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Sports Outside the Beltway

Miami Heat plays Golden State with just 7 players

Do you need me to tell you the result?

MIAMI – The Miami Heat had half a team, and even less of a chance against the Golden State Warriors. Stephen Jackson scored 22 points, Al Harrington added 17, Baron Davis had 15 points and 10 assists and the Warriors eased past the severely shorthanded Heat 134-99 on Friday night, handing Miami its biggest loss of a dismal season.

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Miami only had seven available players and was without Dwyane Wade, sidelined by left knee soreness. The Heat played the final 4 1/2 minutes with one available substitute, after Udonis Haslem tweaked a gimpy ankle and retreated to the locker room.

Chris Quinn and Marcus Banks each scored 20 points for the Heat (11-48), who lost for the 30th time in their last 33 games and will take the NBA’s worst record into a doubleheader of sorts at Atlanta on Saturday.

Monta Ellis scored 16 points and Mickael Pietrus finished with 15 for Golden State (38-23), which eclipsed the 100-point mark for the 25th straight game and has won five of its last six. The Warriors also scored more points than anyone managed against Miami all season, topping Chicago’s 126 on Jan. 16.

Shawn Marion had 17 points and 10 rebounds, and Haslem finished with 17 points for Miami.

“Knowing they only had seven players, we just wanted to push the tempo,” Davis said.

The Warriors did that with ease.

Jackson made three 3-pointers in a span of 2:09 late in the opening quarter, setting the tone for Golden State’s night. He and Harrington each connected on four 3-pointers in the first half alone, and the Warriors steadily built what was a 63-51 lead at intermission.

If there was any doubt, the Warriors erased it in the third quarter.

Golden State outscored Miami 37-22 in that period, stretching the lead to 100-73 entering the final 12 minutes, during which the Warriors essentially stayed on cruise control. Ellis had 14 points in the third, when the Warriors shot 73 percent (16-22) from the floor.

Wade could only watch helplessly from Miami’s bench.

Since Wade arrived, the Heat are 33-41 without him, 1-9 this season, but he was hardly the only absence of note for Miami in this one.

NBA rules mandate that a team have eight players in uniform for a game, and the Heat met that requirement; Wade and Earl Barron (sore right knee) were the eighth and ninth men in uniform, although neither played. The rest of the 15-man roster was unavailable because of an array of roster moves, suspensions and injuries.

“Taking all volunteers tonight,” Heat coach Pat Riley said.

Including for the head coaching position. It was recently announced that Riley would miss a few upcoming games in order to scout for the next NBA draft. I predict Riley won’t be back as Heat coach in 08-09.

How will the pathetic Heat manage to lose next? Stay tuned.

 
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