Heat-Wizards Preview

By NICOLINO DIBENEDETTO
Posted Dec 03 2012 10:46PM

The Miami Heat may be the reigning NBA champions, but they've lost the last two meetings with the woeful Washington Wizards.

This time, Miami's Big Three will get a chance to make an impact.

LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh look to capitalize on the team with the league's worst record and extend the Heat's season-high winning streak to seven games Tuesday night.

Miami is 12-3 this season and has that same record in the past 15 games against Washington (1-13), taking seven of eight in the nation's capital. However, the Heat went 1-2 in last season's series, mostly due to scheduling.

Those defeats came during the final four games of the regular season, when Miami was afforded the luxury of resting its stars ahead of the playoffs.

Wade was the only member of the Big Three to face Washington on April 21, but he left after 2:40 with a dislocated left index finger as Miami went on to lose 86-84. The superstar guard joined James and Bosh as spectators for the season finale April 26, when the Wizards won 104-70 to hand the Heat their worst loss of 2011-12.

Miami hasn't lost three in a row in this series since dropping all four matchups in 2007-08.

It would seem the Heat aren't likely to approach that skid since they're averaging 104.2 points while shooting 49.9 percent from the field - 43.1 from 3-point range - during their win streak.

Wade kept them rolling Saturday, scoring a season-high 34 points with seven assists while making 14 of 20 field goals in a 102-89 win over Brooklyn. Miami also turned in one of its best defensive efforts, getting a season-high 12 steals while holding the Nets to 30 second-half points - 11 in the fourth quarter.

"When the ball goes in the basket for them, we gotta go down and put the ball in the basket ourselves; offense is the best defense," Wade said. "If we are able to score the ball and stop them from running back at us, and not turn the ball over, then we'll be able to set our defense and really be the good defensive team that we are."

Another strong defensive performance appears likely Tuesday. The Heat have allowed an average of 91.5 points in the past 15 meetings, and the Wizards are last in the league with 89.4 points per game.

Wade is averaging 30.7 points and 6.5 assists in his past six visits to the Verizon Center, James is averaging 30.0 points and 8.0 assists in his last six there and Bosh has averages of 27.3 points and 11.6 rebounds in his past eight at Washington.

The Wizards are looking to bounce back from Friday's 108-87 loss at New York, two days after beating Portland 84-82 at home to end a season-opening 12-game slide.

"We made it hard on ourselves," said guard Jordan Crawford, alluding to Washington's 17 turnovers and season-low 11 assists against the Knicks. "They did a good job of moving the ball and the ball kind of stuck in our hands. We didn't do a good job of moving it."

Crawford continues to be one of the rare bright spots for Washington, averaging 18.3 points in his last three contests and leading the team with 13.1 per game. He scored a career-high 39 points in a 123-107 home loss to Miami on March 30, 2011.

Wizards stun Heat 105-101 for 2nd win of season

By HOWARD FENDRICH
Posted Dec 05 2012 3:29AM

WASHINGTON (AP) Before his NBA-worst, one-win Washington Wizards took on LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, Chris Bosh and the reigning NBA champion Miami Heat, coach Randy Wittman gathered his team for a heart-to-heart.

"I told the guys ... `The only people that think you have a chance tonight are the people here in this room,"' Wittman recounted.

The prevailing wisdom, Wittman told his players, was that they "ain't got a chance to win this game, and that's what people were saying. We all listen. Could hear it on the street and all that. These guys, it bothers them."

Well, to pretty much everyone's surprise, the Wizards doubled their season victory total, beating the Heat 105-101 on Tuesday night behind Jordan Crawford's 22 points - and despite James' triple-double of 26 points, 13 rebounds and 11 assists.

"I'm so happy for those guys," said Wittman, who called this perhaps the most satisfying victory of his coaching career.

The Wizards improved to 2-13, earning their second win in the past three games after starting a franchise-worst 0-12.

"It's a big momentum win for us, obviously. We've been struggling to put together four quarters," Washington point guard Shaun Livingston said.

The Heat, meanwhile, began the day with a six-game winning streak and a 12-3 record, tied for the league's best winning percentage at .800.

Afterward, with his feet soaking in a tub of ice, and his eyes scanning a box score, James chuckled a bit at the notion that Miami might learn something from the surprising setback.

"Nah, man, there's not no lesson. This ain't a lesson for us. We just lost," James explained. "We've seen and been through everything, so we don't need a loss to be like, `Oh, let's catch ourselves.' It happens."

He missed a 3-pointer with 18 seconds left that could have given the Heat a lead, and another from beyond the arc that would have tied the score with 3.9 to go.

Yes, the Heat were the ones rushing shots on occasion and they made only 8 of 28 attempts on 3-pointers. The Wizards, surprisingly, were the ones being patient, making the extra pass, finding the teammate with an open look - and finishing with 31 assists on 38 baskets.

"You move on," said Wade, who scored 24. "You learn from it, but you don't become a good team by holding onto certain losses - or certain wins."

With a crowd of 17,761 - not, incidentally, a sellout - standing and screaming down the stretch, relishing that rare chance to witness a compelling game, Kevin Seraphin contributed 16 points and 10 rebounds for the hosts, while Crawford made three free throws in the final 11 seconds.

"It basically just shows how good of a team we are. How good we can be," Crawford said. "That's the main thing."

Actually, the Wizards are world-beaters when it comes to facing the Heat: This made it three consecutive regular-season victories for Washington over Miami, including two last season in April.

"We have to own it right now, not just brush it off that it's a game we let go," Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said. "Because we didn't put ourselves in the best position to give ourselves an opportunity to win."

Unlike the James-Wade-Bosh Heat, the Wizards are mostly a collection of castoffs and high draft picks who never lived up to their billing - or have yet to, anyway. Their best player, 2010 No. 1 overall pick John Wall, has yet to participate in a practice, let alone play, this season because of a left knee cap injury.

Before the game, Wittman said he can't give an idea of when Wall will be available.

Afterward, Wittman was in a far better mood.

"That was a complete game for us, start to finish," he said. "I'll be able to sleep tonight."

NOTES: Heat G Mario Chalmers sat out the fourth quarter with a jammed finger. ... Wizards F Trevor Ariza left in the third quarter with a strained left calf and was limping in the locker room afterward. He was fitted with a walking boot. ... Washington Redskins rookie quarterback Robert Griffin III, who helped his team beat the reigning Super Bowl champion New York Giants 17-16 a night earlier, drew raucous cheers when he arrived at his courtside seat Tuesday. James was asked whether RG3's vow to transform the basketball star into a Redskins fan could succeed. "No. But I'm a fan of his, though. He's an unbelievable talent. I like to watch him play," James said. ... Wittman went with his fifth different starting lineup this season. ... The Heat were without Shane Battier (right knee) and Norris Cole (strained groin).

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Follow Howard Fendrich on Twitter at http://twitter.com/HowardFendrich

Notebook: Wizards 105, Heat 101

Benjamin Standig, for NBA.com
Posted Wed Dec 05, 2012 12:01 AM - Updated Wed Dec 05, 2012 8:23 AM

THE FACTS: The NBA's worst shocked the reigning league champion as Jordan Crawford paced the Wizards with 22 points and Washington held on for a 105-101 win over the Miami Heat on Tuesday night.

LeBron James tallied his first triple-double on the season with 26 points, 13 rebounds and 11 assists, but he missed two late 3-point attempts as the Heat collectively struggled from beyond the arc. Miami entered with a six-game winning streak and now is inexplicably on the wrong end of a three-game losing skid to the Wizards. Chris Bosh had 20 points and 12 rebounds while Dwyane Wade scored 24 points.

Kevin Seraphin had 16 points and 10 rebounds for the Wizards, who led after every quarter and by 12 points in the third, before Miami rallied to tie the score at 88 with 6:48 remaining. Seraphin scored eight points from there and the Wizards made 4 of 6 free throws inside the final 11 seconds to seal the win. A.J. Price added 14 points, Shaun Livingston 13 and Bradley Beal 10 as Washington matched a season-high by shooting 48.1 percent.

QUOTABLE: "I told the guys, the only people that really think you have a chance tonight is us here right in this room. [The media] don't believe, the outside didn't believe, and I said we need to have a statement game. What better opportunity to come and play in front of the fans that we knew were going to be here and beat this team. They took it to heart."
-- Wizards coach Randy Wittman, whose team has won two of three after opening the season with 12 consecutive losses

THE STAT: Washington set a season-high with 31 assists on 38 made baskets. Seven players had at least three assists, led by Crawford's six.

QUOTABLE II: "I think we came out and didn't have a sense of urgency from the start. We understand that every team we play is going to play their best. They're going to make shots they don't make against other teams. They moved the ball. They had a season-high in assists. We understand teams are going to play better when they play against us. They're up for it and we have to be for teams as well."
-- Heat forward LeBron James, who was also thrust into point guard duty due to injuries to Mario Chalmers and Norris Cole.

HOT: Seraphin scored half his points in the fourth quarter, sinking 4 of his 5 shots with all of them coming inside the final 6:34. After Bosh's layup tied the game at 88 midway through the final quarter, Seraphin responded with a jumper on the next possession, putting the Wizards ahead for good.

NOT: Miami finished 8 of 28 (28.6 percent) on 3-point attempts and missed seven of nine in the fourth quarter.

QUOTABLE III: "We finally learn right now. We lost so many games close like that. Now we finally learn. Everybody starts to get it. We got a game plan tonight. We just execute."
-- Wizards center Kevin Seraphin, who came off the bench after starting the previous three games

INSIDE THE ARENA: Washington Redskins rookie sensation Robert Griffin III sat courtside one night after directing a 17-16 win over the defending Super Bowl champion New York Giants. Despite the previous late night, RG3 stayed for the stunning finish.

QUOTABLE IV: "You see him there, it kind of gets you going ... A lot of guys leave. It was a great game all the way through for 48 minutes. I don't blame him for not leaving. I wouldn't want anybody to leave in that type of situation."
-- Beal, the third overall pick in the 2012 NBA Draft, on Griffin, the second selection in the 2012 NFL Draft

NOTABLE: Heat guard Mario Chalmers left in the first half with a jammed finger. After intercepting a pass, Wizards small forward Trevor Ariza pulled up lame with a strained left calf in the third quarter. Neither player returned.

UP NEXT: For the Heat, Thursday vs. New York, Saturday vs. New Orleans, Monday vs. Atlanta, For the Wizards, Friday at Atlanta, Saturday vs. Golden State, Tuesday at New Orleans.

• Heat: Battier, Cole
• Wizards: Booker, Wall

• Heat: James
• Wizards: Singleton

• Lead Changes: 3
• Times Tied: 7

• Arena: Verizon Center, Washington, DC
• Officials: #8 Marc Davis, #26 Pat Fraher, #70 Brent Barnaky
• Attendance: 17761
• Duration: 2:13