Bradley Beal, who leads the NBA in scoring, posted a game-high 32 points, leading the Washington Wizards past the host Miami Heat 103-100 on Wednesday night.
With the Wizards ahead 101-100, Miami’s Goran Dragic missed a closely guarded drive with 9.9 seconds left. Ish Smith grabbed the deflected rebound and made two free throws.
On Miami’s final possession, which started with 5.8 seconds left, Tyler Herro missed an off-balance 3-point attempt from beyond the top of the key, and that was the game.
The Wizards, who trailed by as many as 13 points in the first half, won for just the second time in the past seven games.
Miami, which lost its second straight game, was led by Herro, who had 20 points and made 4 of 9 from 3-point range. Jimmy Butler amassed 19 points, nine assists and eight rebounds, and Bam Adebayo had 17 points and 11 rebounds.
Beal made 11 of 23 shots, including 4 of 11 3-point attempts. Beal also had eight rebounds and four assists, and he turned in his 40th consecutive game with at least 20 points.
Deni Avdija, who had 13 points, was Washington’s second-highest scorer, and Rui Hachimura added 11 points and nine rebounds.
Russell Westbrook, coming off a triple-double on Tuesday in the Wizards’ loss to the Portland Trail Blazers, was rested on Wednesday.
The Heat lost Avery Bradley in the third quarter due to a calf injury. He finished with seven points in 13 minutes.
Miami center Meyers Leonard had shoulder surgery Tuesday and is out for the season.
The Heat, thanks to 54.5 percent shooting, led 34-31 after the first quarter. Beal had 14 first-quarter points on 4-for-5 shooting, including 3-for-4 from long range.
Miami used a 16-3 second-quarter run to take a 65-55 halftime lead. Herro scored 11 points in the second quarter and had 17 by halftime. Beal was held to four points in the second quarter.
Miami shot 57.1 percent in the first half, and Washington shot 43.2 percent.
It was all Wizards after that as Beal scored nine points in the third quarter, allowing Washington to cut its deficit to 82-77.
The Wizards surged back on top 88-85 on a Troy Brown 3-pointer with 8:30 left in the fourth, and Washington hung on down the stretch.
Miami wound up hitting 43.4 percent from the floor while Washington made 41.7 percent.
–Field Level Media
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Author: Field Level Media