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Miami takes a commanding 3-0 lead over 76ers

Apr 22, 2011 - 4:32 AM Philadelphia, PA (Sports Network) - Dwyane Wade poured in 32 points with 10 rebounds and eight assists, as the Miami Heat used a strong fourth quarter to defeat the Philadelphia 76ers, 100-94, in Game 3 of their Eastern Conference quarterfinal set from Wells Fargo Center.

LeBron James added 24 points, 15 boards and six assists for the second-seeded Heat, who will look to sweep the series on Sunday. Chris Bosh donated 19 points and six rebounds.

"I know I don't have to score as much on this team," James said. "We have other great options, so it allows me to concentrate on other things."

Miami has history on its side heading into Game 4, as no team has ever come back from a 3-0 deficit to win the series.

Elton Brand tallied 21 points and 11 boards for the Sixers, who suffered a 94-73 loss in Game 2 on Monday. Jrue Holiday chipped in 20 points and eight assists.

Lou Williams and Spencer Hawes added 15 and 12 points, respectively, for Philadelphia, which has not been swept in a series since the 1999 Eastern Conference semis against Indiana. Andre Iguodala had 10 points and 10 assists.

"We know we can play with them," Brand said. "We just have to get a win and stay in the series. Realistically we could have had two of these games. It's discouraging."

James' three-pointer and Bosh's jumper in the first two minutes of the fourth gave Miami a 78-75 margin.

Holding an 82-79 lead with under eight minutes to play, the Heat created some distance with an 8-1 surge. Joel Anthony's layup and a Bosh jumper surrounded a miss from Brand. Two foul shots from Wade then followed Iguodala's missed jumper for an 88-79 margin.

Williams was fouled from beyond the arc, but made just one of his three free throws. James then capped Miami's flurry with a layup for a 90-80 lead with under five minutes to go.

Philadelphia stayed within striking distance down the stretch, and Williams' trey with 43.8 seconds left cut the gap to 98-94.

The Sixers had a chance to make it a one-possession game following James' miss from the baseline. Williams, though, was off the mark with a trey from the top of the arc. James Jones made two foul shots at the other end to seal Miami's victory.

Philadelphia came out of the gates with something to prove after the Game 2 blowout. Hawes bookended a game-opening 9-0 run with a jumper and layup.

Miami was able to cut the gap to three, 15-12, past the midway mark of the first quarter. But Philadelphia had a quick answer, going on a 9-2 flurry to build a 24-14 lead on Holiday's trey.

The 76ers held a 29-21 edge after three-pointers from Mike Bibby and Williams ended the stanza.

Down by nine, 40-31, just past the midway point of the second, Miami went on a 16-8 run. Jones made a three-pointer on consecutive Heat possessions to cut the gap to 48-47 with 1:14 to go.

Both teams shot 47 percent from the field in the first half, which resulted in a 52-50 Sixers lead.

Neither team led by more than eight in an evenly played third frame, which ended with the Sixers holding a 75-73 edge.

Game Notes

Miami center Zydrunas Ilgauskas had 10 points and eight rebounds...The Sixers went 9-of-21 from three-point range...The Heat went 24-of-30 from the foul line...Miami outrebounded the Sixers, 50-34...The Heat had 48 points in the paint, compared to 34 for Philadelphia.