Pelicans 104, Heat 102
Alexis Ajinca scored a career-high 24 points, including the game-winning basket, as host New Orleans stopped Miami.
Eric Gordon added 20 points and eight assists for the Pelicans, who have won four straight games. Ajinca shot 9-of-10 from the floor and added eight rebounds and three blocks. Tyreke Evans had 19 points and 11 assists before fouling out for New Orleans.
Luol Deng led Miami with 22 points and Goran Dragic added 20 and five assists for the Heat, who had won three of their previous four. Hassan Whiteside and Henry Walker collected a season-high 16 points and Dwyane Wade added 11 and eight assists for Miami.
After a series of big shots by both teams down the stretch, Gordon drove left and found Ajinca wide open under the hoop for a 104-102 lead with 25.9 seconds remaining. Omer Asik blocked Whiteside at the rim with 16.9 seconds left and Wade's step-back 3-pointer from the right wing in the final second bounced off the back of the rim.
Deng and Dragic combined for 29 points for Miami, Gordon and Evans tallied 23 and 13 assists for New Orleans and the teams combined to shoot 55.4 in the first half that ended 54-54. A 3-pointer by Walker provided the Heat an 82-72 lead before Ajinca scored six points during a spurt that tied the contest at 88 with 5:46 left.
GAME NOTEBOOK: There were 13 lead changes and eight ties in the first half. … Heat F Michael Beasley had seven points and two rebounds in 10 minutes in his first game for the Heat this season after signing a 10-day contract. … Miami committed just seven turnovers.