Wade gets 25, Heat roll past Magic 104-86

[December 18, 2009]  MIAMI (AP) -- Dwyane Wade had 25 points and seven assists, Michael Beasley added 22 points and the Miami Heat were in control throughout an easy 104-86 victory over the Eastern Conference champion Orlando Magic on Thursday night.

Dorell Wright and Quentin Richardson each scored 11 points for the Heat, who beat their Southeast Division rivals for the second time in two meetings this season.

Dwight Howard finished with 17 points and 14 rebounds for the Magic, who fell to 15-4 against the East this season. J.J. Redick scored 13 points, Mickael Pietrus added 12 and Vince Carter was scoreless for the game's first 21 minutes before finishing with 10 points for Orlando.

Wade sat out the entire fourth quarter for the third straight game, all of them routs with Miami winning the last two. Since a pair of team meetings following a 28-point home loss to Memphis on Sunday, the Heat are 2-0 with an average winning margin of 19 points.

The Magic have dominated the Sunshine State rivalry in recent years, winning 12 of the last 14 meetings coming into Thursday. The only two Orlando losses in that span were by six points last January, then a single point on Nov. 25.

This one, much different.

Miami hadn't enjoyed a blowout against Orlando since Feb. 15, 2006, 16 series games ago. The Heat won 110-100 that night, a final margin that belied the fact Miami led by as many as 29 in that game.

Unbelievably as it may seem, considering Orlando had won 12 of the last 14 in the series, Miami led by 29 in this one as well.

Sparked by three separate 10-0 runs, the Heat led 89-60 entering the fourth quarter. The first two spurts came in the first quarter, putting Miami up 12-6 and then 33-18.

And the final burst came to close the third, although it may have been costly for Miami.

Wade hit a pullup 3-pointer with 1 minute remaining, putting Miami up 87-60. When Redick tried a layup in transition moments later, Wade lurked behind then pounced to block it off the backboard.

Redick went tumbling, but Wade apparently got the worst of the deal.

Already bothered by a sore right wrist for the past week, Wade started shaking his shooting hand seconds after making that block and asked to be removed from the game.

It was about the only downside for Miami all night.

Wright's buzzer-beating jumper to close the first quarter helped Heat reserves outscore Orlando's bench 10-0 in the first 12 minutes. When Mario Chalmers scored with 9:45 left in the half, Miami led 39-21 -- significant because Orlando hasn't won a game after trailing by more than 17 this season.

Whenever Orlando wanted to make things interesting, Miami had an answer.

Orlando ran off seven straight points to get within 39-28, so Beasley and Chalmers answered with a 7-0 run. And after Jason Williams blew past Carlos Arroyo for a layup with 6 seconds left in the half, Arroyo hit a 3-pointer over him with 0.2 ticks remaining for a 59-44 lead at the break.

Orlando didn't get any closer than that in the third, and Beasley was the only starter from either side to play in the fourth.

NOTES: Arroyo started again over Chalmers at point guard for Miami. ... The Heat had two turnovers in the first half. ... Williams, the point guard when Miami won its NBA title in 2006, got a warm ovation when starting lineups were announced. His last time playing in Miami for an opposing team was Dec. 28, 2001 for Memphis. ... Florida Marlins manager Fredi Gonzalez, a close friend of Magic coach and Marlins fan Stan Van Gundy, was courtside.

[Associated Press; By TIM REYNOLDS]

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