EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. – Dwyane Wade had 27 points and 12 assists, and the Miami Heat continued their good play in March with a 99-89 victory over the free-falling New Jersey Nets on Monday night.
Jermaine O'Neal added 25 points as the Heat improved to 8-3 in the month that has seen them climb to sixth place in the Eastern Conference. Michael Beasley added 16 and Carlos Arroyo 12.
Brook Lopez had 26 points, but the Nets (7-63) lost their eighth straight as they possibly head toward the worst record in NBA history. New Jersey has to win two of its final 12 to avoid breaking the Philadelphia 76ers' mark for futility (9-73), set in 1972-73.
The Nets played without interim coach Kiki Vandeweghe, whose mother is gravely ill in California. Assistant John Loyer replaced him.
Devin Harris added 16 points and Courtney Lee had 15 for New Jersey, which extended its franchise record with its 14th straight loss at home.
Miami trailed by seven after allowing the Nets to score 32 points in the opening period. It cut the lead to a point at the half and like so many teams, took control against New Jersey by outscoring it 27-14 in the third quarter.
Wade had 10 points in the period and set the tone early with a drive down the lane that he finished off with a monster dunk that cut the Nets' lead to 57-56.
Quentin Richardson gave the Heat the lead for good with a 3-pointer and Wade followed with a drive that ended with a finger-tip roll for a layup.
After Terrence Williams hit a turnaround jumper, O'Neal, who missed the last game with an ankle injured, converted a three-point play on a basket where the ball slipped out of his hands and swished. Beasley followed with a baseline jumper for a 66-59 lead and New Jersey never got closer than five points the rest of the way in falling to 0-3 against Miami this season.
Williams had to leave the game midway through the third quarter after injuring his left foot on a drive to the basket. He finished with nine points, eight rebounds and seven assists.
Despite shooting nearly 57 percent from the field in the first half, the Heat trailed 53-52.
The difference was free throws. The Nets made 19 of 23 from the line and got a running — and we mean running — 3-pointer from Williams at the buzzer to take the lead.
O'Neal and Wade kept Miami in the game, combining for 31 points, with Wade also handing out six assists.
Notes
Miami has a blocked shot in 198 straight games. … F Udonis Haslem missed the game for Miami with a sprained ankle. … G Keyon Dooling was out for the Nets with the flu. …The Heat ended a three-game road losing streak. …The Heat are 22-2 when holding teams under 90 points and 20-1 when the opposition shots less than 40 percent. The Nets shot 37.5 percent.