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Wednesday, Dec. 1 7:30pm ET
Miami wins battle of missing guards | |||||
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BOX SCORE
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 GAME FLOW
MIAMI (AP) -- With Tim Hardaway on the sideline, Alonzo Mourning picked the Miami Heat up. Mourning had 28 points, 15 rebounds and seven blocked shots Wednesday night as the Heat beat the Philadelphia 76ers 90-83 in a matchup of teams missing their star point guards. "I have to stay consistent and do whatever it takes to help us win, whether it's scoring, blocking shots or rebounding," Mourning said. "The rest of the guys have to fill the void, not just me." Miami, which won its fourth straight game without Hardaway, improved to 12-3 for the best start in franchise history. Hardaway was placed on the injured list before the game to heal a jammed right knee. "I am a little distraught that Timmy is hurting and on the injured list," Heat coach Pat Riley said. "I made the decision. We want to get it right, not half right." The Sixers were even more depleted than Miami, playing without Allen Iverson, and centers Matt Geiger and Theo Ratliff. Aaron McKie had 20 points and nine assists for Philadelphia and Tyrone Hill added 20. "It wasn't enough," McKie said. "Zo was the key. They made some big plays down the stretch." Rookie guard Anthony Carter had seven points and eight assists in Hardaway's absence, including several key plays down the stretch to secure the Heat's fourth straight victory. Mourning grabbed a huge offensive rebound and set up Carter for a driving layup, giving Miami an 84-80 lead with 2:32 left. "You can't be afraid to make a turnover," Carter said. "You have to be positive and play with confidence." A turnover by Larry Hughes led to a Heat fast break that resulted in a long jumper by Jamal Mashburn to boost Miami's lead to 86-80 with 2:06 remaining. Bruce Bowen hit a free throw and Hill nailed a turnaround in the lane to make it 86-83. But a behind-the-back pass from Carter to Mourning in the paint led to a basket that made it 88-83 with 32 seconds left. "When AC (Carter) drives down the lane taking it to the hole, you have to be ready, he's liable to throw it anywhere," Mourning said. In a back-and-forth second quarter, consecutive blocks by Mourning sparked a 7-0 run, helping Miami to a 42-32. McKie then scored seven points during a 12-2 run that made it 44-all at halftime. "He's one of the most dominating centers in the league," said 76ers' assistant coach John Calipari, who met with the media while coach Larry Brown got treatment on an injured ankle. "They know how to finish off games. ... Zo stepped up and made some big plays."
Game notes | ALSO SEE NBA Scoreboard Philadelphia Clubhouse Miami Clubhouse RECAPS Cleveland 111 Washington 108
Miami 90
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