Tuesday, December 7, 1999
Carter’s strong finish
Associated Press
helps Heat beat ClippersLOS ANGELES -- The Miami Heat are scoring more points this season, but they're still winning with defense.
Alonzo Mourning had 25 points, 11 rebounds and eight blocks in yesterday's 99-91 victory over the Los Angeles Clippers.
Former Hawaii star Anthony Carter scored eight of his 20 points in the final 5:34 for the Heat, who held the Clippers to 43 percent shooting.
"We were just trying to be aggressive," Carter said.
"Me and Mash (forward Jamal Mashburn) were taking the ball to the basket -- and if we didn't have a shot, we'd dish it off. And all the guys were making their shots tonight."
Despite playing without injured point guard Tim Hardaway and forward Otis Thorpe, Miami won for the fourth time in five games and improved its record to 13-4, tying the best start in franchise history.
"Defense is really our calling card," Mashburn said.
"That's how we compete and that's what we have to rely on. I mean, we can score points if we run the basketball. No matter how many points we score, or how many shots we miss, we're going to have to play defense. That's what's going to win a lot of games for us."
Mashburn scored 20 points for the Heat, who are 5-1 without Hardaway, sidelined by a jammed right knee.
"In the NBA, any night anybody can beat you," Mashburn said. "The Clippers looked pretty scary tonight, as far as all the talent they have. It's not an automatic win coming in here anymore."
Rookie Lamar Odom scored 20 points, and Derek Anderson had his first career triple-double with 16 points, 10 rebounds and 12 assists for the Clippers, who have lost six in a row overall and six straight to Miami.
Brian Skinner's tip-in and two free throws, followed by Odom's layup, helped Los Angeles trim a 10-point deficit to 69-66 with 38 seconds left in the third quarter. But Miami responded with 11 consecutive points to take its biggest lead, 80-66, with 9:32 remaining.
The Clippers reduced the deficit to eight points six times in the final four minutes, but each time the Heat came back with a basket of their own.
"We just kept playing solid basketball," Miami coach Pat Riley said. "It wasn't any one thing. We just stayed on them ... made some plays and kept getting it up to 10. "
"The Miami Heat play Pat Riley basketball -- defense comes first, offense last," Odom said.
Mourning scored 11 of Miami's first 15 points.
