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"Big Three" carry Miami past Clippers

Feb 6, 2011 - 9:59 PM Miami, FL (Sports Network) - Dwyane Wade poured in a game-high 28 points and added eight rebounds and eight assists, as Miami used a solid fourth quarter to top the Los Angeles Clippers, 97-79, at American Airlines Arena.

Chris Bosh finished with 16 points and seven boards while LeBron James supplied 12 points, six boards and four assists for the Heat, who have won six straight and seven of eight. Eddie House contributed 15 points in a reserve role.

"It's all about team wins," James said. "We had 30-plus points off the bench."

Blake Griffin led the Clippers with 21 points and 16 rebounds. Randy Foye scored 15 and Baron Davis contributed 14 points and six assists for Los Angeles, which has dropped three straight and five of its last seven.

"No one shot the ball very well for us," Clippers coach Vinny Del Negro said. "We just couldn't put enough offensive pressure on them at all."

Holding a 70-61 lead at the end of three, Miami opened the fourth quarter with a 9-0 run, started with a House jumper and long three-pointer, to widen its lead to 79-61.

Another House triple with 5 1/2 minutes remaining put the game at 86-67, and after Bosh connected on a driving layup, House added another basket from beyond the arc to push the Heat's lead to a game-high 24, 91-67.

The Miami lead never fell below 18 down the stretch.

"Finally in the second half we got it going," Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said. "We put together a little bit more of a complete half."

Leading 47-36 at the half, the Heat's lead remained around 10 until a Wade jumper at 6:38 started a quick 5-0 Miami run, capped by another Wade basket just over the six minute mark.

The Clippers held tight responding with each Miami basket, and Eric Bledsoe made two from the line with 15.5 seconds remaining, cutting the Miami advantage to 70-61 entering the final stanza.

"I like the way we came out in the third quarter," Del Negro continued. "We had a very strong third. We just didn't shoot a high enough percentage, and then started turning the ball over."

Despite a slow start, both teams picked up the pace midway though the first quarter. Wade finished with seven points and Griffin had six, as the Heat held a 20-19 lead after 12 minutes.

"We knew we had to get ready, come out, and get right to the fight early on," Wade said.

The Clippers had another subpar shooting effort in the second quarter, 6-of-19 from the field and 1-of-8 from beyond the arc, and the Heat widened their lead to 47-36 at the half behind nine more points from Wade.

Game Notes

The Heat scored 20 points of 20 Clippers turnovers...The Heat avenged a 111-105 loss to the Clippers on January 12...Wade was 9-of-10 from the line...Ryan Gomes added 12 points for Los Angeles.