Heat beat Kings as Cousins serves suspension

MIAMI – Chris Bosh had 23 points and 11 rebounds and the Miami Heat beat Sacramento 116-109 on Thursday night (Friday in Manila), taking advantage of Kings star DeMarcus Cousins' one-game suspension.

 

Cousins, averaging 30.8 points in his last five games, was suspended for hitting Atlanta's Al Horford in the head with a forearm in the Kings' loss to the Hawks. The Kings are 0-5 without Cousins this season and 11-38 since he joined the team in 2010.

 

Dwyane Wade added 22 points, and Tyler Johnson had 19 for Miami. The Heat have won four of five during their seven-game homestand that wraps up with games against Philadelphia and New York.

 

Sacramento's Rajon Rondo had a season-high 18 assists, 14 points and nine rebounds after having three triple-doubles in his previous four games. He's averaging 14.2 points, 14.2 assists and 9.8 rebounds in his past five games.

 

Marco Belinelli led the Kings with 23 points.

 

The Heat had a 10-point advantage at halftime and an 82-76 edge at end of the third quarter. Unlike their 103-91 loss to Minnesota, which outscored Miami 41-22 in the final quarter, the Heat pulled away from the Kings in the fourth.

 

Gerald Green and Goran Dragic hit back-to-back 3-pointers and Justise Winslow slammed home a dunk for a quick 8-0 burst and a 97-81 lead. The Kings would get as close as five with a minute left.

 

Kings forward Rudy Gay strained his left shoulder in the third quarter and did not return. Gay was hurt driving to the basket when Winslow took a swipe at the ball.

 

Amare Stoudemire sparked the Heat with 10 points off the bench in the first quarter. Stoudemire had not played in the last eight games due to soreness in his knees, but the 33-year-old forward showed flashes of his days when he was a six-time All-Star with a dunk and jumper on back-to-back possessions.

 

TIP-INS

Kings: Sacramento is 3-25 at Miami. The Kings' last win in Miami was Nov. 10, 2001.

 

Heat: When Wade plays, Miami is 11-0 in home games against the Kings and 18-1 overall against them.

 

BUTLER'S UNIFORMS

Kings forward Caron Butler's last five trips to Miami have come with five teams. He was with Dallas when the Mavericks beat the Heat for the 2011 NBA title, and his next four times in Miami, in order, have been with the Los Angeles Clippers, Milwaukee Bucks, Detroit Pistons and the Kings. He's also worn the uniforms of the Los Angeles Lakers and Washington Wizards in past games at Miami - and started his career with the Heat in 2002.

 

ANDERSEN OUT

Heat forward Chris Andersen was excused to deal with an undisclosed personal situation, but is expected to be available Saturday against Philadelphia.

 

UP NEXT:

Kings visit Orlando while the Heat host Philadelphia both on Saturday night (Sunday in Manila).