Miami – Just as it has so many times over the course of the season, the Miami Heat’s depth paid big dividends.
And the result was another Southeast Division crown – not the ultimate goal, but a nice prize nonetheless.
Antoine Walker scored 19 points and took two crucial charges late in the fourth quarter, Dwyane Wade added 16 points, seven assists and six rebounds, and the defending NBA champion Heat wrapped up the division with an 85-82 victory over the Washington Wizards on Wednesday night.
“I don’t know if we’re necessarily proud,” said backup center Michael Doleac, who scored seven points in the final quarter, “but it’s definitely something that’s positive.”
The win assures Miami will have no worse than the fourth seed for the Eastern Conference playoffs. But unless Toronto collapses down the stretch, Miami will likely open the postseason on the road because its record won’t be among the best four in the conference.
“It’s an ongoing process until next week,” Heat coach Pat Riley said.
Brendan Haywood had 14 points and 10 rebounds for Washington, which has dropped six straight games – the last five by a combined 26 points.
The Wizards, who are without leading scorers Gilbert Arenas (knee) and Caron Butler (hand) went for the lead with 7.8 seconds left, but Antonio Daniels’ 3-point try from the right corner was blocked by Alonzo Mourning.
Doleac made one free throw with five seconds left, pushing the margin to three, and Donell Taylor’s 3-point attempt for the Wizards bounced off the backboard as time expired.
“It was just another game where we didn’t make the big stop or the big play at the end to win,” Washington coach Eddie Jordan said. “The bottom line is we’re playing with a fairly new team in a sense. We’re building something from almost a foundation. We have to be patient.”
Jarvis Hayes scored 13 points and Antawn Jamison added 11 for Washington, which outrebounded Miami 44-34.
“It’s been the story the last three or four games,” Hayes said. “We played good for 3 1/2 quarters and when it gets down to the last couple of minutes, the other team – Miami tonight – makes the stop and the key bucket at the end.”
