Pacers trip up Heat
Mike Dunleavy scored a season-high 30 points, and the Indiana Pacers beat the Miami Heat 114-103 on Friday night for their seventh straight win at home.
Dunleavy missed the first 34 games this season with a sore right knee, but the Pacers are 6-3 with him in the starting lineup.
Danny Granger, a first-time All-Star, scored 19 points after missing Wednesday’s game against Milwaukee with a sore right knee. Troy Murphy also scored 19 points for the Pacers, and made 5-of-6 three-pointers.
Dwyane Wade scored 24 points for the Heat, who had their three-game winning streak snapped. Mark Blount scored 17 points, and Michael Beasley had 11 points and 11 rebounds for Miami.
Miami played without its top two rebounders for most of the game. Shawn Marion sat out with a left groin strain, and Udonis Haslem was ejected after getting two technicals with 3:03 left in the first quarter.
The Pacers shot 15-for-31 from three-point range and outscored the Heat 25-15 from the free-throw line.
Indiana took control of the game early in the second quarter. The Pacers led 29-26 at the end of the first quarter, but increased their lead to 46-31 on a three-pointer by Murphy with 7:44 left in the first half.
T.J. Ford made a runner at the buzzer to give Indiana a 66-49 lead at halftime. Dunleavy scored 23 points before the break.
Indiana continued to control the game in the third quarter. A one-handed putback dunk by Dunleavy made it 86-64 with just over four minutes left in the period.
Miami cut Indiana’s lead to 11 twice in the final two minutes.