NBA      WASHINGTON        82
         MIAMI             90  0:54 LEFT, 4TH QTR
                                                                        

Extended Box


WASHINGTON (85) AT MIAMI (94)


WASHINGTON
                                               REBOUNDS
PLAYER           POS  MIN  FGM-FGA  FTM-FTA  OFF-DEF-TOT  AST  PF  ST  TO  PTS
======           ===  ===  =======  =======  ===========  ===  ==  ==  ==  ===


HOWARD            F    41    9-16     0-0      6   9  15    1   5   2   4   18
THORPE            F    34    6-11     2-2      4   2   6    2   6   0   3   14
DAVIS             C    12    2-2      0-0      1   1   2    0   3   0   0    4
MCINNIS           G    23    3-10     0-0      0   1   1    3   1   0   1    6
RICHMOND          G    42    6-18     8-13     1   1   2    2   3   3   3   22
CHEANEY                25    2-6      0-0      0   2   2    1   5   0   0    4
T MURRAY               17    0-2      2-2      0   0   0    0   1   0   0    2
WALLACE                21    1-3      1-3      2   5   7    0   4   0   0    3
C WHITNEY              25    4-7      2-2      0   2   2    6   2   0   1   12
JACKSON               DNP - COACH'S DECISION
LEGLER                DNP - COACH'S DECISION
STRICKLAND            DNP - STRAINED RIGHT GROIN


TOTALS                240   33-75    15-22    14  23  37   15  30   5  12   85
                            (.440)   (.682) TEAM REBS: 6  TOTAL TO: 13(11 PTS)


MIAMI
                                               REBOUNDS
PLAYER           POS  MIN  FGM-FGA  FTM-FTA  OFF-DEF-TOT  AST  PF  ST  TO  PTS
======           ===  ===  =======  =======  ===========  ===  ==  ==  ==  ===


ASKINS            F    13    0-2      0-0      1   0   1    0   4   1   1    0
BROWN             F    26    6-7      6-6      0   2   2    0   4   0   2   18
MOURNING          C    42    7-10     5-12     3  11  14    2   4   0   1   19
HARDAWAY          G    39    9-20     4-6      1   4   5    9   3   1   2   24
MAJERLE           G    37    2-3      0-0      0   5   5    3   2   1   3    6
CAUSWELL                3    0-0      0-0      1   0   1    0   0   0   2    0
EDWARDS                13    1-2      0-0      0   1   1    2   0   0   0    2
PORTER                 35    3-9      7-8      0   1   1    4   0   3   2   13
WALTERS                 8    0-0      0-0      0   3   3    0   2   0   0    0
WEATHERSPOON           24    4-6      4-4      0   2   2    0   2   0   1   12
CONLON                DNP - COACH'S DECISION
STRICKLAND            DNP - COACH'S DECISION


TOTALS                240   32-59    26-36     6  29  35   20  21   6  14   94
                            (.542)   (.722) TEAM REBS: 8  TOTAL TO: 16(20 PTS)


   WASHINGTON         19   19   25   22  -   85
   MIAMI              26   23   24   21  -   94


BLOCKED SHOTS: WASHINGTON -  MCINNIS, RICHMOND, THORPE, HOWARD. MIAMI - 
MAJERLE 2, PORTER, EDWARDS, MOURNING, WEATHERSPOON.
3-PT. FIELD GOALS: WASHINGTON 4-14 (.286), MCINNIS 0-4, RICHMOND 2-5, T
MURRAY 0-1, C WHITNEY 2-4. MIAMI 4-12 (.333), ASKINS 0-1, HARDAWAY 2-7,
MAJERLE 2-3, PORTER 0-1.
TECHNICALS: NONE.
OFFICIALS: TOMMY NUNEZ, GARY BENSON, TIM DONAGHY.
A - 15,200. T - 2:21.
                                                                        

Box Score


WASHINGTON (85)
                      fg    ft    rb
               min   m-a   m-a   o-t  a pf   tp
Howard          41  9-16   0-0  6-15  1  5   18
Thorpe          34  6-11   2-2   4-6  2  6   14
Davis           12   2-2   0-0   1-2  0  3    4
Mcinnis         23  3-10   0-0   0-1  3  1    6
Richmond        42  6-18  8-13   1-2  2  3   22
Cheaney         25   2-6   0-0   0-2  1  5    4
T Murray        17   0-2   2-2   0-0  0  1    2
Wallace         21   1-3   1-3   2-7  0  4    3
C Whitney       25   4-7   2-2   0-2  6  2   12
Jackson        DNP - coach's decision
Legler         DNP - coach's decision
Strickland     DNP - strained right groin
_______________________________________________
TOTALS         240 33-75 15-22 14-37 15 30   85
_______________________________________________


Percentages: FG-.440, FT-.682. 3-Point Goals:
4-14, .286 (Mcinnis 0-4, Richmond 2-5, T Murray
0-1, C Whitney 2-4). Team rebounds: 6. Blocked
shots: 4 (Mcinnis, Richmond, Thorpe, Howard).
Turnovers: 13 (Howard 4, Richmond 3, Thorpe 3, C
Whitney, Mcinnis). Steals: 5 (Richmond 3, Howard
2).


MIAMI (94)
                      fg    ft    rb
               min   m-a   m-a   o-t  a pf   tp
Askins          13   0-2   0-0   1-1  0  4    0
Brown           26   6-7   6-6   0-2  0  4   18
Mourning        42  7-10  5-12  3-14  2  4   19
Hardaway        39  9-20   4-6   1-5  9  3   24
Majerle         37   2-3   0-0   0-5  3  2    6
Causwell         3   0-0   0-0   1-1  0  0    0
Edwards         13   1-2   0-0   0-1  2  0    2
Porter          35   3-9   7-8   0-1  4  0   13
Walters          8   0-0   0-0   0-3  0  2    0
Weatherspoon    24   4-6   4-4   0-2  0  2   12
Conlon         DNP - coach's decision
Strickland     DNP - coach's decision
_______________________________________________
TOTALS         240 32-59 26-36  6-35 20 21   94
_______________________________________________


Percentages: FG-.542, FT-.722. 3-Point Goals:
4-12, .333 (Askins 0-1, Hardaway 2-7, Majerle
2-3, Porter 0-1). Team rebounds: 8. Blocked
shots: 6 (Majerle 2, Porter, Edwards, Mourning,
Weatherspoon). Turnovers: 16 (Majerle 3, Brown 2,
Causwell 2, Hardaway 2, Porter 2, Askins,
Mourning, Weatherspoon). Steals: 6 (Porter 3,
Askins, Hardaway, Majerle).
____________________________________________
Washington         19   19   25   22  -   85
Miami              26   23   24   21  -   94
____________________________________________
Technical fouls: None. Flagrant fouls: None.  A:
15,200. T: 2:21. Officials: Tommy Nunez, Gary
Benson, Tim Donaghy.
                                                                        

Game Story


MIAMI (Ticker) -- The Miami Heat suffered a rare letdown, but
Tim Hardaway took over when it counted. 


Hardaway scored 11 of his 24 points in the fourth quarter as the
Heat recorded their 11th straight home victory with a 94-85 win
over the Washington Wizards, who nearly erased a 20-point
second-half deficit. 


"This was another game that the final score makes it look easier
than it was," Hardaway said. 


After the Wizards pulled within 82-77 midway through the final
period, Hardaway capped a 6-0 run with a foul shot that gave the
Heat an 88-77 advantage with 2:08 remaining. 


NBA Player of the Week Alonzo Mourning added 19 points and 14
rebounds for the Heat, who have won five straight games, nine of
10 and 16 of 18. 


"Being up 20 was a pleasant experience," Miami coach Pat Riley
said. "When they made their run, there was a sense of urgency,
but our guys made sure they weren't going to get caught.  I
didn't need to remind them and that is a good sign." 


"It's easier for us to collect ourselves in tough situations,"
Mourning added. "We know when we do something wrong. Pat doesn't
need to tell us." 


Miami opened a 1 1/2-game lead over Indiana in the race for the
best record in the Eastern Conference and is one win away from
matching the franchise-record 12-game home winning streak set
from February 15-March 26, 1993. 


The Heat could be tested over the next three weeks as they play
nine of their next 13 games on the road. 


"We are on the verge of being one of the elite teams in the
league," Mourning said. "We won't get full respect until we get
to the Finals." 


Mitch Richmond scored 22 points and Juwan Howard added 18 for
Washington, which has dropped three of four.  The Wizards again
were without guard Rod Stickland, who missed his sixth straight
game with a strained groin. 


"What I'm pleased about is that you could be down 20 in Miami as
well as they're playing and you don't surrender," Washington
coach Bernie Bickerstaff said. "I thought the guys hung in there
and got themselves in striking distance." 


Miami improved to 9-1 against Atlantic Division opponents and
just missed its 10th double-digit victory this season.  The Heat
came in allowing an NBA-low 83.2 points per game and have given
less than 90 in 10 straight contests.  They have surrendered
more than 100 points just once. 


"Ever since we were 1-3, the defense has made a dramatic
turnaround," Miami forward P.J. Brown said. "Zo is the leader of
the defense and guys are afraid to come inside now." 


For 2 1/2 quarters, the Heat stifled the Wizards with their
patented brand of hard-nosed defense. Miami opened a 65-45 lead
on Clarence Weatherspoon's dunk with 6:13 remaining. 


Howard scored eight points in a 10-0 run that extended into the
fourth period and pulled the Wizards within 73-67 with 10:58
remaining. 


After Miami opened its 88-77 lead, Richmond hit a 3-pointer and
Ben Wallace dunked, pulling the Wizards within 88-82. Hardaway
answered with a fadeaway jumper from the top of the key with 53
seconds remaining and Washington got no closer than six on two
occasions in the final minute. 


"I thought there was less time on the clock than there was,"
Hardaway said. "(Otis) Thorpe was agitating me, but I got a
glimpse of the basket and just threw it up." 


"They forced us to take bad shots and when we did we only got
one shot," Richmond added. "We tried to make a comeback when we
were down 20, but it was too long a climb." 


Washington had its last lead at 12-11, but Miami ripped off nine
straight points taking a 20-12 lead on Terry Porter's two foul
shots with 2:14 left in the first period.  Weatherspoon's dunk
capped a 6-0 run and opened a 32-19 cushion with 10:25 remaining
in the half. 


Miami shot 54 pecent (32-of-59) from the field while holding
Washington to 44 percent (33-of-76).  No Miami opponent has shot
50 percent this season. 
                                                                        

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