• Preview
• Recap
• Bleachers

Aldridge, Trail Blazers send Heat to fifth straight loss

Mar 9, 2011 - 4:20 AM Miami, FL (Sports Network) - LaMarcus Aldridge finished with 26 points on 11- of-20 from the field as Portland handled the Heat, 105-96, at American Airlines Arena.

Gerald Wallace added 22 points and nine rebounds in a reserve role while Andre Miller and Brandon Roy both scored 14 for Portland, which has won four straight.

"I am very happy with our guys," Portland coach Nate McMillan said. "Miami is a good team, and we knew they would come out with a sense of urgency, but it was a challenge for us."

Dwyane Wade paced Miami with a game-high 38 points, six rebounds and five assists. LeBron James added 31 points, 11 rebounds and eight assists while Mario Chalmers added 10 points in the loss, Miami's fifth straight.

"It certainly is not easy right now," Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said regarding the team's recent struggles. "Frankly we don't have a lot of answers to how to get over this hump. The only thing we can do is to keep grinding and not let go of the rope."

James and Aldridge paced their respective teams with eight points apiece in the first quarter, as the game was locked at 25 after the opening 12 minutes.

The game remained close in the second, and the Blazers scored seven of the quarter's final nine points to take a 57-51 lead into the locker room. Wallace and Roy added 11 points apiece in the second for Portland, and the Blazers capitalized on six Heat turnovers, turning them into 10 points.

Miami cut its deficit in the third, and six straight points from Wade in 75 seconds tied the game at 75, Patty Mills ended the quarter with a fadeaway jumper to give Portland a 77-75 advantage entering the final stanza.

Wade scored 14 of Miami's 21 fourth quarter points, but it wasn't enough for a comeback. James made it a one-possession game with a dunk at 4:35, but after a timeout, Wallace connected on a short jumper to start an 12-5 run to create some distance.

Wesley Matthews capped the spurt with a three-pointer at 1:34 and all Miami managed was a James dunk down the stretch.

Game Notes

Portland announced earlier Tuesday that McMillan's contract has been extended through 2013...Nicolas Batum and Matthews scored 11 and 10 points, respectively, for the Blazers...Chris Bosh was held to seven points and four rebounds in the loss...Portland shot 18-of-19 from the free throw line, compared to 15-of-19 for Miami.