NBA Game Summary - Miami at Washington

Washington, DC (Basketball News) - Dwyane Wade scored 19 of his 31 points in the second half as Miami continued its dominance over Washington with a 102-95 victory in Game 3 of their Eastern Conference semifinal at the MCI Center.

Wade made good on 14-of-27 shots and added nine rebounds and six assists to offset the absence of Shaquille O’Neal, who did not dress because of a nagging thigh bruise which has hindered him for more than three weeks. Eddie Jones and Damon Jones each netted 16 points to help the Heat take a commanding 3-0 series lead.

Alonzo Mourning started in place of O’Neal and racked up 14 points and 13 rebounds as Miami moved one game away from reaching its first Eastern Conference final since 1997. Game 4 of the best-of-seven series is slated for Saturday night in Washington.

Antawn Jamison had 21 points while Gilbert Arenas recorded 20 along with 14 assists for the Wizards, who have not beaten the Heat in seven tries this year and have dropped the last 11 meetings between the clubs.

Miami trailed 60-52 three minutes into the second half before stringing together 13 straight points to forge ahead. A three-pointer by Damon Jones at the 7:45 mark of the third quarter cut the deficit to one and Wade scored in transition seconds later to give the Heat a 61-60 lead.

Two Eddie Jones free throws extended the margin to 65-60, but Juan Dixon hit a triple on the other end to bring the Wizards within two midway through the period. Wade would answer with a driving dunk and then an outside jumper to put Miami up 69-63 with 4 1/2 minutes left in the quarter.

The Heat closed out a 22-5 burst when Eddie Jones hit a three-pointer to lengthen the lead to 74-65 with 3:32 remaining in the third.

The Wizards, who committed just three turnovers in the first half, had seven during the third quarter and were down 79-70 heading into the final 12 minutes.

Wade began the fourth with consecutive baskets to build the lead to 13, but a 14-4 spurt capped by Larry Hughes’ three-pointer with pulled Washington within 87-84.

The Heat then scored nine of the next 11 points and went ahead 96-86 on Wade’s runner with 4:18 to go. However, the Wizards would not go down easily.

Jamison sunk a three-pointer with just under three minutes left to trim the lead to five and Arenas drove the lane and scored to pull Washington within 98-95 with 1:51 remaining.

However, the Wizards would not score the rest of the way, missing their final five shots down the stretch.

Two made free throws by Hughes, who led all players with 14 first-half points, with less than a second remaining before intermission sent the Wizards into the locker room with a 51-49 lead.

Washington was up 24-21 after one quarter and extended its lead to five points when Dixon sank a jumper to begin the second. The Heat answered with an 11-2 run, highlighted by a three-point play from Eddie Jones and capped by Shandon Anderson’s layup four minutes into the period, to grab a 32-28 advantage.

Miami held a two-point edge midway through the second quarter, but Arenas drained back-to-back three-pointers and Hughes buried a 15-footer off a Heat turnover with 4:20 left in the half to put the hosts ahead 40-34, the biggest lead by either team before the break.

The Heat drew even on consecutive treys by Damon Jones and Keyon Dooling, and the contest remained tight over the final minutes of the half.