NBA

Rally, steal help Heat oust Nets

By TIMES WIRES
Published May 17, 2006

MIAMI - Dwyane Wade struggled all night offensively, so he sent the Heat into the Eastern Conference finals with a huge defensive play.

Wade stole Jason Kidd's inbounds pass with 1.4 seconds left Tuesday night, depriving the New Jersey Nets of one last shot to extend their season, and sealing the Heat's 106-105 victory to win the series 4-1.

Wade threw the ball into the stands as time expired, and the Heat raucously celebrated its second straight trip to the conference finals. It will face either Detroit or Cleveland in that series, which won't begin until at least Sunday afternoon.

"It's just great that we could finish it," Heat coach Pat Riley said. "I knew it would be the hardest closeout."

The Heat rallied from 12 points down, the biggest postseason comeback in franchise history. Antoine Walker had 23 points for Miami, Wade added 21 on 7-for-19 shooting, and four other Heat players were in double figures to offset a brilliant effort by Vince Carter and Richard Jefferson.

Carter and Jefferson each scored 33 points for the Nets, who won the first game of the series.

Of the last-minute drama, Nets coach Lawrence Frank said, "We've got to be able to get a shot in that situation. I let my guys down. That's a poor job on my part."

PHOENIX (AP) - A long, long night for Shawn Marion and a dramatic 3-pointer by Raja Bell has the Phoenix Suns one victory away from a second straight trip to the Western Conference finals.

Marion had 36 points and a career playoff-high 20 rebounds in 54 grueling minutes, and the Suns blew a 19-point third-quarter lead before coming back to beat the Los Angeles Clippers 125-118 in two overtimes Tuesday night.

The Suns took a 3-2 lead in the series and can advance with a victory in Game 6 Thursday night in Los Angeles.

Bell added 22 points, including a 3-pointer from the corner with 1.1 seconds left to tie it in the first overtime. Leandro Barbosa scored five of his 15 points in the second overtime for Phoenix.

Elton Brand had 33 points and 15 rebounds in 54 minutes, and Sam Cassell scored 32 - 27 in the second half and two overtimes - but the Clippers never led in the second extra session.

Marion's rebound stuff with 3:17 to play put Phoenix ahead 115-113. He landed awkwardly in traffic and limped off the floor with an apparent left ankle injury. But he was back less than a minute later.

Barbosa's first 3-pointer of the game gave Phoenix a 119-115 lead, then Brand's rebound and three-point play cut it to 119-118 with 1:22 left. After a timeout, Steve Nash fed Marion for a layup 1:05 from the end. Barbosa's two free throws made it 123-118 with 52.3 seconds to play.

Nash sealed it with two free throws 19.5 seconds from the end.

Nash had 17 points and 13 assists but was 0-for-5 on 3-pointers. He hasn't made a 3 since the series opener, going 0-for-13 since.

CAVS MOURN: Cleveland players took a solemn break from their playoff series to attend the funeral of the 20-year-old brother of guard Larry Hughes.

The Cavaliers flew to St. Louis after beating the Detroit Pistons 74-72 Monday night to even the best-of-seven second-round playoff series at 2-2. Hughes has missed the past two games - both wins - to be with his family following Justin Hughes' death last week.

Hundreds of people attended the service for Justin, who was born with a heart defect and had a transplant in 1997. The brothers were close - Larry Hughes chose to play his lone season of college basketball in 1997-98 at Saint Louis University in part to stay near his brother.

In a program for the funeral service, the elder Hughes wrote a tribute to his brother: "I am my brother's keeper. My life is his world. His life is my everything."

SAMPSON PLEADS: Ralph Sampson pleaded not guilty to charges of lying to federal authorities about his finances in a child support case. His trial was scheduled for July 17.

The former NBA and Virginia star, 46, waived the reading of the indictment and answered routine questions during a court appearance in Richmond, Va. He is charged with perjury, making a false claim, mail fraud and making a false statement. If convicted, he faces a maximum of five years in prison and a fine of $250,000 on each count, federal prosecutor Sara Flannery said.

He remains free on bond with travel restrictions.

[Last modified May 17, 2006, 02:30:06]