Waiters for the win: Heat stun Warriors
MIAMI >> Dion Waiters’ 3-pointer with 0.6 seconds left capped his 33-point effort, and the Miami Heat beat Golden State 105-102 on Monday night to end the Warriors’ seven-game winning streak.
The Heat wasted a 10-point lead in the final 4 minutes, and Kevin Durant tied the game on a dunk with 11.7 seconds left. With no timeouts, Waiters walked the ball up the court and drilled what became the game-winner over Klay Thompson.
Stephen Curry missed a 3-pointer as time expired for the Warriors.
Goran Dragic scored 19 points for Miami (15-30), which finished a 4-0 homestand. Luke Babbitt added 11, and Hassan Whiteside had 10 points and 15 rebounds.
Durant scored 27, Thompson had 22 and Curry added 21 points, 10 rebounds and eight assists for the Warriors (38-7).
Waiters tied a career high in scoring, doing so for the second straight game. He shot 13 for 20 from the floor, 6 for 8 from 3-point range.
Don't miss out on what's happening!
Stay in touch with top news, as it happens, conveniently in your email inbox. It's FREE!
Miami was up 98-88 with under 4 minutes to play, the largest lead either side would enjoy all night.
It was far from over.
Curry made a pair of free throws, Thompson hit a 3-pointer and Durant added another 3 as Golden State ran off eight straight points. Waiters answered with a 3 for the Heat, but Durant and Shaun Livingston both scored at the rim in the final minute as the Warriors closed to 101-100 with 21.4 seconds left.
Dragic made one of two free throws, and the Warriors set up a play where Durant went baseline for the tying score. But Waiters had the last make of the night, and the Heat pulled off the surprise.
TIP-INS
Warriors: Andre Iguodala (rest) got the night off. … Monday was the second anniversary of Thompson’s NBA-record 37-point quarter against Sacramento. … Shaun Livingston has now played more games in Miami as a member of the Warriors (three) than he did as a member of the Heat (two). … Curry, Durant and Thompson all had 20-point nights — the 15th time that’s happened.
Heat: Miami was 13 for 30 from 3-point range, and survived on a night where it shot 16 for 27 from the line. … Okaro White became the 232nd player to score in a Heat uniform, getting his first points on a putback in the second quarter.
CURRY HONORS
Curry will have a busy Tuesday in his native North Carolina.
First, his old number will be retired at Charlotte Christian High. And after that, the student section at Davidson’s Belk Arena will be named in his honor at halftime of the game there against Duquesne.
JOHNSON OUT
Heat guard Tyler Johnson missed his second straight game with a left shoulder strain. It’s unclear if he’ll accompany Miami when the team flies to New York on Tuesday. Johnson has 14 consecutive double-digit scoring efforts off the Miami bench, the second-longest such streak in franchise history.
UP NEXT
Warriors: Visit Charlotte on Wednesday, ending a four-game trip. Curry averaged 30.8 points in six previous games at Charlotte.
Heat: Visit Brooklyn on Wednesday, starting a two-game trip that also has them facing Dwyane Wade in Chicago on Friday.