Michael Jordan scored 25 points and had seven rebounds and six assists for the Wizards, who nearly squandered a 15-point third-quarter lead. Richard Hamilton added 23 points on 10-of-19 for Washington.
"It's not just four in a row," Jordan said. "Ever since we lost eight in a row and the Cleveland game (a 94-75 loss on November 27), the guys have started to accept roles offensively. We're starting to feed off each other and play great in stretches. We still have stretches where we lose our focus and concentration, but that's a short period."
 Michael Jordan, with Doug Collins' encouragement, launches over Jimmy Jackson's five fingers. Mitchell Layton NBAE/Getty Images |
"T. Lue had a great look tonight," Jordan said. "If he makes that basket, then the last 11.3 seconds doesn't matter. But he takes those shots. You've got to learn to take those shots to learn what success is all about. If you miss it, it's a good shot, we all understand that."
After Miami had difficulty inbounding the ball, Ellis launched a long 3-pointer with three seconds left and the rebound fell harmlessly to Lue as time ran out.
"When I brought the guys together with 11.3 seconds left, I said, `We're on a string. That means we're going to have to cover each other's tail -- whenever one goes for the double-team, the other guy has to rotate,'" Jordan said. "With the way the rules have changed, it's almost like team defense, and that's how we win. The guys did a great job."
The Heat were paced by Jimmy Jackson, who scored 18 points on 8-of-15 shooting. Ellis added 15 points and Alonzo Mourning 11 for Miami, which has lost 14 of its last 16 contests.
Down 71-63 entering the fourth quarter, the Heat got within 80-78 on a jumper from the right baseline by Jackson with 3:47 remaining. They had a chance to tie on their next possession, but Jones missed a bank shot and Mourning could not muscle through a follow dunk attempt with 3:10 left.
"We were doing a lot of double-teaming and we were missing a lot of point-blank shots," Mourning said. "We just need to make plays."
Jordan twice hit 1-of-2 free throws from the line to extend the lead to 82-78.
The Wizards led, 62-47, after Jordan's bucket with 8:18 to go in the third period before the Heat closed the quarter on a 16-9 run.
Miami scored the first six points of the second quarter to take a 26-25 lead with 9:05 left, but Washington immediately went on a 10-0 run that was capped by a 3-pointer by Lue with 7:38 remaining.
Paced by Jordan's 14 points, the Wizards led by as many as 11 and took a 49-40 advantage into halftime.
"We had our chances tonight," Jones said. "We just didn't play great defense at all. We let their two guys get some shots off. I'm definitely partly to blame for Hamilton's shots. We just need to key in better."