Heat Season Hits New Low As Suns Snap 17-Game Slide In Miami
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MIAMI (CBSMiami/AP) — The Miami Heat hit a new low as they moved further away from a playoff spot.
Devin Booker scored 20 points to lead seven Phoenix players in double figures, and the Suns snapped a club-record 17-game losing streak by beating the reeling Heat 124-121 on Monday night.
Former Miami guard Tyler Johnson scored 18 points for Phoenix. Jamal Crawford and Kelly Oubre Jr. each had 16 and were huge down the stretch for Phoenix, which scored 40 points in the fourth quarter.
Deandre Ayton and Troy Daniels each had 14, and Josh Jackson scored 11 for the Suns.
Hassan Whiteside scored 29 points and Kelly Olynyk added 28 for the Heat, who have dropped six straight at home for the second time this season.
Phoenix improved to 2-42 this season when trailing after three quarters, and snapped a 42-game losing streak in road games when trailing entering the final period.
Olynyk's jumper with 18.9 seconds left put Miami up one, and Josh Richardson was called for fouling Booker almost immediately after the Suns inbounded the ball on the next possession. Booker made both, putting Phoenix back on top.
The next Miami possession saw the ball in Dwyane Wade's hands, and he missed a turnaround jumper. Bam Adebayo had a chance at the tip-in, couldn't get it to fall, and Oubre went to the line with 2.1 seconds left. He made both shots, Miami had no time-out left to call, and Wade's desperation 55-footer wasn't close.
The Heat were without four players, all regulars in the rotation when healthy — James Johnson (shoulder), Rodney McGruder (knee), Justise Winslow (knee) and Derrick Jones Jr. (flu).
TIP-INS
Suns: Amid all the losing, it's perhaps difficult to remember that Phoenix has beaten Milwaukee, Denver, Boston and San Antonio this season. ... The Suns shot 51 percent.
Heat: This is now the second season in franchise history with multiple home losing streaks of six or more games. The 2007-08 Heat had a six-game and two seven-game home slides. ... Miami lost despite scoring 70 points in the paint.
MISERY HAS COMPANY
Phoenix avoided being the second team to have an 18-game losing streak so far this season, joining New York. This would have been the first NBA season since 1981-82 in which multiple franchises have lost at least 18 consecutive games; that season, Utah (18), Cleveland (19) and the San Diego Clippers (19) endured such a streak.
WADE VS. SUNS
Wade played against the Suns for the 23rd and final time. The Heat were 17-5 with him against Phoenix, and Chicago went 1-1 against the Suns in Wade's one season as a member of the Bulls. He averaged 22.9 points in the 23 games against the Suns.
UP NEXT
Suns: Host New Orleans on Friday. The Suns are starting a four-game homestand.
Heat: Host Golden State on Wednesday. The Heat lost 120-118 to the Warriors on Feb. 10.
(© Copyright 2019 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)
