Wade turns up Heat on listless Nets

EAST RUTHERFORD, New Jersey – Dwyane Wade had 27 points and 12 assists as the Miami Heat scored a 99-89 victory over the free-falling New Jersey Nets on Monday night.

Jermaine O’Neal added 25 points as the Heat improved to eight wins and three losses in a span in which they’ve climbed to sixth place in the Eastern Conference.

Brook Lopez had 26 points, but the Nets (7-63) lost their eighth straight as they possibly head toward the worst record in NBA history. New Jersey has to win two of its final 12 to avoid breaking the Philadelphia 76ers’ mark for futility (9-73), set in 1972-73.

The Nets played without interim coach Kiki Vandeweghe, whose mother is gravely ill in California. Assistant John Loyer replaced him.

At New Orleans, Chris Paul played for the first time in 25 games, while Marcus Thornton scored 28 points to help New Orleans beat Dallas, 115-99.

Returning from a left knee injury, Paul started but was limited to 21 minutes and had 11 points. He helped New Orleans pull away in the fourth quarter, but rookie Darren Collison ran the floor when the Hornets had a remarkable run of 23 straight points from late in the second quarter until early in the third.

David West had 25 points and 10 assists, Morris Peterson had a season-high 20 points and Collison scored 16 for the Hornets.

Jason Terry scored 24 for Dallas, which squandered a 16-point first-quarter lead.

At Philadelphia, Rashard Lewis scored 24 points and Dwight Howard added 23 points and 15 rebounds as Orlando notched its third straight 50-win season, beating the Sixers, 109-93.

Vince Carter contributed 17 points and Matt Barnes had 14 for the Southeast Division-leading Magic (50-21), who won 50 games in three straight seasons for the first time since 1993-96. The Magic have won three straight and 10 of 11.

Andre Iguodala and Elton Brand led the Sixers with 23 points apiece, while Samuel Dalembert had 16 points and 14 rebounds.

At Oklahoma City, George Hill scored a career-high 27 points, and San Antonio overcame Kevin Durant’s 45 to beat the hosts, 99-96, and forge a share for sixth place in the Western Conference standings.

Serge Ibaka swatted away Tim Duncan’s layup attempt to give the Thunder a chance with 8.8 seconds left, but Thabo Sefolosha missed a 3-pointer from the left wing with 5 seconds remaining after he was left open because of a double-team against Durant.

Manu Ginobili then hit one of two free throws with 2.3 seconds left, and Russell Westbrook couldn’t connect on a halfcourt shot at the buzzer for the Thunder.

At Chicago, Derrick Rose had 27 points, eight assists and seven rebounds to lead Chicago over Houston, 98-88.

Flip Murray added 18 points and Kirk Hinrich scored 17 for the Bulls, who won back-to-back games after losing a season-high 10 in a row.

The Rockets lost for just the second time in seven games. Luis Scola led Houston with 22 points and 10 rebounds and Kevin Martin added 19 points.

At Milwaukee, John Salmons scored 32 points, including the tiebreaking free throws with 21.8 seconds remaining, to lead the home team to a come-from-behind victory over the Hawks, 98-95.

In a matchup of possible first-round playoff opponents, Salmons and Hawks All-Star Joe Johnson went back and forth down the stretch until the Milwaukee guard, who scored 16 in the fourth quarter, pulled it out.

Carlos Delfino added 23 points for the Bucks.

At Minneapolis, Chris Bosh had 21 points and 10 rebounds to help sluggish Toronto hand Minnesota its 13th straight loss, 106-100.

Andrea Bargnani had 19 points and seven rebounds for the Raptors, who beat the Timberwolves for the 12th consecutive time. Al Jefferson had 22 points and seven rebounds for the Timberwolves, who have lost 19 of their last 20 games.             (AP)