Wade has triple-double in finale; Nets beat Heat for 6 seed
NEW YORK (AP) Dwyane Wade was hurting, sitting on the training table trying to get enough treatment to get him on the floor one last time.
A couple of hours later, he looked like a guy capable of playing well beyond the final night of his career.
Wade had 25 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists in his last NBA game, which the Brooklyn Nets won by beating the Miami Heat 113-94 on Wednesday night to finish 42-40 and clinch the No. 6 seed in the Eastern Conference.
With close friends LeBron James, Chris Paul and Carmelo Anthony leading the cheers from their courtside seats, Wade had his fifth career triple-double in three quarters. He fittingly secured it with a pass to Udonis Haslem, his teammate of 15 years who plays sparingly now and made his only start of the season.
''I was like, I don't know why, but everybody feels like now you've got to go out and score 60 in your last game because Kobe did it,'' said Wade, wearing a sparkling gold jacket and gold sneakers. ''So hopefully I took the bar all the way back down and say let's go get a triple-double, that's easier.''
A night after scoring 30 points in his final game in Miami, Wade showed one more time that he's walking away with his skills intact.
He played 36 minutes, dribbling out the shot clock the final time he had the ball before checking out with 10 seconds remaining. Then it was time for a lengthy postgame celebration on the court with teammates and friends.
''The man went out with a triple-double. Don't let that go unnoticed. He had a triple-double,'' All-Star D'Angelo Russell said. ''He is a guy that paved the way for a lot of us. He's been with that franchise for that long period of time. He's Mr. Miami.''
Russell had 21 points on seven 3-pointers for the Nets, who will face the third-seeded Philadelphia 76ers beginning this weekend in their first postseason appearance since 2015, one that seemed unlikely when they were 8-18 in December. But they went 34-22 from there for their first winning record since going 44-38 in 2013-14 - when they were knocked out by Wade's Heat in the second round.
''Special night,'' Nets coach Kenny Atkinson said. ''Pretty amazing season so far.''
The game mattered only to the Nets, who quickly ended any fears of finishing seventh and having to face the Toronto Raptors in the first round.
But that was secondary to a last chance to celebrate Wade, the three-time NBA champion who was ending his 16th and final NBA season.
He was loudly cheered from the moment he emerged alone from the tunnel for pregame layups. Fans - egged on at one point by Paul and Anthony - chanted ''We want Wade! We want Wade!'' when he was on the bench, even though the 37-year-old guard had played a season-high 35 minutes Tuesday and coach Erik Spoelstra warned before the game that it probably wouldn't be that way again.
But there was no keeping Wade down for long. It took him a little bit to get going, as Jarrett Allen added Wade to the list of stars whose shots he's blocked this season - a list that included James.
''I loved seeing CP and Melo over there getting the crowd going to get Dwyane back in there and Dwyane comes from the old-school NBA,'' Spoelstra said. ''That was pre-load management, so we were not load managing him tonight and I was not talking to my sports scientist whether he could go, even though I walked in and saw him on that training table an hour before the game and he did not look fit to go, at all. But he's cut from a different cloth.''
The Heat hoped the final game would matter, but the Nets and Orlando Magic had clinched spots over the weekend to leave only one spot left coming into the last week. Miami was eliminated from contention for it despite its victory Tuesday.
''For me, I'm happy with this season,'' Wade said. ''Unfortunately for our organization and our team, we weren't able to put ourselves in a position to win enough games to be in the playoffs, but for what I wanted for this season, I'm happy to say that I completed that.''
TIP-INS
Heat: Haslem finished with 12 points and 11 rebounds. ... Wade passed Elgin Baylor (23,149 points) to move into 29th place on the NBA's career list. He finished with 23,165.
Nets: Starters Joe Harris (toe) and DeMarre Carroll (right wrist) sat out, though Atkinson said they would be ready for the playoff opener. ... Shabazz Napier scored 20 points off the bench.
THE LAST JERSEY
Wade has been exchanging jerseys with players after games this season, but there was one missing. Anthony, who helped persuade Wade to return this season, didn't play long this season before parting ways with Houston. So Wade gave his final one to him.
''I didn't get an opportunity to play against Melo this year and exchange jerseys with him,'' Wade said. ''That was a missing piece out of this whole season, so everything worked out great for him being here, for me having an opportunity to give him my jersey.''
---
UP NEXT
Heat: The offseason.
Nets: A first-round playoff matchup against the Philadelphia 76ers.
---
More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP-Sports
Copyright 2019 by AP. Any commercial use or distribution without the express written consent of AP is strictly prohibited.
Time | Team | Play | Score | |
---|---|---|---|---|
12:00 | Jumpball | |||
11:43 | +2 | Udonis Haslem made turnaround jump shot, assist by Justise Winslow | 2-0 | |
11:22 | Defensive rebound by Kelly Olynyk | |||
11:14 | Udonis Haslem missed jump shot | |||
11:10 | Defensive rebound by Caris LeVert | |||
10:55 | Dwyane Wade missed 3-pt. jump shot | |||
10:45 | 3-pt. jump shot | |||
10:40 | Defensive rebound by Dwyane Wade | |||
10:20 | Bad pass turnover on Kelly Olynyk, stolen by D'Angelo Russell | |||
10:13 | Rodions Kurucs missed jump shot | |||
10:10 | Defensive rebound by Dwyane Wade | |||
9:53 | +2 | Rodions Kurucs made layup, assist by D'Angelo Russell | 2-2 | |
9:36 | Goran Dragic missed jump shot | |||
9:34 | Offensive rebound by Udonis Haslem | |||
9:14 | Treveon Graham missed 3-pt. jump shot | |||
9:11 | Defensive rebound by Udonis Haslem | |||
9:08 | Dwyane Wade missed layup, blocked by Jarrett Allen | |||
9:07 | Shooting foul on Rodions Kurucs | |||
9:07 | +1 | Dwyane Wade made 1st of 2 free throws | 5-2 | |
9:07 | Dwyane Wade missed 2nd of 2 free throws | |||
9:05 | Defensive rebound by Jarrett Allen | |||
8:56 | +3 | Caris LeVert made 3-pt. jump shot, assist by Jarrett Allen | 5-5 | |
8:38 | Traveling violation turnover on Kelly Olynyk | |||
8:30 | +2 | Caris LeVert made driving layup, assist by D'Angelo Russell | 5-7 | |
8:16 | +2 | Kelly Olynyk made reverse layup, assist by Dwyane Wade | 7-7 | |
7:59 | Defensive rebound by Udonis Haslem | |||
7:48 | Defensive rebound by D'Angelo Russell | |||
7:44 | Shooting foul on Udonis Haslem | |||
7:44 | +1 | Jarrett Allen made 1st of 2 free throws | 7-8 | |
7:44 | Jarrett Allen missed 2nd of 2 free throws | |||
7:44 | MIA team rebound | |||
7:29 | +2 | Kelly Olynyk made alley-oop shot, assist by Udonis Haslem | 9-8 | |
7:08 | +3 | D'Angelo Russell made 3-pt. jump shot | 9-11 | |
6:56 | +2 | Kelly Olynyk made layup, assist by Justise Winslow | 11-11 | |
6:56 | Shooting foul on Jarrett Allen | |||
6:56 | +1 | Kelly Olynyk made free throw | 12-11 | |
6:46 | D'Angelo Russell missed 3-pt. jump shot | |||
6:42 | Rodions Kurucs missed jump shot | |||
6:42 | Rodions Kurucs missed dunk | |||
6:41 | Offensive rebound by Rodions Kurucs | |||
6:41 | Rodions Kurucs missed dunk | |||
6:32 | Dwyane Wade missed 3-pt. jump shot | |||
6:29 | Defensive rebound by D'Angelo Russell | |||
6:24 | +2 | Treveon Graham made jump shot, assist by D'Angelo Russell | 12-13 | |
6:09 | +2 | Dwyane Wade made jump shot, assist by Kelly Olynyk | 14-13 | |
5:46 | +2 | Rodions Kurucs made dunk | 14-15 | |
5:35 | Udonis Haslem missed jump shot | |||
5:31 | Offensive rebound by Goran Dragic | |||
5:31 | Defensive rebound by Rodions Kurucs | |||
5:31 | Goran Dragic missed dunk | |||
5:29 | +1 | Rodions Kurucs made 1st of 2 free throws | 14-16 | |
5:29 | +1 | Rodions Kurucs made 2nd of 2 free throws | 14-17 | |
4:57 | Bad pass turnover on D'Angelo Russell, stolen by Goran Dragic | |||
4:52 | Kelly Olynyk missed 3-pt. jump shot | |||
4:50 | Defensive rebound by Jarrett Allen | |||
4:37 | Defensive rebound by Udonis Haslem | |||
4:32 | Lost ball turnover on Dwyane Wade, stolen by Rodions Kurucs | |||
4:16 | Jarrett Allen missed dunk, blocked by Kelly Olynyk | |||
4:13 | Defensive rebound by Goran Dragic | |||
4:06 | Offensive rebound by Justise Winslow | |||
4:06 | +2 | Justise Winslow made dunk | 18-17 | |
3:53 | Personal foul on Goran Dragic | |||
3:43 | D'Angelo Russell missed turnaround jump shot | |||
3:40 | Offensive rebound by D'Angelo Russell | |||
3:39 | +2 | Ed Davis made dunk, assist by D'Angelo Russell | 18-19 | |
3:31 | Defensive rebound by Rondae Hollis-Jefferson | |||
3:16 | Shabazz Napier missed 3-pt. jump shot | |||
2:53 | Lost ball turnover on Kelly Olynyk, stolen by Rondae Hollis-Jefferson | |||
2:53 | Bad pass turnover on Rondae Hollis-Jefferson, stolen by Justise Winslow | |||
2:53 | Bad pass turnover on Justise Winslow, stolen by Rondae Hollis-Jefferson | |||
2:22 | Kelly Olynyk missed layup | |||
2:19 | Defensive rebound by Ed Davis | |||
2:14 | +2 | Rondae Hollis-Jefferson made driving layup | 18-25 | |
2:01 | Defensive rebound by Ed Davis | |||
1:54 | Theo Pinson missed 3-pt. jump shot | |||
1:54 | Theo Pinson missed 3-pt. jump shot | |||
1:50 | Defensive rebound by Dwyane Wade | |||
1:41 | Bad pass turnover on Justise Winslow, stolen by Theo Pinson | |||
1:38 | +2 | Spencer Dinwiddie made driving dunk, assist by Shabazz Napier | 18-27 | |
1:36 | Violation | |||
1:25 | Dwyane Wade missed turnaround jump shot | |||
1:22 | Defensive rebound by Ed Davis | |||
1:11 | +3 | Shabazz Napier made 3-pt. jump shot, assist by Spencer Dinwiddie | 18-30 | |
1:06 | +3 | Dwyane Wade made 3-pt. jump shot | 21-30 | |
0:36 | +2 | Rondae Hollis-Jefferson made driving layup | 21-32 | |
0:09 | +2 | Kelly Olynyk made dunk, assist by Dwyane Wade | 23-32 | |
0:02 | Defensive rebound by Bam Adebayo | |||
0:02 | Defensive rebound by Bam Adebayo |
Time | Team | Play | Score | |
---|---|---|---|---|
11:26 | Defensive rebound by Bam Adebayo | |||
10:57 | Bam Adebayo missed jump shot | |||
10:55 | Defensive rebound by Ed Davis | |||
10:47 | +3 | Shabazz Napier made 3-pt. jump shot, assist by Spencer Dinwiddie | 23-35 | |
10:23 | Out of bounds turnover on Duncan Robinson | |||
10:12 | Bad pass turnover on Rondae Hollis-Jefferson, stolen by Duncan Robinson | |||
10:09 | Shooting foul on Shabazz Napier | |||
10:09 | +1 | Derrick Jones Jr. made 1st of 2 free throws | 24-35 | |
10:09 | Derrick Jones Jr. missed 2nd of 2 free throws | |||
10:06 | Defensive rebound by Ed Davis | |||
9:48 | Personal foul on Derrick Jones Jr. | |||
9:33 | Offensive rebound by Rondae Hollis-Jefferson | |||
9:33 | Rondae Hollis-Jefferson missed dunk | |||
9:29 | Defensive rebound by James Johnson | |||
9:30 | Offensive foul on James Johnson | |||
9:30 | Turnover on James Johnson | |||
9:07 | Rondae Hollis-Jefferson missed fade-away jump shot | |||
9:03 | +2 | Ed Davis made dunk | 24-37 | |
8:36 | Defensive rebound by Rondae Hollis-Jefferson | |||
8:31 | +3 | D'Angelo Russell made 3-pt. jump shot, assist by Rondae Hollis-Jefferson | 24-40 | |
8:10 | Dion Waiters missed 3-pt. jump shot | |||
8:06 | Defensive rebound by Shabazz Napier | |||
8:03 | +3 | 3-pt. jump shot | 24-43 | |
8:02 | Full timeout called | |||
7:46 | Defensive rebound by D'Angelo Russell | |||
7:27 | +3 | Shabazz Napier made 3-pt. jump shot | 24-46 | |
7:03 | Defensive rebound by Bam Adebayo | |||
6:57 | +2 | Bam Adebayo made driving dunk | 26-46 | |
6:42 | +2 | Caris LeVert made driving layup | 26-48 | |
6:23 | Defensive rebound by Rondae Hollis-Jefferson | |||
6:17 | +2 | Rondae Hollis-Jefferson made finger-roll layup | 26-50 | |
6:03 | Out of bounds turnover on Bam Adebayo | |||
5:54 | Jarrett Allen missed driving dunk | |||
5:52 | Defensive rebound by James Johnson | |||
5:46 | Bam Adebayo missed driving layup | |||
5:42 | +2 | Derrick Jones Jr. made dunk | 28-50 | |
5:24 | Defensive rebound by Duncan Robinson | |||
5:20 | +3 | Duncan Robinson made 3-pt. jump shot, assist by James Johnson | 31-50 | |
5:03 | BKN team rebound | |||
4:51 | +2 | Caris LeVert made driving dunk, assist by Jarrett Allen | 31-52 | |
4:51 | Personal foul on Duncan Robinson | |||
4:51 | +1 | Caris LeVert made free throw | 31-53 | |
4:38 | +2 | Bam Adebayo made dunk, assist by Dwyane Wade | 33-53 | |
4:38 | Shooting foul on Jarrett Allen | |||
4:38 | +1 | Bam Adebayo made free throw | 34-53 | |
4:19 | +3 | Treveon Graham made 3-pt. jump shot, assist by Caris LeVert | 34-56 | |
4:05 | Dion Waiters missed jump shot | |||
3:53 | Bad pass turnover on Caris LeVert, stolen by Bam Adebayo | |||
3:49 | +2 | Derrick Jones Jr. made driving dunk, assist by Dion Waiters | 36-56 | |
3:40 | +3 | Treveon Graham made 3-pt. jump shot, assist by Spencer Dinwiddie | 36-59 | |
3:26 | Shooting foul on Caris LeVert | |||
3:26 | +1 | Duncan Robinson made 1st of 3 free throws | 37-59 | |
3:26 | Duncan Robinson missed 2nd of 3 free throws | |||
3:26 | +1 | Duncan Robinson made 3rd of 3 free throws | 38-59 | |
3:09 | Treveon Graham missed 3-pt. jump shot | |||
3:04 | Defensive rebound by Dwyane Wade | |||
2:59 | +2 | Dwyane Wade made jump shot | 40-59 | |
2:32 | Dwyane Wade missed jump shot | |||
2:29 | Defensive rebound by Jarrett Allen | |||
2:16 | +2 | Duncan Robinson made alley-oop shot, assist by Dwyane Wade | 42-61 | |
2:01 | Defensive rebound by Udonis Haslem | |||
1:43 | Defensive rebound by Jarrett Allen | |||
1:29 | +2 | Udonis Haslem made dunk, assist by Dwyane Wade | 44-61 | |
1:05 | Shabazz Napier missed 3-pt. jump shot | |||
1:02 | Defensive rebound by Justise Winslow | |||
0:56 | Bad pass turnover on Justise Winslow, stolen by Rodions Kurucs | |||
0:55 | Clear path foul on Justise Winslow | |||
0:55 | Unsportsmanlike technical foul | |||
0:55 | +1 | Dwyane Wade made free throw | 45-61 | |
0:55 | +1 | Rodions Kurucs made 1st of 2 free throws | 45-62 | |
0:55 | +1 | Rodions Kurucs made 1st of 2 free throws | 45-63 | |
0:29 | +2 | Derrick Jones Jr. made alley-oop shot, assist by Duncan Robinson | 47-63 | |
0:12 | Shabazz Napier missed 3-pt. jump shot | |||
0:09 | BKN team rebound | |||
0:03 | Treveon Graham missed 3-pt. jump shot | |||
0:00 | Justise Winslow missed 3-pt. jump shot | |||
0:00 | MIA team rebound | |||
0:00 | End of period |