Heat Stun Magic With Buzzer-Beater

By CBSNews.com staff CBSNews.com staff

March 15, 1998 / 12:00 AM EST / CBS Sportsline

Voshon Lenard knew the instant the ball left his hand that the Miami Heat were going to win. It took the officials a little longer to decide.

Lenard's 3-pointer at the buzzer gave the Heat a 79-76 victory over the Orlando Magic, who were held to three field goals in the fourth quarter -- none in the last 7:45.

Official Ron Olesiak waved off the winning basket, then had an immediate change of heart and asked colleagues Ronnie Nunn and LeRoy Richardson for help.

"I just thought I made the wrong call, and I just wanted to go over and confirm with my partners to make sure that (the) ball was out of the hand. They said absolutely, and I just went over and changed it," Olesiak said.

The Heat inbounded the ball with 1.1 seconds left and Lenard, who came off a screen and dribbled before setting himself for a wide-open 26-footer, silenced a sellout crowd of 17,248 with the shot.

"I was so open I couldn't believe it, so I had time to put the ball on the floor one dribble and get closer to the rim," Lenard said. "I knew it was good. I knew I got the ball off before the buzzer."

The Magic weren't as certain. Coach Chuck Daly watched tape of the play before speaking to reporters.

"It's hard to tell," he said. "But I mean 1.1 seconds. The guy takes one or two bounces, sets himself and shoots the ball. That's difficult to do in a second."

Tim Hardaway led the Heat with 22 points, while Alonzo Mourning had 18 points and 10 rebounds. Lenard, who made two free throws to make it 76-76 with 7.7 seconds left, finished with 15.

Orlando got 30 points from Nick Anderson, but didn't score from the field after Bo Outlaw's tip-in with 7:46 to go. The Magic led 76-72 with a minute to go, then turned the ball over on three straight possessions down the stretch.

"We played our hearts out, but we kind of shot ourselves in the foot a bit," Daly said, noting Orlando had 24 turnovers.

"We had every opportunity in the world to win the basketball game. Every opportunity in the world. We have to get a shot off. We cannot be stripped, cannot lose it those kind of situations ... That is Basketball 101."

Hardaway made two free throws to trim Miami's deficit to two, then the Heat took advantage of turnovers by Danny Schayes and Mark Price, who was stripped of the ball with two seconds left, to steal the game.

The victory was the 13th in 14 games for the Heat, who are 3-0 this season against the Magic. Orlando, held to 30 percent shooting in te fourth quarter (3-for-10), has lost three straight.

Hardaway had nine points in the fourth quarter and Mourning delivered two clutch baskets to help Miami fight back after falling behind 69-64. The Magic stayed in front until the final minute by making 10 of their last 11 free throws.

Notes: Orlando hit nine of its first 10 shots in the third quarter to go up 53-47 and led 59-55 going into the fourth quarter. ... The Magic were held to 60 points in a 24-point loss at home to Miami on Nov. 26. They exceeded that on Derek Harper's 3-pointer in the opening minute of the fourth quarter ... The Heat are the NBA's winningest road team with a 23-11 record.