Miami Heat vs Los Angeles Clippers (108 - 97) March 10, 2010 Description:Despite 31 points from Rasual Butler, the Clippers drop one on the road against Dwyane Wade's Heat.
Heat open homestand by staving off Butler, Clippers
By Chris Perkins, for NBA.com
Posted Thursday March 11, 2010 12:50AM
MIAMI (NBA.com exclusive) -- The Miami Heat are finally protecting their homecourt.
Wednesday's wire-to-wire 108-97 victory over the Los Angeles Clippers extended the Heat's home win streak to four games, its longest of the season.
Clippers forward Rasual Butler did his best to make a defiant stand, finishing with 31 points in an impressive display against the team that drafted him.
"Normally when I'm aggressive we win ballgames," Butler said.
But in the end he was powerless against a Miami team that held him scoreless in the final period and left him to end just two points from tying his career high, established just two months ago.
The Heat are now 18-14 at home, their first time this season being four games above .500 at the Triple-A, and their timing couldn't be much better.
Miami (33-32), which currently holds the eighth and final postseason berth in the East, is locked in a playoff battle with the other teams that comprise the rest of the Eastern Conference's middle class -- Milwaukee, Toronto, Chicago and Charlotte.
The Clippers game was the first of six consecutive home games for the Heat. It was also the sixth home game in a stretch during which Miami plays 11 of 13 games at AmericanAirlines Arena.
"We have to take care of this place if we want to hold on to our playoff spot," said Heat guard Dwyane Wade, who finished with 27 points and eight assists Wednesday, and is now averaging 31.8 points and 11.0 assists per game during the home win streak.
As for the Clippers, Wednesday's loss was just more of the same misery. Los Angeles (25-40) has now lost eight consecutive road games and 12 of its past 13.
It didn't help matters for the Clippers that guard Eric Gordon, their leading scorer, missed the game with a sore right leg, his third consecutive absence. Los Angeles is now 4-11 without Gordon.
Further complicating things was guard Baron Davis finishing with 10 points on 4-for-11 shooting. Davis is now 17-for-56 (.304) from the field in his last five games, including 4-for-19 (.211) on 3-pointers. And center Chris Kaman (16 points) got off to a slow start, missing his first five shots before hitting eight of his final 12.
Miami only had a couple of rough spots Wednesday. The Clippers got their deficit to 75-70 on a Butler 3-pointer, but the Heat closed the third quarter on a 15-2 run to take a 90-72 lead into the fourth quarter that practically ended the competitive stage of the game.
The Clippers posed a mini-threat late as they got within 106-97 with 1:16 left, but the Heat were able to slam the door on the comeback hopes. Butler didn't attempt a field goal in the fourth quarter as the Heat smothered him in a way they didn't through the first three quarters.
"We stopped leaving him [open] in the corner," Wade said. "Rasual knows our defense. He played here for three years. His eyes light up when he plays us because he knows he's going to get a chance to get off."
The Heat have scored 100 or more points in three of their last four games, the lone exception being Tuesday's 83-78 loss at Charlotte. With the Clippers game in its rearview mirror, Miami turns it attention toward Friday's showdown against Chicago.
"It's an important time for us," Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said. "We know we need to win every game at this time of year, especially on our home floor."
Notes: Heat forward Michael Beasley (15 points) sustained a bruised left thigh in the fourth quarter. He'll be evaluated Thursday...Miami had a 19-point advantage on free throws. The Heat were 29-for-35 from the line while the Clippers were 10-for-13. Author:HeatTeo Tags:2010 Duration:138 seconds View count:3600
