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View Full Version : Beasley leads Heat over Trail Blazers, 107-100



chrism
12-02-2009, 09:45 PM
Wednesday, December 02, 2009

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PORTLAND, Ore. — Michael Beasley scored a season-high 27 points, Dwyane Wade had 22 points and 12 assists and the Miami Heat led from the start in beating the Portland Trail Blazers 107-100 Tuesday night.

Beasley was 8 of 15 from the field and 11 of 12 for free throws as the Heat (10-7) ended a two-game losing streak. Quentin Richardson scored 20 points and grabbed eight rebounds for Miami. The Heat shot 53.3 percent from the field (40 of 75).

Portland, which shot .391 (34 of 87), lost its third consecutive game. The Blazers (12-8) were playing without forward LaMarcus Aldridge, who has a right knee contusion. Aldridge is the team's second-leading scorer, averaging 14.9 points per game.

Greg Oden grabbed a career-high 20 rebounds and scored 13 points for Portland. Brandon Roy led the Blazers with 25 points, including 14 during the first quarter, while Andre Miller had 18. Portland, second in the NBA in points allowed at 90.5 points per game, has given up 106, 108 and 107 points in its past three games.

Miami took control from the opening tip, scoring the game's first seven points on the way to a 32-28 lead at the end of the first quarter. Beasley was Miami's offensive centerpiece during the second quarter, scoring 13 points, including seven from the free throw line as the Heat led 60-50 at halftime.

The Blazers went on a run at Miami midway through the third quarter, when Oden scored six points during a 3-minute period that allowed Portland to close the deficit to 74-68. But Miami, led by 3-pointers from Richardson and James Jones, closed out the quarter on a 14-4 run to take a 88-72 lead into the fourth quarter.

Miami maintained a double-digit lead until the final two minutes, when the Blazers got as close as six points.

NOTES: Portland rookie forward Dante Cunningham made his first start of the season, replacing Aldridge, whose status is day to day The 6-foot-8 Cunningham, the 33rd pick of the 2009 NBA draft, scored six points and grabbed five rebounds in 18 minutes. Portland has been outscored 93-60 in the first quarter of its past three games. Miami ended a four-game losing streak to the Blazers. Portland plays eight of its next 11 games on the road. Tuesday's game was Miami's first of a four-game Western Conference road trip that also runs through Denver, Los Angeles Lakers and Sacramento.


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