The Heat Is Finally On: LeBron Scores 33, Heat Bang Jazz for 6th Straight

SALT LAKE CITY – LeBron James scored 33 points, Dwyane Wade added 28 and the surging Miami Heat outscored the Utah Jazz by 14 in the fourth quarter for a 111-98 victory Wednesday night.

The victory extended Miami's winning streak to six, and avenged a 116-114 overtime loss to Utah at home on Nov. 9. The Heat improved to 15-8, while Utah fell to 16-7.

Al Jefferson scored 25 points and all five Jazz starters were in double figures by the start of the fourth. But it wasn't enough as the Heat pulled away with a 12-3 run to start the quarter.

Miami led by as many as 12, but the Heat found themselves trailing 78-77 entering the fourth after the Jazz mounted yet another rally. Last month, they came back from a 22-point deficit to beat the Heat.

In that game, Paul Millsap scored a career-high 46 for Utah. This time, he got going late and finished with 18 points on 9-of-12 shooting. Deron Williams had 21 for Utah but only four in the first half.

The loss continued an up-and-down season for the Jazz, who were riding a seven-game winning streak last week but lost Friday to Dallas.

Against the Heat, Millsap tried to spark the Jazz again. He grabbed the rebound off James Jones' miss and raced the length of the court for a layup at the buzzer to pull the Jazz within 28-27 to end the first quarter.

The Heat led by as many as 10 again in the second as Wade scored eight points in a 3-minute span, and James' driving layup with 4:27 left made it 49-39.

A three-point play by Andrei Kirilenko pulled the Jazz to 66-64 with 6:18 left in the third. Williams then passed underneath to Kirilenko for a dunk to tie it at 72 with 4:14 left, and Raja Bell put Utah ahead with a pair of free throws.

But the fourth quarter was all Miami, as the Heat outscored the Jazz 34-20.
Utah had held its last 10 opponents under 100 points, and the Jazz were 10-0 when entering the fourth with a lead.

Millsap and the Jazz Spoils Lebron’s 29th Career Triple-Double

Paul Millsap scored a career-high 46 points, including a putback at the buzzer to force overtime, and the Utah Jazz got two free throws from Francisco Elson with 0.4 seconds left to beat the Miami Heat 116-114 on Tuesday night.

Utah erased a 22-point deficit, plus overcame a 39-point night from Dwyane Wade and LeBron James' 29th career triple-double - 20 points, 14 assists and 11 rebounds - to hand the Heat their first home loss.

The Heat missed five shots in the final two minutes of overtime that either would have tied the game or given them the lead, including Eddie House's desperation jumper at the buzzer.
Deron Williams had 21 points and 14 assists before fouling out late in regulation for the Jazz, who also got 16 points from Andrei Kirilenko.

Kirilenko hit a 3-pointer with 1:50 left to put Utah up 112-111, and Wade answered with a 3-pointer with 17 ticks remaining to tie the game at 114.

But Wade fouled Elson near the basket on Utah's final possession. Elson made both free throws - banking in the second - and the Heat needed a miracle. House barely had time to get the final shot off.

Millsap's 46 were by far the most by any player to face Miami this season - and he might have been a most surprising candidate to top that list. In eight previous games against the Heat, Millsap averaged just 6.9 points.

But he owned the Heat all night, hitting 3-pointers with 12.1 and 4.3 seconds left in regulation as Utah scored 42 points in the fourth alone just to get into the extra period.

The Heat led by 19 at halftime and were still comfortably ahead at 67-51 when James made a layup with 4 minutes left in the third quarter. And considering third quarters have been a strong suit for Miami all season, the Heat were likely feeling good about things.
Utah changed everything in a flash.

Down 77-66 with 10:20 remaining, the Jazz held Miami without a field goal for 4 1/2 minutes, roaring back. CJ Miles - who had two points in the first 38 minutes - scored six straight for Utah to start a rally, and when Ronnie Price hit a 3-pointer with 6:59 left, the game was tied at 79.
Utah took the lead on Williams' jumper on the next Jazz possession, before Miami swung things back its way.

When the Jazz decided to double-team James at the side of the lane, he kicked the ball to Wade for a 3-pointer from the left corner to give Miami the lead again, the start of a 9-0 run. James Jones was flagrantly fouled by Price about a half-minute later - Price did make a play on the ball, and even offered to help Jones up - and Miami wound up getting four points on that possession.
Wade's dunk - off another assist by James - made it 88-81, but the Jazz were far from done that time, too.

Utah's first trip to the Eastern time zone this season made the Jazz seemed a bit jet-lagged coming out of the gate.

The Jazz missed 10 straight shots in the opening quarter, allowing the Heat to peel off a 15-0 run - matching Miami's biggest of the young season - and run out to a quick 22-7 lead. Miami led by as many as 22 in the second quarter, and the margin was 51-32 at halftime.

NOTES: Emeka Okafor's 26 points in the loss to New Orleans had been the high against Miami this season. ... Miami hosts Boston on Thursday in a rematch of the season-opening loss to the Celtics. ... The Jazz had lost seven straight in Miami.