Recap: Miami vs. New Jersey
Sports Network | November 10, 2008
Miami, FL (Sports Network) - Dwyane Wade led a Miami comeback with 19 of his season-high tying 33 points in the fourth quarter as the Heat toppled the New Jersey Nets, 99-94, at AmericanAirlines Arena.
Wade set a career-mark with four triples and had five assists while Michael Beasley kept up a torrid first-year pace with 19 points, six rebounds and four assists for the Heat, who kicked off a three-game homestand Monday and will host both Portland and Washington later this week.
Daequan Cook logged 15 points, hitting on a trio of three-balls to help Miami to wins in three of its last four. Miami forward Shawn Marion suffered a left groin strain in Saturday's setback to the New Orleans Hornets and sat out Monday's contest.
Yi Jianlian had a team-high 24 points and 10 rebounds while Vince Carter netted 22 points but committed a costly turnover with New Jersey looking for a tying bucket in the final 30 seconds of the loss, the club's second straight and fourth in the last five games.
Keyon Dooling notched 18 points, five rebounds and four helpers in taking starting point guard Devin Harris' spot for a second straight game due to a left ankle sprain.
"Regardless of who you have, anytime you lose it stinks," Nets head coach Lawrence Frank said. "You got to learn from the things we didn't do a good job at. If we can continue to put ourselves in situations where we have a chance to win, we will continue to learn from it and get better."
Wade helped jumpstart the comeback with eight straight points, sinking a pair of three-balls, the latter of which came with just over three minutes left to make it a one-point game and Cook's layup tied the game, 86-86, with just about two minutes remaining. Wade scored six of Miami's next eight points to give the Heat a 93-90 lead and forced a timeout from New Jersey.
Down by three with 23.5 seconds left, a cut to the hoop by Jarvis Hayes clanked off the rim but Josh Boone was there to follow with a two-hand jam leaving 14 seconds on the clock.
New Jersey immediately fouled and Chris Quinn sank both tries. The Nets brought it upcourt with a chance to tie on a three but Carter was called for traveling when he slid his pivot foot looking for an outlet. Another quick foul saw Quinn go perfect from the line again and Dooling drove to the hoop for a quick bucket to restore the three-point margin. But Quinn helped seal the win by making it a perfect 6-for-6 from the line.
"Anyway we can get a win is what we're looking to do," Quinn said. "Dwayne is an incredible player. If we keep the game close down the stretch, he's tough to stop."
Each team shot to 40 points at halftime with New Jersey streaking out to a 12- point advantage with a little over a minute left in the third. Miami, though, finished off the quarter with a three-ball from Cook to cut the lead to seven entering the fourth.
New Jersey went 2-1 against the Heat last season and has won six of the previous 11 meetings...Despite the loss, the Nets have won four of their last six in Miami...Yi had a career-high five triples...The Heat have won their first three home games for only the third time in franchise history ('95-'96 and '99-'00).
