[Reg]

Heat overcome 39 from Bryant, ride Wade, Richardson to OT win

Associated Press

MIAMI -- Jermaine O'Neal called it, telling teammates in overtime that the next time someone drove the lane he would be there to take the charge.

That someone was Kobe Bryant.

And O'Neal delivered on his vow.

O'Neal stood his ground with 18.7 seconds left in the extra session and Bryant was whistled for an offensive foul. It was the final turning point as the Miami Heat found a way to beat the Los Angeles Lakers 114-111 in the NBA's wildest back-and-forth game this season.

There were 19 ties and 31 lead changes, two more than any game in the league in 2009-10, and Miami's center stood tallest at the end.

"He was there. He stepped up," said Dwyane Wade, who led the Heat with 27 points and 14 assists. "I saw it coming the whole way. That's J.O. -- J.O. not only protects the basket by being a shotblocker, but he also protects it because he can take charges. And that's great. Everybody did their job tonight."

Bryant went left, looking for a layup that would have tied the game. Instead, O'Neal drew his team-best 19th charge of the season, Carlos Arroyo hit two free throws 0.3 seconds later to make it a two-possession game and Miami held on, winning back-to-back home games for the first time since mid-January.

Quentin Richardson scored a season-high 25 points for the Heat, who got 17 from Arroyo, 13 from O'Neal and a 12-point, 11-rebound effort from Udonis Haslem.

"We have big-moment, big-play type guys that love to step up to a big challenge like this and aren't afraid of the moment," Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said. "Obviously, Dwyane is like that, Jermaine is like that. Udonis, Quentin will hit big shots. A lot of times it's a fight and an argument to see who's going to shoot the ball. They're not running from it. They want the moment."

Bryant scored 39 points, including the overtime-forcing jumper for the Lakers, who got 14 points from Derek Fisher and 13 points and 11 rebounds from Lamar Odom.

It wasn't the offensive foul late that seemed to raise the ire of Lakers coach Phil Jackson but rather a foul call that he thought Bryant earned against Wade with a half-minute left in regulation and Los Angeles up by one.

Bryant shot what was ruled an airball; the Lakers insisted Bryant was fouled. Instead, Richardson came down and hit a 3-pointer to put Miami up 99-97 with 11.1 seconds left in regulation.

"I'm sure he didn't shoot an airball. That's unconscionable that that call can't be made at that point in the game, because that's a shooter and there it is," Jackson said. "But they didn't call it and he had to do another miracle to come back and tie the game. But in the overtime, we had our chances."

Back at .500 now at 31-31, the Heat moved 1 1/2 games clear of Charlotte in the race for the No. 8 spot in the Eastern Conference playoff race and within 1 1/2 games of Toronto for the No. 5 spot. Plus, they beat the Lakers at home for the sixth time in the last eight meetings in Miami.

Win or lose, Miami was going to stay in the No. 8 seed after Thursday. But clearly, this one meant a little something extra to the Heat, who hadn't won back-to-back games at home since mid-January.

"We've been struggling a little bit at home this season," Richardson said. "So you know, for us to beat the Lakers in here to start off this little bit of a stand we have, that's good."

Miami led by nine with 9 minutes remaining in regulation, and still held a 92-84 edge when Wade hit a 3-pointer with 3:40 remaining.

The defending champion Lakers weren't fazed.

They answered with a 9-2 run, capped by Fisher's 3-pointer from the left corner with 1:56 left in regulation, and from there turned almost exclusively to Bryant. He made two free throws in the final minute to give Los Angeles a 97-96 lead, and after Richardson put Miami up 99-97 with his seventh 3-pointer of the night with 11.1 seconds remaining, the stage was Bryant's.

Naturally, he delivered, just as he did with a buzzer-beating 3-pointer to beat Miami at Staples Center earlier this season.

He drove right on Wade, pulled up and coolly made a jumper with 3.3 seconds left. And when Wade couldn't get a good look at the buzzer, to overtime it went, knotted at 99.

It was tied five more times in the extra session, and Haslem's jumper with 37.3 seconds left put Miami up 111-109.

From there, Miami found a way.

"We just couldn't get stops," Bryant said. "We basically traded baskets to start the overtime. We didn't execute well defensively. They made big plays, too."

None bigger than O'Neal taking charge.

Game notes
With the Lakers in town and a marquee matchup like Wade vs. Bryant, the seats were predictably filled by some star power, including Jason Taylor, Albert Pujols, Timbaland, Scottie Pippen, Bryant McKinnie and Will Allen. ... The game began a stretch where the Lakers will play 11 of 14 on the road. ... Retired Heat trainer Ron Culp was back for the game. ... Richardson's 11 points in the third quarter eclipsed his total from 36 full games this season.


Copyright by STATS LLC and The Associated Press

[Chito]

I personally blame the loss of this particular game on Pau "nowhere to be seen" Gasoft. Missed all crucial shots, missed free throws, had ball stripped from him several times, got punked around the paint like a little girl by the Heat and zero defense from him. Jackson should have just sat Gasoft down the whole second half and left LO in there instead. Very disappointing performance (if any) by Pau tonight.

[Paul LA]

Chito, on 04 March 2010 - 10:27 PM, said:

I personally blame the loss of this particular game on Pau "nowhere to be seen" Gasoft. Missed all crucial shots, missed free throws, had ball stripped from him several times, got punked around the paint like a little girl by the Heat and zero defense from him. Jackson should have just sat Gasoft down the whole second half and left LO in there instead. Very disappointing performance (if any) by Pau tonight.

GGRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR!!!!

[Bob Loblaw]

10,9,1, 4 of 11 from the field and 2 of 4 from the free throw line. I guess Pau's numbers can be blamed on Kobe again?......Pau needs to try to stop players from punking his ass all the time. Yet again, he was outplayed by a bitch. This time it was a bench bitch named Udonis Haslem. 12,11,0 on 5 of 8 and 2 for 2 from the line. Yes, that's a bench player with a better line than Pau.

This post has been edited by Bob Loblaw: 05 March 2010 - 07:03 AM

[Real Shalongest]

What excuse will D bring to blame this loss on Kobe again?

[Nanizm]

Pau hasnt played well since Bynum was out. Pau disappoints me.

[Real Shalongest]

They should have traded him and a couple of scrubs for Chris Bosh.

[Ricky]

Everytime we go on this "Florida trip" when we play the Heat and Magic, it always lands on a weekend and Lakers have like 3-4 daystay in Florida. We all know that in those days, Lakers arent practicing, their out parting i mean really?

[Ron]

Real Shalongest, on 05 March 2010 - 09:03 AM, said:

They should have traded him and a couple of scrubs for Chris Bosh.

Bosch is soft too. He will wind up playing for Mavericks next season. Cuban has lots of money to spend and he will make a splah in Free Agency.

[Nanizm]

Ron, on 05 March 2010 - 10:43 AM, said:

Bosch is soft too. He will wind up playing for Mavericks next season. Cuban has lots of money to spend and he will make a splah in Free Agency.

Unless they trade for him they dont have money to sign him.

Miami, New York, New Jersey, The Clippers, Chicago, minnesota will have enough to sign a big free agent.
Miami and NY have enough for 2 of them.

[Ron]

Nanizm, on 05 March 2010 - 11:00 AM, said:

Unless they trade for him they dont have money to sign him.

Miami, New York, New Jersey, The Clippers, Chicago, minnesota will have enough to sign a big free agent.
Miami and NY have enough for 2 of them.

I admit to not being a salary cap expert but I am sure they can create space and don't think Cuban cares about paying a luxury tax either. Notwitki is restricted this summer as well I believe.

[Steven]

Paul LA, on 04 March 2010 - 10:32 PM, said:

GGRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR!!!!

This is when he'll logon as an anonymous user!

[Steven]

With all the talk about Pau being soft, I wouldn't trade him for Bosch. Bosch plays even further away from the basket. We're good with Pau because he's a force inside and the defenders have to pay him some respect.
In the playoffs Pau will play like a man for at least 4 out of 7 games in a series...

[Paul LA]

Steven, on 05 March 2010 - 02:02 PM, said:

This is when he'll logon as an anonymous user!

Must suck to be a bitter Laker fan these days.

[Ricky]

Da fuck is but with Pau?

[Juan23]

Freakin Refs gave this game to the Heat to though...unbelievable NO call on Dwade vs KB with 5 secs left in Reg.

[Mohican83]

Stop blaming the refs, you sound like Bynum. Lakers have problems with the heat. The game in staples and this last won should have been laker blowouts. The Heat aren't very good

[Juan23]

Mohican83, on 07 March 2010 - 12:50 PM, said:

Stop blaming the refs, you sound like Bynum. Lakers have problems with the heat. The game in staples and this last won should have been laker blowouts. The Heat aren't very good

Dont tell me what to do Mo ...haha

[Real Shalongest]

Steven, on 05 March 2010 - 02:10 PM, said:

With all the talk about Pau being soft, I wouldn't trade him for Bosch. Bosch plays even further away from the basket. We're good with Pau because he's a force inside and the defenders have to pay him some respect.
In the playoffs Pau will play like a man for at least 4 out of 7 games in a series...

Chris Bosh stats per game this year so far:

pts. 24.3
Reb. 11.4
Shooting 52%
3 pnt. 37%
blcks 1

I would have shipped Gasol ass out overnight for Bosh.