Heat snap skid with win over Wizards
MIAMI -- Goran Dragic scored 34 points as the Miami Heat snapped a five-game losing streak by defeating the Washington Wizards 112-101 on Monday night at AmericanAirlines Arena.
It was Dragic's highest-scoring game since he joined the Heat two years ago. The Heat was a game-high plus-25 points when Dragic was on the floor.
Heat center Hassan Whiteside added 17 points and 16 rebounds.
Washington was led by its backcourt of John Wall and Bradley Beal. Wall had 30 points, eight assists and six rebounds. Beal had 29 points.
The Heat, despite missing two injured starters -- shooting guard Dion Waiters and small forward Justise Winslow -- earned the win to improve to 8-17. The Heat, 3-8 at AmericanAirlines, had entered the night with the worst home record in the NBA.
Washington (9-14) had its modest two-game win streak snapped. The Wizards are 6-5 in their past 11 games overall but just 2-8 on the road.
Beal scored 11 points in a first quarter that featured six lead changes and seven tie scores. Beal missed just one shot -- a three-pointer -- in the quarter. He was 3-for-4 from the floor and 4-for-4 from the foul line.
Washington built a 38-30 lead with 9:04 left in the second quarter. But the Wizards then went cold, not scoring for more than three minutes. Miami took advantage, finishing the quarter on a 29-15 run and went into halftime leading 59-53.
Dragic had 12 points in the second quarter and 18 at the half. The Heat shot 59.1 percent in the quarter.
Miami was leading 62-53 with 10:28 left in the third quarter when Dragic picked up his fourth foul and was forced to sit. With Dragic out, the Wizards rallied to take a 82-81 lead after three quarters.
Dragic returned to start the fourth quarter, and that helped spur the Heat to victory. James Johnson scored 10 of his 14 points in the fourth quarter.
NOTES: Miami Fs James Johnson (shoulder) and Luke Babbitt (hip) were activated. ... Washington rookie SG Sheldon McClellan, an ex-Miami Hurricanes star, was unable to make his homecoming because he's been playing in the NBA Development League for the Delaware 87ers since last Wednesday. McClellan started games for the Wizards on Nov. 12 and Nov. 16. But now that SG Bradley Beal is back from injury, head coach Scott Brooks wants McClellan to get more minutes in the D League. ... Brooks said when C Ian Mahinmi (knee) returns from injury, C Daniel Ochefu should get games in the D League. ... F Udonis Haslem was back with the Heat after missing Saturday's game against the Chicago Bulls with an excused absence. Haslem, who has played his entire 13th-year NBA career with the Heat, was allowed to see his son, Kedonis, play in a Florida high school football championship game.