Heat pass Bobcats for 6th in East
March 21, 2010
MIAMI (AP)—Quentin Richardson(notes) scored all 18 of his points on first-half3-pointers, Michael Beasley(notes) added 16 points and the Miami Heat beat Charlotte77-71 on Saturday night to pass the Bobcats for sixth place in the EasternConference.
Dwyane Wade(notes) had 14 points on a poor shooting night, but made up for it withnine assists and five blocks to help Miami move a half-game ahead of Charlotte.
Stephen Jackson(notes) led Charlotte with 18 points, Gerald Wallace(notes) added 15points, and Boris Diaw(notes) had 12. The Bobcats won the season series 3-1.
After putting together a 9-0 run midway through the third to take aone-point lead, Charlotte failed to score a basket for the final 4:30 of theperiod—and the the drought from the field lasted late into the fourth.
The Bobcats’ first nine points in the fourth came on free throws untilRaymond Felton(notes) made a floating jumper with 3:01 left to cut the Heat’s lead tofive. The Bobcats ended up shooting 29 percent from the field.
The 71 points allowed by Miami was the fewest in the history of the 24-gameseries.
Still, Charlotte kept it close. Miami put together a 10-0 run mostly behindBeasley to make it 71-61, and Charlotte kept sinking its free throws to climbback into it.
Wallace made a layup to cut to to two at the 1:24 mark, but Mario Chalmers(notes)made three free throws down the stretch to give the Heat the lead for good.
With center Jermaine O’Neal(notes) sidelined and Wade failing to find his shotearly, Richardson kept Miami alive with his 3-pointers. The Heat got off to a13-4 start, then didn’t score in the final 3:20 of the first quarter.
Wade had five points midway through the game, while Richardson kept hittingbaskets from deep. He converted his first four shots, all 3s, then had a coupleof 3s in the second period to tie it at 41. His six first-half 3s tied afranchise record.
NOTES: Wade scored in double figures for the 443rd game, topping AlonzoMourning’s(notes) franchise record. Wade is Miami’s career leader in assists, points,steals, field goals made and free throws made. … Heat president Pat Rileyturned 65 on Saturday. … It was Charlotte’s first visit to Miami since theNBA’s Board of Governors unanimously approved Michael Jordan’s $275 millionpurchase of the team. As a show of respect, Riley retired Jordan’s No. 23 inMiami several years ago, even though he never played for the Heat. Jordanwatched the game from a row above Riley’s seats… The Heat have a blocked shotin 197 straight games, tying the second-longest run in franchise history.Miami’s record is 238 straight.
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