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The Miami Heat overcame poor shooting and a subpar game from star guard Dwyane Wade to win their last time out. They might need a more complete performance to end their road losing streak against the Indiana Pacers.

The Heat look to match a season high with their fourth straight win by snapping a seven-year losing streak at Conseco Fieldhouse on Friday when they visit the Pacers, who hope to have Danny Granger back in the lineup as they try to remain undefeated at home this month.

Miami (25-19) shot 39.0 percent from the field Wednesday night and Wade, who entered the game averaging a league-high 28.9 points, was held to 14 and 6-for-16 shooting. The Heat, though, played solid defense and cruised to their third straight win, 93-71 over Washington.

“Our activity level was consistent pretty much the whole way through,” said coach Erik Spoelstra, whose team has won four straight twice this season. “That’s what we’re looking for.”

Though it was Wade’s second-lowest scoring performance of the season, he was instrumental in Miami’s 21-6 run at the end of the third quarter that put the game away.

“He impacted the game and he only had 14 points,” Spoelstra said.

Spoelstra’s Heat, though, might need a better outing from Wade to snap their losing streak in Indianapolis. Including the postseason, Miami has lost 15 straight games at Conseco Fieldhouse since an 89-87 victory Dec. 31, 2001 - a year and a half before the Heat drafted Wade.

Miami may be making its first trip to Indiana (18-28) this season at the wrong time. After going 6-9 at home before this month, the Pacers are 6-0 there in January.

Jim O’Brien has 30 years of coaching experience at the collegiate and professional level. Most recently, he served as head coach of the Philadelphia 76ers during the 2004-2005 season. The Philadelphia native guided the 76ers to the playoffs with a 43-39 record, a 10 win improvement from the previous season.

Erik Spoelstra begins his first season as Head Coach of the Miami HEAT and his 14th within the HEAT organization. He was elevated to his current post on April 28, 2008 when HEAT President Pat Riley stepped down as Head Coach.

Known for his game preparation and superb attention to detail as the HEAT’s Assistant Coach/Director of Scouting, Spoelstra had the primary role of developing game plans for upcoming opponents for the past seven seasons. To that end, he coordinated the video staff and advance scouts while overseeing the development of scouting reports and videos.

MIAMI(AP) With his team in a double-digit hole, Dwyane Wade hit a long 3-pointer at the end of the first half, then turned toward the Miami Heat bench and nodded.

His message was clear: This game isn't over.

And his teammates went out and proved him right.

Wade shook off flu-like symptoms to score 38 points, and the Heat outscored Indiana by 21 after halftime to beat the Pacers 109-100 on Saturday night.

"Hopefully, one day, we can put a string of wins together,'' said Wade, whose team still hasn't lost two straight games this season, a far cry from last year's 15-67 debacle. "But right now, we're just going to keep taking it one game at a time, trying to win each game and get better every night. That's all we can do.''

Getting Inside

Rookie forward Michael Beasley made the Rookie Challenge—the first-year players versus second-year players All-Star game. But rookie Mario Chalmers and second-year man Daequan Cook didn’t make their respective teams. That bums Beasley out.

“I’m going to have fun,” Beasley said, “but I’m not going to do it on purpose because my friends won’t be there.”

Chalmers, the 34th pick of the draft, felt he should be included in the festivities along with Chicago’s Derrick Rose and Memphis’ O.J. Mayo. Among rookies, Chalmers ranks first in steals (1.84 per game), third in assists (4.6), fourth in minutes (31.3), 10th in field goal percentage (.354) and 11th in scoring (9.5).

“I’ve had just as good of a year as they have,” Chalmers said of his fellow rookies.

Cook is tied for 19th in three-point field goal percentage (.423). In his 18 games prior to Wednesday, he shot 50.9 percent (58-for-114) from three-point range.

The rookie and sophomore teams are chosen by assistant coaches.

“Tell me the coaches that didn’t vote for me and when we play their team I’ll light (them) up,” Cook said jokingly.

Beasley, the No. 2 pick in the draft, is second on the Heat at 13.2 points per game. He’s also averaging 5.2 rebounds and shooting .448 from the field.

Heat 93, Wizards 71: Dwyane Wade finished with 14 points, nine rebounds and nine assists, falling just short of his fourth career triple-double. But the Heat (25-19) won this game with defense.

“Bottom line, we shot 39 percent,” coach Erik Spoelstra said. “We didn’t have a great, efficient game, other than we kept our turnovers down. It was another game where Dwyane and Mario (Chalmers) only had one turnover between the two of them.

“But it wasn’t like we were spectacular offensively.”

Miami held its second straight opponent to a season low in points. It held Atlanta to 79 points on Monday.

The Heat moved into a tie with Detroit (25-19) for the fifth seed in the East, just a half-game behind Atlanta (26-19).

Notes, Quotes

• The Heat is 17-1 when attempting more free throws than its opponent. Miami was 19-for-22 (.864) on Wednesday against Washington. The Wizards were 9-for-13 (.692).

• C Jamaal Magloire had been drawing lots of attention for Monday’s dunk against Orlando in which he jammed it right-handed and then used his left hand to cover his eyes. But there’s no meaning to that action.

“I’m just having fun,” Magloire said Wednesday. “I’m enjoying myself out there and we’re winning games.”

Getting Inside

Danny Granger and Mike Dunleavy are the Pacers’ go-to players, but they’ll likely need help from at least one other player if they expect to make a run at a playoff spot. Point guard T.J. Ford is willing to be that player.

Ford, who was acquired from Toronto last summer, is still adapting to coach Jim O’Brien’s offense, which relies on a lot of ball movement.

“I’m getting more comfortable with it,” Ford said. “It’s a little bit of give and take both ways. It hasn’t been an issue. It’s just coming down and trying to attack. If can I get to the rim, I get to the rim, if not, I’m trying drive and kick it out.” Ford, who has been dealing with a back problem for about a month, has picked up his scoring lately. He’s averaging 22.7 points in the past four games. The Pacers are 3-1 in that span.

“I’m feeling better,” Ford said. “I doubt I’ll be able to get 100 percent. I think right now, I’m the best I’m going to get. For me, it’s better than where I was. I’m able to get back to playing my style and be aggressive, make cuts, make certain moves. I’m not limited anymore.”

Pacers 107, Bucks 99: Point guard T.J. Ford picked up the scoring load in Danny Granger’s absence by tying his career high of 34 points in 37 minutes. Mike Dunleavy, Jarrett Jack and Rasho Nesterovic scored 14 points each for the Pacers, who had to hold the Bucks off after squandering a 20-point lead. Indiana made up for 23 turnovers by shooting 52 percent from the field.

Notes, Quotes

• Indiana has won a season-high six straight home games.

• The Pacers have won 12 of their last 16 games, including eight in a row at home, against Milwaukee.

• The Pacers are 6-4 in Wednesday games, the only day of the week they’ve got a winning record.

• The Pacers held the Bucks to just four offensive rebounds, their fewest of the season.

• The Pacers, who turned the ball over 23 times, are 6-15 when they commit more turnovers than their opponents.

• The Pacers shot at least 50 percent from the field in consecutive games for just the second time this season. They shot 51.9 percent against the Bucks.

Indiana Pacers forward Danny Granger was named an Eastern Conference All-Star reserve today.

Granger, who is dealing with a right knee injury, is fourth in the league in scoring at 25.8 points, including 14 games of at least 30 points.
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Reserves are picked by coaches in the East. The All-Star Game is Feb. 15 in Phoenix.

Granger, who signed a five-year, $60-million contract extension before the season, is the 10th Pacer and first since Jermaine O'Neal in 2007 selected to play in the All-Star Game.

Wade, Haslem know about the team's troubles at Indiana
Miami has lost 12 consecutive games at Conseco Fieldhouse

By Michael Cunningham | South Florida Sun-Sentinel
January 30, 2009

Miami - It's true, as Heat coach Erik Spoelstra says, that among players only Dwyane Wade and Udonis Haslem really know about the team's troubles at Indiana.

They are the only Heat players around long enough to appreciate the team's futility at Conseco Fieldhouse, where it has lost 12 consecutive games, its longest current road losing streak.

"Most of the players don't even know about it other than people bringing it up," Spoelstra said before the Heat departed for Indianapolis on Thursday. "But they don't care, nor should they. Different situation, different team, different dynamic."

Yet for more than seven years the circumstances have changed several times for both teams, while the results stay the same. The Heat last won at Indiana on Dec. 31, 2001, two seasons before the Heat acquired Wade and Haslem, its longest-tenured players.

"You always know the places where you haven't won," Haslem said.

In November Haslem and Wade won at San Antonio for the first time while snapping the Heat's 10-game losing streak there. On Saturday the Heat beat Orlando for the first time in 10 games, but not before blowing a 15-point lead in the fourth quarter.

Miller4ever wrote:Awesome gamethread, Grang33r, although Dorell Wright kinda looks suspiciously like Marcus Banks. But we're not even looking at those pictures, so it doesn't really matter.

Guys, this win is crucial because the Heat are another valid opponent we have to prove ourselves against, and the home streak needs to continue with no question.

TJFordisGod wrote:What the hell!!!!!!!!!! Obrian is starting Jack over Ford???? I wish i could change my prediction to miami by 4! this is ridiculous.

TJFordisGod wrote:What the hell!!!!!!!!!! Obrian is starting Jack over Ford???? I wish i could change my prediction to miami by 4! this is ridiculous.

DGrangeRx33 wrote:

TJFordisGod wrote:What the hell!!!!!!!!!! Obrian is starting Jack over Ford???? I wish i could change my prediction to miami by 4! this is ridiculous.

Jack is the more consistant PG. Ford will be great one night and suck the next. I'd rather start Jack who will give us a solid game most nights.

chatard5 wrote:I HATE to say it, but I think a guy like Artest would be a guy we could really use. He would help our defense so much, and guard the other teams best player. That being said, I'd still prefer this team. Plus we have to have Granger in, and I want Dunleavy in. So we would have to go real small or else put Dunleavy at PG?

Miller4ever wrote:What's with the Heat announcers instead of Pacer announcers? I'm watching this online at NBA League Pass. Why?

DGrangeRx33 wrote:

Miller4ever wrote:What's with the Heat announcers instead of Pacer announcers? I'm watching this online at NBA League Pass. Why?

I got the Pacers announcers...just be glad you don't have to listen to Boston's or Sacramento's.