Heat lose to Bobcats in Wade’s return

Wade returned to game action, less than two months after suffering a dislocated left shoulder. He didn’t start, but finished with 12 points, shooting just 3-of-9 from the field and 6-of-12 from the charity stripe while dishing out eight assists and committing six turnovers.

Alonzo Mourning scored 20 points on 9-of-10 shooting and Jason Kapono added 19, shooting 7-for-9 from the field for the Heat, who had a three-game winning streak snapped. Shaquille O’Neal had 15 points and nine rebounds for Miami, which fell two games behind Toronto for the third seed in the Eastern Conference. The Heat are also 2 1/2 games ahead of Washington for the lead in the Southeast Division.

Raymond Felton had 16 points and Herrmann added 15 for the Bobcats, who have won three of their last four games. Emeka Okafor and Brevin Knight scored 13 apiece for Charlotte, which matched a franchise-high with 20 steals.

Wade’s turnaround jumper pulled Miami within one, 92-91 with 1:02 showing on the clock in the fourth quarter. He then turned the ball over with 29 seconds left, but after the Heat got a stop, Wade was fouled by Felton with 2.4 seconds to go.

Wade settled one of two from the line before Wallace had a chance to win at the buzzer. Out of a timeout, Wallace drove the lane, but didn’t get his running layup off in time, sending the game to overtime.

Wade’s tip-in brought the Heat within two outs with just over minute left in OT, but Herrmann hit a three-pointer with 42 seconds left. Kapono nailed a jumper for Miami, but Herrmann drilled another three with 15 ticks remaining to ice the game.

Wade first entered the contest with 3:58 left in the opening quarter, but his first basket didn’t come until the opening two minutes of the fourth.

Trailing 29-22, Miami opened the second quarter with a 7-2 run, capped by a Kapono three, pulling the Heat within two, 31-29, with a little under 10 1/2 minutes remaining in the frame.

Leading 44-41, the Bobcats ripped off five straight points putting the margin at eight with just over two minutes left until the intermission.

Despite shooting 64.3 percent, Miami trailed 57-49 at the half thanks in large part to 14 turnovers.

The Bobcats began the second half with an 8-0 spurt, taking their biggest lead of the game, 65-49 early in the third stanza.

A three by Kapono, which cut the Bobcats lead to 10, 78-68 at the end of three quarters, sparked a 15-0 run, which put the Heat ahead, 80-78 with 7:39 left in the contest.

After two Jason Williams free throws pushed the lead to 88-84, Charlotte embarked on an 8-1 run, capped by two Brevin Knight free throws, giving the Bobcats a 92-89 edge with 1:09 left in the fourth.

Game Notes

Charlotte’s Adam Morrison missed the games with a sprained left knee tendon...Charlotte won for the first time in Miami...Miami committed 26 turnovers.