RECAP
|
BOX SCORE
|
 GAME FLOW
WASHINGTON (AP) -- The Miami Heat finally figured out how to
avoid a fourth-quarter collapse: Play passionately from behind.
Eddie Jones scored 11 of his 20 points in the fourth quarter as
Miami rallied for a 93-90 victory over the Washington Wizards on
Saturday night.
Anthony Mason scored 20 points and Tim Hardaway 18 for the Heat,
who have beaten Washington in eight straight games and won 12 of
13 against the Wizards.
The Heat's penchant for blowing big last-period leads wasn't an
issue after a 17-point third quarter left them trailing 67-59.
"A lot of times in the fourth quarter, we'll be up and let our
guards down and let other teams come back and catch us," said
Hardaway. "This time it was reversed."
Rod Strickland had 22 points for Washington, which lost its
third straight and dropped its fifth decision in six games.
Juwan Howard scored 14 points and Mitch Richmond added 15 before
leaving with a knee injury late in the third period. Richmond will
not play in Sunday's game at Detroit.
Miami, which has won two straight road games, got a lift from
Jones -- who didn't feel he was in the offensive flow and was told
by Heat coach Pat Riley to create his own chances.
"Coach looked at me like, `Eddie, are you going to do anything
tonight?' I was ticked off because I felt like I wasn't helping the
team," Jones said. "I was just on the court, missing wide-open
shots, not rebounding. I wasn't doing the things I normally do."
Jones scored the first four points of a 17-6 run at the start of
the fourth quarter as the Heat rallied from a nine-point deficit
and took a 76-73 lead on Hardaway's 3-pointer with 7:03 remaining.
The Wizards, who shot 4-for-14 from the field in the fourth
quarter, rallied. Strickland scored four points in an 8-0 spurt and
tied the game at 82 with a pair of free throws with 2:57 remaining.
Washington's Richard Hamilton tied the game at 90 with a minute
left, but the Wizards failed to sustain the comeback.
Miami's Anthony Carter was fouled by Gerard King with 36.2
seconds remaining and converted one of two free throws for a 91-90
lead.
Strickland was stripped of the ball by Carter on a drive through
the lane with 24 seconds to go. Mason converted two free throws
with 12.2 seconds left and Brian Shaw blocked a 3-point try by Hamilton
with 4.9 seconds remaining.
Wizards coach Leonard Hamilton said his team missed Richmond in
the decisive fourth quarter.
"We don't have the type of team that can absorb the loss of a
guy like Mitch Richmond and be just as efficient," Hamilton said.
"His maturity was missed down the stretch. We can't win unless all
our parts are working."
Washington made its first seven shots from the field and held a
15-12 lead with 7:29 remaining in the first quarter. The Wizards
were hampered by the absence of Howard, who went to the bench with
two fouls 53 seconds into the game.
Mason had 11 points in the first half, and the Heat closed out
the second quarter with an 8-2 run for a 42-39 lead at the break.
Baskets by Strickland bookended an 18-6 run by Washington at the
start of the second half as the Wizards charged to a 57-48 lead.
Game notes
Hardaway's 3-pointer 2:57 into the game helped Miami extend
its NBA record for consecutive games with a 3-pointer to 524. ...
Forward Tyrone Nesby, obtained in a trade with the Los Angeles
Clippers on Nov. 28, made his Wizards debut, launching an airball
on his first field-goal attempt. ... Miami's 34 wins against the
Wizards are its most against an opponent. ... Leonard
Hamilton drew a technical foul in the first period -- his first as
an NBA coach and the third of his 28-year coaching career.
|
|
NBA Scoreboard
Miami Clubhouse
Washington Clubhouse
RECAPS
Atlanta 101
Milwaukee 94
Charlotte 94
Utah 89
Philadelphia 112
Cleveland 78
Orlando 95
New Jersey 74
New York 100
Minnesota 90
Miami 93
Washington 90
Portland 96
Houston 85
Denver 103
Seattle 92
Dallas 97
Golden State 78
|
