This is the Miami Heat as advertised. Dominant. Ahead of the
pack. With Friday night’s 106-84 victory over the Golden State
Warriors at Oracle Arena, the Heat moved into first place in the
Southeast Division for the first time this season. Powered by 34
points from guard Dwyane Wade and 25 from forward LeBron James, the
Heat extended its winning streak to seven and moved to 3-0 on this
four-game trip that concludes Saturday against the Sacramento
Kings.
OAKLAND
This is the Miami Heat as advertised.
Dominant. Ahead of the pack.
With Friday night’s 106-84 victory over the Golden State Warriors at Oracle Arena, the Heat moved into first place in the Southeast Division for the first time this season.
Powered by 34 points from guard Dwyane Wade and 25 from forward LeBron James, the Heat extended its winning streak to seven and moved to 3-0 on this four-game trip that concludes Saturday against the Sacramento Kings.
But this is not any mundane winning streak, it is the first time in the franchise’s 23 seasons the Heat have won seven consecutive games by double digits.
After a sluggish first half that left them with a mere 48-45 lead at the intermission, the Heat put it away with an 18-3 run to open the third quarter.
While James built his scoring total on three long-distance three-pointers late in the third quarter, Wade built his on resilience.
Within the game’s first minute, Wade was on the court in need of medical attention, after being caught by an inadvertent elbow from Warriors center Andris Biedrins, who was setting a screen on the play.
Wade was escorted to the bench by trainer Jay Sabol, but returned three minutes later, displaying no further symptoms beyond an incessant need to attack the rim.
Wade also had nine rebounds and seven assists. James rounded out his stat line with nine assists and seven rebounds.
It didn’t take much to defeat Golden State, which displayed little inclination to play defense and was without point guard Stephen Curry, who missed the game with a sprained right ankle. It was the sixth consecutive loss for the Warriors, who recorded their second sellout of the season.
With James scoring all 25 of his points over the first three periods, the Heat took a 84-65 lead into the fourth.
After losses earlier in the night by the Orlando Magic and Atlanta Hawks, the Heat finally got themselves to the top of the Southeast.
Former Heat forward Dorell Wright had 12 points and 10 rebounds for Golden State. Wright converted a pair of 3-pointers in the opening minutes to stake the Warriors to an early five-point lead.
From there, even with atypical turnover issues, the Heat seized control, in an effort that also included 16 points and seven rebounds from forward Chris Bosh.
— Story by Ira Winderman, Sun Sentinel
