CHARLOTTE - The Miami Heat traveled to Charlotte Saturday night and posted a 98-85 Game 3 win over the Bobcats at the Time Warner Cable Arena.
A record crowd of 19,633 was thick with anticipation of the home team's first-ever playoffs victory, and the Bobcats darted to an early 16-9 lead behind the nifty low post moves of injured power forward Al Jefferson.
Big Al played all 12 minutes of the opening quarter and chalked 15 points and 4 rebounds. Heralded by an overhead scoreboard banner as having the "soul to play on one foot," the 6-foot-10, 290-pound Jefferson was visibly limited by a strained plantar fascia, at times hobbling back to the bench.
The Heat took over in the second quarter with steady, solid play. Down by 4 at the start, they wrapped up the second quarter up by 12, aided by 75 percent clip behind the 3-point arc. And they never looked back.
Dwyane Wade, who seems to have benefitted from a regular regimen of rest and repair, registered 17 points and 6 assists. He has scored in double figures in all three games thus far in the series.
Off the bench, Chris Anderson contributed 12 points and 7 rebounds and was part of a balanced attack from the back-to-back defending NBA champions. This has been their strongest showing in the first round, evidenced by their 26 of 36 assisted field goals with only 6 turnovers.
Jefferson ended with 20 points to lead Charlotte while Chris Douglas-Roberts pitched in 17. Kemba Walker and Josh McRoberts settled with 13 apiece, hitting just a combined 7-of-16 field goals.
With a commanding 3-0 lead in this round-one Eastern Conference series, the Heat are now 19-0 versus the Bobcats in the Big 3 era.
Game 4 returns to the Time Warner Cable Arena here in Charlotte, where the Bobcats shoot for a final chance at a playoffs win before they are re-christened the Charlotte Hornets in the 2014-2015 season. (AD)
Photo: Dwyane Wade soars for 2 of his 17 points and the Miami Heat cruised to a 98-85 Game 3 win over the Charlotte Bobcats yesterday at the Time Warner Cable Arena.
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