MIAMI, (MILLAT ONLINE/APP/AFP) – The Miami Heat kept their NBA playoff
hopes alive Monday with a 124-121 overtime victory over Cleveland that dropped the reigning NBA champion Cavaliers to second in the Eastern Conference.
The Cavs, locked in a duel with the Boston Celtics for the top seed
in the East, nevertheless rested stars LeBron James and Kyrie Irving in Miami.
They suffered their second overtime defeat in as many days, having
squandered a 26-point fourth-quarter lead in a stunning loss to the Atlanta
Hawks on Sunday.
Against the Heat they took a 91-80 lead into the fourth, but Miami
stormed back to force overtime and claim the win.
Tyler Johnson had 24 points and Hassan Whiteside added 23 and 18
rebounds as the Heat snapped a three-game home losing streak.
Deron Williams, starting at point guard in place of Irving, led
Cleveland with 35 points. Kevin Love added 25 with 10 rebounds before he fouled out with 34 seconds left in overtime.
With the Celtics beating the Brooklyn Nets 114-105, the defeat dropped the Cavs one game behind Boston for first place in the conference.
For the Heat, the victory means they will be fighting with the Indiana Pacers and Chicago Bulls for the last two playoff spots in the East when the regular season concludes on Wednesday.
The Pacers, with 27 points from Paul George, defeated the Philadelphia 76ers 120-111 on Monday and lie second in the Eastern Conference.
The Bulls crushed the Orlando Magic 122-75 and at 40-41 have the same
record as Miami with one game remaining for each.