
game.
"After my first two in the second half, I felt I had one of
those nights going," Majerle said. "I had made eight once before,
but never nine. I'm just old and over the hill, but I can still get
it done some nights."
Heat coach Pat Riley said of Majerle: "He's just a vintage NBA
guy. He gets by on guile and guts."
Majerle 3-pointers were one short of the Heat's franchise record
of 10, held by Brian Shaw. The NBA record for 3s in a game is 11,
set by Dennis Scott for Orlando in 1996.
Majerle also set a Target Center record for 3-pointers in a
game.
The Heat shot 56 percent from the floor and made 11-of-15 (73
percent) from behind the arc.
Miami led by as many as 21 points in the fourth quarter, but
Kevin Garnett brought the Wolves back. He scored a season-high 35
points, and his two free throws with 1:03 to play got the Wolves
within 109-104.
But another Heat 3-pointer, this time by Voshon Lenard, put the
game away.
"We played well, but we couldn't get crucial stops," Garnett
said. "We gave up 116 points, and that's not good enough to win."
The Heat has handed the Wolves their only two losses in
Minnesota's last 12 games. Unlike their Dec. 28 meeting, a
come-from-behind 89-78 Heat victory, Miami took the lead early, and
Majerle's 3-point shooting ensured the Heat kept it.
Majerle hit all four of 3-point attempts in the third quarter,
and each came at a time when Minnesota was in the process of making
a comeback.
The Wolves got as close as 10 points in the fourth quarter
before Majerle struck for two more 3-pointers. His final attempt,
from five feet behind the arc and with Terrell Brandon in his face,
gave the Heat a 93-78 lead.
"I looked up and saw four seconds left on the shot clock, so I
let it go," Majerle said. "I'd rather take that shot than dribble
two or three times and force it up."
Miami never trailed after taking an 11-10 lead on Alonzo
Mourning's dunk midway through the first quarter.
Otis Thorpe hit all six of his shots and scored 13 of his 15
points in the first half, which atoned for Mourning's foul trouble.
The Heat center picked up three early fouls and scored just 11
points.
"We put so much emphasis on stopping Mourning, and then Otis
Thorpe comes in and kills us," Garnett said.
Thorpe and Lenard came off the Heat bench and combined for 33
points on 15-of-19 shooting. Six Heat players reached double
figures, and point guard Anthony Carter handed out 13 assists.
"When someone is shooting like Dan was, you naturally are going
to key on him," Lenard said. "That's what happened and it gave me
a few good looks."
Game notes
Wally Szczerbiak returned to Minnesota's lineup after
missing the team's last five games with an inflamed right knee. He
hit his first two shots and scored four points in eight minutes.
... Miami had a season-high 38 assists. Its 116 points were the
most given up by Minnesota this season. ... The Heat's record of
22-11 is the same as its record at this point last season. ... This
was the teams' final meeting of the season. The Heat leads the
overall series 13-8.
| |
ALSO SEE
NBA Scoreboard
Miami Clubhouse
Minnesota Clubhouse
RECAPS
Washington 117
Toronto 89
New York 95
Chicago 88
Miami 116
Minnesota 106
Seattle 101
Phoenix 88
Dallas 109
Golden State 102
Sacramento 110
Houston 93
|
