Slow Second Half Dooms Heat Against Visiting Clippers
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MIAMI (CBSMiami/AP) — A quick stop at home started out well for the Miami Heat but changed quickly after halftime.
Tobias Harris scored 22 of his 31 points in the first half, and the Los Angeles Clippers clamped down on defense after intermission to beat Miami 111-99 on Wednesday night.
Montrezl Harrell scored 14 of his 16 points in the fourth quarter for the Clippers, who outscored Miami 44-26 in the first 20 minutes of the second half. Lou Williams added 13 points and Avery Bradley scored 12.
Harris also had seven rebounds and six assists for the Clippers.
Hassan Whiteside finished with 22 points and 16 rebounds for Miami. Josh Richardson scored 17, Tyler Johnson added 15 and Dwyane Wade scored 13 for the Heat.
Wade has scored at least 13 points by halftime four times this season — twice against the Clippers. But he went scoreless after the break, and the rest of his teammates didn't exactly fare much better in the final two quarters.
The teams were tied at 54 at the half, both shooting exactly 50 percent and pinballing their way through six lead changes and seven ties.
The first time the Clippers had more than a one-possession lead was midway through the third, when a short jumper by Shai Gilgeous-Alexander put them up by five. Los Angeles held Miami to 18 points in the third, and opened up a 98-80 lead with 4:30 left — the cue for most fans to head to the exits.
TIP-INS
Clippers: The Clippers are 4-1 in their last five trips to Miami. ... Danilo Gallinari (back) missed his third consecutive game. ... Mike Fratello worked the Clippers' broadcast alongside legendary play-by-play man Ralph Lawler. Fratello, now a broadcaster with the Brooklyn Nets, started his TV career with the Clippers in 1990. Lawler is retiring at the end of this, his 40th season with the club.
Heat: James Johnson was dealing with a migraine during the day, but started for Miami. ... Wade exchanged jerseys postgame with Jason Williams, the point guard on the 2006 Miami championship team. Wade got a Sacramento No. 55 jersey from Williams. ... Whiteside went 1 for 2 on a trip to the line in the third quarter, ending a streak of 14 straight missed free throws by the Heat center.
SPOELSTRA PASSES RILEY
The game was the 850th for Erik Spoelstra as Miami's coach, one more than Pat Riley had during his tenure on the Heat sideline. Spoelstra is the 13th coach in NBA history to have at least 850 games with one team; the most recent entrant into that club was Rick Carlisle, who coached his 850th game with Dallas on Monday in Milwaukee.
RIVERS PAYS TRIBUTE
Clippers coach Doc Rivers played his college ball at Marquette, which is why he has insisted for years that Wade is the second-best player in school history — a half-serious claim that he's offered many times and repeated Wednesday. "As good as he's been as a player, he sets a great example of how to conduct yourself off the floor," Rivers said. Wade and Rivers had a long postgame embrace.
UP NEXT
Clippers: Visit Chicago on Friday. The Clippers have won five consecutive meetings with the Bulls.
Heat: Visit Cleveland on Friday. Miami is 2-0 against the Cavs this season, winning by 24 and 25 points.
(© Copyright 2019 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)
