Wade carries Heat past Seattle

James Posey and Jason Williams each had a team-high 19 points for the Heat, who have won three straight to improve to 3-2 on their current season-high seven-game road trip.

Shaquille O’Neal added 16 points and nine boards and Antoine Walker had 15 points for Miami, which responded from a 12-point deficit in the first quarter to take a double-digit lead in the second stanza and never look back.

Rashard Lewis had a game-high 33 points for the Sonics, who have dropped four of their last five games. Luke Ridnour added 21 points for Seattle, which played the game without one of its leaders.

Guard Ray Allen served his first game of a three-game suspension for his part in a fight with Orlando’s Keyon Dooling on Wednesday. Allen learned of the suspension earlier on Friday.

The Sonics stormed out of the gate, scoring 21 of the first 30 points. However, things changed shortly thereafter. Miami went into the second down just 38-32 and took control before halftime.

Gary Payton’s bucket near the 7 1/2 minute mark gave Miami the lead for good 42-41. That field goal came during a 12-3 run that opened the stanza and gave the Heat a 44-41 lead following a pair of Williams free throws with seven minutes until the break.

Miami continued its offensive outburst, taking a double-digit lead for the first time on a Walker three-point play with 3 1/2 minutes until halftime, 57-47. The Heat extended that cushion to 15 points after 24 minutes of action, 71-56.

The lead ballooned to 19 points, 77-58, early in the third after Williams’ bucket.

Seattle responded to draw within nine, 84-75, when Ronald Murray hit a bucket near the 3 1/2 minute mark. However, the Heat answered with a 9-3 surge to go into the fourth ahead 93-78.

The Sonics got within nine, 95-86, after scoring eight of the first 10 points of the fourth quarter, but that was as close as the Sonics got. Miami led 108-93 by the midway mark of the stanza and cruised from there.

Alonzo Mourning ended with 12 points and five blocks for the Heats, who ended a two-game slide to the Sonics.

Game Notes

This was the first meeting of the season between these two clubs...Miami has won three of five in this series dating back to the 2003-04 season...Seattle fell to 9-10 at home...Miami improved to 10-11 on the road...This was the third triple-double of Wade’s career. His 14 assists set a career- high...Damien Wilkins started in place of Allen and had 12 points...Murray also had 12 points...Gerald Fitch was the only Miami player to see action and not score.