Warriors Comeback Halted By Wade's Game-Winner Off The Glass
MIAMI (CBS SF/AP) — The Golden State Warriors were down 24 and almost completed the road comeback against the Miami Heat, but Dwyane Wade made sure that didn't happen. He threw up a prayer three off the backboard to win the game 126-125.
Wade scored 25 points for Miami, which snapped a six-game home losing streak. Wade took a victory lap afterward, waving a towel as the fans roared and "This Is My House" was displayed on the video boards around the arena.
Klay Thompson scored 36 points for the Warriors. Kevin Durant added 29, but missed a free throw with 14 seconds left that kept the Heat within two points. Durant made the second of two on that trip, and Wade delivered on the ensuing possession for the biggest win of Miami's season.
Stephen Curry added 24 points for the Warriors, whose lead over Denver atop the Western Conference is down to a half-game.
Golden State rallied from 19 down to win 120-118 at home on Feb. 10, and dug its way out of an even bigger hole this time — but couldn't finish it off. Wade's 3-pointer with 15 seconds left got Miami within 124-123, and he came up with one more when the Heat needed it most.
Dragic had 25 points by halftime, getting 20 of those in the second quarter alone — setting Heat single-quarter and any-half records for a reserve. He had 11 points in a span of 69 seconds in the second quarter, and a pair of free throws with 2:59 left in the half put Miami up 69-45.
Against most teams, even in the first half, a 24-point lead might have been enough.
The Warriors, of course, are not most teams.
Back-to-back 3-pointers by Durant and Thompson helped Golden State get the lead down to 74-59 by halftime. The Warriors cut the lead to seven on two separate occasions in the third quarter, and kept whittling away in the fourth — getting within six when Draymond Green rattled in a 3-pointer from the right corner with 8:20 left, then 106-103 when Curry connected from deep on the next possession.
The Warriors led for all of 74 seconds in the second half. Wade didn't let them leave with the lead.
DeMarcus Cousins (load management and Achilles recovery) got the night off, and the Warriors said he will play in Orlando on Thursday.
Wednesday was the sixth anniversary of Curry's career-high 54-point game at Madison Square Garden, and the third anniversary of his game-winner from about 40 feet to win at Oklahoma City.
Golden State remains one win shy of finishing with a road record over .500 for the sixth consecutive season. That would extend the longest current streak in the league, one that Toronto would match with two wins in its final 11 road games. Before this six-year road run of success, the Warriors had a road record over .500 in six of their previous 65 seasons.
UP NEXT
Warriors: Visit Orlando on Thursday. Golden State has won 11 straight over the Magic.
