NBA Game Summary - Utah at Miami

03.15.2006

Miami, FL (Basketball News) - Dwyane Wade scored 25 points, as Miami routed Utah, 121-83, at American Airlines Arena for its fourth-highest margin of victory in franchise history.

Alonzo Mourning netted a season-high 19 points and grabbed seven rebounds for the Heat, who won for the 12th time in 13 games. James Posey scored 16 points, while Shaquille O’Neal had 13 points and seven boards. Gary Payton scored 12 points, and Jason Williams added 10 points.

Matt Harpring scored 20 points to pace the Jazz, who lost their second straight. Carlos Boozer scored 12 points, and Keith McLeod added nine.

Miami exploded for a 31-8 start capped by five points by Wade, whose career- high 19 first-quarter points tied for third in all-time points scored in a quarter by a Heat player. Miami led 41-14 heading into the second quarter.

"I think we had a great understanding of how we wanted to defend Utah," Miami coach Pat Riley said. "We just had a great first quarter; it was incredible. I don’t think I’ve ever seen this team play like that."

Utah outscored Miami by five in the second quarter to trail 62-40 at halftime.

Miami kept control and finished the third quarter on a 28-12 run, ignited by a Wade-to-Mourning alley-oop dunk. The Heat, who scored a season-high 39 points in the period, led 101-62 heading into the fourth.

The Jazz outscored the Heat by one point in the fourth, but the damage had long been done.

"We just got annihilated," Utah coach Jerry Sloan said. "We had one quarter in which we executed and that was the second quarter. When we don’t execute our offense, we don’t get anything. We were just running around out there."

Utah allowed Miami to shoot 57 percent (36-of-63), as it surrendered its highest point total of the season.

The Heat resumed a five-game homestand Tuesday. They are 3-1 during the stretch, and will wrap it up against Boston on Thursday. Miami is 11-1 in its last 12 home games and an impressive 25-7 as the host this season.

The Jazz have split their last four road games, and are 14-17 as the guest this season.

Mourning tied former guard Keith Askins, and current Miami assistant coach, for most games played for the Heat at 486...In the season series between Miami and Utah, the Heat finished 2-0 after notching a 100-94 victory on January 14. This is the second straight year in which Miami swept Utah...Miami has won five straight in the series.

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