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Not so fast: Sixers edge Heat, avoid sweep

Apr 24, 2011 - 11:58 PM Philadelphia, PA (Sports Network) - Lou Williams' go-ahead three-pointer with 8.1 seconds remaining helped the Philadelphia 76ers extend their Eastern Conference quarterfinal series against the Miami Heat with a dramatic 86-82 Game 4 victory.

Williams scored 11 of his 17 points in the fourth quarter, and rookie Evan Turner capped a 17-point performance by finishing a game-ending 10-0 run with two clinching free throws in the closing seconds.

LeBron James put up his usual gaudy numbers -- 31 points, seven rebounds and six assists -- but came up empty in the clutch as Elton Brand got a piece of his game-tying drive in the lane, spoiling Miami's chance at a series sweep.

"It's never easy in the playoffs," Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra said. "[We were] in position to close out a game, up six [with] 1:35 to go. We [usually] can rely on our defense and we weren't able to do it the way we normally do."

The best-of-seven set shifts back to Miami for Game 5 on Wednesday, though no team in NBA history has ever come back from a 3-0 series deficit.

Nevertheless, the Sixers gave the Wells Fargo Center crowd something to cheer about after going down, 82-76, following Dwyane Wade's tip-in.

Turner got a baseline floater to fall, then saved a defensive rebound under the basket on Mario Chalmers' errant three. Jrue Holiday came down and nailed a three to cut the deficit to 82-81, and Wade was off on a mid-range jumper at the other end.

Philadelphia opted not to call a timeout, and a possession with little continuity ended with Williams pulling up at the top of the arc and draining a 27-footer with a hand in his face with 8.1 ticks on the clock.

"[Wade] gave me a little room and I was able to knock it down," recalled Williams. "We have always been a team that fought. I just wanted to give us an opportunity to win the basketball game."

Miami drew up a final play for James, who took his defender off the dribble down the right lane and appeared to be going in for an easy two before Brand came from under the basket and altered the shot.

"I thought I put enough loft on the ball to get it over [Brand's] outstretched hand, but he made a great play," James said.

Thaddeus Young grabbed the loose ball, and Turner made both free throws to clinch the win and keep Philly's season alive.

For the third time this series the Sixers led by double digits in the first quarter -- thanks in part to 13 fastbreak points -- and for the third time this series the Heat responded in quick fashion.

Philadelphia led by as many as 15 in the first, 23-8, following a Jodie Meeks three-pointer with under four minutes left. It was a 16-point game, 39-23, after a Young bucket 4 1/2 minutes into the second before Miami used its defense to turn the tide.

Forced turnovers led to a pair of fastbreak dunks for Wade and James during a quick 12-0 run that brought Miami within 39-35, and eight consecutive points from Wade gave Miami its first lead of the quarter, 43-41, with 2 1/2 minutes left.

The Heat took a 47-46 lead into the locker room, and James' three-point play in the final seconds of an offense-starved third gave the visitors a 66-64 advantage heading to the fourth.

Brand opened the fourth quarter with a jumper, but Miami looked as if it was about to take control by scoring the next seven points. Williams, though, fueled a 9-2 run that tied the game.

James made two free throws to break a 76-76 tie with 3:22 remaining, then connected on a step-back jumper for a two-possession edge coming down the stretch.

Game Notes

The Heat, who made 24 more free throws than the Sixers attempted in the first three games of the series (78-54), had a 21-16 free-throw advantage in Game 4...The Heat outrebounded the Sixers by double digits in Games 1-3, but were beaten on the glass, 49-41, on Sunday...Brand ended with 15 points and 11 boards, while Andre Iguodala (16 points) and Holiday (10) rounded out Philadelphia's double-digit scorers...Wade totaled 22 points, eight boards and five blocks while Chris Bosh was held to 12 points and five boards...Philadelphia has not been swept in a series since the 1999 Eastern Conference semis against Indiana...Miami was looking for its first postseason sweep since doing so to the Wizards in the 2005 East semifinals.