In a wild game that nearly resulted in the one of the most unlikely comeback victories in team history, the shorthanded Miami Heat fell just short in a 99-97 loss to the Washington Wizards on Friday.
A second-half run led reserves Michael Beasley, Shabazz Napier and James Ennis almost erased a 35-point Wizards lead with seven minutes left in the third quarter.
The Heat were missing starters Dwyane Wade (sore hip) and Luol Deng (quad contusion) as well as Mario Chalmers (sore knee), who was the only Heat player to have had played every game in the season.
Starting point guard Goran Dragic helped power the beginning of the Heat's comeback with 12 points in the third quarter but soon left the game with a lower back injury, finishing with 18 points, seven assists, and five rebounds in almost 29 minutes. Napier subsequently hit three consecutive 3-pointers in a 25-5 run to end the third quarter.
Miami elected to go small after Wizards big men Marcin Gortat and Nene Hilario limited Hassan Whiteside and Chris Andersen in the first half, and the bench fueled the rally after what had been a 83-48 third-quarter deficit. The team limited their turnovers and their defense clamped down, forcing 14 of the 17 Wizards turnovers for the game in the second half.
Miami fell from the seventh spot in the standings to ninth with the loss.
THE TURNING POINT
The entire second half, in which Miami outscored the Wizards 58-32.
THE DIFFERENCE MAKER
Beasley scored all 13 of his points in the fourth quarter and knocked down six of his first seven shots, but came up empty on the Heat's last two possessions that could have given Miami the win.
STAT OF THE GAME
Washington's 40 first-quarter points and 67 first-half points were season-highs for a Miami opponent this season.
WHAT'S NEXT
Miami hosts the Sacramento Kings on Saturday at 7:30 p.m.
You can follow Surya Fernandez on Twitter @SuryaHeatNBA or email him at SuryaFoxSports@gmail.com.
