NBA: Depleted Heat rally to top Kings in overtime
Miami Heat guard Dwyane Wade (3) dribbles away from Sacramento Kings forward Derrick Williams in the second half of an NBA basketball game, Saturday, March 7, 2015, in Miami. (AP Photo/Joe Skipper)
MIAMI, United States — Dwyane Wade scored 10 of his 28 points in overtime on Saturday to help the injury-hit Miami Heat to a 114-109 NBA victory over the Sacramento Kings.
Miami rallied from a 16-point third-quarter deficit to beat the Kings, despite having only nine players available because of injuries.
Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said before the game that so many of his players were receiving treatment before tip-off he wasn’t even sure who would play.
“We’ll go with who we have,” Spoelstra said. “Whoever laces them up, we’re going with the mentality that is enough.”
It included Wade, back in action one night after sitting out Friday’s defeat at Washington with a sore right hip.
Guard Goran Dragic was out due to a sore back. An ankle injury sidelined center Hassan Whiteside and Luol Deng missed his second straight game with a thigh contusion.
Reserve center Tyler Johnson helped fill the void, contributing 24 points, six rebounds and six assists for the Heat.
With the win, Miami moved into playoff position in eighth place in the Eastern Conference, with the same 28-34 record as seventh-place Indiana.
But the two teams have ninth-placed Charlotte on their heels.
“Definitely a must-win when you look at the standings,” Johnson said. “Every game is important. We lose one and all of sudden we’re out of the playoff picture.”
Michael Beasley scored 18 points and Mario Chalmers added 12 with seven assists for Miami.
Sacramento’s DeMarcus Cousins posted 27 points and 17 rebounds, but fouled out in overtime. Rudy Gay also scored 27 for the Kings.
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