Recap: Miami Heat (56-14) at Orlando Magic (18-53) — Make that 27!
By Jae Bradley
Mar 25, 2013; Orlando, FL, USA; Miami Heat shooting guard Dwyane Wade (3) sits on the bench during the game against the Orlando Magic at Amway Center. Mandatory Credit: Douglas Jones-USA TODAY Sports
Final Score: Heat (108) over Magic (94)
MVP:
LeBron James (24 points, 9 rebounds, 11 assists) — another near triple double for ‘Bron!
Quick Recap:
No Dwayne Wade? No big deal.
Dwayne Wade sat out with the same ailment that kept him out of Sunday night’s game against the Bobcats: a sore right knee. According to the Heat, he is listed as day-to-day, so it will be interesting to see Wade’s status as the win streak get closer and closer to magical 33.
In Wade’s place, Mike Miller started for the second game in a row, and was your typical Mike Miller — gritty, and maybe a tad too slow (Miller was an atypical 0 for 2 from three point range).
The Heat turned yet another slow start into yet another dominant finish for their 27th (yep, that’s right, 27th) straight victory. The game was tied 28-28 after the first quarter, but the Heat dominated the second quarter, to take a nine point halftime lead. The game went back and forth in the third quarter– at one point, the game was knotted at 68-68 — with the Heat not fully obtaining control of the game and the Magic unable to capitalize on numerous chances to keep the pressure on the Heat.
It was close, that is, until the Heat went on a 20-2 run between the third and fourth quarters to blow the game open (a 3rd or 4th quarter run that basically ends the game has been a trademark of the Heat over the past four or five games). The charge was led by LeBron James, who had the highlight of the game, putting Beno Udrih on a poster (the ball hit Udrih in the face, adding insult to injury).
LeBron added another alley-oop, Ray Allen hit a 3, the Birdman skied high for an alley-oop himself (assisted by none other than King James) and the Heat took an 18 point lead with ten minutes left, essentially putting the game out of reach.
Mario Chalmers had 17 points (and was 4-5 from three point range), five assists, and only one turnover.
Bosh had 12 points, nine rebounds, and four assists. Ray Allen added another 12 points on 4-6 shooting from downtown.
The Heat face the Chicago Bulls on Wednesday at 8PM.
Full Game Highlights:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zVfwF93GNmo