SuperSonics snap Heat's 14-game win streak
(Agencies)
Updated: 2005-01-04 11:50

For the first time in nearly a month, the Miami Heat failed to win. Ray Allen scored 35 points, Rashard Lewis added 17 points and 13 rebounds and the Seattle SuperSonics  snapped the Heat's franchise-record 14-game winning streak Monday night with a 98-96 victory.

Miami Heat's Shaquille O'Neal (32) scores over Seattle SuperSonics' Danny Fortson (21) as Rashard Lewis (7) defends in the first quarter Monday, Jan. 3, 2005, in Miami. [AP]

With the score 98-95, Lewis fouled Miami's Eddie Jones on a 3-point try with 0.4 seconds remaining. But the Heat guard — a 78.7 percent shooter entering the game — connected on only one of three free-throw attempts, the last of which he missed intentionally.

Allen shot 12-of-25 from the field, including 6-for-10 from 3-point range for Seattle, which won its sixth straight road game and improved to 10-3 against the Eastern Conference.

Dwyane Wade had 23 of his 28 points after halftime for Miami, which led for only six of the game's 48 minutes. Shaquille O'Neal had 25 points, 14 rebounds, seven blocks and four assists for the Heat, who were outrebounded 46-36.

The loss denied Miami's bid for the NBA's first 15-game winning streak since O'Neal's Los Angeles Lakers won 19 straight in the 2000 season, helping propel them to the first of their three consecutive titles.

Antonio Daniels' 3-pointer with 2:10 remaining put Seattle up 93-90, but Damon Jones — who's made more 3-pointers than anyone in the NBA this season — answered with one on Miami's next possession, tying the score for the 11th time.

Allen made two free throws with 46 seconds left to give Seattle the lead again, but Wade tied the game with a layup 9.8 seconds later. The Heat, however, wouldn't score again.

Seattle SuperSonics' Ray Allen drives against the Miami Heat in the second quarter Monday, Jan. 3, 2005, in Miami.[AP]

Danny Fortson made one free throw to put Seattle up 96-95 with 13.3 seconds left, but missed the second. Udonis Haslem grabbed the rebound for Miami, which got Damon Jones an open look from the right corner, but the 3-point try sailed long, and Christian Laettner's short putback try rimmed out. Vladimir Radmanovic made two free throws for a three-point cushion.

Seattle led 49-43 at halftime — which wasn't unusual for the Heat, who've led at intermission in only 10 of 33 games this season.

Outside of O'Neal, who shot 5-for-7 and had 16 points in the half, Miami's offense was anemic early. Take away his numbers, and the Heat managed to shoot just 38.5 percent in the first two quarters.

Yet this time, Miami couldn't find a way to pull it out at the end.

The SuperSonics got O'Neal in early foul trouble, sending him to the sideline with two fouls midway through the opening quarter. And that played a bit of a role in Seattle's 28-17 first-half rebounding edge; Lewis, who had a double-double (12 points, 10 rebounds) by halftime, and Danny Fortson combined to outrebound the entire Miami roster by one in the opening 24 minutes.

Seattle had five shots on one first-half possession and three on two others, plus connected on 4-of-10 tries from 3-point range in the half — compared to an 0-for-4 start by the Heat, who came in averaging nearly six 3-pointers per game.

Eddie Jones finished with 14 points for Miami.

Fortson had 15 points and 10 rebounds for Seattle, which entered the game percentage points ahead of the Heat for the third-best record in the NBA.

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