MIAMI — LeBron James had 32 points and eight rebounds, Norris Cole added 16 points and the Miami Heat pulled away in the final minutes to beat Houston 97-88 on Sunday night and eliminate the Rockets from postseason contention.

Mike Miller scored 11 for injury-depleted Miami, which still has a mathematical chance of catching Chicago for the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference playoffs. Joel Anthony added 11 for the Heat on 5-for-5 shooting.

Chandler Parsons scored a career-high 23 for Houston, which led by as many as 13 in the first half. Parsons tied the game at 83 with a layup late in the fourth, before James’ 3-pointer sparked an 8-0 run that put Miami in control.

Goran Dragic scored 16, while Courtney Lee and Patrick Patterson had 14 apiece for the Rockets. Luis Scola scored 12.

The Heat played without starters Dwyane Wade (dislocated left index finger), Chris Bosh (leg muscle fatigue) and Mario Chalmers (flulike symptoms). Backup center Ronny Turiaf missed his seventh straight game while recovering from a hamstring problem.

It’s unclear if Wade – who after getting hurt on Saturday said he will be ready for Game 1 of the playoffs next weekend – will play in either of Miami’s two remaining regular-season games, at Boston on Tuesday and at Washington on Thursday.

Miami would like to have Bosh and Turiaf back for at least a portion of that road trip, and Chalmers is listed as day-to-day. He was a late scratch from Miami’s starting lineup on Sunday.

So it was yet another pieced-together starting lineup that Miami sent to open the game, the 16th different one for the Heat this season – and their seventh in their last seven games.

And things didn’t start well.

The Heat missed their first six shots and trailed 23-10 after Scola made a hook shot with 3:54 left in the opening quarter. Houston’s lead was still double digits at 38-28 with 6:59 remaining until halftime, before Miami used a 17-6 run to take a one-point lead at intermission. Miller’s 3-pointer with 25 seconds left gave the Heat their first – and only – lead of the half, 45-44.

Parsons had his second-best scoring quarter of the season in the third, finishing with 12 of Houston’s 25 as the Rockets took a 69-66 lead into the fourth. Back and forth it went, the game being tied on four separate occasions in the final quarter, the last of those coming when Parsons drove on James for a layup and his 23rd point, setting the season best for the rookie.

On the next possession, James took aim from the left wing and hit a 3-pointer over Parsons to put Miami up for good. And after a steal by Shane Battier, Miller added another 3 from the right corner 24 seconds later to give the Heat what was then their biggest lead at 89-83.

Playing back in his home state for the first time as a pro, Parsons finished 10 for 13 from the floor. He spent four seasons at Florida, appearing in 142 games and averaging 10.2 points before the Rockets grabbed him in the second round of last year’s draft.

NOTES: Miami finished the regular season 28-5 at home, the second-best percentage in team history. The Heat will finish no worse than tied for the NBA lead in home wins this season. … Houston’s Kyle Lowry did not play and is expected to sit the Rockets’ regular-season finale against New Orleans as well. He missed 15 games after the All-Star break because of a bacterial infection and struggled since returning. … Udonis Haslem had a game-high 11 rebounds for Miami.

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The Miami Heat bounced right back from their embarrassing loss to the Washington Wizards, defeating the Houston Rockets 97-88 on April 21. Unfortunately for the Heat, their win didn’t mean much, as their loss to the Wizards diminished all hopes of securing the top spot in the Eastern Conference.

LeBron James suited up on Sunday, but the Rockets held their ground against the Heat, taking a five point lead into the fourth quarter. LeBron wasn’t about to close out the season at the American Airlines Arena with a loss though, taking over the game in the final quarter. When it was all said and done, Heat fans showed their appreciation for “The King,” chanting “M-V-P!” as the Heat superstar headed back to the locker-room.

“It was a good team win, a lot of guys stepped up,” Heat coach Erik Spoelstra told reporters after the game. “It was good to have LeBron back, but a lot of guys contributed. … I think LeBron is having a historic season”

With the win, the Heat finish the 2011/12 NBA season tied with the San Antonio Spurs for the best home-record in the league.

Dwyane Wade, Mario Chalmers, and Chris Bosh were a little too banged up to suit up against the Rockets, but LeBron and a handful of role players stepped up in their absence. LeBron shot the ball well against the Rockets, converting on 11 of his 21 field goal attempts. He finished with 32 points, 8 rebounds, and 5 assists.

Rookie Norris Cole broke out of his funk against the Rockets, finishing with 16 points, and 4 rebounds. The Heat also got some much needed help from Mike Miller and Joel Anthony, who finished with 11 points and 6 rebounds apiece.

Given how much the Heat’s role players have struggled since the All-Star break, it’s certainly nice to see them playing solid basketball. If they keep it up in the postseason, they’ll be a serious force to be reckoned with.

Miami’s next game will be against the Boston Celtics on April 24.

David is a Miami Heat fan that has followed the team for 16 years. Follow him on twitter @davidkingwriter and check out his blog.

Sources:

Associated Press, “LeBron James tallies 32 as Dwyane Wade-less Heat pull…”

Player and game information from ESPN.com and MiamiHeat.com

More from the Yahoo! Contributor Network:

Miami Heat Bounce Back Against Bobcats

Miami Heat Secure Division Title with Win Against Knicks

Miami Heat Cruise Past Toronto Raptors

Miami Heat’s Defense Stifles Bulls

Washington Wizards Derail Miami Heat

LeBron James had 32 points and eight rebounds, Norris Cole added 16 points and the Miami Heat pulled away in the final minutes to beat Houston 97-88 on Sunday night and eliminate the Rockets from postseason contention.

Mike Miller scored 11 for injury-depleted Miami, which still has a mathematical chance of catching Chicago for the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference playoffs. Joel Anthony added 11 for the Heat on 5-for-5 shooting.

Chandler Parsons scored a career-high 23 for Houston, which led by as many as 13 in the first half. Parsons tied the game at 83 with a layup late in the fourth, before James’ 3-pointer sparked an 8-0 run that put Miami in control.

Goran Dragic scored 16, while Courtney Lee and Patrick Patterson had 14 apiece for the Rockets. Luis Scola scored 12.

The Heat played without starters Dwyane Wade (dislocated left index finger), Chris Bosh (leg muscle fatigue) and Mario Chalmers (flulike symptoms). Backup center Ronny Turiaf missed his seventh straight game while recovering from a hamstring problem.

It’s unclear if Wade _ who after getting hurt on Saturday said he will be ready for Game 1 of the playoffs next weekend _ will play in either of Miami’s two remaining regular-season games, at Boston on Tuesday and at Washington on Thursday.

Miami would like to have Bosh and Turiaf back for at least a portion of that road trip, and Chalmers is listed as day-to-day. He was a late scratch from Miami’s starting lineup on Sunday.

So it was yet another pieced-together starting lineup that Miami sent to open the game, the 16th different one for the Heat this season _ and their seventh in their last seven games.

And things didn’t start well.

The Heat missed their first six shots and trailed 23-10 after Scola made a hook shot with 3:54 left in the opening quarter. Houston’s lead was still double digits at 38-28 with 6:59 remaining until halftime, before Miami used a 17-6 run to take a one-point lead at intermission. Miller’s 3-pointer with 25 seconds left gave the Heat their first _ and only _ lead of the half, 45-44.

Parsons had his second-best scoring quarter of the season in the third, finishing with 12 of Houston’s 25 as the Rockets took a 69-66 lead into the fourth. Back and forth it went, the game being tied on four separate occasions in the final quarter, the last of those coming when Parsons drove on James for a layup and his 23rd point, setting the season best for the rookie.

On the next possession, James took aim from the left wing and hit a 3-pointer over Parsons to put Miami up for good. And after a steal by Shane Battier, Miller added another 3 from the right corner 24 seconds later to give the Heat what was then their biggest lead at 89-83.

Playing back in his home state for the first time as a pro, Parsons finished 10 for 13 from the floor. He spent four seasons at Florida, appearing in 142 games and averaging 10.2 points before the Rockets grabbed him in the second round of last year’s draft.

NOTES: Miami finished the regular season 28-5 at home, the second-best percentage in team history. The Heat will finish no worse than tied for the NBA lead in home wins this season. … Houston’s Kyle Lowry did not play and is expected to sit the Rockets’ regular-season finale against New Orleans as well. He missed 15 games after the All-Star break because of a bacterial infection and struggled since returning. … Udonis Haslem had a game-high 11 rebounds for Miami.

After defeating the Chicago Bulls two days ago, the Miami Heat ran into some problems against the Washington Wizards, losing 86-84 on April 21. With the loss, the Heat will have to settle for the second seed in the Eastern Conference playoffs.

Miami coach Erik Spoelstra decided to rest LeBron James and Chris Bosh against the Wizards, but the Heat received an unexpected surprise early in the first quarter, when Dwyane Wade dislocated his finger. With Wade out, the Heat’s role players were forced to carry the load against the Wizards.

Even in defeat, Spoelstra seemed pleased with the way the role players played, and he wasn’t too worried about their position in the conference standings.

“This was a great game for the rest of the guys,” Spoelstra told reporters after the game. “To be able to compete, the guys showed a lot of toughness, especially when we got down double digits, to find a different way and not have to rely on Dwyane and Chris and LeBron. There were some brilliant, tough plays on both ends.”

Mario Chalmers and Shane Battier led the Heat’s offense against the Wizards, finishing with 16 points apiece. Dexter Pittman and Norris Cole also played well for the Heat, finishing with 12 and 11 points respectively.

Even without the “big three,” the Heat maintained their defensive mindset, holding the Wizards to 41 percent shooting from the field. Given the problems the Heat have faced in the second half of the 2011/12 NBA season, it’s certainly nice to see that they’re capable of playing solid defense without their superstars.

However, I didn’t particularly like Spoelstra’s decision to keep LeBron on the bench, particularly when it was obvious Wade wasn’t going to return to the game. He’ll certainly get some flak for that, and I can only hope Spoelstra’s decision doesn’t come back to haunt them in the playoffs.

Miami’s next game will be against the Houston Rockets on April 22.

David is a Miami Heat fan that has followed the team for 16 years. Follow him on twitter @davidkingwriter and check out his blog.

Sources:

Associated Press, “Miami Heat Look for Another Win Against Wizards”

Player and game information from ESPN.com

More from the Yahoo! Contributor Network:

Boston Celtics Light Up the Miami Heat

Miami Heat Bounce Back Against Bobcats

Miami Heat Secure Division Title with Win Against Knicks

Miami Heat Cruise Past Toronto Raptors

Miami Heat’s Defense Stifles Bulls

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla., April 17, 2012 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — For the first time ever, the Miami HEAT’s big three stand together at 16, 18 and 20-feet tall, respectively. PrimeTime Amusements (www.primetimeamusements.com), a global operator, seller and event renter of video arcade machines and simulators, has made Miami’s biggest sports figures — Dwyane Wade, LeBron James and Chris Bosh — commonly referred to as the “Big Three” truly BIGGER than life. The massive statues are made from Styrofoam and were hand-carved by a professional sculptor before being hard-coated and painted. The creation of the statues was the brainchild of PrimeTime Amusements’ founder and president, who besides being a HEAT fan saw it as an opportunity to launch his Company’s newest division: PrimeTime Theming. The new division is an extension of PrimeTime Amusements’ near two-decades of experience in the arcade sales, rentals, operations and Family Entertainment Center (FEC) industry.

The PrimeTime Theming division is headed up by an art designer and team of sculptors with more than 40-years of combined experience. The new division will focus on building props and figures for arcade game rooms, entertainment facilities, hotels, and more. Future statues will be built using a combination of CNC 3-D Cutting machinery and hand sculpting. More information on the PrimeTime Theming division can be found at www.PrimeTimeAmusements.com/Theming.

“As a Florida native and owner of a South Florida-based business, I am a huge Miami HEAT fan,” said David Goldfarb, president of PrimeTime Amusements. “To be a part of a team that was able to create such awesome and impressive figures has been an honor. Our gesture not only celebrates the Big Three but showcases the talent of the PrimeTime Amusements’ team. I can only hope that the HEAT players enjoy the statues as much as we do!”

Video of the creation of the LeBron James statue is available at www.youtube.comPrimeTimeAmusements.

Pictures highlighting each step of the process in creating the Dwyane Wade, LeBron James and Chris Bosh statues are available at www.Facebook.com/PrimeTimeAmusements.

Melissa Perlman
BlueIvyCommunications
On Behalf of PrimeTime Amusements
561-310-9921
[email protected]

PrimeTime Amusements

PrimeTime Amusements is a global operator and provider of video arcade machines and simulators. Founded in 1992, PrimeTime Amusements goes beyond just selling and renting equipment; the Company also offers thousands of entrepreneurs and facility owners turn-key arcade consulting, planning, installation and operations solutions. PrimeTime Amusements specializes in new and innovative machines, refurbished high-end equipment as well as classic and more traditional arcade games. Learn more at www.primetimeamusements.com. Follow PrimeTime Amusements on Twitter @PTAmusements.

This information was brought to you by Cision http://www.cisionwire.com
http://www.cisionwire.com/blueivycommunications/r/south-florida-based-arcade-company-builds-miami-heat-s-really–big-three-,c9247069

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Knicks fans could be getting a taste of the postseason when the Miami Heat visit for today’s 1 p.m. tip-off; but that’s hardly the only news going on with the team. Power forward Amar’e Stoudemire continues to make progress with his bulging disc injury, Carmelo Anthony welcomed the family of slain Florida teen Trayvon Martin into the team locker room, and interim coach Mike Woodson wants to win the Atlantic Division.

All that and more in NJ.com’s daily aggregation of Knicks news from around the web:

• The New York Times‘ Jake Appleman had some encouraging news regarding Stoudemire: “Amar’e Stoudemire ran up and down the court at a scrimmage Saturday, moving much like the top-scoring threat the Knicks signed to a maximum contract in the summer of 2010… He guarded Josh Harrellson, finished his shots well — including a layup in traffic — and jawed at teammates. While this was a practice involving mostly second-unit players, Stoudemire did not appear hampered by the bulging disk in his back that has kept him out since March 26.”

• As Al Iannazzone of Newsday points out, the Woodson hasn’t taken his sights off the goal of winning the Atlantic Division: “Woodson doesn’t fear the Heat, which owns the Eastern Conference’s second-best record. He’s just not content to finish seventh. His sights are on climbing to the No. 4 spot and opening the playoffs at home… ‘I’m looking at one thing and one thing only, and that’s to win the division,’ Woodson said after Saturday’s light practice. ‘I’m trying to get this team to understand that they still have a legitimate shot to win the division. That means more to me than anything. To be able to host the first round at home in front of our fans, you couldn’t ask for much more than that. That’s the only thing I’m pushing for. We got a legitimate shot if we continue to win.’”

• You know how a columnist will formally voice a newspaper’s support for a political candidate? Well Mike Lupica of the New York Daily News came out in favor of Woodson being elected the Knicks coach beyond this season: “Only now the Knicks are 13-4 overall under Woodson and 9-0 at home going into this game, and that means they are playing the best basketball they have played under anybody at this time of year since (Jeff) Van Gundy was the coach. Oh, you know there have been a lot of coaches since, Don Chaney and Lenny Wilkens and Larry Brown and Isiah (I’ve Never Been Fired for Basketball Reasons) Thomas and (Mike) D’Antoni… But when you add it all up, when you see the way the Knicks are clearly listening to Woodson and playing more defense than they have in such a long time in Red Holzman’s house; when you see the way Woodson has found a way to get the best out of Carmelo Anthony, well, you have to know this is the best the New York Knicks have looked and made their fans feel since Jeff Van Gundy had them in the Finals in 1999, on their way back before half his team got hurt.”

• Kristie Ackert of the Daily News reported that Anthony welcomed Trayvon Martin’s mother and brother before Friday’s win over the Washington Wizards: “Carmelo Anthony surprised the family of slain Florida teen Trayvon Martin by hosting them in the Knicks locker room… With the family in town to do a national television interview, Anthony arranged for Martin’s mother and two of his brothers to meet with the team before their 103-65 win over the Wizards on Friday… It was ‘a blessing, an honor,’ Anthony said after the Knicks practice Saturday.”

• Iman Shumpert has a sprained right ankle, but as Ackert explained, that’s not going to stop Woodson from seeing what a first-round series against the Heat would look like: “Having Shumpert is a big break for the surging Knicks (31-28) as they jockey for playoff position. In a preview of a possible first-round playoff matchup, the Knicks are looking for their 10th straight win at the Garden… ‘This is a team we could face in the first round. So we gotta see what we are made of,’ interim Knicks coach Mike Woodson said. ‘I am anxious to see how we match up.’”

• Is LeBron James that much better than Anthony? Marc Berman of the New York Post thinks that hasn’t always been the case: “Anthony has owned James ever since their high school days, but they’ve also maintained a friendship. Asked about Anthony’s happiness under Woodson, James said: ‘Everyone is always happier when you’re winning. He’s back to playing Carmelo Anthony basketball. He’s one of the best scorers we have in our league, up there with Kobe [Bryant] and [Derrick] Rose and [Dwyane] WadeThose guys just score the ball at an unbelievable clip.’… Woodson has Miami matchup issues to resolve. Iman Shumpert said he will play despite a sprained ankle. He won’t be 100 percent but said he will draw Wade at the start. He’ll also get some time on James. Though Anthony has started at power forward with Stoudemire out until at least Wednesday, he’ll likely face James, whom he has neutralized so many times in the past.”

• Shumpert didn’t hesitate to tell Steve Serby of the Post that the Knicks can handle Miami in a first-round series: “That’s fine. I think we can take the Heat. … We can take anybody in this league. I don’t feel like there’s anybody that’s a million times better than us. Now it just comes down to when it comes down to when it comes down to those last couple of possessions, can we pull it out?”

• A loss to the Knicks wouldn’t help Heat coach Erik Spoelstra in South Florida, the Daily News’ Mitch Lawrence explained: “But since then, the Heat is 14-10 and now all the talk in Miami is about, well, Ozzie Guillen, who seemed to be lobbying for the Havana Sugar Kings managerial post when he praised Fidel Castro, Public Enemy No. 1 in these parts for only about the last 53 years. There’s been a good deal of conversation about the Florida Panthers making their first playoff appearance in 12 years. There’s also the typical pre-NFL draft hysteria concerning the Dolphins, who still are looking for Dan Marino’s replacement, 12 seasons after he took his last snap… As Dan Sileo, the old Miami Hurricane football player, and now a loose cannon on an afternoon radio sports talk show put it, ‘If there wasn’t all this talk about Ozzie the Communist, then we’d be getting on Erik Spoelstra.’”

The Miami Heat dominated the New York Knicks in their last encounter, stopping “Linsanity” dead in its tracks. They’ll look for another dominant performance against the Knicks, when the Eastern Conference rivals meet on April 15.

To make things more interesting, both teams are currently on course to meet in the first round of the 2012 postseason, and fans can expect both teams to play with playoff-level intensity.

The Heat haven’t been the same ever since All-Star break, particularly on the road. Their once impenetrable defense hasn’t been as sharp, and their role players have failed them on many occasions. Miami’s poor play has now cost them the top spot in the NBA’s Eastern Conference, and they’ll probably have to settle for the second seed come playoff time – they’re currently trailing the first place Chicago Bulls by three and a half games.

“We need to play well because we haven’t played well after the break on the road,” James told reporters about the Heat‘s upcoming game against the Knicks. “I don’t know if it’s a statement game, but we want to play better than we have on the road. It’s a good place to play knowing more than likely we’ll play them in the first round.”

Even though the Heat have struggled in the second half of the 2011/12 NBA season, they’ve made a few improvements in the past few weeks. For one, they’re starting to tighten up their defense, holding seven of their last eight opponents under 100 points.

Miami’s role players have also been playing a little better lately, putting up a combined 68 points during their April 13 encounter against the Charlotte Bobcats. The Heat are pretty tough to handle when their role players show up for games, and it’ll be interesting to see if Heat coach Erik Spoelstra can get them to perform more consistently.

“The most important thing for us is we’re trying to get an optimal level of play where we’re playing at a high level,” Spoelstra told reporters “We’re not there yet, particularly on the road.”

David is a Miami Heat fan that has followed the team for 16 years. Follow him on twitter @davidkingwriter and check out his blog.

Sources:

Stats LLC, “Heat-Knicks Preview”

David J. Neal, “Miami Heat’s game against New York Knicks a possible first-round preview”

Player and game information from ESPN.com

More from the Yahoo! Contributor Network:

Miami Heat Coach Erik Spoelstra Skating on Thin Ice

Wade-less Miami Heat Shut Down Detroit Pistons

Boston Celtics Light Up the Miami Heat

Miami Heat Fall Short Against Chicago Bulls

Miami Heat Bounce Back Against Bobcats

MIAMI – If the Suns could freeze time, it would have been at 7:28 of the fourth quarter in the game they played Tuesday night at Miami.

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Suns at Heat game photos | Box score | Twitter updates

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They would be hard-pressed to feel better about themselves than at that moment. The all-bench lineup had given the Suns a 90-80 lead over the Heat when Sebastian Telfair penetrated the lane and beautifully flicked the ball to the opposite wing for a Shannon Brown 3-pointer that had the starters doing the scurry off the bench usually reserved for reserves.

That turnaround from an early nine-point hole to leading by 10 in crunch time would have been a moment to savor for a while. Instead, they had to swallow blowing the lead by allowing a 17-0 Miami run, and it went down like a bitter pill without water. The Suns’ four-game win streak and flirtation with a winning record went down in a 99-95 loss to Miami at American Airlines Arena.

“I don’t take anything out of it but a loss,” Suns coach Alvin Gentry said. “The moral victory thing is long gone. We have to have wins. We put ourselves in a position, and we let it slip away. The biggest disappointment is that we did get stops, and they got the ball back on rebounds. That can’t happen in the guts of games.”

It was a game like the Suns’ March 7 visit to Oklahoma City that showed the Suns’ capabilities and their frailties. At Oklahoma City, the Suns led by 16 with 16 minutes to go in the game and submerged in a similar flood of errors at both ends to another elite team.

The Suns withstood an early 17-8 hit from Miami and actually led for most of the second half until a scoreless stretch of 6:21 gave it all away. Miami ranked second in the league in defensive field-goal percentage this season, holding teams to 42.4 percent. The Suns took advantage of Miami’s aggression to be shooting 53.1 percent at the time of the 90-80 lead, but they missed their next nine shots and made three of their 20 turnovers during the scoreless run.

Miami plays aggressively with its trapping on pick-and-rolls, but the Suns had counters set up to space the floor and rotate the ball quickly.

“I didn’t make enough plays in the fourth quarter,” said Nash, who had 10 assists and seven turnovers. “They were attacking me hard. It was the little things. It was the hustle plays, the rebounds, and the layups that would’ve given us a chance to close them out.

The Suns had not committed that many turnovers in a game since before the season’s 12-3 turnaround put them back in the playoff hunt.

Those late turnovers all led to points, but the Suns were also fouling after getting caught out of position in transition after misses. “I’m disappointed, because I thought they put us on our heels and we stopped attacking,” Gentry said. “We just can’t turn the ball over in crucial situations.”

Chris Bosh led Miami with 29 points, but Wade overcame a poor shooting game (6 for 17) to get seven of his 19 points during the 17-0 run. LeBron James, playing with an injured elbow, still had 20 points, eight rebounds and six assists.

The Suns (23-23) have to turn around Wednesday night and play at Orlando. “We’ve played well on the road against two championship-caliber teams in their buildings,” Suns forward Grant Hill said. “When they turn it up, we didn’t do a good job. Instead of thinking you having it under wraps, that’s when you have to fight.”

View from press row

Grant Hill is the Suns’ best defender who normally is assigned to the opponents’ best player. That usually means LeBron James with Miami, but the Suns staff switched it up without Jason Richardson as a Dwyane Wade matchup option. Hill started on Wade, with Shannon Brown later taking him. Dudley did admirable work staying in front of James, who still got a dose of Hill. Unlike all three stars going off on them at Oklahoma City, Chris Bosh was the only one to score big Tuesday.

Report

Key players

Miami’s Chris Bosh made 12 of 16 shots for 29 points, 13 of which came in the first quarter.

Key moment

Leading 90-80 with 7:28 to go, the Suns did not score for the next 6:21.

Key number

15 Miami points not scored in the paint or at the free-throw line.

By SportsDirect

The Miami Heat got some payback against the Orlando Magic on March 18, evening out the season series between the two teams with their 91-81 victory.

With the win, the Heat moved a little closer to the Eastern Conference leading Chicago Bulls, while distancing themselves from the third place Magic.

The Heat didn’t waste any time against the Magic, building up a nine point lead by the end of the first quarter. The Magic fought back in second quarter, cutting Miami’s lead to three points by halftime. The game remained competitive for a majority of the second half, but Miami started pulling away in the final minutes, thanks to some clutch plays by the “big three.”

“When you play the Orlando Magic, you have to stay the course,” Heat coach Erik Spoelstra told reporters after the game. “You know at times, they’re going to knock down some threes. No matter up or down, there are going to be some highs and lows.”

Dwyane Wade played extremely well against the Magic, finishing with a game-high 31 points. Wade also had 6 rebounds and 4 assists.

Chris Bosh was Miami’s second highest scorer, putting up 23 points and 7 rebounds. LeBron James had a poor shooting night against the Magic, converting on only 4 of his 14 field goal attempts. He found other ways to contribute though, walking away with 14 points, 12 rebounds, 7 assists, and 5 steals.

“If I’m not getting it going scoring, it’s time to focus on something else,” LeBron told reporters. “I try to be a complete basketball player.”

While the “big three” did their jobs against the Magic, the same can’t be said about the bench players. Once again, Miami’s role players — with the exception of Mario Chalmers, who finished with 7 points, 5 rebounds, and 4 assists — put on a dismal performance, putting up a combined 16 points. The poor play of the Heat’s role players is becoming a serious issue, and it’s about time Spoelstra gets everyone on the same page.

Miami’s next game will be against the Phoenix Suns on March 20.

David is a Miami Heat fan that has followed the team for 16 years. Follow him on twitter @davidkingwriter and check out his blog.

Sources:

Associated Press, “Dwyane Wade’s late barrage keys Heat to 13th straight home win”

David J. Neal, “Dwyane Wade shines as Miami Heat defeats Orlando Magic”

Player and game information from ESPN.com

More from the Yahoo! Contributor Network:

Miami Heat Frustrate Jeremy Lin in 102-88 Victory

Miami Heat Increase Win Streak to Nine Games

Miami Heat Fall Short Against Orlando Magic

Miami Heat’s Struggles Continue Against Bulls

Miami Heat Escape with Win Against 76ers

The Miami Heat will look for their 13^th straight home win, when they face the Orlando Magic on March 18. The Heat currently trail the Chicago Bulls by three games in the Eastern Conference standings, and it’s about time they start making their push for the top spot in the East.

The Heat ran into some trouble in their last encounter against the Magic, losing 104-98. Their inability to contain Dwight Howard — who finished with 24 points and 25 rebounds — definitely played a role in the overtime loss.

During the first half of the 2011/12 NBA season, the Heat were clearly the most dominant team in the league. Unfortunately for Miami fans, things haven’t been as clear since the All-Star break, with the Heat going 5-4 in their outings since the break.

“We’re a no-excuse team, and we’re going to continue to keep playing,” Dwyane Wade told reporters about their struggles. “We’re one of the top teams in the league with one of the best records in the league, and we’re going to go back home, try to get our energy up and try to get back to playing Miami Heat basketball and finish the last 20 [games] the same way.”

LeBron James led the Heat in their previous game against the Philadelphia 76ers, finishing with 29 points, 8 assists, and 7 rebounds. LeBron’s performance was enough to carry the Heat through a rough second half against the 76ers, but they’ll need a lot more than that against the Magic.

“It’s never good to give up a 20-point lead,” LeBron told reporters about the game against the 76ers. “But when you have to close out a game, it’s good to see you can keep the lead and win.”

LeBron certainly has a point, as the Heat’s second half performance against the 76ers wasn’t very encouraging. A poor half like that against the Magic will pretty much guarantee a loss.

The Magic currently lead the season series between the two Eastern Conference powerhouses 2-1. The Heat will certainly have their hands full on Sunday, but they should be up to the task.

David is a Miami Heat fan that has followed the team for 16 years. Follow him on twitter @davidkingwriter and check out his blog.

Sources:

Stats LLC, “Magic-Heat Preview”

Joseph Goodman, “Miami Heat faces task of containing Dwight Howard again”

Player and game information from ESPN.com

More from the Yahoo! Contributor Network:

Miami Heat Frustrate Jeremy Lin in 102-88 Victory

Miami Heat Increase Win Streak to Nine Games

Miami Heat Fall Short Against Orlando Magic

Miami Heat’s Struggles Continue Against Bulls

Miami Heat Escape with Win Against 76ers

The Miami Heat concluded their three-game road trip with a win, defeating the Philadelphia 76ers 84-78 on March 16.

With the win, the Heat are 5-4 since the All-Star break, trailing the Eastern Conference leading Chicago Bulls by two and a half games.

The Heat manhandled the 76ers in the first half of their Friday encounter, taking a 27 point lead into the halftime break.

The 76ers did turn things around in the second half, holding Miami’s offense to 15 points or less in the third and fourth quarter. Luckily for the Heat, their superstars stepped up to the plate in the final minutes of the game, securing the victory.

“We can take some good from the second half or we can take all the bad from the second half,” LeBron James told reporters after the game. “We will learn from the mistakes we had [Friday night], but that won’t take away from being on the road in a really good building and against a really good team and winning this game.”

LeBron was Miami’s leading scorer against the 76ers, putting up 29 points, 8 assists, and 7 rebounds.

Dwyane Wade has some problems with his jumper against Philadelphia, shooting 38 percent from the field. Wade did find other ways to help his teammates out though, finishing with 12 points, 11 rebounds, and 6 assists.

Mario Chalmers, Chris Bosh and Udonis Haslem finished with 10 points apiece against the 76ers.

Collectively, Miami’s bench played a little better against the 76ers – after struggling in their last three games, but there’s definitely still a lot of room for improvement. They’ll have to step it up a little more in the Heat’s subsequent games.

The Heat will now head back home, where they’ll face the Orlando Magic on March 18. At the American Airlines Arena, the Heat are virtually unbeatable, and they should be able to get some payback against the Magic.

David is a Miami Heat fan that has followed the team for 16 years. Follow him on twitter @davidkingwriter and check out his blog.

Sources:

Joseph Goodman, “Miami Heat avoids epic collapse, holds off 76ers”

Player and game information from ESPN.com

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When the Miami Heat, with their armada of stars, first invaded the Wells Fargo Center this season, 76ers coach Doug Collins knew that his squad was going to get its best shot from the team many think will win the NBA championship.

The Sixers (25-18) were coming off four straight wins, including back-to-back victories against Orlando and Chicago, when the Heat (31-11) invaded on Feb. 3. But Collins anticipated that Miami would be angrier than at any other point this season.

After all, two nights earlier the Heat blew an 18-point lead at Milwaukee and dropped a 105-97 decision.

Against the Sixers, Miami used a 15-0 run as part of a 32-16 fourth-quarter scoring advantage that left the Sixers wondering what hit them in a 99-79 setback.

The victory marked Miami’s ninth regular-season win in a row over the Sixers. Earlier in the season, the Heat broke open another game against the Sixers that was close at the end of three periods for a 113-92 victory.

Making matters worse for the Sixers, the Heat are looking to end a two-game losing streak.

Collins, who has never beaten the Heat as coach of the Sixers, wonders if this is his players’ heads.

“When you get ready to play Miami, it’s one thing to play them,” Collins said. “The real question is, in your heart of hearts, do you think you can beat them? That’s the biggest battle.

“They are coming in here off of back-to-back road losses at Orlando, where they were up 11, and [Wednesday] night to Chicago without Derrick Rose,” Collins said. “So I’m sure they are going to be a little bit persnickety tomorrow, so we’ve got to be ready to roll.”

Reserve forward Thaddeus Young said thoughts of LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, Chris Bosh, and company are not keeping the Sixers up nights.

“No, we don’t think about that at all,” Young said. “We know that we can beat any team in the NBA. We don’t think about stuff like that.”

Friday night’s contest will mark starting center Spencer Hawes’ second game back after missing the last 17 games with a strained left Achilles tendon. Hawes returned to action Wednesday and in just under 20 minutes scored six points, handed out three assists, and grabbed a pair of rebounds.

One of the stipulations of Hawes’ playing again is that he can’t play in back-to-back games for at least the first 10 days. The Sixers play at Chicago on Saturday. During that same time period he is prohibited from playing more than five minutes at a time.

Collins said Thursday after practice at the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine that Hawes would face the Heat but sit against the Bulls.

“It’s a tough dynamic,” Collins said. “You are so used to coaching the game and now you’re coaching the game and minutes. It’s like coaching an all-star game, making sure that guys get their minutes, get them in and get them out. It’s a little bit different, but we feel better having him back.”

Contact staff writer John N. Mitchell at [email protected] Follow him on Twitter @JmitchInquirer.