The Lakers went up by 13 with three minutes left to go in the third quarter on a Derek Fisher three-pointer. But the Heat went on a 13-4 run to close out the third period, including two three-point plays, to make it a 73-77 game heading into the final stanza of play.
Dwyane Wade's finger roll with 7:24 left to play made it an 84-88 game, but it would be Wade's last points of the game. It is hard to believe that one of the League's best fourth-quarter performers would not score for the final seven minutes of a tough ball game, but Miami's superstar guard still made an impact in other ways.
An example? Wade's transition alley-oop pass to Michael Beasley gave the Heat a 90-89 lead with 5:32 left to go. The Lakers made a mini-run to make it 100-93 with just under three minutes to play. But when Wade didn't score, it was Beasley picking up the slack for him. That's something you want out of a sidekick.
Beasley scored Miami's next 10 points to pull within 100-102 with less than a minute to go. On the Lakers' ensuing possession, Wade stole the ball from Kobe Bryant after he tried to set up a pick-and-roll play with Pau Gasol. Udonis Haslem dove towards the hoop for a slam that tied the game at 102 all with 38 seconds left. Coach Erik Spoelstra's team could force a miss and have a chance to win it at the buzzer, if only one red shirt could grab a rebound.
Bryant missed a shot with 18 seconds left to give L.A. the lead, but Andrew Bynum's long arms tipped the ball back in to put the Lakers up 104-102.Wade got a first step on Bryant and drove into the paint. The L.A. defense collapsed on Wade, and the 6-foot-4 guard out of Marquette dished it to a wide open Chris Quinn in the corner. Quinn's attempt to give Miami a 105-104 lead with seven seconds left went off the rim. Haslem intentionally fouled Vladimir Randamovic, and the L.A. 6-foot-10 forward sunk both free throws. It was a four-point game with six seconds left.
Daequan Cook nailed a triple two seconds later to make it a 105-106 game with four seconds to go. The Lakers got the ball to the reigning season MVP, Bryant. He made both free throws after Haslem intentionally fouled him; and Cook's contested three-pointer to tie the game at the buzzer got nothing but air to end the game with a 108-105 decision.
Wade finished with 27 points on 10-of-22 shooting, five rebounds, nine assists, two steals and two blocked shots. Beasley added 23 points on 10-of-16 shooting, five rebounds and two steals in only 22 minutes. I would have liked to see more of Beasley than just 22 minutes, and feel that he is playing well enough on both sides of the court to start.
Cook finished with 17 points on five-of-nine shooting from three-point range. Shawn Marion added 12 on 6-of-12 shooting, eight rebounds and two steals. Mario Chalmers struggled offensively, getting into early foul trouble and only playing nine minutes. Therefore, Quinn played major minutes (32 in all) and finished with 12 points on 5-of-12 shooting, just one turnover and seven assists. That three-pointer to potentially give Miami the lead, however, will be what most people remember from Quinn last night. Defensively, the athletic Jordan Farmar was injured, and Quinn's defensive liabilities were masked.
Overall, the Heat played good defense. Kobe Bryant shot just 5-for-14 from the field and Pau Gasol shot 4-of-15 from the field. Already without Lamar Odom, one could argue that the Lakers' three best players did not play well. Unfortunately for the Heat, Radmanovic hit four triples and Bynum took advantage of Miami's lack of size. The Lakers out-rebounded the Heat 53-38.
I would have liked to see more of Jamaal Magloire in this game. The Heat's tallest, biggest player grabbed seven rebounds in just 16 minutes. When he played last night, Miami was + 7. With Joel Anthony's productivity diminishing steadily, there is no question as to who should be starting at center for the Heat. If Spoelstra doesn't want to go with a three-forward lineup, he should at least get some size and rebounding with Magloire in the starting unit.
James Jones only played seven minutes last night, attempting only one shot. It was a three-pointer from the right corner that barely grazed the rim. It is not be overstated, even with Jones' preseason wrist surgery. Jones' minutes should steadily increase, and his production will be a key factor in where Shawn Marion will end up after the trade deadline.
The Heat will get a day off before engaging in its only back-to-back sequence of the seven-game road trip, starting Tuesday in Minnesota.
Heat News
Los Angeles Lakers coach Phil Jackson said that Dwyane Wade gets an assist from officials after his team's win over Miami. He specifically spoke of traveling and carrying violations that, he says, the referees turn a blind eye to.
"What he's really been able to do is that pick-up move, that the Europeans really have brought in," Jackson said. "We all would consider that a walk move: Pick up the ball, take two steps, that's two and a half steps. And he's been able to get a long distance on that.
"His ability to carry the ball right now, he's getting away with that. He [carries] left to right, right to left, but he just does it fast, so nobody sees it, I guess."
Jackson, of course, coached Michael Jordan, who was also accused of taking an extra step or two during his Chicago championship days.
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