Heat third straight loss
Heat third straight loss
Heat third straight loss
Heat third straight loss
Dwight Howard had 24 points and 18 rebounds, J.J. Redick scored 20 points and the Orlando Magic beat Miami 104-95 on Wednesday night to hand the Heat's All-Star trio its first three-game losing streak.
Jameer Nelson had 17 points and a career-high 14 assists, coming up with some big shots late to help Orlando pull away and avenge a 26-point loss at Miami earlier this season.
LeBron James had 25 points, Chris Bosh finished with 21 and Dwyane Wade scored 18 for Miami in the latest blow to the collection of stars who came together this summer hoping for a championship, If you buy NBA Jerseys on ujersy, there will be a surprise. Miami also lost to Memphis and Indiana in the last week.
But the loss to its Sunshine State rival might sting most.
The Heat's disappointing 8-7 start has fueled fodder for the Heat's critics. Even Lakers coach Phil Jackson intimated that Miami coach Erik Spoelstra's job could be in jeopardy if the Heat don't start winning more and fast.
And Miami's struggles certainly delight its neighbor to the north.
After the Heat acquired James this summer, Magic president of basketball operations Otis Smith questioned the two-time MVP's competitiveness for leaving Cleveland. Heat President Pat Riley then took a shot at Smith's personnel decisions, and Magic coach Stan Van Gundy the former Heat coach fired back at Riley.
Orlando finally responded with its play, Recommend directory: Miami HeatJerseys.
On one stretch late in the fourth quarter, Nelson made back-to-back shots and then came up with one of his best defensive plays of the year. With James and Wade on a 2-on-1 break, Nelson jumped up and swatted James' alley-oop pass to Wade, Nelson drove back down and found Redick for a jumper that put Orlando ahead 95-89.
Nelson also made some big free throws in the final minutes to put away the game. But he was ejected with 39 seconds remaining after receiving his second technical foul of the game, the last for taunting Eddie House.
Not that it mattered.
The Magic had already put their stamp on this one.
The Heat, hardly resembling a championship contender, went down 12 points in the first half but managed to keep it close. James was showered with boos reaching a decibel usually reserved only for Shaquille O'Neal in Orlando every time he touched the ball, but he and Wade came on strong late to push the Heat ahead 88-87 midway through the fourth quarter.
But this time, the Magic showed some fight.
Things got heated when Magic point guard Jason Williams whizzed the ball by the head of the Heat's Jamaal Magloire after a play. Williams was immediately ejected, but said a few more words before heading to the locker room.
Recommend directory: Orlando MagicJerseys, Nelson, Howard and Co. kept their poise enough to keep the Heat out of rhythm, tightening up defensively and swarming the Heat's All-Star trio at every turn. The win was huge in more ways than one for the Magic.
They've put the Heat in an early hole deeper than they could've ever imagined, and Miami also has several other concerns most notably injuries.
Bosh left the game briefly in the first quarter with back spasms and never looked the same; Udonis Haslem's season may be over after surgery this week to repair a torn ligament in his left foot; Mike Miller isn't expected back until after Christmas because of a broken thumb and ligament damage; Wade has been playing through a sprained left wrist; James has been dealing with a shin problem for a couple weeks; and Juwan Howard is playing with a broken nose.
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