MIAMI (Reuters) – The Miami supporting cast helped the Heat survive one final run from the Philadelphia 76ers to hold on for a 97-91 victory on Wednesday that advanced them to the next round of the NBA’s playoffs.
In the Western Conference, the Oklahoma City Thunder also advanced after a 100-97 victory over the Denver Nuggets while the San Antonio Spurs escaped elimination with a 110-103 overtime win against the Memphis Grizzlies.
Reserve Joel Anthony made two free throws to put Miami up by three with 16 seconds left as the Heat narrowly avoided another fourth-quarter meltdown — Philadelphia went on a 10-0 run in the final 82 seconds to win Game Four — to wrap up their best-of-seven series 4-1.
The Heat had allowed a 10-point fourth-quarter lead to be cut to just one on Wednesday but they made nine of their 10 free throws in the final three minutes to ensure they advanced to a second round clash with the Boston Celtics.
“It was very difficult (to finish the series),” Dwyane Wade told reporters after scoring 12 of his game-high 26 points in the fourth quarter. “That team (Philadelphia) is resilient.
“We knew it was going to be that way. That team got
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