Miami Heat Blog – Page 87 – NBA Blog

Heat beat woeful Wizards by 28

LeBron James scored 24 points and the Miami Heat had a rebounding edge for a change Sunday to beat the woeful Washington Wizards 99-71.

The Heat, beaten on the boards by a total of 38 rebounds over the previous three games, this time enjoyed a 50-39 advantage. Udonis Haslem led them with 12 rebounds, and Chris Bosh had nine.

The game matched the teams with the best and worst records in the Eastern Conference, and in the late going it looked like it. Miami scored the game’s final 21 points and held Washington scoreless over the last 7:07.

James extended his streaks of scoring at least 20 points to 32 consecutive games this season, and 53 in a row including last year’s playoff run. He shot 9 for 17 and had seven assists.

The Heat were coming off only their third home loss of the season Friday against Chicago.

— Reported by Steven Wine of the Associated Press

Miami Heat waive guard Terrel Harris

The Miami Heat announced today that they have waived guard Terrel Harris.

Harris appeared in seven games with the Heat this season, averaging 1.4 points and 1.3 rebounds in 4.1 minutes per game. Last season, he appeared in 22 games (one start) and averaged 3.6 points and 2.3 rebounds in 14.5 minutes per game.

He originally signed with Miami as a free agent on December 10, 2011 and was re-signed by the Heat on September 10, 2012.

The Heat’s roster now stands at 14.

The team is rebounding very badly this season. It’s possible they look to add a power forward or center to come off the bench and help hit the boards.

Strong rebounding helps Bulls beat Heat

Even when seated, the Chicago Bulls outrebounded the Miami Heat.

Following one missed shot, the ball rolled between forward Carlos Boozer’s legs as he fell on his backside, yet he still managed to scoop it up and feed a teammate for two more second-chance points for Chicago.

Dominating on the glass and the hardwood, the Bulls became only the third visiting team to win in Miami this season, beating the Heat 96-89 Friday night.

Chicago outrebounded Miami 48-28. The Bulls had 19 offensive rebounds to four for the Heat…

”It always feels good to beat the Heat,” said center Joakim Noah, who had 12 rebounds…

The Heat, who are last in the NBA in rebounds, had won four games this season when outrebounded by 15 or more. But this time the disparity beat them…

James scored 30 points, extending his streaks of scoring at least 20 points to 31 consecutive games this season, and 52 games in a row overall when including last year’s playoff run. He has scored at least 25 in eight consecutive games.

But he had just six rebounds, which led the Heat. Boozer had 12 rebounds for Chicago, and Taj Gibson added nine in 17 minutes…

Boozer scored 27 points after totaling a season-high 31 Wednesday at Orlando. Noah, back after missing one game with flu-like symptoms, had 13 points.

— Reported by Steven Wine of the Associated Press

Rebounds a struggle for Heat, despite hot start

Most wins in the Eastern Conference, fewest rebounds in the NBA.

It might not sound like a winning formula, but it’s working for Miami.

The Heat (22-8) are on pace for the second-worst rebounding season in franchise history, better than only the 2007-08 campaign where Miami won just 15 games in what was Pat Riley’s final season on the sideline as coach. And even though it was Riley who once said ”no rebounds, no rings,” the Heat are clearly not the type of team that will dominate on the backboards.

Only reigning MVP LeBron James is currently ranked among the NBA’s top 30 rebounders in terms of average per game, and the Heat have a lineup that’s outsized in nearly every game – sometimes by a significant amount.

”Rebounding is not something that you work on,” James said. ”It’s a knack.”

Countered Heat coach Erik Spoelstra: ”It’s interesting how sometimes we have the knack.”

What they’re doing is simply defying logic on some nights. The Heat have been outrebounded by margins this season of 15, 17, 19 and 29 – and somehow, they went 4-0 in those games.

— Reported by Tim Reynolds of the Associated Press

LeBron misses practice due to bruised knee

LeBron James sat out of Thursday’s practice to receive extensive treatment for his bruised right knee but hopes to play in Friday’s game against the Chicago Bulls.

It wasn’t initially clear whether James aggravated the slight knee injury during the Heat’s 119-109 overtime victory against the Dallas Mavericks on Wednesday. But James has dealt with soreness in both knees for much of the season.

Heat coach Erik Spoelstra didn’t reveal James’ latest injury during his session with reporters immediately after Thursday’s practice at AmericanAirlines Arena. But during the final stages of practice that were open to the media, James was seen riding a stationary bike.

— Reported by Michael Wallace of ESPN.com

LeBron scores 32, Heat beat Mavs in OT

Once the Miami Heat found a way to rally in the final moments of regulation, they made overtime look easy.

LeBron James scored 32 points and finished one assist shy of a triple-double, Dwyane Wade scored 27 and the Heat pulled off both early and late before beating the Dallas Mavericks 119-109 in overtime Wednesday night.

Down 100-94 with 3:02 remaining in regulation, the Heat closed the game on a 25-9 run – and sent Dallas to its sixth loss in as many overtime games this season.

”We have ultimate confidence in our team, our talent level, our execution,” said Chris Bosh, who scored 17 points for Miami. ”And we believe in each other. To know we can be down by six with 3 minutes left and still have the confidence to overcome everything and get the job done, it works out great.”

Ray Allen added 15 for Miami, which extended its Eastern Conference-leading record to 22-8 despite trailing by 12 in the opening minutes. James had 12 rebounds and nine assists for the Heat, who scored the first seven points of overtime.

O.J. Mayo scored 30 and Dirk Nowitzki – still working his way back from knee surgery – added 19 in 29 minutes for the Mavericks…

Vince Carter had 15 points, Chris Kaman scored 14 and Darren Collison finished with 11 for Dallas.

— Reported by Tim Reynolds of the Associated Press

LeBron leads Heat over Magic in OT

LeBron James had 36 points, 11 assists and eight rebounds, and Chris Bosh scored 22 points to help the Miami Heat slip past the Orlando Magic 112-110 in overtime Monday.

James scored eight points in overtime, including two free throws that clinched it with 1.5 seconds left. Dwayne Wade, who had 21 points, had a steal and dunk with 6.2 seconds to go to give Miami a four-point lead.

Arron Afflalo scored 28 points for the Magic and J.J. Redick added 23, but he committed the turnover that led to Wade’s decisive dunk. Nikola Vucevic had 20 points and 29 rebounds as Orlando lost its sixth straight.

— Reported by the Associated Press

Bucks step up, hold Heat to 85 points

Brandon Jennings scored 25 points and Mike Dunleavy had 13 of his 18 in the fourth quarter as the Milwaukee Bucks beat the Miami Heat 104-85 on Saturday night to spoil Dwyane Wade’s return.

Wade was back after serving a one-game suspension for flailing his leg and making contact with guard Ramon Sessions’ groin during the Heat’s 105-92 victory over Charlotte on Wednesday. Wade sat out Miami’s 109-99 loss to Detroit on Friday night, which snapped the Heat’s six-game winning streak.

Wade had 24 points on 10-of-19 shooting, four assists, six rebounds and three turnovers. LeBron James added 25 points as Miami failed to reach 100 points for just the third time in 28 games.

Luc Richard Mbah a Moute scored 19 points for the Bucks, and Larry Sanders had 16 points, 11 rebounds and four blocks. Monta Ellis added 14 points for Milwaukee as it avenged a 113-106 overtime loss to the Heat in Miami on Nov. 21.

Dunleavy also had nine rebounds, six assists and three steals in the fourth as the Bucks outscored Miami 35-14…

Bosh had 12 points and 16 rebounds for the Heat, who came in averaging 103.4 points a game while the Bucks were at 95.6…

Miami F Udonis Haslem missed the game. He hurt his right shoulder early in the Detroit game when he landed hard after an acrobatic block on Kyle Singler Haslem stayed in the game and finished with seven points and two rebounds in 20:29. Shane Battier started in his place.

— Reported by the Associated Press

Dwyane Wade suspended one game for kicking Ramon Sessions

Miami Heat guard Dwyane Wade has been suspended one game without pay for flailing his leg and making contact with the groin of the Charlotte Bobcats’ Ramon Sessions, it was announced today by Stu Jackson, Executive Vice President, Basketball Operations.

The incident occurred with 8:12 remaining in the fourth quarter of the Heat’s 105-92 win over the Bobcats at Time Warner Cable Arena on December 26.

Wade will serve his suspension when the Heat play the Detroit Pistons on December 28 at The Palace of Auburn Hills.

To view the play click on this link.

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Heat assign center Dexter Pittman to D-League

The Miami Heat today assigned third-year center Dexter Pittman to the Sioux Falls Skyforce, Miami’s NBA Development League affiliate. The assignment is the record 72nd of the 2012-13 NBA and NBA D-League seasons, and is the first for Pittman this year. He becomes the 43rd NBA player to have been assigned to the NBA D-League this season.

Pittman (6-11, 285, Texas) has appeared in four games for Miami this season, averaging 1.5 points, 1.8 rebounds and 3.0 minutes. He returns to the Skyforce having played in 22 games on assignment as a rookie in 2010-11, when he averaged 14.5 points, 8.2 rebounds and 27.8 minutes. In 41 career games for the Heat, Pittman has averaged 2.8 points, 2.0 rebounds and 7.9 minutes.

Originally selected by the Heat in the second round (32nd overall) of the 2010 NBA Draft, Pittman averaged 6.6 points and 3.9 rebounds in 134 career NCAA games.

Pittman is expected to join the Skyforce today and be available on Friday, Dec. 28, when the team hosts the Maine Red Claws in Sioux Falls at 8 p.m. ET.