Sat Jan 26 18:24:43 2008

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Heat hold on to finally snap losing streak at 15

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Miami, FL (Sports Network) - Dwyane Wade scored 35 points, and a defensive play in the final seconds gave the Miami Heat their first win in more than a month, by a 98-96 score over the Indiana Pacers.

Dorell Wright had 14 points and 10 rebounds for Miami, which had lost 15 in a row, just two away from matching its club record and the NBA's longest this season.

The Heat hadn't won since posting a 104-102 decision at home over Utah on December 22. Mark Blount scored 19 points in the long-awaited win for Miami.

Mike Dunleavy finished with 25 points, and Andre Owens and Danny Granger each scored 13 for Indiana, which has dropped three in a row. Troy Murphy grabbed 10 boards to go with nine points.

Miami looked as though it would get a stress-free win, after scoring seven straight points in the middle of the fourth quarter. Blount hit a jumper and two free throws, and Wade drained a three to put the Heat ahead 94-85, with 4:34 left.

But the Pacers answered with a 9-2 run, and Kareem Rush pulled Indiana within 96-94 with 1:07 on the clock. After a Wade fadeaway jumper, Granger got to the line for two, and made both with 39.8 seconds left, setting the score at 98-96.

Miami had a chance to run some time off the clock and make it a two-possession game. But they made sloppy passes, and kicked the ball once, forcing Udonis Haslem to hurl up a shot with four seconds on the shot clock. It missed completely, and Indiana got the ball with 15.1 ticks left.

Rush attempted a three from the top of the arc, which bounced off the rim and out of bounds. But a Heat player touched the ball last, giving the Pacers one last touch with 5.8 left.

However, the inbounds pass was swatted away by a swarm of Heat players, and Owens forced a halfcourt shot at the buzzer that missed wide, sealing the Miami win.

Indiana had a 28-23 edge after the first quarter, and extended its lead to 38-27 when Shawne Williams made a three less than three minutes into the second. The Pacers held that margin for the rest of the half, at led 57-48 at intermission. Miami outscored Indy in the third, 29-20, to tie the game at 77 going to the fourth.

Game Notes

Miami shot 49.4 percent from the field, but just 2-of-12 from three-point range...Indiana was 9-of-30 from beyond the arc, but shot 43.8 percent overall...Jason Williams had eight assists for the Heat...Haslem finished with 12 points and nine rebounds.