 |
| |
|
 |
 |
 |
|||||||||||
|
Heat wave Butler, Miami rout T'wolves 111-84 to avenge Tuesday's lossPosted: Friday March 28, 2003 11:04 PMUpdated: Saturday March 29, 2003 2:59 AM MIAMI (AP) -- Everything went right for Caron Butler until he learned that his alma mater lost in the NCAA tournament. "That ruins my night," the rookie from Connecticut said after scoring a career-high 35 points in the Miami Heat's 111-84 win over the Minnesota Timberwolves on Friday night. "I was on a high horse, but I came off." Butler, who also had seven assists, led seven Miami players in double figures as the Heat overcame an early 18-point deficit. Eddie House finished with 18 points, including 13 in the fourth quarter. Miami also shot a season-best 62 percent. "Offensively, I was rolling," Butler said. "I knocked down shots -- that's the role I want, to be the energizer of the team." Butler's point total was the second highest by a rookie this season. Phoenix's Amare Stoudamire scored 38, also against Minnesota on Dec. 30. "I think everybody on the team respects him," Miami coach Pat Riley said. "He's a serious young guy that wants to be good. He has a lot on his shoulders now, and tonight was an absolute monster game for him." Kevin Garnett led the Timberwolves with 17 points and nine rebounds. The victory snapped Miami's three-game losing streak, which including a 108-91 loss at Minnesota on Tuesday night. The Heat got a jolt when Garnett's basket on the first possession of the second quarter gave the Timberwolves a 37-19 lead. Led by Butler and reserve guard Mike James, the Heat began to cut away at the deficit. Miami finished the first half with a 29-12 run. James scored nine points during the spurt. "I just wanted to come out and bring energy," said James, who finished with 15 points. Riley also used a small backcourt, rotating guards James, House and Anthony Carter. The lineup, and occasional use of a zone defense, frustrated the Timberwolves. "We had 12 assists in the first quarter and one assist in the second quarter," Minnesota head coach Flip Saunders said. "That means you're not moving the ball, not sharing the ball, not doing the things you're supposed to do." Miami didn't let up from its strong second quarter and built an 11-point lead by the end of the third. "We're a man-to-man team, but we changed the game a bit," James said. "Sometimes when you do that, you catch the other team by surprise." The Heat continued to increase their lead throughout the fourth quarter. In one stretch, Butler made three consecutive layups and House connected on two 3-pointers. "The zone just created fast break after fast break," Riley said. "It was a great win for us."
Notes: Butler made a career-best 15 field goals. ... Garnett broke his Timberwolves' single-season team record of 981 rebounds, with his eighth of the game early in the third period.
|
|
|||||||||
|
|||||||||||
