• Tweet

• Tweet

One would think that the Miami Heat would benefit if LeBron James notches a triple-double and Dwyane Wade scores 39 points. Most teams facing that kind of effort from the pair would have folded like a cheap tent.

Apparently that was not the case for the Utah Jazz, namely Paul Millsap.

Millsap, along with a career-high 46 points, tipped in a putback at the end of regulation and the Jazz would get a pair of free throws by seldom-used Francisco Elson with 0.2 seconds left in overtime, allowing Utah to edge Miami 116-114 at American Airlines Arena. 

The beginning of the game wasn’t very promising for the Jazz a sthye missed their first ten shots of the opening period. That lack of offense alllowed the Heat to start a 15-0 run and run out to a 22-7 advantage. Miami would lead by as many as 22 in the second quarter and would go to their locker room ahead 51-32.

The Heat, even with their 19-point cushion at halftime, would have a 67-51 lead when all of a sudden, the Jazz exploded.

Down by only 11 with 10:20 left, Utah held Miami without a basket for roughly 4 1/2 minutes; C.J. Miles scored six straight points in helping the Jazz start a rally and when Ronnie Price drained a 3-pointer with 6:59 remaining, the game was knotted up at 79.

Utah took the lead on Deron Williams’ jumper on their next possession, but Miami swung things back in their direction.

With James being double-teamed, he would kick the ball to Wade, who hit a trey, giving the lead back to the Heat and starting a 9-0 run. About 30 seconds later, Ronnie Price flagrantly fouled James Jones, with the Heat getting four points in the sequence.

A dunk by Wade made it 88-81, but the Jazz were far from finished.

Millsap drained a pair of three-pointers at the 12.1 and 4.3 second marks of regulation, helping Utah score 42 points in the fourth quarter and sending the game into overtime.

In the extra session, Andrei Kirilenko made a 3-pointer with 1:50 remaining to put the Jazz up 112-111, but Wade tied the game at 114 with a 3 of his own with just 17 seconds left to go.

But Wade fouled Elson by the basket on Utah’s final possession. Elson made both free throws and the Heat’s Eddie House made a desperation shot, only to miss.

Millsap led the Jazz scorers with a career-high 46 points (including 3 three-pointers), along with 9 rebounds, an assist, a steal and a block while Williams added 21 with 4 rebounds and 14 assists. Kirilenko chipped in 16 with 9 rebounds, 7 assists, a steal and a block.

The Heat were led by Wade with 39 points (including three treys), 6 rebounds, an assist and a steal while James earned a triple-double, scoring 20 with 11 rebounds and 14 assists. Chris Bosh chipped in 17 with 9 rebounds, 3 assists and 2 blocks.

Utah (4-3) plays again on Wednesday when they travel to Orlando to face the Magic while Miami (5-3) remains at home while they host the Boston Celtics Thursday night.