Wade scores 42 points as Heat beat Raptors

[March 07, 2009]  TORONTO (AP) -- Dwyane Wade had 42 points, eight assists and six rebounds, and the Miami Heat beat Toronto 108-102 on Friday night, snapping a six-game losing streak against the Raptors.

Wade shot 17-for-23 and topped 40 points for the fourth time in seven games, a run in which he also posted a career-high 50 points and two 30-point performances. The NBA's leading scorer came in averaging 35.8 points since the All-Star break, also tops in the league.

Michael Beasley scored 12 points and Udonis Haslem, Mario Chalmers and Chris Quinn had 10 as Miami won back-to-back games for the first time since a three-game streak from Jan. 24-28.

The Heat had not beaten Toronto since a 92-89 home victory on April 3, 2007.

Chris Bosh scored 34 points and Andrea Bargnani had 23 for Toronto, which has lost four straight.

Leading 86-76 after three, the Heat called timeout after two quick Toronto baskets to open the fourth, then came out of the break with an 11-2 run, putting them up 97-82 with 6:05 remaining.

A 3-pointer by Jason Kapono and Bargnani's layup made it 106-100 with 1:04 left but, after a Miami timeout, Wade banked in a fadeaway shot to seal the win.

It was the first meeting between the teams since a Feb. 13 trade that saw Miami swap forward Shawn Marion and guard Marcus Banks for Toronto center Jermaine O'Neal and forward Jamario Moon.

Marion had 10 points and Banks was held scoreless, while O'Neal had eight points and eight rebounds and Moon had five points and five boards.

Asked before the game how he planned to defend Wade, Toronto coach Jay Triano gave an exasperated sigh, then said it would be "the same type of thing we do with Kobe and LeBron, he's in that category."

But Wade was sharp from the get-go, shooting 6-for-8 and scoring 12 points in the first. His nasty spin move on a turnaround jumper midway through the first left defender Anthony Parker on the ground, falling in the wrong direction.

Toronto missed its first six shots but overcame Wade's quick start thanks to nine points from Bargnani and led 24-22 after one.

Bosh had 11 points in the second, but Wade made three 3-pointers and Quinn added two more as the Heat led 56-50 at the break.

After signing for the rest of the season earlier Friday, center Pops Mensah-Bonsu made his Toronto debut and finished with four points and 10 rebounds.

Beasley picked up a technical for arguing with referee Ron Garretson after being called for his third foul in eight minutes of first-quarter action.

Notes:@ Wade, who scored 40 points in a 101-95 loss to Toronto on Nov. 19, is the first opponent to have two 40-point games against the Raptors in a single season. ... Toronto opponents have topped 50 first-half points in seven consecutive games. ... Raptors guard Jose Calderon's first assist was the 1,762nd of his career, moving him past Damon Stoudamire into sole possession of second place on Toronto's career list. He finished with six assists.

[Associated Press]

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