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Wade, Chalmers lift Heat over Bobcats

Feb 9, 2009 - 3:47 AM MIAMI (Ticker) -- The Miami Heat shook off some nagging injuries and battled through a few new ones to snap a slide.

Dwyane Wade shook off the flu and led the way with 22 points and Mario Chalmers chipped in with 16 and 13 assists for his first double-double as the Miami Heat outlasted the Charlotte Bobcats, 96-92, on Sunday.

Daequan Cook, who sat out the previous three contests with a thigh contusion, added 16 points off the bench and Udonis Haslem added 14 points and eight boards for the Heat, who entered the contest losers of four of five.

"I picked up where I left off," Cook said. "Yesterday was my first day back on the floor and it was pretty intense. It was about getting me back in rhythm from not being on the court for about a week."

The Bobcats drew as close as 79-77 with 6:28 left in the game, but Cook nailed a 3-pointer and Joel Anthony hit a layup to give Miami a cushion.

"It was the break that we haven't got in the last four to five games," Wade said of Cook's 3-pointer. "That was a big shot. It's shots like that why we love to have Daequan out there. For one, he's relentless and he's never seen a shot he doesn't like and for a guy like him, that's good."

Besides battling through the flu, Wade received seven stitches below his left eye after taking a shot from Charlotte forward Juwan Howard. Wade talked with reporters after the game while wearing a black robe similar to a boxer and boxing gloves while joking that he's ready for Howard next time.

"I didn't have to make all of the plays," Wade said. "It's not that easy to play sick, but I tried to do what I could to help this team win and we got that win tonight."

Raymond Felton, who finished 4-of-17 from the floor, hit a 3-pointer to pull Charlotte within 93-89 with 44 seconds left, but Haslem hit two free throws and Chalmers split a pair before Augustin connected from beyond the arc just before the buzzer.

"At the end, I thought we did a much better job being poised with the clock and executing for the best available shot instead of being rushed into something," Miami coach Erik Spoelstra said.

The Heat finished the game a season-best 56 percent (42-of-75) from the floor, with Wade coming in at 10-of-19 and Chalmers and Cook converting 6-of-10 apiece.

"Mario did probably one of the better jobs of running the offense and finding the balance of when to attack and be aggressive, when to get us into an offense and when to make plays for other guys," Spoelstra said. "It was one of his better offensive games."

"It feels good to get my first double-double of the year," Chalmers said. "I've been working so hard to get it and finally got it tonight."

D.J. Augustin scored 27 points and Howard added a season-high 14 for Charlotte, which has lost five in a row.

The Bobcats have not been able to reach the century mark in scoring in any of their five setbacks despite shooting a respectable 48 percent (38-of-80) from the floor and 10-of-21 from beyond the arc against Miami.

"I thought we played good, they just played great," Charlotte coach Larry Brown said. "I thought they played great and they made shots and I didn't think our defense was that bad. I really feel we're making progress and that's all you can ask for."

Charlotte was without forward Vladimir Radmanovic, who was acquired in a trade with the Los Angeles Lakers on Saturday. Radmanovic was in Miami and ready to play but physicals had not yet been completed on Adam Morrison and Shannon Brown, who were sent to the Lakers.