The Heat finally got to the Chicago Bulls.
It took 20 tries until the Miami Heat could take the two-time defending NBA champions. It happened Thursday night as Rony Seikaly had a season-high 30 points and added 23 rebounds. Steve Smith scored seven points in the final 2:33 and Michael Jordan missed his last four shots in Miami's 97-95 victory."This win breaks a psychological barrier," Seikaly said. "It shows that we're capable of playing great basketball against a great team."
Miami was 0-16 during the regular season and 0-3 in the first round of last year's playoffs against Chicago. The victory extended Miami's franchise-record home winning streak to nine games and halted Chicago's road winning streak at seven.
Jordan led Chicago with 29 points, but in the final 2:50 he committed a turnover and missed all four shots he took. Glen Rice had 25 points for Miami.
"They closed the ballgame, which they haven't been able to do in the past against us," Jordan said. "The law of averages will finally catch up to you."
Phoenix (12-0 against Miami) is now the only team the Heat has never beaten. Earlier this season Miami beat the Los Angeles Lakers and Portland Trail Blazers for the first time.
"My shot was flat in the fourth quarter," Jordan said. "That symbolized my leg strength."
A foot ailment forced Jordan to miss two games last week.
Rockets 104, Trail Blazers 91
At Houston, the Rockets' 12-game winning streak, the second longest in the NBA this season, is the second longest in their history. The Rockets have won 25 of their last 30 games to surge to the top of the Midwest Division.
A 22-6 third-quarter run was decisive.
"We picked up our defense and got some easy baskets off the break. We fed off our defense like we have throughout the winning streak," coach Rudy Tomjanovich said.
Hakeem Olajuwon paced Houston with 27 points and 10 rebounds.
Nets 103, Warriors 91
New Jersey won its second straight game on a four-game road trip, thanks to its backcourt. Drazen Petrovic scored 28 points, making seven straight from the field at one stretch. Rumeal Robinson, continuing to play well at point guard in the absence of injured Kenny Anderson, added 20 points and six assists.
The Warriors suited up just nine players and lost their fourth straight. Jeff Grayer, Tim Hardaway and Sarunas Marciulionis sat out the game with injuries. All-Star Chris Mullin is on the injured list.
Kings 109, Timberwolves 95
Lionel Simmons came back from one of the poorest games of his career to score 28 points. Simmons, a non-starter for the first time since grade school in the Kings' home loss to the Phoenix Suns on Tuesday, made 10 of 21 field goals and 8 of 9 free throws. He hit only three of 23 shots against the Suns and had shot 32.9 percent in his previous four games.
Sacramento ended a four-game losing streak.
Marlon Maxey paced Minnesota, which lost its fifth straight road game, with 24 points and 12 rebounds, both career highs.
Cavaliers 118, Hornets 99
At Richfield, Ohio, the Cavs moved within 11/2 games of leader Chicago in the Central Division as Brad Daugherty scored 25 points.
The absence of Mark Price has not hurt Cleveland because Terrell Brandon has passed for 38 assists while committing just five turnovers, including 12 assists and no turnovers Thursday night. Price has been sidelined the last four games with a sprained thumb.
Gerald Wilkins added 23 points, including 14 in the first quarter, and Larry Nance had 18 for Cleveland.
Pistons 112, Nuggets 104
Even without its starting frontcourt of Dennis Rodman (suspended) and Mark Aguirre (foot injury), host Detroit had too much for Denver. Isiah Thomas scored 33 points and fellow quard Joe Dumars had 25. Olden Polynice added 20 points and 14 rebounds.
Dikembe Mutombo led the Nuggets with 27 points and 18 rebounds.
SuperSonics 116, Bucks 105
At Milwaukee, former Buck Ricky Pierce led the way with 27 points and Eddie Johnson added 10 of his 16 in the fourth quarter as seven Seattle players scored in double figures.