The defending NBA champion Miami Heat returned to the .500 mark
for the first time since November by beating the Portland Trail
Blazers 104-85 on Tuesday.
Dwyane Wade overcame a bruised shoulder to score 35 points, 16
in the last quarter, and help the Heat (26-26) to their seventh win
in eight games.
"We're just looking forward to keep going on this path," Wade
told reporters.
Miami has battled injuries most of the season, including a
lengthy one to Shaquille O'Neal, but the team, including head coach
Pat Riley, is getting healthy going into the All-Star break.
Riley announced before the game that he would return to coaching
after the break. Assistant coach Ron Rothstein handled the team
while Riley recovered from hip and knee surgery, going 13-9.
"I'm just glad we won," Rothstein told reporters. "Now this is
our launching pad for after the break."
Portland stayed with the Heat until Miami took over in the
fourth quarter, when Wade out-scored the entire Blazers roster and
Miami outgunned Portland 31-15.
Udonis Haslem scored 12 points for the Heat and O'Neal was
limited to just six points in his 23 minutes as he continues to
rebound from knee problems that sidelined him for 35 games.
Shooting touch
After misfiring for three quarters, Tracy McGrady found his
shooting touch just in time to save the Houston Rockets on Tuesday
night.
McGrady scored 12 of his 28 points in the last 4 minutes of
regulation and the Rockets overcame Ron Artest's big night to beat
the Sacramento Kings 109-104 in overtime.
McGrady also had 12 assists to help offset Artest, who matched a
career high with 39 points.
"When you're struggling for three quarters, your best player has
to take over in the fourth quarter, I don't care what he has to
do," said McGrady, who missed nine of his first 14 shots before his
big finish. "I knew I was struggling. That's why I wanted to attack
in the fourth quarter."
Luther Head hit a floater in the final minute of the extra
period and forced John Salmons into a turnover at the other end
that helped clinch Houston's eighth victory in 10 games.
McGrady admitted the Rockets were outplayed for three quarters,
but fortunately stayed close enough to pull it out.
"When we started to realize it was a winnable game, we started
playing with great energy, getting out in transition, getting some
stops, steals and knocking down shots," he said. "I felt like if we
could keep it close in the fourth quarter, it was going to be our
game."
Shane Battier added 25 points, including a 3-pointer in
overtime, and grabbed eight rebounds for the Rockets, who won for
the first time in 14 games when they trail after three
quarters.
(China Daily via Agencies February 15, 2007)