Waiters serves late drama

Miami guard's buzzer-beater snaps Golden State's win streak

Dion Waiters went from air-baller to game-winner.

Waiters made a 3-pointer with 0.6 seconds left to cap a 33-point effort as the Miami Heat beat Golden State 105-102 on Monday night to end the Warriors' seven-game winning streak.

It was the second straight game in which Waiters tied his career high, and this one came after a frantic final few minutes in which the Heat blew a 10-point advantage - with a Waiters 15-foot air-ball part of the collapse.

Dion Waiters of the Miami Heat drives around Golden State Warriors' Klay Thompson during the second half of Monday's game in Miami. Waiters scored 33 points to help the Heat win 105-102. Wilfredo Lee / AP

However, he more than atoned with his last shot of the night, sending Miami to its biggest surprise of the season.

"He's not scared. He's not afraid," Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said. "He's fearless. He wants those moments as much as anybody."

Kevin Durant tied the game on a dunk with 11.7 seconds left. With no timeouts, Waiters walked the ball up the court, made a couple of moves on Klay Thompson, then connected from straightaway.

"I knew it was good," Waiters said. "He let me get to my shot."

Stephen Curry missed a 3-point try for the Warriors as time expired.

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).

"We get everybody's best shot," said Warriors coach Steve Kerr, who even with the loss clinched the right to coach the Western Conference in next month's All-Star Game. "Miami played great."

Waiters shot 13 for 20 from the floor, 6 for 8 from 3-point range.

"Those are tough shots that Dion made," Curry said. "He obviously played well, but we didn't do anything to help ourselves."

Miami was up 98-88 before the Warriors started rallying. Curry drained 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.

"It's good to see guys in the locker room feel good about beating a great basketball team," Spoelstra said.

Saluting Curry

Curry was due to 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 against Duquesne.

(China Daily 01/25/2017 page22)