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With Wade in doubt, Heat visit Nets

Mar 19, 2009 - 6:11 PM By Matt Beardmore Stats Writer

Miami (36-31) at New Jersey (29-39) 7:30 p.m. EST

EAST RUTHERFORD, New Jersey (AP) -- The Miami Heat proved that even without their star guard, they can compete with the Eastern Conference elite. At the same time, they'd prefer not to make a habit of playing without Dwyane Wade.

With Wade's status for Friday night's game in New Jersey still uncertain, the Heat look to avoid a third straight loss when they meet a Nets squad that will definitely be without its All-Star guard, Devin Harris.

If Miami (36-31) is going to sweep its four-game season series with New Jersey (29-39), it may be without Wade, who missed his first game of the season Wednesday with a right hip flexor injury. Wade, the NBA's leading scorer at 29.9 points per game, had not missed a game since being sidelined the final 21 of 2007-08 with a left knee injury.

He has not played in more than 77 regular-season games since entering the league in 2003-04.

"We're a team, the Miami Heat, with or without D-Wade," Heat rookie Michael Beasley said after Wednesday's 112-108 overtime loss to Boston. "Obviously, he's a big part of our team and a majority of the scoring. But when he's out, when he's not playing, somebody's got to step up and a couple of guys did."

Beasley had 21 points and seven rebounds while fellow rookie Mario Chalmers just missed his second double-double of the season with 19 points and nine assists as the Heat fell to 0-2 on their four-game trip.

"Mario did a fantastic job," Miami coach Erik Spoelstra said, "basically doing the things that Dwyane normally does."

But Spoelstra and the Heat would prefer to have Wade back as they continue to chase Atlanta for the fourth seed in the East and home-court advantage in the first round of the playoffs.

In Miami's last game in New Jersey, Wade had 43 points, four boards and five assists in a 106-103 win Dec. 20.

Harris had 21 points and nine assists in that loss - New Jersey's fourth consecutive at home to the Heat. Harris, though, is out indefinitely with a sprained left shoulder and strained deltoid muscle suffered in Sunday's 107-105 loss to the Los Angeles Clippers.

He missed his second straight game Wednesday, a 115-89 win over the New York Knicks as the Nets concluded a 1-4 trip.

New Jersey is 11th in the East but trails Chicago by just 2 1/2 games for the eighth and final playoff spot.

"This is what we're going to need, for everyone to take their game to another level because our margin for error is smaller," Nets coach Lawrence Frank said.

Vince Carter went 11-of-16 from the field and scored 29 as New Jersey made 58.8 percent of its shots against the Knicks.

"I feel more in a groove," said Carter, averaging 34.0 points on 56.9 percent shooting in his last three games.

During a four-game stretch from March 6-13, Carter scored 19.3 points per game and shot only 38.0 percent.

In the teams' last meeting, Carter shot just 5-of-21 from the field and scored 20 in a 101-96 overtime loss in Miami on Jan. 3.

Brook Lopez continues to put up big numbers for the Nets. The first-year center had 23 points and a season-high eight assists Wednesday. Among NBA rookies, Lopez is ranked sixth in scoring (12.9), second in rebounding (7.9) and first in blocked shots (1.9).

Miami's last regular-season sweep of the Nets was 2004-05, when it won all three matchups.